hi all...newbie here...since the birth of my son 15 months ago, i still have been looking for the right volvo to buy...i narrowed down my choice to a station wagon...initially i wanted a v70 but my wife says it's too boxy but when she saw the v50 she liked it...i went to the dealer last week and found all the v50 models and with all the options at hand i know i need more research to do this right...if you can just help me answer some of the questions i have, i'll appreciate them...is the turbo a reliable option or is it just a pain as the engine wears off?..is the cloth seating a wise option from the costly leather?...is it better to get a used 2004 or 2005 model with more options added than a brand new with limiteds options added?...i don't need a powerful car i only need a car that would be safe for my family and that would run for miles like my 92 bmw...thanks.

cmon, volvo community should be better than this?...someone out there sure has some opinion or two...i've read all the postings here, the thing that scares me the most is the SSS-start shudder and stall...does this still occur on the new models?

Joe,
I have the T5 sedan. I have had a few niggly problems with it (I think because it was the first of the new model), but the engine is sweet as. I think (hope) that turbos are pretty reliable these days, and volvo have a fair history with them. I would go for the T5, because (apart from the performance, which is great) you get a better level of equipment, and generally it is upgraded under the skin. Leather is the way to go, with kids. It is not analine in that model, so it cops a bit of beating without showing marks, and nothin stains it.

I'm new here, but sorry to say, there is another forum that gets more posts and responses:
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zeroforum?id=54

Hi There,

I recommend the T5. Yes you want to get from A to B but you also want to make the trip as pleasureable as possible and not dred getting in the car. Not to say that you would dred the 2.0 but there is a big difference between the two.

I got the "cloth" seats and have a 21 month old and will have a newbie next month. If you check out the "cloth" you will see that it is not a brushed fabric that can stain easily, they are probably the best "cloth" seats I have ever seen. Cleanup is a snap and with car seats, etc. leather will be more likely to crack and require lots of care to try to prevent cracking.

As for the turbo durability, you probably know but in case not, they are water cooled today so the cooling is more consistent and reliable making past issues with air-cooled units a thing of the past.

As for SSS, I haven't had that happen to my car. I was originally in SoCal (LA area) and am now in upstate NY so I have seen all climate conditions.

So, get the T5 and you won't be sorry. Take a test drive and see for yourself.

Cheers....

thanks for all the worldwide replies...i still can't believe the reliability report that the v50 had at consumer report website...but knowing volvo and it's history and all your kind responses i'll give it another try...i have been searching all day from audi to saab but still the volvo seems be worth the buck...audi is so expensive, saab does not have a curtain airbag...bmw focuses more on driver performance and $$$...thanks again.

I also saw the Consumer Reports low rating. I have seen a lot of reliability complaints on other fora -- particularly the air conditioning. But it is hard to know how representative they are. I have also seen posts from people saying they have had no problems or only small ones.

The V50 is not a terribly popular car, but I bought mine (delivery in a month) because of the great seats, quiet interior/good stereo, nice style, good fuel economy (2.0 diesel) and I got a great price by European standards. But I almost didn't buy it because of the small rear seats and small cargo/storage space.

I have my V50 2.4i for half a yr now and I must say I'm pretty happy with it. The only option I have is the auto (for wife) and the alloy wheels. The only compalin I have with the car is that it feels a little bumpy on rough service.

When I shopped for the car, I looked at the Audi A3 but the trunk is smaller. The stroller still fits in, but the seats cannot be folded flat as the V50. A4 is out of my budget. Passat gives you the best bang for your buck, but wife does not like it. I tested a used V50 (demo sale), but the engine was pretty loud (the car only had 5000km), probably due to abusive use, so, I decided on a new V50 without the options. I must say the basic seat materials are awesome. The 2.4i gives me decent power around town (pretty good response in passing too). The best feeling in a volvo is that you feel it's so solid and safe.

oh I mean "rough surface"

I bought a V50 AWD T5, leather seats, the works. Best though was the 100,000 mile warranty on a "certified volvo" Car drives beautifully- I have already racked up 14,000 miles in six months.