BMW 5 series or Volvo V70

Would help if you said which yr / model of cars you were considering etc!

The 2.5T is the best engine either in 200 or 210bhp versions. Manual or auto- though I wouldnt trust the auto to last the distance if you are considering 150k+ miles territory.

Tim..

In news:btk335$9ig$ snipped-for-privacy@sparta.btinternet.com, Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and lost alot of stuff :( decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

2.5 T is superb. Bit thirsty, but not too bad on a run, excellent mid range, sound nice, and do work very well with the auto box. Great seats, great stereo if you get the cd-tuner-tape one, little bit plasticky inside, but I ran a few of them for a few months when I worked for Avis and I thought they were fantastic all rounders.

Volvos are a strange beast, at first they're not that impressive, but after a short while they grow on you and you begin to appreciate the thought that goes into them. BMWs on the other hand, I don't find that impressive, they're nice at first, but after a while they start to grate. I ran a 540i E39 for a while recently and although the engine is fantastic other things about the car I found highly irritating. Nothing I could actually point to and say "that's crap that is", but nothing was actually perfect, everything was just good.

I'd go for the Volvo, it'll be cheaper to insure, probably more reliable if my BMW experiences were anything to go by, and nicer to live with day to day.

If you want space in the back, go for the Volvo. My E34 touring is smaller in the back than the volvo due to the 'sloped' tailgate. If you do go for the BMW, try for the E34 525 with Vanos (vatriable valve timing) as a minimum. My 520i is just too under powered for such a heavy car even though its got ~160bhp. The 540iT is amazing both in performance and handling (all of the E34 tourers handle superbly), but read up on the nicasil bore problems with these engines and also many of the E39 too. The later 2.5TDS tourers are excellent but a bit dearer to buy. Build quality is excellent, and spares are pretty cheap too.

and for breakers (speak to Jason or Dave at FAB to discuss engine problems as FAB are the largest BMW engine reconditioner in the UK.

HTH, JB

Our recently aquaired 2.5 10, according to the computer is averaging 29.8 mpg in mixed driving- popping to the shops and general brisk A road runs which i reckon is good enough.

The 801 stereo is a grand piece of kit- very good for a factory install. Volvo seats have always been comfy.

I have driven the 2.5T in various shapes in a previous job and there isnt alot that will keep up with it, and unlike the T5- there is virtually no turbo lag so it goes and goes and goes in any gear, any revs. Was abit heavy on fuel (~25mpg) when driven in an aplomb manner i.e. in front of everything else ;-)

Tim..

considering

As to model there seem to be so many engine variations I admit to being a little confused but all of the 2.5s I have seen appear to be T engines. Is this so?

Tony

Well I would have said volvo's were more solid and reliable,certainly in the

80's, but I'm not so sure these days.....

BMW, well I'm not that impressed by them, except a mid 80's 325i I once had - 6 cylinder motors are smooth and pretty bulletproof.

Mine had a lot of rust, but I don't think thats an issue thesedays....

Engine options- which arent usually obvious from looking at the exterior of the vehicle- look at the cambelt cover and its on a white sticker:

B5202S 2litre 10valve 126bhp. Avoid at all cost- wont pull skin off rice pudding. B5204S 2litre 20valve 143bhp. Discontinued in ~'95. Needs to be revved hard to get any go. B5252S 2.5 litre 10valve 144bhp. most common engine. good torque, quiet and better mpg than the 2litre. Fine as man or auto. B5254S 2.5litre 20valve 170bhp. Best as auto as needs to rev to get at the extra 30bhp. B5254T 2.5 20v low pressure turbo. initially 193bhp, then 200bhp in 99. Best engine IMHO. fine as man or auto. B5234T 2.3 20v high pressure turbo. 240 auto and 250bhp man- this is wot you'll find in the T5. auto recommended.

trim levels,which are not easy to spot unless you know exactly wot kit is present with wot spec, however as there are so many trim options, and optional extras, no two cars are rarely alike. However as a guide:

S leccie front windows. cloth upolstory. Steel wheels SE Trip computer, rear leccie windows. Velour. alloys, but not always, air con. CD Leather. climate control.

Ideally, you would go for a 2.5T SE with winter (heated seats headlamp washwipe and heated mirrors) and family packs (load liner, self levelling rear suspension)

Tim..

Cheers Tim really helpful info. I now have some idea of what I should be looking for

Tony

>

I've not driven an 8 cylinder, and I know the steering and balance isn't as good as the sixes. All I can say is I've got less things on mine that I dislike than any other car I've driven.

i believe there wasnt room for the regualr rack and pinion rack on the V8 and they had to use the more vague recirculating ball.

Tim..

Pete M wrote:I

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A pet hate of mine from my BMW owning days ('97 323i) was the stupid bloody wipers that automatically went to intermittent below a certain road speed (about 5mph or so, I think). Whilst sat in traffic on numerous occasions during heavy rain, my view ahead was obscured by a water covered windscreen. Bloody idiotic. I guess they have fully automatic wipers now, so maybe it's no longer an issue.

Regards, Jim

I've not owned a 3 Series, but on my last E34 525, they only did this on normal speed. If the rain was heavy, you'd be on fast.

I'm not mightily impressed with the auto system on my E39, but then again it is slightly better than straight variable speed intermittent. It probably depends on your sensitivity to wipers working on a dry screen.

The problem I frequently encountered was that in slow moving traffic during heavy rain, the normal wiper speed setting was just right to keep a clear view ahead (fast only being required at higher road speeds when the quantity of water landing on the screen is much greater for a given rainfall volume per unit time). However, because of the auto system, the most appropriate wiper speed option was removed and I would be left with a choice of intermittent or fast. The noise of the latter action is quite obtrusive at low speeds and also you feel a bit of a prat with the wipers going ten to the dozen in not especially severe conditions. Aside from this little gripe, I rated the car highly and the two BMWs I've owned were amongst the best cars I've had for enthusiastic driver enjoyment.

Regards, Jim.

Everything in SE trim post 97 had Aircon. If you got early run 97 you got analogue climate control (dial type) then it reverted to normal air con before settling on analgoue climate control on all SE models from late 97 onwards (according to the last one we bought and the prelim investigation).

Family pack isn't really worth it - the load levelling system is expensive to repair (~1200 quid at a dealer for parts and labour) and accoring to a well respected Volvo garage has quite a high failure rate (mostly after about year 4 if used as an estate for loads - not just for having a big car).

Cheers Dan.