Hello my names Matt and I've been a VW / Euro guy for a long time. Now I've owned 4 VWs, mainly Passats. Both my current Passats are daily driven FWDs and I am ready for a change because I want something bigger like an SUV and I need Awd / 4wd for up north. Anyways...

I've been reading up on and looking into 1st gen Touaregs vs 1st gen XC90s. Now I know that the 2.5t is what I want, not the v6 TT, and I can't seem to find a v8 (I know that Yamaha makes those and they are awesome engines).

So after a lot of research I think I'm leaning towards the XC90, heavily leaning towards it. People who have them seem to overall love them.

So does anyone have any insider info I should take into consideration when buying an XC90 1st gen?

Here's a pic of my current wagon which I will be giving to my mother hopefully so she'll have a great daily driver.

 

I wrote this really thoughtful response and IE went AWOL on me; Get the V8. Find it. find one w/o a hitch so you know the driveline had a nice life before you... then add one with an OE harness so the electricals work correctly.


Best car I've ever had. I learned that loose balljoints simply make it the worst car to drive - disconnected feeling... spend your time replacing the joints.. it's a heavy mother.


23 mpg hwy. ~ 18 around the house.


I just put 4k mi on it in 4 days through CA, NV, NM, AZ, TX in -3 deg F ... didn't even notice it. Started every time, heating was perfect.


I've had squeaky belt rollers and loose balljoints so far.


The Ocean Race versions are nicely appointed; my kids can't live without the dual rear screens, and I'll be honest, the rear radio ports were nice when I was a rear seat passenger.


I'm telling you. find a V8.

 

thanks for your response. what is it about the v8 that makes it so much better then the 2.5 turbo. I've been going back and forth between the v8 and the 2.5 turbo. It seems that a lot of people like both of the engines. The v8s are hard to come by though. I did not really plan on pulling anything. I have been researching a lot about these vehicles and do you have any insight on why the v8 is better than the 2.5 turbo. I do know that the V8 is made by Yamaha and people love the Yamaha engine. But also the 2.5 turbo has been around and Volvo's lineup for years and years and is said to be one of the most reliable and best engines ever.

I am really glad that you feel so highly about the xc90 though. Since they first came out I've always wanted one however I been driving Volkswagens for a long time. I am just now coming around to see that other cars are good as well. I am a very big Volkswagen enthusiast and to be honest I never thought I would drive anything other than a Volkswagen. I do know that if I Drive anything other than a Volkswagen I wanted to be a Volvo and I am looking forward to owning a volvo.

 

The V8 is nice if you don't get an early one where the balance shaft bearing fails and if your idlers don't fail and damage the timing cover. I've also seen quite a few with leaks from either the valve covers, timing cover or oil pan. This stuff can get expensive. The alternator fails a lot too and is not cheap to replace.

If I was buying an XC90, I would get the 2.5T. The V8 would be my second choice though.

 

Thanks for your response. From the general consensus on here and a few other places it seems like the 2.5T is a little more reliable and less prone to serious issues and failures. Of course I'm not speaking from experiences because I have no personal experience. I'm looking forward to buying an XC90.

Seems like they are around 5 to 8k with 100,000 to 150,000. I'm still trying to learn what to look for. I don't mind having one with 150 or so thousand but I want to make sure that the service has been done (timing belt, water pump, blah blah) if I buy one with that high of miles.

I found an ocean blue one? I heard they were a little special or rare?

If I buy one with 150k or around that what should I look for? Anything really prone to failing on these around then besides regular maintenance? Anything to look for? I'm fairly mechanically inclined so I know a lot about what to look for.

 

The Ocean Race edition is just cosmetic. I don't remember how many were made.

At 150k, make sure the bevel gear isn't leaking and make sure the AWD works. The bevel gear often leaks, the coupler sleeve from the transmission strips or the AOC pump for the AWD fails. The DEM is also prone to failure, but not as common as the other items. The DEM is around $2400. Unfortunately, the best way to check the AWD function is by driving the car on a lift, which most don't have access to. If you're buying from a dealer, ask them to put it on a lift for you to verify AWD works.

Control arm bushings are common to tear, usually well before 150k.