Just joined the forum......We are looking into buying a 07 V50 T5 wagon. This will be our first Volvo. I'm wondering what might be some of the things we should look for when buying...? And is the T5 AWD worth it or is the T5 FWD just as good..? We don't get much snow or ice here....any suggestions or pointers would be much appreciated....thx....

 

The FWD cars come standard with DSTC, a traction control system that works fantastically well and will take care of your needs in that area. Being Swedish, Volvo's come from a part of the world where everyone sees a fair amount of inclement weather, so the front wheel drive cars with traction control are designed to perform well in most conditions. I wouldn't worry about AWD unless I experienced regular ice and snow. Also, if you don't live in that kind of area finding a 2007 V70 T5 will be hard enough, let alone holding out for an AWD car. The 2007 cars were very reliable and I can't think of anything in particular you should be watching out for. Good luck and enjoy your Volvo!

Best regards,
Alan E
autobahnvolvo.blogspot.com

 

V50 are great! Its my second Volvo (first one was S40). I have a FWD V50 and i live in Canada. In winter it handles quite well, the fact that you can switch transmission into Winter mode is very helpful when there is a ton of snow. I specifically looked for V50 with 2.4i engine because i didn't want to spend a fortune on Gas.

Good luck with your Volvo purchase. If you start driving Volvo, you will not want to drive anything else

P.S. I also was in a rollover with my S40... 2 people... all alive.. not a scratch... ended up on the roof in the ditch with driver and passenger door blocked, the safety on these cars are AMAZING!!!

 

The AWD is really great and you don't even notice it is there, but our friends have an FWD and truthfully it is a great car...if you don't have a lot of snow and/or the need for AWD, go with the FWD, you'll love it!

 

we got a 07 AWD v50 turbo with 14000 miles...$24000 out the door....the wife is VERY happy with the purchase....I'd love to put some 18' wheels and lower the car but she's pretty content with how it is now. But maybe in the future I can talk her into some mods...

 

After driving both the 2007 T5 FWD and AWD, I opted for the former, both because of the better fuel mileage (c. 3 mpg) and because I preferred the standard suspension of the FWD to the sport suspension in the AWD. The ride of the latter was stiffer and appreciably harsher on secondary roads. Regrettably, Volvo in its infinite wisdom dropped the T5 FWD model in MY 2009 in the American market, although it is still available in the European market. Go figure. If you want a US market 2009, you are now forced to choose between the 2.4i, which is underpowered and lacks availability of a number of desireable options, and the T5 R-series, which is AWD and sport suspension only.