The Ovlov - What to do with it now??

[R9UKE]

Evening.

 

Thought I'd ask some advice on this case of Bangernomics. Bought this Spiffing Ovlov S70 on January 4th for £250 with a months tax and test. My view was to drive for a month, then scrap it (for £220 at current rates).

 

 

The problem is - It was much better than I expected. It drives like a proper old Volvo, feels nice and heavy with no rattles or anything of the sort. The 2.5 Petrol engine has a lovely note and actually isn't bad on fuel. So... I splashed out £30 to put it through MOT. I thought it would pass, but it failed. It needs two front suspension arms - £55 each from GSF and £40 fitting.

 

I've worked it out that after a full years ticket is added it will owe me £470. Which I can't see it making on the used car market at all. It has it's faults and an interior stinking of dog. It also does this every now and then.

 

 

Scrapping is not a problem financially. It's the fact that I'd be driving this perfectly good old duffer to it's doom for no good reason really.

 

Thoughts?

[Wilko220]

Even if you don't make it back at the end of it, £470 for another year's motoring isn't bad, is it?

[dollywobbler]

I would have thought someone would pay £495 for it. Wouldn't they? Looks great. Fabreeze to get rid of the dog smell?

[Skizzer]

+1 to what Wilko said. I'll probably have a similar question with the Rover when it comes to MOT time, and imagine I'll set a spending limit of roughly what I paid for it to have it signed off for another year; more than that and I'll probably break it, albeit with a heavy heart. It's a tool, not a toy - Lancia and Golf are toys so different rules apply. Bangernomics (if you ask me) doesn't necessarily mean spending less on the car than it's worth, just means avoiding all the depreciation of running something newer.

 

Edited to add:

DW's probably right as well. Rover smells of smoke, Skoda of dog and Golf of mould so I'll probably rent one of those Rugdoctor things for £20-odd to valet all the cars when it stops snowing. I had one for doing carpets last week and it did a great job - they come with an attachment for upholstery but irritatingly I didn't have time to do the car as well.

[Wilko220]

Bangernomics (if you ask me) doesn't necessarily mean spending less on the car than it's worth, just means avoiding all the depreciation of running something newer.

 

Exactly. If you buy a car that was £25k new for £400 and you spend a further £600 over the course of the year keeping it going, then you're still pretty damn well quids in!

[Volksy]

S70's are worth bugger all, despite being lovely cars to drive. Mine went to frag, but only as I couldn't be arsed with the average sub-£500 car buyer/tard.

 

You say MOT'd it will owe you £470, could you replace it with something better for the same cost?

 

Sometimes - Better the devil you know!

[Taff]

got to look at what your daily communte costs you, if it's too dear to run, it's too dear to keep

 

no-one will grieve for that volvo, mate

[R9UKE]

I'm afraid it'll be going either way. Had my fun with it, got my moneys worth, now it's time to go. Are we slightly leaning towards MOT-ing the old girl then?

[dollywobbler]

To be honest, I can't really see the point in buying it in the first place - and this coming from someone who buys a lot of cars and then finds himself thinking the same! Being a hippy type, I can never see the point in scrapping a working car. Also, the Peugeot selling experience was quite uplifing as while I got pretty crap money for it, the number of morons I had to deal with was surprisingly low. Gumtree came good there. Ebay less so...

[Rocket88]

Stick it on Gumtree for £525 with the promise of a year's MOT. If you get no inquiries, bridge it.

[Cheggers]

Stick it on Gumtree for £525 with the promise of a year's MOT. If you get no inquiries, bridge it.

 

I like this plan best - gives it the best chance of living on without overcommitting

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I must say, I wouldnt enjoy trying to coax £500 out of folk for it, I reckon you could do it but it would be a long drawn out painful old battle full of characters that will drain your life force away to zero.

[Renault18]

Being as sad as I am, I've only ever owned Renaults. However I have to admit that I'd love one of these - albeit in V70 form. Having had a look around for something, I'm agreeing with folk that you'd lucky to squeeze 500 out of someone for a S70 with a 2.5 lump; despite it seeming good on fuel. The estates seem to go for around 5-600, but the S70s are worth very little. The other thing that I've discovered is that some folks have spent a fortune sorting that starting issue which seems to affect some of them

 

I was thinking more of a T-5 estate which wouldn't be a daily driver - the warning bells started ringing when I looked a mint one with low mileage for the year (97), full Volvo history etc - at a scrap yard. It had been towed in after the turbo had failed. I think that basically says it all. Hell of a laugh when it was working I'll bet though.

[Taff]

Stick it on Gumtree for £525 with the promise of a year's MOT. If you get no inquiries, bridge it.

 

 

sounds like a plan right there. nothing ventured, nothung gained!

 

first dibs on the speakers when you bridge it!!

[R9UKE]

Colc's plan it is! I have a feeling I know what the outcome will be. Get your parts orders in!

[ashmicro]

If you do decide to keep it, and you need tyres, I'm told there's a place in Ballyclare does part worns. Morgan tyre Services Unit 45, Dennison Industrial Estate, Avondale Drive, Ballyclare, County Antrim BT39 9EB

 

Tel: 028 9334 5076

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Also check whether you can get the bits for less. I nearly always find inexplicably large price differences between motor factors (I was quoted from £7.50 to £54.xx for the same alternator belt), and that's before you even venture online!

[garethj]

Old Volvos are worth almost nothing, it's the sad truth. The upside is that my 740 cost £500 to buy and was blameless during my ownership, however it didn't have anything complicated in it, and Volvo's electrics aren't the best.

 

If you do frag it, it might be worth pulling a few parts off that you can sell later, as long as they're not difficult to store. Alternator, ignition stuff, that kind of thing.