Faults:

In the time I have had the car only the Thermostat has failed, but it got stuck in the closed position which was pretty bad.

Just as I parked the car at my work the car got enveloped in steam emerging from under the bonnet.

A colleague, who has some mechanical knowledge, was kind enough to point out that either the Thermostat had failed or the head-gasket was gone, or both!

Opted to try out the cheapest option first (Thermostat), which luckily fixed the problem, and car was running fine again.

Faults with the car now:

Heated drivers seat doesn't work.

Air-con doesn't blow cold (probably just need refill)

Heating in drivers side mirror doesn't work.

General Comments:

The Volvo has a very comfortable ride, and sound insulation is pretty good too.

The engine is an absolute gem. It has good grunt from very low revs, and has a nicely aggressive tone when revving it high.

Brakes seem adequate without impressing. I think they will fade if driven hard.

Fuel economy is poor. I get around 400mi from a tank of petrol of about 70liters, which is about half of what my old Corolla 1.6 would manage.

It is the perfect car for people who wants to travel in comfort, but are on a budget.

Today You can pick one up for around £2000 pounds in good condition.

It also comes as an 3.0 automatic.

The 2.5 version I have, has 170BHP, and the 3.0's got 204BHP.

I should have chosen a 3.0, as they are only slightly worse on petrol, but considerably more powerful.

Faults:

Water pump went at 60,000 miles.

Transmission "PNP" switch failed at 75,000 miles.

Ignition coil went a 60,000 miles.

Drivers seat leather stitching went at 70,000.

General Comments:

This car has been a pleasure to own. I find it very comfortable to drive even when all 5 of us are inside.

We have the ‘CD luxury version’ with climate control, leather seats and electric everything! Both my wife and I really enjoy this level of luxury.

Good space for passengers and luggage make this a very useful car.

The 6 cylinder engine is very smooth and quite powerful enough for the weight of this car.

We have owned our 960 for over 6 years and put on over 70,000 miles. Although our car is now 7 years old it still feels as if it could go on forever.

I would say this is not a good car for those that like to do their own servicing as the engine compartment is very compact.

My one pet hate is the painted bumpers which are forever getting scratched.

Faults:

There was an annoying electrical fault on the gearbox that kept making the car go into 'Winter' mode when first driving away on a cold morning.

I had many niggling problems with interior trim breaking and falling off.

But worst of all was the fact that some of the cogs in my rear differential literally snapped off when pulling away at speed one day. This was seriously expensive to repair.

General Comments:

This car was fantastic. I was very sorry to see it go, but it was costing me a fortune in fuel and repair bills.

I would warn anyone against getting a 960 with very high miles. When they start to go wrong, you will be looking at BIG repair bills. In the last 18 months I have spent over 50% of the car's current value in repair bills - and that was not even at a main dealer.

However, in the car's defense, it has been a wonderful car to drive and looks very impressive at any venue. It has a timeless classic beauty that will never fail to look anything, but luxurious.

The 960 comes into it's own in the winter. Whatever conditions are outside, you feel completely safe and cut off from the outside world. It will cruise all day at 99mph and you can go on a 200 mile journey without even thinking about the need to stop for a break.

I would recommend the 960 to anyone - as long as they, but a low mileage example and have PLENTY of money for fuel. On a very careful trip, I would be lucky to get 300 miles from a full tank.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

14 months moderate use. No faults except slow to start once.

Very comfortable motorway cruiser. Engine very smooth & good torque.

Fuel costs high but lower than I'd expected.