Nissan XTrail or Volvo XC60

[doggerry]

Hi all

Been towing an old Sprite Musketeer for about 18 months with an old Xsara Picasso and now have the funds to buy a decent car, up to 9k. We do a lot of festivals (mud) and ideally need a 4x4 to get on and off the fields.

I have been looking at the two models but really need some real world advice, it would also be my only car so needs to be quite reliable. A mechanic friend has said that the Volvo engine is bulletproof and that the XTrail has a weak engine, but a mate of mine who caravans swears by his 2005 XTrail.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[otherclive]

Which year, which engines are you looking at? There's quite a choice. I had a 2010 D5 XC70 Awd it was a good engine but they were beset by recalls, and if not used 'properly' would dilute the oil with diesel due to incorrect DPF regeneration. Volvo didn't solve the problem rather they masked it by reducing the quantity of oil in the engine and modifying the oil level sensor software to think it was the correct level. Then if diesel raised the sump level the alarm would go off when the combined level was deemed too high. I was never affected as I used the car mainly for long journeys. But some owners who commuted in more congested areas were affected.

Now, no comparison, but my wife's 10 year old diesel nissan hasn't ever had anything fail and it's only recall was for the industry wide airbag modification. It's done 65k miles.

 

[doggerry]

I would be looking at around 2008/09 and with the Volvo at the D5 engine. Most days the car would only do about 10 miles. The Volvos that I have seen, all seem to have high mileage and mainly autos.

 

[otherclive]

Mine was a 2010 XC70 but would have the same engine as the one you are looking at. Make sure it's got a full service history preferably Volvo or Volvo independent. Check that all recalls and software updates have been done. My engine had some affecting DPF regeneration, sump oil level sensing, cam belt/aux belt tensioner. Plus a few more general ones.

 

[Tugger-Ian]

Try looking at the Nissan Pathfinder, very reliable and a great towing switch-able 4x4. Low mileage ones are getting hard to find, I'm on my second, first one did 80k from new with no faults whatsoever.

 

[AdifferentJim]

I don't have any experience of Nissans but my last 3 tow cars have been Volvos. Not 4 wheel drive but all D5 engines - a 2004 V70 d5 (163) manual, a 2007 V70 d5 ( 185 ) manual and currently a 2013 V60 d5 ( 215 ) Auto.
I didn't have any trouble with any of the cars and all towed very well. I had them all from new and in the 2007 V70 clocked around 120,000 miles before I changed it.
The current auto is on 75,000. It's the first automatic I've owned and for towing it's the best by far. I'd never go back to a manual towcar.

 

[Martin24]

There are an awful lot of cars for you to look at that will do the job and be just as reliable as those two if you don't mind going up a size to a "proper" mud plugger. To name but a few Ssangyong Rexton, Kia Sorrento, Mitsubishi Shogun/Pajero. All with better reliability than a LR but with the right tyres can give a second hand disco a run for it's money on a festival camping field. Also of course a plethora of very decent mud plugging pick ups with great sized boot space for all your gear and a tailgate to sit on for pulling on the wellies.