they did have a few issues with the 2.2 diesel engine when it first arrived, the timing chain would start to go around 100k.

However, i was talking to a bloke at a trade conference who kindly gave me a lift to the station in his diesel honda tourer and said he had done lots of research and the earlier failures where only on high milege examples where the owners had not followed the service regime.

He knew what he was talking about, he spent the whole 20 minute journey telling me about the ins and outs of the 2.2 diesel engine.

As per usual, if the car looks well kept, has the service stamps and receipts to back up its history, it should be ok.

Agree with you about the prices of V70, roughly twice the price of the saloon S60 equivalent.

My son has the S60 with the 185hp engine, quite amazing the torque that engine has, and apart from the known weakness with OE rear parking brake shoes (do not neglect) the car has been trouble free and returns around 45mpg both on his commute and rapid distance runs.

Son and his wife are in exactly the same boat as you, and are also considering the Honda due to amazing V70 values, they already have an 05 plate CRV Diesel thats now done about 110k miles, not a sign of clutch or manifold trouble there and i don't suppose the design is far removed from the Accord....CRV did need 2 drive shafts (about £250 all in refurbed, we fitted) but i put the blame for those squarely at the door of my sons enthusiastic getaway style.

I wouldn't have thought an exhaust manifold would be too difficult to weld up better than new, and clutches are almost always the result of poor driving, the Diesels themselves appear to be pretty bombproof.

I've suggested to him that they look again to buy a V70 in the depths of winter, when a better price is likely, could you manage with the LHD for a few months and then buy when its freezing cold wet and nasty when only the brave venture out?

As well as those mentioned by Ed above, you could add to your list the Ford Mondeo, Skoda Superb or Octavia and VW Passat.

The near-vertical rear ends of the Volvo and Honda have some advantages, but the opening is narrower than those above and won't take all types of load.

If you do go for the Honda (the previous model to my eyes was stupendously ugly; the new one looks better) I think you should go for the petrol.