S 60 reliability....

Huge turning circle, limited rear seat head room, underpowered compared to the competition. Someone on this ng described it as a triumph of style over substance. Here in Australia a 2-year old S60 is worth less than 50% of the new price, that's not a good sign (there's a bit of currency fluctuation in that but it didn't affect BMW or Mercedes).

well, I could not disagree more. Painting the picture of this car as a dud is so far off the mark.......beautiful car. competant car. safe car. reliable car.....If you want to act like a boy racer, bye the beemer. is you want to carry 6 or 9 passengers, bye the minivan. If you drive many miles a .day on your commute, and want your ride to do it with style and grace, try the s60t........50k enjoyable miles on mine without a hitch.

I only have experience with an S60 D5 (a diesel indeed) but that's a very positive one. No problems whatsoever. The "normal" 5 cylinder engines are very (VERY!) good as well. "Huge turning cycle"? Not really. "Underpowered"? Definitely not. "Depreciates fast"? Well, which new car doesn't? Safe? YES, absolutely. However let's hope you will never need that feature. Stylish? YES, more than any BMW or Merc (but that is very personal of course)

I expect them to be just as good if not better than the 850/S70 for reliability. And what FWD car doesn't have a wide turning circle, look how long the wheelbase is!!

Cheers

before you get one, make sure you sit in the back seat for 5 min.....

Quite happy with mine. It does all things pretty well. Very comfortable and safe, it's been very reliable, I like the looks. I have the 2.4, which is economical, but wish it had more power. And I wish it were rear wheel drive, or all-wheel with a bias toward the rear.

If the depreciation is a problem, buy yours used to get on the right side of the trade. That's what I did.

That said, when I replace the car, it probably won't be with another one. I would like something a bit racier, and with a tighter turning circle. The BMW's styling does nothing for me. I might also sell my van and go with an SUV and a sports car, to cover both bases.

p.

I'd never be sitting in the back seat, hehe, I'd be driving it.

I have a 760, and I've had 1 person in the back seat in the past 2 years... seriously!, and it was a real short trip (probably about 4.5 minutes ;))

I have a 2001 2.4 S60 that I bought new. The problems I've had are headlight bulbs replaced several times, a warped rear rotor, door lock acutators replaced, front tie rod links replaced - all of these in the first

20k miles (now have ~50k). City mileage is about 22mpg. highway is 32-33mpg - on regular, not premium gasoline. There is little rear leg room behind me as a driver (I'm over 6' tall); the turning radius is a bit large (much more than my wife's CLK), it is a bit underpowered. Would I buy another? Yes, but with more power and all-wheel drive.

CP

Yes, back seat place is limited, but it is as well in the Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Merc C class etc etc. Otherwise use an S80 to compare it with an A6, 5 series or E class. I'm very sure the Volvo wins.

Besides, I rather drive than sit in the back of my own car.

Hope this helps you with your decision:

We own an S60 and a Z4 and most of my comments will be derived from the comparison between the two as well as between the S60 and the other vehicles we considered at the time of purchase. We shopped for the following other vehicles: Mercedes C, BMW 325, Audi A4, Lexus GS, Saab

95/93, Acura TL, VW Passat and Toyota Avalon. I test-drove and read about competing vehicles for many months before we made up our minds. I would make the same choice now, after 6 months of ownership.

I'll start with the cons: Turning circle is ridiculously large. The Toyota Avalon for instance, despite being a larger vehicle, turns a lot tighter (hell, even the XC90 turns tighter). Initial quality is good but not phenomenal (had a deffective seat heating module in the first few months, a very hard to diagnose defect). Also had a deffective gasket somewhere around the muffler. Both issues fixed by the dealer promptly. In Volvo's defense, the initial quality of my BMW hasn't been any better. Tight back seats (but very comfortable). There's little leg room in the back. If you're tall and will often have adults in the back seat, this is not a good car for you. Again, to Volvo's defense, the rear leg room is no better in the new 3-Series, A4 or the C Class (we test-drove those extensively before we decided for the Volvo). The gas mileage of the turbo engines is not exactly what the EPA says. Our 2.5T only reaches the stated 30 mpg in flat freeway cruising at max

65 mph. Disengage cruise control and step on it and you'll see your freeway mileage hover around 21. Compared to this, my BMW gets exactly what the EPA says, even with sprited driving.

Now the pros: Comfort. Nothing, and I mean nothing, comes close to the comfort of Volvo seats. From the cars we tested the Mercedes came in as a distant second. Excellent impact ratings. While some newer cars (notably the A4) get marginally better front impact ratings, Volvos will literally save your neck if you happen to be hit from behind. In this area there's no comparison between the S60 and anything else in this class. Styling (subjective). Put an S60 next to a Mercedes or BMW and the clarity of S60's design language will be very obvious (it was for me). Cost. Way cheaper than an equally-equipped BMW 3, C Class or A4. Good performance. As long as you don't forget that Volvos are meant to be elegant cruisers, you will be pleasantly surprised with the handling and performance. This becomes less impressive when you compare it to the likes of Acura TL or BMW 330 (my s60 runs laps around the 325 and the C-Class though). The suspension tuning makes for a very comfortable and sporty-enough ride (certainly not floaty like the Toyotas). I'd say the S60 is a nicely balanced car from a handling vs. comfort standpoint. Dealer experience. Volvo is still a premium brand, therefore the dealer experience will be good. If you like courteous service and don't care for rubbing elbows with pimped-up Civic owners, Volvo is a good choice. With an S60 you inch toward the high end of the brand whereas with say a 3 Series you are rather at the entry level. Dealership personnel tend to have a somewhat dismissive attitude with the "small fish" at times. While I always received good service from both, I certainly felt a lot less "superiority" oozing out of the Volvo people compared to the BMW guys. European delivery with serious incentives. (Both BMW and Mercedes have these programs as well) This may not be your thing but the option to take a trip to Europe (with free airfare for 2) is a very nice thing. We couldn't do it with our S60 because of the tight schedule but will certainly try it with the next vehicle.

Good luck with your choice/purchase! (boy, this ended up being a much longer post than i originally intended:) )

Seany wrote:

This all good stuff .... thank you guys (and girls?)

I intend to spend approx £11000 Sterling on my next car, used of course. I have narrowed it down to the S60 and SAAB 9-3

Dismissed the Beemer 3 series, more of those on the roads here than Ford Mondeos these days!! C Class reliability is a serious issue ... I know 3 owners, all with stories to tell :-s

Nothing much else takes my fancy ...

Audi Bland Honda Fuddy Duddy image Ford Residuals Vauxhall Even more bland Same goes for all of the Japanese options also

I want a comfortable, reliable stylish motor .... only two really fall into that category for me. I have driven the 9-3 (1.8t) and S60 2.0T

The 9-3 is a sportier drive, definitely, and also has the edge with economy, like for like. The Volvo however is far more stylish and oh so amazingly comfortable (kids in rear ... occasional adults)

Kids preferred the 9-3, I'm still undecided. I have learned a lot about the 9-3 SS in the months I've been researching, so am aware of the very few issues with them. I know little about Volvo's though. On a learning curve right now, although it seems there is little to 'learn' in honesty.

Please continue to add your tuppence (2 cents) worth, it's all useful

Thanks again

Boris Mohar posted this a couple of threads down, in case you missed it:

" Read and weep

"

I was staying out of this thread having no experience with the S60. BUT, since you mentioned the Saab 93 I will say buy the Volvo.

Saab cars are no longer what they use to be. They are flimsy, poorly made GM cars that ride like it and rattle like it too. Too bad, because some of the older Saabs where great machines too...

Volvo's are still Volvos ;~)

Yup, just read that, a minute ago. However, with £11k to spend, I am looking at a 2003/4 model :-)

Something to be aware of though!