[Calamazoo]

Just got a call from one of my buds today.

He got an Acura 3.2TL and bugged me because he said he saw a certain review that said his car was the best followed by the BMW 3 series then the Volvo S60 tied with the Lexus IS300 for third.

So proudly he told me of how the guy from Acura even came over to drop off the car! How nice!

Right after he took it for his first spin, he noticed that his driver's side wood trim panel was peeling off and getting sticky stuff on the leather on his door. Then, after worrying about other things ,tried all his switches and discovered the horn wasn't working.....He called Acura and was told that he would have to bring his car across the city (if you know Toronto, he had to bring it from East York all the way out to some Acura place in Mississauga) to be fixed.

The next day, as he was driving on the freeway on his way to get his brand new Acura fixed, his entire engine started smoking and the temperature gauge went right off the map. As he sat on the side of the freeway with a brand new Acura with a whole big 40km on the odometer, he called the assistance line. Eventually someone came and informed him that the electronic cooling fan was never connected.

You can imagine how angry he was. He demanded a new car and was told to "Settle down - we will fix it and it is still brand new". He is hoping no long term problems happens with a brand new engine that totally smoked out at 40 clicks!!!

Now, he asked me what my experience with Volvo was...well, I did have a few squeak problems and an occasional wierd but loud sound when running through water but....the sales guy who sold me my car still comes to my place to pick up my car (while dropping off a replacement) and then drops it back off at the end of the day - this even for regular servicing and for problems. When I called about getting the 10 CD changer, he arranged for a pickup, a replacement car, the installation and return of my car washed.

So, every car can have a problem. This story just made me feel better about my S60 like you can't believe!!!!

 

[Vetteguy]

Well.....since I look like such an honest fellow, my dealer gave me the car for the evening/next day. Not thinking I was actually going to buy it, as soon as I got off the lot I floored it and BANG! I nursed it back to the dealers front lot.

Turned out it was the boost hose going to the intake manifold. For some reason it was not clamped down and the first real boost had blown it off.

Bought the car despite the 'omens' and my wife loves it. Had my second oil change today at 4500. Stuck some Mobil 1 in there. No problems whatsoever since delivery.

I bought some of those blue bulbs for the headlights and it completes the look (don't bother sending me the URLs of articles on blue bulbs - I'm a lighting engineer

)

 

[Kaizai]

HA! I was just about to laugh becuase you thought Acuras were better, but I think this is even better!

 

[Johann]

Must be a driver error because Acura is the best quality can get!

 

[volvowna]

ah yes the boost hose, my C70 had stranded by the side of the road with that one twice, both times the dealers fault, once the day after the 30K service, next time right after they replaced the engine.

 

[Phil Pugliese]

It must that Marysville Ohio build quality.

 

[Ascari]

I drove a TL prior to purchasing the S60. The best way I can describe it is - "TIN CAN". I drove a new one and then asked to drive one with 10,000 kms. Funny how after a few miles the solidity of the car really went away. No Thanks, I'll stick to the European part of the world. I will suffer through minor quality issues and some nagging problems in favour of a car that feels the same way 5 years later as it did when I bought it. I'll go with a vehicle that won't make me worry as much about my family being next to bad drivers in SUVs than a Tin Can.

 

[DPNVektor]

Well, I rather like my Acura, thank you very much!

I love Vovo's too (my next car WILL be an S60R!!! *droooooool gagues drooooool*), but as far as realibilty, and fit and finish I believe that my 97 Acura CL is on par with any volvo. I bought the car one and a half years ago with 30 thousand miles on it, and one previous owner. Since then, I have put 60 thousand miles on the car, and the only problem I have had with the car was the AC Blower motor ($80 bucks and three screws to fix). I am not even that good about following the serviceing interval on time. (my 75k mile serivce was 8k miles late). The car has one rattle, no doubt caused by the sub sitting right below the rear deck.

Then again, the NEW CL does have a tendancy to blow transmission every 3k miles, so maybe I just got lucky.

PS> Scmbug's S60 AWD OWNZ! GIMME!

 

[mpeng168]

i think that every make has their lemons, but i think that honda products are generally pretty reliable. the only time my 146k mile 1994 accord wouldn't start was when the battery died 6 years after i got it. doesn't burn oil, engine still strong, tranny still works.

but after all it's a car and it wouldn't be fair to say it doesn't have its faults. my fuel indicator doesn't always read correctly, i've swapped the radiator, brake cylinder, and some of the dash lights dont work anymore.

but all in all, i can say that i'm quite happy with my honda. it's cheap to operate, reliable, and all in all pretty good for a commuter car. takes regular unleaded too!

my wife's 85k mile 94 850 has had new radiator, 3-4 transmission ICs, fuel pump, door trim, hood latch replaced. Now the car's ac compressor is dying, the vent selectors don't work when the car is hot, the cassette player chews tapes, and the car makes some sort of groaning sounds sometimes when we brake moderately around 35 mph. the engine however seems to be strong. In all fairness we haven't had to do any work on the engine (besides normal maintenance) and the only time it didn't start was because the battery was 6 years old (volvo oem too!) and when the fuel pump quit.

still though, i think that volvo's generally are safer cars. They are nicer and more expensive to own and operate.

that said, my dream garage would be a v70r for me and s80 t6 for my wife...

 

[Calamazoo]

My main point was to show that it isn't just Volvo's that have annoying problems - I feel bad for a couple of people who said that they had all these problems and that they wouldn't buy Volvo again - just be careful because what's out there may not be any better.

It happens to all of us and but also to any brand of car!