Volvo S60 newbie

quote:

Originally posted by medracr:
Hello all. My wife and I are looking at a new S60. We wanted to get firsthand experiences and opinions and were told this is the place! So, any problems with the car? Anything I should be aware of? Is Volvo customer service decent? BTW we are looking at the non-turbo model, if that makes a difference. TIA

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Gotballs, I don't think someone who's buying a 2.4 NA isn't going to worry about high performance aftermarket stuff, but that's just my guess.

To Medracr:

I only have 11,500 miles on mine. I've had it for just over a year, picked it up in Goteborg & drove around Europe as part of the TDS program. You'll save about $3000 if you do it that way, but the only downside is the time it takes to get the car back here--the car is made at the Ghent plant in Belgium and has to get shipped up to Goteborg, so the lead time is longer to order, then it'll take about 6 weeks to get it back to So Cal via the Panama Canal after you drop it off when you're done with your trip.

My car has run flawlessly; the only problem was the key-fob recall where the buttons were sticking & opening the trunk when it felt like it. It's fixed, not a problem anymore.

Rusnak in Pasadena has always been good to us; I'd think they'd be the closest to where you are. The only time I had to take the car back more than once was with my wife's S80 when the door locks had a mind of their own: The first time they thought it was just an misadjustment, the second time they replaced the faulty actuator, and the third time they had to replace the faulty actuator they put in on the second trip (the replacement part had the problem). But because I complained that this was a safety issue (i.e., if my wife wants to get in her car and it won't let her) Rusnak took it in and gave us a loaner on the third attempt until they were sure the locks were fixed. It's been working fine since the third repair.

So even if you do have a problem that doesn't get fixed the first time for whatever reason, Rusnak will keep attempting to fix it without a fuss. I never had any sort of hassles with them at all.

Now that I've taught them how to order a car TDS you won't have any problem if you decide to go that route. (Did I mention it comes with 2 free airline tickets and one hotel night if you pick up in Goteborg, plus they pick you up at the airport, bring you to the factory the next day, you can take the factory tour, eat lunch gratis & then drive away to the autobahns.) It's really fun if you have the time and can wait for the final delivery.

Best of luck. Let us know what color you get!

I love my S60. Do yourself a favor and test-drive the 2.4T FWD model for comparison, unless you want a manual trans. At this level, you should get everything you want. If you really like the 2.4T and are not in a hurry, you might consider waiting for the 2003 2.5T.

Seems to me that considering the S60 is a relatively new model, problems have been few and far between. Software fixes have taken care of most quirks. Opinions on these boards lean towards "blaming" troublesome dealers as opposed to the car itself when problems are persistent. So ask locals about the service department at your prospective dealer.

Tourist and Diplomat Sales is a great option when considering a Volvo purchase. Check it out.

Common complaints about the design include poor rear visibility, wide turning radius and a lack of rear seat room. People seem to get used to these things in time, and you can get the reversing radar option to help with parking situations. Some people say you have to get used to the strong brakes, but they are actually one of the best features of the car.

Try to take long-ish test drives that reflect different kinds of conditions. I'm still getting used to the feel of the auto trans. in stop-and-go traffic.

Read up on this board, vvspy.com, brickboard.com, consumer reviews from Edmunds, Carpoint, etc. The more info you get, the better. Hope you decide to join the fun!

Just to reiterate what was mentioned above, you might want to wait for the 03' models to get a S60 2.5T AWD. From what Johann has told us, the 2.5T engine won't be available on FWD models.

If you go with TDS, you are likely to get an awesome deal and you can option the car exactly the way that you want it. You might be able to get this car for the price of a little over the cost of a S60 NA. Since you live in Cali, AWD might not really be needed, so you could always step up to the T5 through TDS.

One word about Volvo quality, JD Powers recent study found that Volvo is the highest ranked European brand in Initial Quality, and they are the most improved brand overall in quality.

If you are talking about Volvo customer service in regards to dealers, that can vary quite a bit. Volvo has a good reputation from what I know, but they are not the best in the business like Lexus or Infiniti customer service. The way that you are treated has a lot to do with specific dealership. Asking people on this board from Cali (T5 Dave, Gotballs) and others in the area might be the best way to find out what dealers will treat you the best.

-Drew

Hi, and welcome. I drive a non-turbo 2.4 S60, and love it. I had neither the money nor the want/need for the turbo model. The power to weight ratio on the S60 was a world again better than what I HAD been driving (past 3 vehicles), so in comparison, it felt light, nimble, and sporty.

I equipped mine with the options I needed (ok, wanted) -- premium (leather, sunroof, automatic, power driver seat, etc.), cold weather (a non-issue for you, I suppose), and the 16" MIMAS alloy rims. Mine's silver with graphite interior...love it. No, the interior doesn't get too hot, although I do sometimes use the sunroof "vent" feature, and sometimes I put up my metallic sun visor when I think of it.

The only time I wish for more power is getting onto the freeway (we have uphill freeway entrances here like you do there...used to live in Pasadena, myself), and traffic is usually going a steady 80 mph or so. BUT, there's a kickdown that will engage if you punch down (hard!), and though I've only had to use that feature 3 times in the 3.5 months I've owned it, but it was nice to know it was there when I needed it!

I agree with all the comments above, particularly the rear visibility one (you do get used to it) and the one about taking a decent test drive.

Fit/Size/Comfort: Your wife is 5'3"...I'm just an inch taller, and it (car/seat/etc) fits me well. The seat belt, being non-adjustable, may run a tad high on her neck. However, the seat has plenty of adjustability, as does the infinitely adjustable tilt/telescoping steering column, so I'm sure that both of you will be able to find a comfortable setting.

One nice option you might enjoy is the power/memory driver's seat (part of the premium package, and also sold alone, I think). She can keep her settings at 1, and you can keep yours at 2. It's a nice feature when the two primary drivers are so vastly different size-wise!

P.S. You can price out your S60 on the web at the Volvo website. That's all. Happy hunting for your Volvo...

quote:

Originally posted by medracr:
Thanks for all the help guys.
T5Dave: Any advice where to test drive around Rusnak?

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You're welcome.

Hmm, for a performance test of the car I'd try any straight uphill freeway on-ramp to see if you can get up to speed by the time you reach the top of the on-ramp. The one that comes to mind right by Rusnak is the 210 East at Madre. At tad further out is Baldwin or Santa Anita Ave. East (I know the 210 West on-ramp at Baldwin is the cloverleaf and pretty much flat, so that's not a real test of the car.) 210 at Huntington Drive West on-ramp has a bit of an S-turn in it, so you can try and see how the car feels during an acceleration/turning run.

I don't know if you want to try a mountain road, but I think the closest would be the Angeles Crest in La Canada. If you're able to test drive that far, check out the 210 West on-ramp at Berkshire/Oak Grove in La Canada--it's very steep and short, so if you can get up to a comfortable speed to merge then the car is performing well.

If you want to try some twisties, maybe the closest would be Altadena Drive just above the 210 at the New York Drive intersection. Speed limit's 30, though, so I don't know how much of a test drive that'd be.

Best of luck.

[This message has been edited by T5 Dave (edited 06-19-2002).]