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VW------>Volvo?

3K views 32 replies 14 participants last post by  pafox 
#1 ·
Anyone here made the move from a Passat to the S60?

What have your impressions been? Satisfied with the move? How does the build quality compare with the VW? Ride?
 
#2 ·
Re: VW------>Volvo? (mikegoldnj)

Year, Make & Model of Car Owned: 2003 Volkswagen Passat

i haven't done it, but i can guarantee you won't be disappointed


there is a search function in the upper right corner. you can use it to search the forums. you might find some stuff.

welcome to the forums.
 
#3 ·
Re: VW------>Volvo? (mikegoldnj)

Quote, originally posted by mikegoldnj »
How does the build quality compare with the VW?
What build QUALITY?
VW's are awful in that dept
 
#5 ·
Re: VW------>Volvo? (mikegoldnj)

You are one of the lucky ones.
Sure, they drive decently enough, but most are frought with problems
 
#8 ·
VWs are ridiculously terrible.

Volvo and VW are not comparable in the least.

Passats are small, slow and unreliable.
S60s are quick, comfortable, and roomy.

No comparison
 
#9 ·
Re: (Bender)

I'm happy you like your Volvo. They are nice cars (even if they are owned by Ford) which is why I am considering one. The old 75 Volvo wagon my wife had was a great car.

I've had great experience with two Passats, nice and roomy, extremely reliable, well designed and built in Germany. Most people I've talked with have had similar experiences. I've also heard some horror stories.

I'm sure I can find just as many people, if not on this board, on others that have equally bad Volvo horror stories.

I came here to solicit mature, honest opinions from people who have driven both cars. Instead I get sophomoric responses from people without a clue.
 
#10 ·
It wasn't really my Passat but my brother-in-laws. It was a 2001, manual 6 cylinder and it wasn't too bad. It was decent but I can't really compare it to the Volvo S60R though. It is really no comparison to the volvo but they are in two different leagues.

One thing I do like about the VW is the suspension. It doesn't make clunks sounds and is more compliant, sports suspension though. The steering is also alittle stiffer and I prefer that to the volvo, which is way too easy to turn. Plus the turning radius is much better than the volvo.

However, the seats and the interior blows the passat away.
 
#12 ·
Re: (Bender)

Quote, originally posted by Bender »
S60s are quick, comfortable, and roomy.

Quick - depends on which S60

Comfortable - front seat = yes; back seat occupant other than child = maybe

Roomy - see above comments...though nice trunck space

Modified by MagoonR at 10:52 PM 8-19-2006
 
#13 ·
Re: (mikegoldnj)

Sorry I offended with my response... Just trying to boil down what my experience has been with VW...

To get more detailed... I think the exterior design of the passat is good... It is pleasing to the eye as is the interior...

I have found the ride to be fine, much better than most american or japanese vehicles, but I prefer the Volvo's ride... Even though the passat is german, it is sorely lacking in the handling and power department when compared to other german vehicles....

As for the reliability issue, not only have I had bad experiences with mine, but so have my friends and family with theirs.... I am an owner who takes everything in stride and maintains my vehicle on a level most do not... Volvo's ARE NOT the most reliable vehicles and MOST Volvo Service Departments ARE NOT the friendliest/smartest out there.... That being said, all of my experiences with VW have been MANY TIMES WORSE... I am not as demanding of service departments as some on this board... I have worked in a dealership before, and I know that sometimes $hit happens.... So I do not bash dealers/service departments as easily as some...

It is great you have had such a good ownership experience with your VW's... If it really has been excellent, why change???

I think the responses you got were so short (mine included) because there are some of us who really have developed a knee-jerk reaction to VW's...
 
#14 ·
Re: (dugums)

To actually answer your first question about moving from a passat to an S60....

IMO you can't go wrong.... I don't think you'd be giving up anything that you had in the passat, and gaining tons of comfort, better ride, and more room!!
http://********************/smile/emthup.gif
 
#18 ·
Re: (dugums)

I've owned many VW's in the past, but nothing newer than 87. I also worked as a dealer tech in a VW dealership from 93-96.

The last generation of VW's left me very cold(A4 Golf and Jetta, and B5 Passat), but the new ones have got my attention again. I have an AWD V50, but if I didn't need the room, I would likely have a new 4 door GTI.

Friend of mine has a 2005 Passat TDI wagon, and I've spent some time in it. Biggest difference, and to me it's a HUGE one, is the seats. After about an hour in the VW, I was actually in pain. I started sitting sideways on the seats, trying to keep my legs from cramping up, and my back from buckling. Horrible. We took a 4 hour trip in that car, and I will never do it again.

Same friend spent a 19 hour trip to California in my V50 with me. After 10 hours, both of us felt fine, fresh, and ready for another 10 hours. Such a vastly superior road trip car than the Passat.

I'm currently driving an S60 AWD as a dealer loaner, and it's a great car. The sport seats are even better than my V50 seats, and the rest of the car is in a league WAY ahead of the VW. Not even a comparison.

Al
 
#21 ·
Re: VW------>Volvo? (david)

hey. welcome aboard.

i used to have a 1999 Passat 1.8T highline. bought it new and sold it at around 60k miles. now i have a 2001 S60 T5. bought it second hand at around 50k and have 54-55k on it at the moment. i've had some other cars in between these two, but still, i think i qualify to answer your question


i can assure you that you won't regret this move. the only 2 things you will miss are the turning radius as mentioned above, and the roomy back seat of passat. i think someone said volvo has more room inside which is definitely wrong. passat has considerably more space inside, especially in the back seat. and the new model of passat even more. again if you check their specs, passat is actually a bigger car than the S60. not necessarily wider. but definitely longer.

other than these, Volvo is superior by all means. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif design, unique style, interior, leather quality, prestige, driving pleasure, power, performance, safety. anything you may ask.
 
#23 ·
sorry if i offended mike, i just have a large amout of distaste for VW.

At 6'2 I find the rear volvo seat (which I am rarely in) to be much more comfortable than the Passat. Not that I would want to be in it for a long trip, but for anything less than an hour it is perfectly suitable. My guess is that it is plenty roomy for anyone under 5'6"
 
#24 ·
Re: (Bender)

Quote, originally posted by Bender »
My guess is that it is plenty roomy for anyone under 5'6"

easily. my buddy rode in the back seat on the 420 mile trip to NC a couple weeks ago. he is 5'10 and had plenty of room to do whatever it was that he was doing.

being 6'2 also, i don't think the s60 rear seating is that bad for trips under an hour. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif
 
#25 ·
Re: (phuz)

I've always felt that the rear seating in the S60 is fine if not better than most comparable sports sedans....

I think the issue is ingress/egress as you have to tuck your feet under the seat... I think although the seats definitely appear small, the angle of the seat bottom puts your body in such a position to require less room between the seat bottom and back of the front seat...

I have sat in the back of many vehicles that appeared to be bigger, but ended up less comfortable than expected...

I am 6'3" and have taken road trips over an hour, and allthough it's been tight, it's been bearable... I can't say the same for comparable audi's and BMW's that I have roadtripped in...
 
#26 ·
i agree with that. the rear seats are definitely angled more than other cars so to put your knees at a higher point and requiring less space on the floor while giving you that recliner feeling.
 
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