Aren't Volvo's also great cars? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hurshi · #1 12-12-2003, 01:02 PM

We always compare our cars to BMWs and Lexuses. Why not talk about Volvos?

I have always been a fan of Volvos. They are the cars owners fall in love with, they are quality engineered even in the late 90's, they last for ages, and also easy to work on cars. To back up my point I would like to say that I had a very positive experience with the 1982 Volvo 240DL. I bought it when it had 150k miles and sold with 190k miles. It was 15 years old car yet the only service it required was an oil and a brake pad change.

A Volvo that deserves my attention today is 1995-97 850R model with 250 horse power high pressure turbo engine. These cars cost about 10 thousand dollars and they are really fast, safe, reliable and comfortable. In 1998-2000 the 850R model was replaced with the even better S70R that has a better look. If I find one of these cars I will definitely add one to my collection. The quality of these cars is so good that things owners generally complain about are such as a loud moving antenna and brake lights blowing often. They don't have major engineering faults and their quality keeps getting better. Here is a lovely picture of the Volvo S70R.

Lets talk frankly about these cars.
Shouldn't our next used car be a used Volvo?

rickg · #2 12-12-2003, 01:10 PM

Wait a minute. I'll go grab some popcorn. This'll be a good show to watch.

MTI · #3 12-12-2003, 01:21 PM

Long ago, when I first rode in a Volvo 240 sedan, I surveyed the heavily viny'd interior and the boxy shape and thought "Gee, this is one of the best American cars built in Sweden"

jjl · #4 12-12-2003, 01:29 PM

I've had a couple. Volvos are fine if you don't need to go around corners. They are also overly heavy, and marketed with a tiresome self-rightousness about safety, which is no better than several other European marks, MB included. They're also comically ugly.

So no, they aren't.

#5 12-12-2003, 02:01 PM

I like Vovlos personally, and am familiar with the car you're talking about. I haven't ridden in any of the newer ones, so I don't know about them. I did like the super fast shooting brake of a wagon they made in the 90's. They are pretty affordable now, but I have heard that maintenance can actually be pretty expensive. Ditto on the self-reightous (sp.?) advertising. Looks like they found a theme and have stuck with it. I did hear that motorcycle groups/clubs have actually lobbied to make Volvos safer-to be hit by while on a bike that is!

Another car that gets no press, probably because they aren't in the US anymore, is the Peugot. I have ridden in older Peugots (like mid-eighties) and they felt a lot like my '84 MB does, very solid and comfortable and quiet.

Limited Edition · #6 12-12-2003, 02:18 PM

I'm also a big fan of the front wheel drive 850 or S70 but it seems like a lot of Volvo Enthusists think that it is not a robust as the rear wheel drive 240s and 740s.

Zeitgeist · #7 12-12-2003, 02:23 PM

We purchased an '86 Volvo 740 wagon for our daughter two years ago, and have been generally pleased with its reliability and safety, but the fuel mileage is awful. The wife's car gets MPG figures in the mid 40's, my MB gets low 30's, but the Volvo consistently gets low 20's -- the same as our 3/4 ton 4x4 truck!

I probably won't purchase another for that reason, but I don't hesitate to recommend them to other folks with different priorities. Both our neighbors and inlaws are now the proud owners of 740 turbo wagons that I suggested to them.

I respect their engineering and generally enjoy working on them. They're great cars if you can handle the lousy fuel mileage.

caveat emptor

savas · #8 12-12-2003, 02:24 PM

My dad bought a 1979 244dl new and it's still his daily driver, with over 400K miles. I agree that it's not a car that you want to take corners in. It's also not really a high speed cruiser because at speed it's loud. The brakes are ok given its vintage but after one hard stop you will really know what fading brakes feel llike.

What's good about it? It's hasn't had any major problems - most common has been u joints every 100K. Over the past 24 years we've replace the fuel pump twice and the water pump once. I'm not sure if our luck with it was due to build quality or that he bought it new and took care of it. The paint still looks good without having to go through a tedious detail job every time it's washed ( unlike my black 300E).

As for the vinyl content, well my mb-tex 300E has the volvo beat in sq feet of vinyl.

suginami · #9 12-12-2003, 02:53 PM

Zeitgeist,

I think you've been spoiled with the good gas mileage of your diesel engines.

I don't think anyone would consider MPG in the low 20's to be awful.

AustinsCE · #10 12-12-2003, 02:58 PM

Basically they're too ugly to drive and cant handle real good, thats been said. I think some of the new ones look good, I drove my friends moms s70? i think.. thing had some oomph but it lacked the aggressive sound and high-range power of my CE. MPG's dont matter as long as they go to a good cause, I'll take 10 a gallon if the cars cool enough. Volvos isnt. Apparently, they are good cars but much more comes into play. As for the safety, I don't believe them. I saw one wreck when a volvo was involved... not pretty, the drop-engine deal mercedes has woulda changed the outcome. Even the old ones, standing between one and a Benz just no comparison. I've always maintained Mercedes is the safest. I suppose if Mercedes didnt exist, I'd buy one, save me from a god awful Ford-Jag or Bimmer. Peugeot's are cool, didnt they make the first diesel car?

What aboot Opels, I think its aboot time GM dug its head out of its a** and shipped them over herre, not all uglied up as a saturn or chevy. And for gods sake switch to rear wheel drive.

Jim Anderson · #11 12-12-2003, 03:05 PM

I think they did make the first diesel car, the loop hole was Mercedes was the first to put them into production.

rickg · #12 12-12-2003, 04:34 PM

Ah, Paul.
Man of many words

DieselHead · #13 12-12-2003, 04:37 PM

I had a couple of Volvos. The first one was a 1986 240DL wagon. It was apparently a piece of crap we needed several new mufflers (we only ran it up to 100K), a new A/C system, and a new windshield (it just cracked by itself). The second one was a 1995 850 T-5R. Good looking car, reasonably fun to drive and loads of space, but a pain to keep maintained.

TTaM · #14 12-12-2003, 05:33 PM

I'll weigh in too...

My personal car is a 1985 745 turbo. My father owns the Mercedes in the family. I have now owned this car for a year and here is what I have to say...

They are pretty reliable. My wagon has 153K on the clock and has given me few problems. A few electrical gremlins, a broken timing belt, and that is about it. She died on me last night though, I have yet to discover the cause. Its sad to say, but this is the most fun car I have driven in my 7 years driving. Aside from a Lotus Esprit I got to drive when I was 15 of course [I was too nervous to truly enjoy the experience] The exterior of the car holds up just as well as any MB, but the interior wears out quicker. The turbo charged models are surprisingly peppy, especially when yours is a 5 spd standard trans like mine. Handling isn't supurb, but it is just as good as my father's C-Class. The online community too, is just as rich as MB's.

I would buy another Volvo any day, as well as an MB, but mine's gotta die first...
:p

djugurba · #15 12-12-2003, 05:38 PM

I've just replaced all of my volvo wagons with mercedes sedans. the mercedes each have almost double the volvo mileage, but I feel just as confident hopping in any of them for a cross country trip.

volvos (RWD volvos, that is) are generally pretty easy to work on, and are durable. If kept clean, they don't rust, and the engineering is generally pretty good. Despite being RWD, they are tanks in the snow, if you know what you are doing. Parts are fairly cheap and available, and they are indeed safe. (no sedan is all that safe with all the suvs out there being at window height...) Different models had their quirks, but which other marque doesn't have that problem? Aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder- I always liked the boxy 240 wagon, and I really liked my '67 122s coupe. My w123 and w126 look pretty good to me... Performance was not the emphasis... but the ad campaign for the 122s in the 60s was "Drive it like you hate it!" That's cool.

There are more than a few volvo gassers with a million miles on the original engine. That's pretty good. Old Volvo owners are fanatics as much as any marque- visit www.brickboard.com for a taste.

Volvo panache has suffered of late, and I think this is due to the relationship with Ford. Same thing thats going on with Jaguar. New jags sort of resemble racy tauruses...

All that said, I've just replaced all of my volvos with mercedes...

Except the one for sale... would you like your next used car to be MY volvo?