Thoughts/Opinions on a 2012 Volvo S60

Test drove the 2012 S60 with leather, blind spot recognition, city safe, sunroof, nav. I liked the car and the way it handled. I would be purchasing a 2012 with about a 5K discount off MSRP – for sale price about 35K… I am looking for a vehicle for commuting to and from work - about 100 miles total each day, five days a week. A few questions about the S60 is you have experience with one …

  1. How do the S60s hold up with miles on them? I will be putting 25K on a car each year. Solid, rattle traps???

  2. How is the hwy gas mpg? 75% of my commute is hwy - the rest city traffic

  3. Are the cars dependable? Service is free for first 50K

  4. How is the resale? If I trade in two years with 50K, what can I expect?

  5. What other cars would you recommend instead of the S60 and why (please)?

  6. Would you buy a 2012 or 2013? Dealer has reasons for the '12 but incentives are not the issue. I could wait for a 13.

Thanks!

I wouldn’t buy a new car unless you keep it for at leastr 150,000 miles. the depreciation is too much. Instead, find a low mileage, 3 or 4 year old car in excellent condition. Look for a car with less than 30,000 miles on it. If a 3 year old car is prices comparably to the new one, get the new one. Here’s a resource for your other questions:

Compare it to the G sedan:

You can also check the numbers for a 3 year old car. The G37 fares much beter in that comparison. M&R will be 30% higher in the Volvo.

The s60 is rated for 30mpg on the highway. You can expect to get taken to the cleaners if you’re trading ANYTHING in every 2 years/50k miles.
Not sure which class the s60 is in, but if you went with a Mazda 3 with skyactiv you could get 40mpg on the highway, A 4cyl Mazda 6 or Ford Fusion would get similar mpg to the s60 and be cheaper to buy/maintain in the long run(if you keep it for more than 2 years).
If you’re looking for a larger car, then the Taurus has an option for it called Multi-contour seats with active motion. It’s basically got a massager in the bottom of the seat to help alleviate fatigue.

Here’s a bunch of opinions from a long term test-

Don’t buy the 2012. It has already lost a lot of trade in value. Get $5,000 off a 2013 or less and you will be a few thousand ahead of the game. You want to get more discount on the 2012 than $5,000.If that isn’t possible, forget it.