@MarkM. It’s one of those repeatable jokes you can comfortably use in a class room…
Seriously though, corduroy seat covers ? Will they ever make a return ? I would argue they have…in intent. The elevated ridges in seats did provide “drainage” . My truck seats are specifically designed to drain. A person can sit in them with wet swim suit on and when they get up, it still feels dry to the touch. . Corduroy was a good attenpt to give natural fibers some usefulness beyound just coverage. With synthetics, the sky is the limit. They were a good butt scratcher too.
At one time, relative to other cars, Volvos were considered simple, rugged, comfortable, and economical. They were also safer, simply because they had three point safety belts and crush zones (something few cars had in the '60’s, but all cars now have).
Sorry, but time moves on. Buying a car like a Volvo based on past reputation is like dating someone based on their high school photo, 40 years after they graduated.
Volvos are no longer simple, and Consumer Reports no longer considers them reliable. By objective measurements like IIHS data and crash tests, they are no safer than other cars (like Hondas, Subarus, Fords, BMWs, etc.) which are cheaper to buy and maintain. Depreciation is high and fuel mileage is low. Comfort is a matter of opinion. Other automobiles have advanced far faster than Volvos, if indeed their earlier reputation was justified.
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I too love the look of the XC70 and have shopped for one in the last 2 years as a possible replacement for my 1999 Outback. My mechanic told me that Volvos are a lot more expensive for him to work on & that he much prefers working on Subarus. I didn’t push him for the details but to me it sounded like things under the hood are difficult to get to and that raises the cost of service drastically and makes it a pain for him.
Volvos have good BODIES and good SEATS......................So do Swedes, generally...
My 2006 Volvo XC70 will be 9 years old this month. It is beautiful, comfortable, reliable and is hands down rhe best car I’ve ever owned (other cars: '82 and '90 Accords, '99 Passat). I feed it premium, change the oil and have check ups but nothing goes wrong. The only actual repairs I’ve had are new brake pads (once), new tires, new windshield. All repairs fall under wear and tear, no defects whatsoever. I 've pretty much always taken it to high quality independent mechanics. Sadly, I don’t know that new Volvos will be as reliable.
@Liz533 Congratulations on a happy and trouble free Volvo ownership. You did not state how many miles you have on it at this time.
By comparison, my 2007 Toyota has not had a single repair (one flat tire only) and the only maintenance it has needed till now have been oil and filter changes, cabin air and engine air filter and it’s going in for a coolant change next week. It still has the original brakes and all other mechanical parts. I’ve also bought a set of winter tires which are currently on the car till next month.
Hope that your Volvo hold up as time goes on.
@Liz533, I wouldn’t worry about it. New Volvos are no less reliable than the 2005s. They may not be quite as reliable as a couple of other brands, but that does not make them unreliable.
@Lis533 Glad to hear about your good experiences
Since you’ve only had brake pads replaced once, can I assume you have less than 100K miles, maybe much less?
Years ago a mechanic friend of mine who I had worked for as a teenager mowing grass around his.shop told me to “stick with Fords and Chevys”. His reasoning was that parts were more readily available and that the problems were well-known. I should have taken his advice
I bought a.1955 Pontiac and had no end.of problems that were unique to that model. Later I owned a.1965 Rambler. When I went to graduate school, there was no AMC dealer in the town. When I needed parts other than ordinary maintenance parts, they had to be shipped in from a.large city 50 miles away. When I replaced the Rambler, I went with a Ford.priduct… I think my mechanic friend, if he was alive today would say “stick with the Toyotas and Hondas”.
Look at the IIHS side impact for a 2016 Volvo S80. A 2017 Ford Fussion has a much stronger side structure based on that test than the Volvo. I had a 1990 Volvo 240 and felt quite safe back in the day. Now I feel much safer in my 2016 Chevy Malibu. There are more reliable and safer cars than a Volvo now.
Totally agree. Buying a Volvo just because of its past safety reputation is not buying smart. There are more reliable and just as safe alternatives.
The last generation of the S40 (2011) was based on the Ford Focus. Overall it did not do too bad on crash test. It did as well as a Ford Focus.
Ummmmmm… the thread is three years old.
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