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I agree. Volvo tried progressive-rate springs and then put Nivomats on the back of the cars in the 760s. The early 760s suffered from feeling too soft on humps yet too stiff at the same time. But too stiff when it should be compliant and too soft where it should be controlled. The IRS helped the 760, but still the 88 and later 760s had this characteristic. The s70's/v70 has abrupt rebound, at any tuning it is pronounced. The s70s with 17 inch tires are quite uncomfortable and unsettled. Nice on smooth roads, falls apart on poor roads. 960s, though too soft in springing and too much vertical motion, rode better. More fluid. The funny thing with the s70 is that with Bilsteins, the abruptness rarely reveals itself. The ride is then kind of rigid, but at least controlled. More comfortable compromise.
Saab has gone to tuning bushings to soft vertical and firm horizontal with mixed results. There's still some degree of progressive spring rates for the 9-3. Ride suffers. Volvo thankfully has slowed the rebound but still seems to be dealing with progressive rates but with less of a range. Seems like they also payed close attention to bushings and connections, but ride can seem "rubbery" at times.
Right on! I was wondering what the hell happened to the $25k we spent on the '86 760 Turbo? I couldn't believe the ride. It still rode uncomfortably over bumps when more people/cargo was added, or travel at higher speed. While I was whining that my parents should have invested in a 300E instead, people think I'm crazy. So I went to the junk yard, got a set of 740 rear springs & replace all shocks w/ Gabriel GasRyder. The ride became not as ridiculous, but still uncomfortable. & I'm pretty sure the already-relatively-long spring's progressive-rate might be the only culprit.
"The IRS helped the 760, but still the 88 and later 760s had this characteristic."
CAR pointed out that the '88 760 sedan w/ IRS rode less comfortably than the wagon w/ solid rear axle.
"There's still some degree of progressive spring rates for the 9-3. Ride suffers."
Right before choosing the '86 760 Turbo, we test drove the Saab 9000 turbo. The only bump we encountered was a one-time horizontal dip, & the car moved quickly down & up w/o much absorption although the spring travel didn't get used up. But this limited data was enough to get me suspicious that I asked my dorm mates to let me carpool in their 900 turbo for a long trip but got refused 'cause they don't want to squeeze more than 4 people in the car. So later we test drove the 740 turbo but the stubborn old-man salesman didn't bother to let us test on bumpy roads & only persuaded my parents that Mercedes is too expensive. So we ended up buying a 760 turbo from another dealer for under $23k plus tax. It's the most expensive & pointless car we've ever purchased.
& then when I discovered that my Indiana aunt's 240 never rode uncomfortably, I was wondering why.
Anyway, today's new S40 w/o sport suspension is tuned pretty comfortably although not so deep.
Especially w/ the 6-way-only std manual seat, the driving position is stressful! Even w/ the seat raised until I ran out of headroom under the moonroof & had to recline to an awkward arm-stretching driving position, the non-adjustable thigh angle just couldn't support my thighs.
Like the Mazda3, as I provoked the abrupt lane change at low speed, the rear end twitched out some, even w/ the presence of DSC. The S40 sure feels more secure as far as having the tail to stay put, w/ or w/o the sport suspension.
Despite less suspension travel than the non-sport 325i, the non-sport T5 has a calmer slower-motion ride over bumps. The Beemer moves quickly back to the baseline after each bump in no time to get ready for the next one. So unless the bumps are pretty deep, the Volvo has a more relaxing ride.
So, more relaxing driving position, more relaxing handling to toss around along w/ more relaxing ride, the Volvo is more enjoyable, & therefore wins, in a way.
The Focus platform kept spawning as if it's becoming the best selling design in the world. Lately, besides the long-wheel-base future Mondeo & Galaxy minivan from Europe, there are the C50 convertible & C30 3-dr hatch.
Launch is in one year.
C30 still on the drawing board.
Matt
cotmc May 19, 2004 11:10pm
Anyway, the 325i auto we re-ordered w/ metallic($475), memory power seats w/ mirror auto-tilt-down on reverse($995), sport seats w/ manual cushion extension($550), power 4-way lumbar($450) & arriving around June 18 has MSRP about $32600. I really think only the last 2 options are necessary, & would rather swap metallic paint & motorized seats w/ the grey leather($1450) instead of the burning vinyl, which only comes in black or sand -- yuck!
It was based on the good lease program advertised prior to April 30, so ours was $3228 drive off w/ 35 more payments of $299/mo@10k-mi/yr.
-juice
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I would try to verify why the bank claims your credit score is 645 instead of 693. If you don't get a good answer, then try another Volvo dealer.
You definitely have a good lease deal, but I'm sorry to say that I agree with you 100% on your options list. I would also trade the power seats and metallic paint for leather seats. (Personally, I like the "natural brown" leather with the black dash, trim and carpet.)
Then again, I live in sunny, hot Arizona. If I lived in Boston or Seattle, I would probably be content with black vinyl sport seats. But in these parts, saving $1400 on vinyl seats is asking for trouble! I wish BMW offered some sort of zero-cost cloth seat alternative, such as the T-Tec seats available in the S40. Hey, even the cloth seats in the base Volvo XC90 are fantastic!
Since this is an S40 forum, I should probably add that I really appreciate the content and pricing of the S40's Premium Package. With the 2.4i, the Premium Package adds leather seats (which seemed to have a little more padding than the base seats), moonroof, power driver seat, dual electronic climate control, and upgraded trim, for about $2300. With the 325i, you're looking at about $2400 for only leather and moonroof.
I don't recall if the S40 Prem Pkg has "leather seats" or "leather seating surfaces"? If the latter, that might help to explain the low price, but I still think it is a great deal!
About the credit issue, the sales manager is saying that while my credit score was pretty high, Chase has higher standards, and that they used my transunion score (688), which for them is a tier 3. I am nearly positive this is B.S., but what can I do now, ya know. Plus, even though I got a little screwed on the financing, I think I compensated it by negotiating a 24,226 gross capitalized cost (agreed upon price of 23,386 + 795 for acquisition fee).
I welcome any advice guys.
As an example, my 2.4i with Premium Package (no metallic paint) had a gross capitalized cost slightly below $23.5K. I notice your car also adds the climate package, which has an MSRP of $625. Does your car include metallic paint, or any other options? If not, then I don't think you are necessarily getting an outstanding price at $24,226. I bet other dealers would match or beat it.
See details at
http://apps.volvocars.us/enewsletter/02/02-h-ans40-ans40.htm
BMW did back in '02 in Canada, & the 3-series' cloth interior comes in either black or grey, which almost made me wanted to go get a Canadian spec. But imports sold in Canada cannot be exported to the U.S. w/o heavy tariff!
"Hey, even the cloth seats in the base Volvo XC90 are fantastic!"
I remember the '93 940's base cloth seat fits me perfectly, even the fixed headrest matched my 5'11" frame. These days, people are getting taller, so Volvo's fixed headrests are designed for those somewhere over 6'.
Note this particular promotion, through Volvo Car Finance North America, applies only to a base 2.4i without any options (other than metallic paint). Unfortunately, the money factor changes significantly if you add options. Because I wanted the Premium Package, my salesman had to go through a bank, instead of with Volvo Finance, to get me a similarly competitive lease deal on an S40 with that package. (As mentioned earlier, there is some incentive Cap Reduction money if you lease through a bank, but not if you lease with Volvo Finance. Strange!)
The advertised Volvo lease does not include tax or license fees.
Here in the Southwest 98% of the cars we sell have leather. RARELY do we get a customer that wants cloth instead.
experian 693
equifax 667
transunion 688
I have a tough time believing I am tier 3, is there any chance the dealership is lying about my credit? Would it benefit them to do so?
Matt
Matt
Compared to BMW, Volvo should be commended for offering quality cloth seats as the "base" for some of their vehicles, as opposed to vinyl, or in BMW speak, "leatherette". I was amazed at how many pre-owned 325i cars at the BMW dealer in lower Scottsdale were equipped with vinyl seats! I guess there are plenty of BMW 325i customers here in Arizona(!) who chose to save $1450, even though a hot vinyl seating surface was their only alternative to leather.
For the XC90, I still believe the cloth seats are just as nice as its leather seats. Having said that, I would still take the durability and cleanup capability of leather. As for the S40, there is a another Volvo dealer here in AZ who seems to be ordering all S40's with the T-Tec seats. Obviously, I disagree, but that dealer sure seems to like the T-Tec seats more than the leather.
But here on edmunds, the tmv for the car I got (2.4i, with prem + clim packages) is around 27,000; why is it that you say I didn't get a good deal at 24,226? Just curious.
The main thing I was worried about was if the dealership was up to some funny business arranging financing through the bank. My interest rate is at 5.78 because they say I'm tier 3 with a middle credit score of 685. Also, I'm wondering why they didn't go through Volvo...my dealership says its because I'm a first time buyer (even though I financed a car 6 years ago with a co-signer, and never had a late payment).
Again, besides the oddity of the finance deal, I think the price for the car was pretty good...no?
Still not at ease with his new lease deal...Matt
Probably the real reason your dealer didn't go through Volvo for the lease is due to the cap reduction incentive, which I explained at the end of post #1012. Without that incentive, there would be no way of getting your capitalized cost so far below invoice.
Non-turbo S40 requires the uncomfortable sport suspension for the "T-Tec". You sure it's not the std "plush" cloth?
Also the base S40 comes w/ std silver plastic trim, not aluminum.
& there's nothing wrong w/ them.
Actually, that is not true. I think the early literature stated that the "T-Tec" seats were an upgrade, but all the S40's without leather, even the base 2.4i models, seem to include the T-Tec seats at no cost -- Sport or non-Sport. I have looked at over a dozen S40s at two Volvo dealers, and I never found a single model with the "plush" cloth seats. The window sticker states that the T-Tec Seating Surfaces are a "Special All-New S40 2.4i Introductory Offer".
T-tec was made standard before we got the first car.
Tier 1 730+
Tier 2 700-729
Tier 3 680-699
Note: the score is just a guideline, you still must meet other acceptance criteria. But, if your out of the scoring range the other criteria is moot.
Yes, you guys are right, their is a 3000 dollar incentive coming from Volvo, but the dealership cannot use volvo finance and get the 3000 gross cap reduction...so this is why they stuck with Chase.
It seems nearly all 2.4i's in this region (southern california) come with at least the premium package, and many also with the climate package. With both, it seems to be a consensus that a gross cap cost at $24,000 is a pretty good deal, so I'm done. Now I've just got to decide if I'll spring for some of the great accesories that have been made for the S40. I've gotta wonder if I'll want to buy this car at the end of the lease, I'd hate to buy a bunch of accessories, and then just give the car back. Well see. These S40's age pretty well, right?
http://www.flyvolvo.com/S40MY05.pdf
Now the memory feature can be added on the power driver seat for $150. How about the multiple adjustments for the passenger seat, either manual or power?
Volvo used to have the power seat option for driver's and passenger side for the 2.4i for $900 and the power passenger side for the T5 for $450. For some reasons they took them off for the 2005.
The 2.4i has never had a power passenger seat option.
The T5 pass seat is part of the Premium pkg.
creakid,
the picture shows the S40 w/ the IAQS system.
all Volvo's have the pollen/dust filter.
IAQS is a sensor that detects carbon monoxide or other toxic gasses and automatically closes the outside air intakes. IAQS will not be available on the 2005 S40's
The MDX doesn't even have a high chair for the 2nd row seating!
2.4i - $29,995
T5 - $34,995
T5 AWD - $37,495
Not bad starting prices!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Volvo says the V50 AWD manual WILL be available in the US, but probably not till after the first of the year.
We get lots of folks who are more than happy to report their negative experiences with dealers, so a positive story would certainly be welcome.
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Interior quality is worse than the cheapest Ford Focus, with the cup holder "fingers" looking like 90 days to failure. The leather quality looks like the exterior of a bargain suitcase. That is shame for a car with such good styling.
For the S40, both my wife and I think that the leather upholstery provides a little more cushioning than the T-Tec seats, but they are not definitely not the plushy seats often found in the Japanese and American luxury vehicles. These S40 leather seats are similar in size and firmness to the seats often found in smaller BMW and Mercedes vehicles. I am also very impressed with the lateral and lumbar support they provide.
Perhaps the T-Tec seats would be ok; I will try them to see if a local dealer ever has such a vehicle in stock.