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Comments
Can somebody please confirm / deny this? Thanks!
Newheels
The MDX is 2 yrs old, it still brings MSRP, or close in most markets.
With the low availability, and high demand/interest I think the XC90 will continue to bring MSRP for a while yet.
For the 04 version, don't look for many changes, probably more availability of the security pkg and bi-xenons.
Possibly a price increase?
The V8 was slated for the Elite/Executive edition of the XC90 so it won't be a volume option.
No word on when exactly it will be available.
Rumor has it that these packages will no longer carry this "discount", or at least be priced significantly higher....
Thanks for the input - btw we walked out without making an order.
When a dealer gets MSRP, they are making a SIGNIFICANT profit on the vehicle. Any dealership, in my mind, that ever asks above MSRP for a vehicle will not get my service. Why should I get taken advantage of? I do not subscribe to the "law of supply and demand" in this case. Sure, that law applies- but for MSRP. As a dealership, you are basically saying, "Hey, I can rip you off on this vehicle, so I am going to. I'll suck every dollar out of you for this car purchase, and on top of that- since $$ right now is all I care about- I'll probably forget about you until you need to spend more money with me."
I'm sorry- MSRP+ just doesn't cut it with me. Find an honest dealer- I'm certain they are out there. For example, we were able to find three Acura dealerships selling the MDX at MSRP- just didn't want to wait the amount of time for delivery. This hasn't been the case with the XC90 for us- at least not in the Northeast. Every dealer is MSRP around here, and some are even appologizing for it.
I'll give a quick story of an Infiniti dealer to make my point. I was cross-shopping the QX4 in 1998 with a few other SUV's. I walked into a local dealership in NJ, and upon introducing myself to the salesman, he recalled a car he sold to my grandfather 6 years earlier. Unbelievable. He then came out and told me that Infiniti was about to offer a cash to dealer incentive on the car, and that if I waited another few days I could save over $3000. Well, ended up purchasing below invoice, and if there is ever an Infiniti on my wish list he has my business......
So for any Volvo dealer out there trying to get a few more $$ right now.....good luck selling them their next car in 5+ years.
That's something that Acura has/had been unable or unwilling to do, much to the chagrin of buyers. Supposedly Acura is now targetting such dealers and threatening to lower their allocation, but that's just a rumor that I've not seen proof of.
Mercedes-Benz supposedly has the the ability, though that hasn't stopped an occasional bad story about dealership pricing practices.
If Volvo can clamp down, that'd be a very customer-friendly approach!
On the other hand supply and demand do enter into the equation.
We have had people offer to pay over MSRP if we could get them a car sooner.
Of course we had to decline.
There are dealers charging over,one was selling a car on ebay, don't know how the auction ended.
BY contrast we have had some people incensed that we are charging sticker for the car, seems they don't get the supply and demand equation either.
As for Volvos control over the dealers pricing policies. They don't have any. They can and do discourage gouging, but otherwise its up to the dealers discretion.
Mercedes is the opposite, they try to control the amount of discount a dealer gives. Give too much and lose some of your allocation.
Personally I like that approach
Best advice, don't buy if the price isn't right.
i happened to surf and search through ebay.com and one xc90 reservation is being auctioned and already been up for bid to the tune of $ 4,959.00. more will be on the waiting list as the word is out that the xc90 is motor trend's 2003 suv of the year.
so now start shopping your wish list for add-ons to your vehicle (for example: wheel molding, door edge molding, bumper scuff protector, body side molding, pinstripes, cargo mats, floor mats, etc. where they can be easily purchased from your pep boys or rs strauss outlets). don't forget that the xc90 doesn't look like it is a complete package without the roof rails/cross bars or the rear skid plates (these 2 you have to buy from your volvo dealership). bi-xenon lights can be added later on.
i will get delivery of my xc90 on 3rd week of december, just in time for christmas (i have the black sapphire 2.5t awd with taupe leather complete with premium, versatility and climate packages).
You are in luck - the T6 I drove showed a GVWR of 6080 lbs. Perfect!
your uncontrollable spending habit! What does it
mean when you see an nuthead pay a lot more
than a stick price? What proportion of the
population are a nuthead? Luck for you? Maybe for
the company.
I posted on this topic some time ago as there are quite a few people including myself in this category.
The only numbers I've seen on GVW for the XC90 show that only the T6 AWD with 7-seat configuration breaks the magic 6,000 lb number for GVW. I'll picking up one or two (for business purposes) next year when supply comes closer to demand and I can deal.
-rollie
I looked at the interior which was not impressive at all. The fake wood looked terribly fake (like shelf paper). I was only interested in the T6 since I once drove the T5 engine in the S60 and it felt ok with a little turbo lag in the lower rpm range. When I found out that the 4 speed transmission (in the T6) was made by General Motors that made me CRINGE!! Ford owns Volvo but won't use Ford's parts bin? I realize that due to size constraints they had to get a different transmission but that is unacceptable in this segment. The car has some nice safety features and received the SUV award but that doesn't sway me. Motor Trend also gave that award to the Renault Alliance in the 80's... it means NOTHING!! How about the Infiniti FX45? Same price, similar segment, V8 power and Japanese reliability? Glad I passed...
Well, understanding that everyone has their own opinion, mine is that it fits in very nicely with what I would expect out of a $40,000 vehicle.
Are there more luxurious interiors available in SUVs? Sure. But I personally am not purchasing an SUV purely for the luxury appointments- I am purchasing one because it fits my needs. I'd love to drive around in a BMX 330xi, but it just isn't practical with a family.
At this point, my needs are space and enough luxury that my wife will enjoy spending most of her days inside of the particular vehicle we purchase. We love the X5, but cargo room is non-existent. Ditto the RX300. We hate the looks of the Mercedes. We currently drive the QX4, and although it's been a nice car, the safety of the XC90 really sways us there.
So, what it boils down to is the MDX and XC90. As far as quality interior and safety, the XC90 wins hands down, in our opinion. Which is why we have one on order........
Sure it would be great to have noticeably real wood trim, but at what cost? There are more expensive SUVs that people can buy to obtain that look. But even at that higher cost, do they match the other positive attributes of the XC90?
Everybody has their own priorities. My current ones are met with the XC90.
T6 with 7 passenger seating.........6080 pounds
2.5T with 7 passenger seating.......6005 pounds
Therefore, if you go with the 7 passenger seating either version of the XC90 is over the magic 6000 pound limit.
Cars used for business are subject to a special reduced section 179 limit ($3,060 for autos purchased in 2002). The already-puny allowance is further reduced by any personal use. To wit: The deduction for a new $40,000 Lexus sedan used 75% for business is an almost laughable $2,295, or about 5% of the car's cost.
But if you find a "heavy" sport utility vehicle (SUV), pickup or van that rings your chimes and buy it before year's end, it's a whole different — and much better — story.
According to IRS regulations, a passenger vehicle is considered a "truck" for tax purposes when it has a gross vehicle weight rating (the manufacturer's maximum weight rating when loaded) over 6,000 pounds. Truck status means very favorable depreciation rules when the vehicle is used over 50% for business. Some popular SUVs pass the truck test; the Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Excursion are the beefiest examples. There are quite a few others, and a bunch of pickups and vans qualify as well. So ask dealers about models that fit the bill.
Now, let's get specific about the tax advantages. Say you buy a new $35,000 Suburban this year to be used 100% in your sole proprietorship business. As long as you put that hunk of metal to work before Dec. 31, 2002, you can bag a whopping $24,000 section 179 deduction (assuming no other equipment additions for this year). Next, you can claim an additional $4,800 under the first-year 30% bonus depreciation break [($40,000 - $24,000) x 30% = $4,800]. Finally, you can deduct the remaining $11,200 of cost over six years under "standard" depreciation guidelines ($40,000 - $24,000 - $4,800 = $11,200). In most cases, this means a 20% first-year write-off, based on remaining cost, which adds another $2,240 worth of depreciation (20% x $11,200 = $2,240). So your total first-year write-off for that new Suburban is $31,040, which amounts to an amazing 78% of its purchase price ($24,000 + $4,800 + $2,240 = $31,040). That sure beats the wimpy $3,060 first-year write-off for a "regular" car costing the same amount. Another plus: Heavy SUVs, pickups and vans also escape the 3% luxury tax on passenger vehicles priced over $40,000.
I found the T6 steering very light at low speeds, and more firm with greater "feel" at higher speeds. The 2.5T will give you more "feel" at low speeds. It is all a matter of preference.
Obviously I need to consult a tax advisor, but say if I buy a >6000 lb GVWR SUV before year end, can I then deduct 100% of the allowed depreciation even if I've only used it for say 5% of my business miles (I am using IRS mileage 36.5 cents/mile now) for 2002? What about in 2003? Are the only deductions allowed: service, insurance, gas etc, as I have taken the bulk of the deductions in 2002? Any limits on how long I need to keep the vehicle in business use or can I buy another XC90 in 2003:)?
Thanks for any input!
I actually have a dealer that will honor an X-Plan purchase if the XC90 is eligible. However, the same dealership has not been told of December availability, but rather late summer of 2003. Also, the dealership will only honor X-Plan purchase on in-stock vehicles, not ordered vehicles (although Ford X-Plan applies to both cases). And they have to service all of their MSRP customers first before X-Plan purchasers. So, if they do have an XC90 in stock and an MSRP customer wants it, that customer gets it.
Overall, it will be hard to find a dealership willing to sell you an XC90 at X-Plan prices even when the vehicle becomes eligible. And this should be expected. Realistically, I think that late summer 2003 may be a good guess. But, then again, YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Wallpaper available at:
http://www.dawgpak.com/xc90/
Sir, what is your source of data on the Freestyle? My research on Ford and Edmunds.com has turned up zero. If it's essentially the same as the XC90 and most of us are willing to wait for the spring 2004's come out anyway, why not add the Freestyle to a list of new rigs with greater price negotiability?
Rob D. from Sterling, VA
Love it so far. Compares favorably to my BMW X5, but with more room.
I'll update more as I drive it more. It's snowing like crazy here today, so it will stay in the garage for now.
Anyway, we love it! We actually drove it off the lot in a snowstorm, so we put it to work right off the bat. Other than pulling it into the driveway dirty (half the fun of a new car is the smell and shine!), we had a 100% satisfying experience. The non-premium sound system is excellent, as we played around with the changer a little on the ride home to get the feel of it. THe dash controls are a little confusing at first, but easily figured out.
Comfort is first class. Extremely comfortable seats, and we took it on a 3 hour jaunt over the weekend. Seat warmers heated up in about 3 minutes to a nice warmth, and overall ride is excellent.
A few things that we don't love, but are not real issues- no ashtray in front. You need to order as an option, and it takes the place of cupholders in the middle console. We don't smoke, but usually use the ashtray for small trash, etc. Not a major issue, since there is still a 12-volt lighter for car phone, radar, etc., but a little confusing. Also, the rear window is heavily tinted- tough to see what type of car is behind you, but I guess it's not bad that you won't be blinded by bright lights or larger trucks.
Anyway.......truly love our new XC90 and can't wait to drive it more! Also, as an aside, we had never considered Volvos in the past. Just never thought to. While in the dealerships, we looked and sat in the S60 and S80, and were duly impressed. Our Audi A6 lease comes up next year, and we will consider a Volvo sedan....
Since you mentioned seat warmers and playing around with the changer, I think your XC90 has the Premium and Climate Packages. Did you get the Bi-Xenons?
Yes, our vehicle has the Premium and Climate Packages. We would have loved the Bi-Xenons, but unfortunately did not get them. We hit a dealership right after they got a cancellation on one of their first XC90's, and jumped on the car- as it was pretty much what we were looking for. Also has the 17" wheels, which I think enhances the look nicely.
Additionally, might have preffered the mettalic black instead of the regular- as well as a NAV system......but, at $39,430 we were very happy with what we received!
Gassed it up today at a local station, and had the mechanics come out and start looking under the hood, etc.. It was fun.
I recommend doing it right here! :-)
tidester, host
I highly recommend the Overseas Delivery.
on XC90 in the ED plan. Did you get anything?
Or I'm missing something.