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Comments
2. I meat a couple in Gothenburg that had some problems with their S60 and reported it at the drop-off. Volvo had assured them that the car will be fully operational prior to the shipment. After all, you deal with the factory. When car has arrived to US, it is covered by full US warranty, so all the issue will be dealt with just like you would take a delivery here.
Volvo provides you with 24/7 roadside assistance in Europe, and I have spoken to people who were very impressed with the service - not just the repairs, but help with directions, etc. Also I have read the posting here, on Edmund which regarded the Volvo roadside assistance very high.
3. I did not know any delivery problems. I was polling people once, and no one has responded, which has driven me to the unscientific conclusion that Volvo might apply some additional inspection to the OSD delivered cars to keep their reputation high.
2006 deliveries will commence in the fall.
See
http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Volvo_News/article_446.htm- l
http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Industry_News/article_370.- html
Works well.
And we have to live with the 6-CD changer in XC90.
I would have to listen to all the connections in the same car with the same devices to tell if there is a difference. The FM audio is truly comparable (Hz per Hz) with the output frequency range of smaller MP3 players.
Here is a disclaimer from the BMW web site. Apparently all the brands have similar problems with the extra connections to the main audio units. Remember that XC90 does have CD changer.
"Only available for model year 2002, 2003 and 2004 BMW3 Series; Z4 Roadster; X3 and X5 SAV. Not available on vehicles with navigation system, CD changer, DSP cassette player or satellite radio. Installation performed by authorized BMW and BMW SAV centers only. Third-generation iPod (software 2.2 or later) or iPod mini (software 1.1 or later)"
And apparently MB does not have it yet. It will be available just in April for 2006 models.
"MACWORLD EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO—January 11, 2005—Apple® and Mercedes-Benz USA today announced the iPod® Integration Kit for Mercedes-Benz, making Mercedes-Benz the first automaker to provide full iPod music navigation for drivers to listen to their entire iPod music collection through the Mercedes-Benz audio system, as well as select their music using artist, album or playlist with the multifunction controls on the steering wheel and the integrated multifunction display on their instrument cluster. The iPod Integration Kit for Mercedes-Benz will debut this April in the US with the newly redesigned 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, and for most other 2005 and 2006 models later this year."
So, do not look down to Volvo. They are in the same pack as all other.
I'm sure Lev has something to do with this!
Guy
It will probably be the 06 model year before they do.
Also, the 60-0 braking distance on 2003 XC90 versus MDX (the only year where the comparative data was available on Edmunds) was 121 to 135 in Volvo's favor.
That was my thought as well. I only drive my wife's vehicle on the weekend, thus I'm not used to the brakes after driving my truck every day.
After driving S80 for 5 years I find brakes on most of the cars "mushy" - the travel is too long for my taste. I also look at my two daughters that like the "grabbiness" of brakes a lot. They have learned how to modulate these brakes pretty fast.
As a practical advise - I never leave a bottom of my foot from the floor, when I brake and use just a toe to depress the pedal. Since just a little effort is required - it works, and foot is always rested on a floor.
One more point. XC90 has an emergency braking booster. You do not have to depress brake hard to apply the full braking power. It is done to "equalize" the braking power of the 250 Lbs male athlete and 100 lbs female model.
Here is a copy of the e-mail from my "IT" friend in response to my complaint of been accused of been ignorant.
Beware!!!
"Next time anyone tries to tell you that you are not IT enough for your opinion about bluetooth in the car - here is an article from IT industry publication:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1758683,00.asp
for example, ... several late-model Lexus vehicles were infected with a virus transmitted via cell phones. And how did these cars get a cell phone virus? As it turns out, the navigation and other systems in these Lexus models were Bluetooth-enabled.
General state of Bluetooth in the cars - Some Smart-Phone Users Feeling Blue in Their Cars
So, I wouldn't consider this as a factor in buying a car - not today, anyway! Of course, by the time you are ready for your next trip to Europe - I am sure things will change. I want an integrated navigation/trafiic monitor - or my money back"
Thanks
1. Volvo financing. The dealer will arrange either a loan or a lease agreement for the OSD order.
2. Some (not many) banks and CU (mine does) will give you an unsecured loan against the purchase order that can be converted to the secure loan on better terms, once car is registered in US. You will have to live with the higher interest for 2-3 month.
3. Many CU (mine, for instance) consider any car first registered during the current calendar year as a new car purchase, so you can come up with the cash, exhausting your saving, and then finance a car through the CU, when car is registered in US.
That is what I have done with my first OSD car 5 years ago - financed part of the cost when car was registered through my CU. I was more fortunate the second time around and just paid cash up front.
Thanks
Emery
Jake
I have driven X5 3.0 again last weekend and have appreciated it's typical BMW feel - rather stiff steering, great acceleration - but I do not drive BMW, and prefer Volvo instead.
Drive both and see what suites you more.
Also, the 30 day number can be moved slightly if you are financing.
I have 82K on my 01 RX300 and am still on the original set of brakes. I assume from reading posts here that the XC90 won't go that long on a set of brakes. I can also put on a set of Michelin CT tires that last for 50K miles or so. I guess what I'm getting at is that the XC90 will cost slightly more to maintain. Yes/No?
Lev will say yes but it is a safer vehicle?
Guy
Consider this: XC90 4500 lbs 60mph to 0 131 ft
-Road and Track
Toyota Camry 3300 lbs 60-0 127 ft.
-Road and Track
If the Camry, or any of its off shoots like the RX weighed what a Volvo does it would take them forever to stop!
As it is, the Camry's stopping distance is unacceptable.
then it wouldn't BE a Camry! I don't see how a fictitious scenario makes the actual braking distance of a Camry unacceptable.
Braking distance is mostly a function of how efficiently the brakes dissipate the kinetic energy of the vehicle. If you're going to contrive an indictment then at least equip the fantasy vehicle with proper brakes! :-)
tidester, host
While an RX330 doesn't weigh as much as an XC90 does, it brakes in 10 feet less than an XC90 in CR's test. And in a much shorter distance than the Camry they tested, so the bad Camry brakes don't automatically condemn the RX330's as suggested. As tidester would say, that's a fictitious scenario.
What might condemn the RX330's brakes is the current NHTSA investigation against them.
Emery,
You are very close to what I will actually say.
There are different strokes for different folks.
The XC90 is a safer vehicle, but it is also roomier, available as a 7 seater and much more stylish (strictly subjective, though, I admit).
When it comes to the actual issues, you have heard enough about brakes and I did replace the pads a couple of times ( I could not remember was it 2 or 3 times) over the span of 90K miles, but never had anything done to the rotors.
Speaking of tires, I have ran my stock Michelins for 48K miles, and is closed to replace my so-so low end Continentals after 45k miles on my S80. I do expect a similar longevity on XC90. There is no visible wear on our stock Michelins after 13K miles. I could see them going for 40-50K.
Overall, I did not feel that my S80 was a " maintenance needy" car. That is why my wife is driving the XC90 now. Even our 15 years old 740 that we own for 6 years requires nothing but the periodic oil changes, and serves well a second generation of a brand new drivers.
My point is that the Camry, fantasy or otherwise ISN'T equipped w/ "proper brakes"
A Camry or RX that weighs alot less than an XC90 and only stops a few feet shorter is very bad.
It means the braking system is less efficent.
Equip a Camry w/ an S60's brakes and it would stop in 115 ft.
The poster claimed that he was on his original brakes after 80k.
This means his pads are harder and therefore less efficent. Toyota sacrificed braking power for pad life, and lower cost associated w/ cheaper pads.
This is something a European manufacturer wouldn't do.
But the RX previously mentioned stops in more than "only a few feet less than an XC90" (10 feet in comparing CR's tests).
Using CR's numbers and your logic, an S60 is 1,155 lbs lighter than the XC90 they tested, and stopped in only four feet less. I guess the S60's brakes are "very bad," eh? I thought European manufacturers wouldn't do this.
Again using CR's numbers and your logic, the S40 they tested stops in 9 feet shorter than a 1,550 lb heavier XC90. Since you thought that the 10 feet less distance of an RX wasn't adequate, the S40 must have terrible brakes given that it's much lighter than the RX.
I guess the same applies to the S80 which managed only an 8 foot shorter stopping distance despite being lighter than the RX, which stopped 10 feet shorter. I suppose the S80 has inferior brakes too?
CR's XC70 stopped in 10 feet less, but it was almost 800 lbs lighter. I guess that means the RX braking is better since it did that same 10 feet better with heavier weight than the XC70, and the XC70 is poor.
You really made my head spinning... :-).
I think Max has gone a bit overboard defending the Volvo brakes, something that does not require such bold defence. I do not think that there are any doubts among the experts that Volvo cars have really good brakes.
I think, also, that you can not compare the braking distance of cars in the different size/style/weight brackets like you, guys did. The size (diameter) and the braking pressure could be different on different cars to match their size and weight. You can not put 16" brake system (like on XC90) inside of 15-16" rim.
I also agree that one can't blindly compare vehicles across classes, and assume a proportionate relationship. My examples were intended to show how it does not add up in the overenthusiastic, initial statement.
Thanks
http://apps.volvocars.us/ownersdocs/2005/2005_maintenance.html
Other documents available here:
http://www.volvocars.us/_Tier2/Owners/Library.htm
Another factor that contributes my leg cramps is the position of the gas pedal. It's too far to the right, too close to the wall, and too far behind the brake pedal, so to move the foot from brake to gas requires a rather awkward movement of the leg. I much prefer the position of the beefy, bottom-hinged gas pedal in the 330Ci I had, but I realize that's a car intended for a different purpose.
One unrelated question - how useful is the integrated booster seat? For what age category and weight range can this seat be used? Once the child is old enough not to need a booster seat any more, is it easy to remove or hide the booster seat so three people can sit in the back seat?
Thanks for your help!
Ginger
In my experience with the Calabasas Volvo in LA area, the salesperson (unfortunately, I cannot mention his name, though he deserves a recognition)was very accomodative and we have arranged for very extensive test drive, about 1h each, to compare two then-available models 2.5T and T6, that lead us to the firm decision to go with 2.5T as being absolutely adequate to our driving style. At no point, then and now, any of our four drivers feel a need for an extra power.
The advantage of that integrated seat is that it does not have to be removed, it is a retractable part of a "regular" seat.
according to the owner's manual
http://apps.volvocars.us/ownersdocs/2005/2005_XC90/05xc90_01b.htm#pg20
child seat is designed for use only by children who weigh between 33 and 80 lb (15 and 36 kg) and whose height is between 38 and 54 in (97 and 137 cm).
Steve, Host