Im shopping around for a car for the wife and I'm not really familiar with the Volvo S40/S60/S80 including the turbo'ed models. I want to hear from you all what are your opinions or experience with Volvo cars as far as reliability, safety, and maybe engine modifications if there is any. Suggestions are also welcome. Thanks in advance.

Get a Lexus.

Whatever your choice is, I hope "changing the front bumper on your car" is one of them.

In relation to the thread though, Volvo's are ok. They are not too appealing but they have been pretty reliable in the past.

www.caranddriver.com/roadtests/6848/volvo-s60r-awd.html.

300hp.
AWD.

Need to know anything else? Read the article.

My friend has a S60R, It is a great car. I personally wouldn't buy any other volvo then the S60R. Not much else to say about it, just read the article!

S40R is a better buy imo. Same 2.5l I5 and awd in a smaller, sportier version. I think it has about 220hp though, but with the 10k you saved getting this model, I think you could bump it up a little. Plus it's about 300lbs. lighter.

New Volvos REALLY suck. Ford acquired them in 1999 and the quality of the parts went downhill very fast. They source different parts from so many different countries, you start to wonder what the quality control is really like and what grade metals they are actually using. If the cheap overseas manufacturers used to increase profit margins were using melted down beer cans to make motor mounts I would not be surprised. My mom has a 2001 Ocean Race V70 and the thing is such a piece of shit. It has the worst automatic transmission that I have ever driven, and the engine has always run rough from day 1. She has been through 2 motor mounts, many transmission parts, driveshaft/axle seals, you name it, if it has been replaced, it has been replaced more than once. On the bright side, Ford is banking like crazy, they effectively force their customers into subscribing to their crap parts!

+1 on the crappy Ford quality. The early 200x cars also had LOTS of electrical problems, IIRC.

Ha, I completely forgot to list that! Within the past few months the power windows work when they feel like it. You push the button and sometimes it moves, sometimes you have to hold it down and nothing happens, sometimes after a while of holding it something happens, etc...

The worst was my dad's old Benz, it was a 2000 C280. Whenever it rained heavly the blinkers, windsheild wiper, and the windsheild wiper spray motor would go on the fritz. I was headed to Boston once during a downpour and the wiper randomally stopped working entirely, the hazard lights came on, and the washer motor came on and eventually emptied itself. The lever was completely non-responsive. I was on a busy highway and instantly lost nearly all visibility once the wiper froze. That was the only time I have really been scared while driving. I pulled off the highway, turned off the car for about 20 minutes, then the wiper started working but the hazards and the spray motor were still stuck on. I nearly called AAA.

Since I work for a Ford owned company I would have to agree that they are all crap. I drove an S60R though and it was pretty quick and a smooth ride.

I agree with alot of these responses. I'm the happy owner of my 5th volvo and I know from alot of people and volvospeed.com that todays volvo's are crap. My current volvo 850 t5 wagon with 275hp is good but of course it has its problems but I'm thinking it will be my last volvo. I'm actually restoring a 68 122s for racing and should be done soon. But in my opnion don't get a new volvo. Go with mercedes or Bmw. Both are real good and same price as a volvo.

A friend of mine has 2 P1800's, I've been nagging him to drop a V8 into one of them and restore the other to original "new" condition. It would be so sick.

Originally posted by dsmmyth
Whatever your choice is, I hope "changing the front bumper on your car" is one of them. In relation to the thread though, Volvo's are ok. They are not too appealing but they have been pretty reliable in the past.

I have a stock front sittin' in the garage. I just like switching the looks once in a while when I start getting tired of how the ride looks.

Originally posted by saikou
Get a Lexus.

Couldnt agree more.

Originally posted by Steve

Originally posted by saikou Get a Lexus.

Couldnt agree more.

Exactly. Hell man, you're shopping around for a car for your wife and you're obviously going to be spending a nice chunk of money if you're looking towards a newer Volvo. A woman wants a reliable car... a car she can hop into, drive to 5th Avenue to max out your credit card & come home in the evening and make her man dinner. She doesn't want to worry about the wipers flipping out or the hazards staying on.

I work at a Lexus dealership and out of the cars the company I work for sells (Mercedez-Benz, Lexus, Bentley, Aston Martin, Maserati, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Porsche, Volvo); I'd pick the Lexus over all of them when it comes to reliability... its a damn REALLY NICE Toyota for crying out loud. At the dealership I work at, 90% of the clients just come in for complimentary car washes or oil changes... nothing more. Its a truly great, reliable car that looks hella nice with whatever model you choose.

Volvo over an Aston Martin?!...The Lord have mercy on you son :bowdown

Originally posted by saikou

Originally posted by Steve

Originally posted by saikou Get a Lexus.

Couldnt agree more.

Exactly. Hell man, you're shopping around for a car for your wife and you're obviously going to be spending a nice chunk of money if you're looking towards a newer Volvo. A woman wants a reliable car... a car she can hop into, drive to 5th Avenue to max out your credit card & come home in the evening and make her man dinner. She doesn't want to worry about the wipers flipping out or the hazards staying on. I work at a Lexus dealership and out of the cars the company I work for sells (Mercedez-Benz, Lexus, Bentley, Aston Martin, Maserati, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Land Rover, Porsche, Volvo); I'd pick the Lexus over all of them when it comes to reliability... its a damn REALLY NICE Toyota for crying out loud. At the dealership I work at, 90% of the clients just come in for complimentary car washes or oil changes... nothing more. Its a truly great, reliable car that looks hella nice with whatever model you choose.

After all the reviews on the newer Volvo(s) we scratch it out of our list. Is it true that the automatic transmissions on RX300 starts to fail around past 70k miles? She wants an SUV and the 2 I'm checking out now are Acura MDX and Lexus RX300. We are also looking at Infiniti G35 & Lexus IS300.

IMO Lexus's are wayyyyyy overpriced. get an acura for much less and you get the same reliability.

We looked at the Acura MDX for my mom, but she wasn't really into having another SUV. I talked her into the G35, and she loves it. The only thing she ever complains about is it being "too nice". If you are going to drop that kind of money why not look into the Highlander hybrid? Save some on gas, and the limited version seems to be plush.

Originally posted by RSClipse9d7
We looked at the Acura MDX for my mom, but she wasn't really into having another SUV. I talked her into the G35, and she loves it. The only thing she ever complains about is it being "too nice". If you are going to drop that kind of money why not look into the Highlander hybrid? Save some on gas, and the limited version seems to be plush.

She wants to drive a mid entry luxury vehicle. If I can convince her to get something that will save on gas, I will get her a Chevy Aveo instead. Haha.