S60 and volvo in general....I'm not very happy with this car Topic is solved

[tag]

I have an S60 leased as a company car. I could have had an Audi A4, or any number of other cars in this price range. I chose the S60 largely due to styling.
What a mistake. This car has not come close to meeting my expectations but more than that my experience with Volvo of North America and the Local Dealer has been dismal at best.

Windshield spontaneously cracked at 18m miles. I was treated very badly by the Volvo rep and also by the local dealer. Volvo refused to even consider a warranty claim. New dealer installed glass cost $897. which I paid.

Only after intervention by the NY State Attorney Generals office, division of consumer fraud, did Volvo refund my money.

I am wondering why anyone would buy such a mediocre vehicle and submit themselves to being treated like a dummy when there are so many other good cars on the market manufactured by companies who at least put forward the appearance of valuing their customers.

This will be my last Volvo purchase. Good luck to those of you who stick with this dog.

(sorry, I didn't mean to denigrate any actual dogs out there)

[DJhudson]

Although i agree with your comments and the way you were treated, the individuals you spoke to are to blame rather then the vehicle itself

[brianf]

Here is a post I made after owning the car for a year. I will have it 24 months in march. hate it more than ever. Wish I could sell it but I cannot even get 25,000.00 for it. Paid over 50,000.00

Well at first I was very disapointed in this car but you all suggested I give it some time. so here I am after 1 year and I like this car even less.

My fault for not taking a test drive though!!!!

I am being honest and not treolling the forum so please take this as a very honest review.

I have about 18,000 km on it.

It is by far the worst designed car in this price range. I am so upset I bought this car. I never test drove it so I deserve what I got.

Just a few of my issues

1) The worst turning radius of any car I have ever driven

2) Zero rear seat legroom. I mean zero!!!!!

3) If you are going to make a key the size of a cell phone, have it insert into the dash or the console. My knee keeps hitting it where it now is.

4) More wind whistles and squeeks that a entry level Kia

5) The door locks are beyond stupid. There is a single button that does not rock back and forth. Lets say you use your key fob to open the driver door to get in. It opens just the driver door. 2 hits open all doors but normally I just open the driver door. Now lets say I stop to give someone a lift. Because of the design of the locks I must first press the button to lock all the doors then hit it again to unlock them. WTF!!!

6) NO POWER TRUNK RELEASE!!!!!!

7) No light in the engine compartment.

Now they design this thing with fold down rear seats. Means they believe folks will be carring things in the back. Well the fools forgot to have any place to hook a tie down or bungie cord in the trunk lid????

9) They offer a 17" wheel option which I took. Problem is, they don't fit. When cornering even slightly aggressive the front wheels rub. Even my dealer laughed about the number of complaints they get on this one.

10) The heated seats just barely get warm

11) The paint on the leather of the drivers seat has already worn through in 18,000 km

12) This car does not like the wind at all. Very unstable.

13) Useless cup holders.

14) You need an engineering degree to figure out the HVAC

15) They have this stupid feature where the doors lock themselves after a certain time. Wish I had known befor I threw my keys, wallet and cell phone on the front seat while chatting with a friend I met in the parking lot.

I should have purchasd another MB 4matic C240. My wife has one and thought it would look dumb to both be driving the same car.

On the good side it has the bast damn seats I have ever sat in an the fuel economy is excellent.

brianf

[torontovolvos60]

Wow, a cracked windshield. I have heard of this happening on many cars.. domestic, Japanese, German.... I wouldn't consider getting rid of the car for that! As for your dealer, is there not another one around??

As for Brianf.... not sure what happened but you got a lemon if you get severe whistling noise! Aside from the turning raidius and rubbing wheels, the other complaints are blatantly obvious without doing a test drive. I have the 17" wheels on my '05 with 245/40/17 tires and have no rubbing.

[Mika]

My fault for not taking a test drive though!!!!

Well said! ':roll:'

Just a few of my issues

2) Zero rear seat legroom. I mean zero!!!!!

You must be quite tall. Nobody's complained in my rear seat, but I'm only average height.

3) If you are going to make a key the size of a cell phone, have it insert into the dash or the console. My knee keeps hitting it where it now is.

I hate that too.

4) More wind whistles and squeeks that a entry level Kia

There's something wrong with your car, there should not be any, normally.

5) The door locks are beyond stupid. There is a single button that does not rock back and forth. Lets say you use your key fob to open the driver door to get in. It opens just the driver door. 2 hits open all doors but normally I just open the driver door. Now lets say I stop to give someone a lift. Because of the design of the locks I must first press the button to lock all the doors then hit it again to unlock them. WTF!!!

That's because in European models all doors unlock at the same time. The button should have been changed for the US market. But that's a matter of taste, but you don't need to drive the car to see that.

6) NO POWER TRUNK RELEASE!!!!!!

How do you mean? There's no dash button, but certainly there's a power release.

7) No light in the engine compartment.

8 ) Now they design this thing with fold down rear seats. Means they believe folks will be carring things in the back. Well the fools forgot to have any place to hook a tie down or bungie cord in the trunk lid????

Again, if you don't check that the car is equipped for your needs before buying, you cannot blame the car.

9) They offer a 17" wheel option which I took. Problem is, they don't fit. When cornering even slightly aggressive the front wheels rub. Even my dealer laughed about the number of complaints they get on this one.

Wheel lock is adjustable, but the wheels should never rub just for aggressive cornering. 17" fits very well, even 18" fits without rubbing when the suspension is in specs.

10) The heated seats just barely get warm

Adjustable by the dealer. They get warm if adjusted, and not broken.

11) The paint on the leather of the drivers seat has already worn through in 18,000 km

There have been warranty issues with some leather batches. Unless you're out of warranty, they'll replace the bad leather.

12) This car does not like the wind at all. Very unstable.

That is strange. Mine is goes like on tracks. Sounds you are in serious need for alignment, with your rubbing issues and all.

13) Useless cup holders.

How weird. I find them most useful, especially the dash one.
But again, not the car's fault if you don't check before buying.

14) You need an engineering degree to figure out the HVAC

What? How could it _be_ any simpler, to paraphase Chandler.

15) They have this stupid feature where the doors lock themselves after a certain time. Wish I had known befor I threw my keys, wallet and cell phone on the front seat while chatting with a friend I met in the parking lot.

It sounds to me that apart from that your car needs a trip to the dealer for adjustments, you just have bought a car with wrong options, and not thought beforehand what you really want. It helps to vent in forums, but seriously, man...

I should have purchasd another MB 4matic C240. My wife has one and thought it would look dumb to both be driving the same car.

On the good side it has the bast damn seats I have ever sat in an the fuel economy is excellent.

How's the MB holding up? I was happy I did not buy one, hearing about all the possible gremlins those have.

[Mika]

Funny you should say that.

I have both an A4 2.8q and an S60T5. The S60 is a way better car in most respects. Only the interior colors are better in the Audi, but the A4 really expensive to own and maintain, and it breaks down a lot. It's also slow and thirsty.

The Volvo really flies, especially when tuned to 300hp. And still gets better mileage.

Bad luck with your dealer though. It's very difficult to get a cracked windshield replaced under warranty by any marque. That's why you need no deductible on glass with your insurance carrier. NY insurers are very good in that respect.

I have had very bad experiences with Long Island Audi dealers. Snotty bastahds. Maybe I should've dressed better.

I have an S60 leased as a company car. I could have had an Audi A4, or any number of other cars in this price range. I chose the S60 largely due to styling.
What a mistake. This car has not come close to meeting my expectations but more than that my experience with Volvo of North America and the Local Dealer has been dismal at best.

Windshield spontaneously cracked at 18m miles. I was treated very badly by the Volvo rep and also by the local dealer. Volvo refused to even consider a warranty claim. New dealer installed glass cost $897. which I paid.

Only after intervention by the NY State Attorney Generals office, division of consumer fraud, did Volvo refund my money.

I am wondering why anyone would buy such a mediocre vehicle and submit themselves to being treated like a dummy when there are so many other good cars on the market manufactured by companies who at least put forward the appearance of valuing their customers.

This will be my last Volvo purchase. Good luck to those of you who stick with this dog.

(sorry, I didn't mean to denigrate any actual dogs out there)

[Ben Timages]

Well, I'm quite surprised at your experience with Volvos. I've been driving them for over 20 years, and the last one we got was a 2001 S60T5, which behaves perfectly.

However, I DO agree that the turning circle isn't so good, and my old 1992 940 has a much better turning circle. But as for all your other complaints, well, I guess you're right, some of them should've been picked up during a test drive, and the other complaints should really have been handled by the car dealer.

[ryderlb]

I bought my S60 in 2002. SInce then, the transmission has gone within one year of purchase. The sun roof rattles, the seats are not hot, and if you drop something in between the driver's seat and the console you have to practically take the car apart to find it. I really am not happy with this car. OH...and if you live in a state where there are potholes and you have the 17" high perfromance tires...it's $175 a pop to replace them. The turn radius is the worst of any car I have ever owned.

[airbusdrvr]

Wow, I was planning to purchase a 04-06 S60 next year but looks like a lot of un-happy campers with this car. A lot of the complaints are from older S60's . How are the 04 thru 06 models doing and are there any year or versions to stay away from?

[JRL]

Wow, I was planning to purchase a 04-06 S60 next year but looks like a lot of un-happy campers with this car. A lot of the complaints are from older S60's . How are the 04 thru 06 models doing and are there any year or versions to stay away from?

The later the better. 07s are VERY NICE to drive (they fiddled with the suspension)
MOST of the above posters problems can all be adjusted out,
so to that poster...

Doors can be set to all open on one click,
They don't have to have the 5 mph lock installed and can be removed
(It's not supposed to lock at idle, you has something wrong)
5mm spacers will get rid of the rub, I have 18's AND lowered, never a rub
Seat heaters can be adjusted hotter.
Most of the wind noise could have been adjusted out under the 12 month adjustment period, DID YOU BOTHER TO ASK THEM ABOUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS?

What else do you want fixed?
Sounds as if you have a very bad dealer that didn't tell you about all this,
OR DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO ASK?

As for the glass, I've lost three windshields on new cars, one was replaced by the manufacturer and the others by insurance. Why would you be so cheap as to not have full glass replacement coverage?
A few pennies extra and required in many states.
Volvos may have some issues but most of yours can be fixed
(Except the perhaps tight rear seat but why would you buy a car without even trying it)?
I think it's YOU that has a LOT more problems than your S60