Volvo S60/v70 R

[dazzab69]

I went on the Volvo R experience at Prodrive in Warwickshire a few days ago because I'm considering the S60/V70 R as a replacement for the IS.

They are truly awesome cars. The acceleration is phenomenal (and not in the Vauxhall sense) and the active chassis is something else. For the unitiated it has three suspension settings, Comfort which is a Mercedes-like wafting experience, Sport which feels alot like the IS200 and Advanced which rattles your teeth on bad surfaces, but keeps the body absolutely rigid.

One thing that really surprised me is that the V70R (the estate) felt as good as S60R (the saloon).

Lexus should really take notice of these cars because Volvo is now gunning for Lexus and the Germans.

[GRiM]

Volvo are beaten only by Land Rover, for the lowest depreciation on a new car, by any car manufacturer.

Lexus coming in third. :winky:

[UKPulse]

Volvo are beaten only by Land Rover, for the lowest depreciation on a new car, by any car manufacturer.

Lexus coming in third. :winky:

According to Whatcar.com the Volvo S60 T5 drops from £26,295 to just £14,458 in it's first year - that's nearly 50%. :yack: By comparison the IS200 Sport drops from £21,205 to £15,881 in it's first year, and the Gold IS's hold their value even better :winky:

[IS200RJR]

come on guys whos ever heard of buying a year old IS200 for £15,881 i paid £14,995 for a two year old one. :duh:

[dazzab69]

I think the slow depreciation on the IS is down to dealer control of the supply of used versions. Because alot of people buy another IS, Lexus gets to set the pricing on the used one, hence the high dealer prices.

I was surprised that Volvo appear to do so well. The V70 holds it's value very well because it's supposed to be the best estate car on the market and the first choice of middle England. However the other models don't seem to do so well. The R models may benefit from there only being limited numbers available.

The main financial attractant for me is the possiblity of a 25% discount via a Ford family ticket, so depreciation worries are cut enourmously and I get a very good £38K car for £29K.

Still my brother-in-law has just applied for a job at Lexus UK, so you never know another new IS may still be a possibility.

[Fidgits]

But lets be honest guys...

Would you really want to be a 'volvo driver'...

[rhaines]

But lets be honest guys...

Would you really want to be a 'volvo driver'...

hee hee....

Sorry fidigt's no amusing comments please

[Fidgits]

My opinion on a comparison between Lexus and Volvo is simple... I wouldn't want to drive a volvo, no matter how good they are, the same with BMW... I don't want the stigma attached with them...

Thats one of the reasons i drive a Lexus... no stigma... so in my opinion, that post was not .. because that was my point of view according to the first post in this thread...

[MsW]

volvos are super

[rhaines]

ah but it wasbrought nicely back ON TOPIC with the Lexus / Volvo Comparison so I think some editing would keep it from being deleted personally...

You know something along the lines off...

******Volvo*** Lexus****Driver***H£$£A*** LEXUS LEXUS MODERATE LEXUS

[UKPulse]

You're absolutely right, getting a 1yr old IS for £15K odd is unheard of, but then the figures relative to each other probably still hold true (so the Volvo's value after a year would be that much higher too). Yes, the Lexus dealers do squeeze the price up, and there's even an article on the Lexus website about some new bod at Lexus who's job is just that - keeping 2nd hand prices up (IMO).

The review of the S60 T5 at whatcar.com is pretty good - 4/5 in every category, although strangely they only give it 2/5 overall? Let's hope your brother-in-law gets that job at Lexus quick! ;)

Volvo jokes? Not me guv <_<

Police stopped a Volvo driver reversing down a slip-road on to a motorway. When questioned, the driver replied that he was merely trying to dislodge the motorcyclist from his front bumper!

[Bazza-old]

But lets be honest guys...

Would you really want to be a 'volvo driver'...

i was also looking at volvos at the same time as the lexus

if the volvo dealer had been as oblidging as the lexus, i might well be driving a volvo now :)

they are nice cars !

[Loz]

Before my GS300 I briefly had a CLK Merc but before that I did 27,000 miles in a T5 Volvo Saloon, 240bhp front drive automatic Boxter-baiting lunacy!

It was not at all popular with my good looking female Nieghbour and she was well chuffed when I got rid. but for driving excellence the T5 (much as it pains me to say it) was better than the CLK320.

I'd not rush back into a Volvo as I think there are more interesting cars that do the job for me. But I do like the look for the 4x4 thing they have now. that with a t5 lump would be "interesting"...

Loz

Ps. Don't know much about depreciation on the IS but I would guess they are talking about trade-buy prices not forecourt prices...

[dazzab69]

I'm not sure about the Volvo image thing. Five years ago I thought I'd never be seen dead in a Volvo, but the Peter Horbury generation Volvos have really come on leaps and bounds on the design side (and maybe I'm getting old !). I actually think that the V70 and S60 are very pretty cars, and the styling tweaks on the R versions just about give them an edge without making thier potential obvious in the BMW M3 stylee.

I also had reservations about the handling of a Volvo in comparison with the Lexus, but all the gizmos definately give the R the edge, especially in bad conditions (we did some skidpan stuff too).

My biggest reservation is about the Dealers. I've gotten used to the silver service of the Lexus dealers and the idea of going back to Ford level service is not attractive. The Volvo boards are full of complaints about dealer service.

That said, having driven both the R cars, the package is probably good enough to overcome the reservations and the idea of having such a great Q-car is a real pull.

[Loz]

Talk to Phil who is the Chairman of the Performance car section of the VOC. He is a top bloke and will tell you the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Volvo service and what can be done with the cars. his is pushing 300bhp plus by now and is an everyday T5R estate. They are super cars. and the BTCC had to suck it up bigtime for them when they kicked ar5e in their first season. Lexus have yet to prove their track credentials!

I recall a £10000k+ development S60 coming up for sale on the forums. £17k I think they wanted for it. it was a road car with FULL race spec except the interior. the interor was race modded but still a four door 5 seater 190mph saloon. wasn;t that rich at the time... shame...

Loz

[UKPulse]

If the S60 T5 comes in around £26K and the IS200 Sport is around £21K, would £5K's worth of performance mods put the IS on a par with the Volvo? (I guess we're looking at a sub 7s 0-60 for the IS to keep up with the Volvo?)

[Loz]

oops! there goes your lexus warranty!

DOn't get me wrong, I want to keep people in Lexi but I reckon there is more room in the Volvo. spec will be similar and the perfomance would require a blower on the IS. However I reckon an Altezza pushing out 210bhp would need little or nothing to show the Volvo a clean pair of heels...

ANyone got the stats on both cars?

Loz

[Fidgits]

again, IMO, you cannot compare the IS200 to the S60, 5 grand price difference, different size of car (the S40 is closer to the IS)...

[mudzs]

Having owned the 850 T5R and the V70 R i would have to say probaly the best all round cars i have ever had.I would swop my gs300 for a low mile V70R anyday the only problem is finding one they hold their value so well the only ones that seem to be around have done starship milage .As for compairing the is with a volvo it would have to be the S40 and i know i would chose the is 200 anyday for looks ,but put the is200 up against a S40 T4 and it would leave the is standing

[Loz]

just bliping off topic for a sec but Damn!! that looks like a nice GS in Aspen green!

okay, normal service resumes

Loz :zee: