I have been lurking about the board for a few days. This is my first post. I may become a Volvo owner next year.

My youngest son bought his wife a 2001 S80 T6, got a pretty good deal. She has always wanted a Volvo so he showed the good sense of buying her what she wanted. My wife rode in the car and wanted one. However, the good deals on 2001’s are about gone. For that and other reasons we have delayed our purchase until next year. She is driving a 1991 Nissan Maxima so it’s about time for a new car for her. I after driving a S80 and a Acura 3.2TL Type S, I believe I would buy the Acura. These two cars are the only one’s we have driven that we like and have the interior room we need. I worry about the reliability of turbo charged engines and the performance of the two cars is about equal. Not to mention the $10K difference in stickers.

So the question is, how do you like your S80? How is the reliability? Has Volvo fixed the problems reported on earlier S80’s? Any opinions on the S80 compared to Acura 3.2TL Type S?

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Hbum
 

Does your wife share your desire for the superior performance of the turbocharged engine? Most of the folks with "tales of woe" on various S80 and new V70 message boards have the T6 model. However, it is the automatic transmission, and not the engine, that is the source of complaints.

My wife has a 2001 normally-aspirated engine S80 (197HP) that we lease. It is much more powerful than my 1994 Maxima GXE, and is the best vehicle we have ever owned (or leased). I would get into trouble if we had the T6 model.

There are quality lapses evident, but they are of the "annoyance" variety.

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Bob m
 
Re: S80 Reliability/Quality?[S80][2002]   [post reply]
sondagsakare -- Tuesday, 11 December 2001, at 3:40 p.m.

Design aesthetic: Volvo
Peace of mind: Acura

If you're planning on leasing or trading after 3 years, I'd suggest you go for the Volvo. If you're planning to keep it for 10 years, I'd certainly recommend that you go Japanese. If not the Acura, the Lexus ES300 or Lexus GS300 or Infiniti I35. I also liked the Toyota Avalon.

I think the S80 has at least a marginal advantage in a crash - over just about anything, and I like the way it moves and handles. I just don't think all the gizmos are going to age very well. In the 83k I've driven my '98 V70T5 I've been unimpressed by Volvo's legendary quality and durability, but I'm even more unimpressed by wife's Honda Odyssey's legendary quality and durability. Mostly it's been minor stuff in both cars. I also have a Honda lawn tractor and Honda lawnmower that have been bulletproof. The Volvo did leave me stranded once, when the battery died. Maybe Volvo owners are just too picky.

FWIW of the S80 Consumer Reports says: "The S80's reliability has been disappointing so we can't recommend it."

-Groundhog
 

Yup, unbeatable reliability ... the only problem tho is performance ... no match at all for the S80!

Are you really Punxsutawney Phil ?? !

Steve H

>> I also have a Honda lawn tractor and Honda lawnmower that have been bulletproof. <<
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93 945T 163K
 

Thanks for the replies.

Bob,
She does not want the turbo as much as I do! Might as well get a car that is fun to drive. I can understand the turbo may be too much for the transmission. The Maxima's I have owned were not perfect. Replaced nine window regulators on my 1989 and 1991 Maximas. Did learn how to get the door trim off real fast.

Groundhog,
Unfortunately we are the type that keeps a car ten years. At my age (62) I wonder how many new cars I might buy. Maybe I should not keep them so long, buy more frequently and enjoy the new toy. Looked at the ES300, too small inside. GS300 costs too much. Don't like the looks or power of the Avalon. Isn't the I35 a dressed up Maxima? I saw the Consumers Report statement on Volvo quality.

Sondagsakare,
You summed it up. Get Volvo to keep the wife happy or Acura for peace of mind. Just remember, a happy wife does not guarantee happiness but, an unhappy wife guarantees unhappiness.

Hbum
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Hbum
 

I've got a 2001 Acura 1.7 El and it is a great (Honda), but if safety is your concern then the Japenese units don't come anywhere near the Swedes. Just examine the head restraints and the seat construction closely.

Better "value" in the Acura, but if you've got the cash for a S80 turbo then how worried can you be over "value"? Turbos need respectful drivers as in use of Mobil 1 regularly and a proper warming up and cooling down before shut off.

Live a little, get the 80 and in the event of a crash, LIVE. Exact reason I got the wife a USED s70. She sucks at driving and she needs all the protection she can get. My son & I drive the sh*t out of the Acura and it loves it.
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Artic Steve
 

I'm 60, so understand perfectly your point of view. As much as I enjoy driving the S80 (when my wife allows me), I cannot recommend it if you plan to keep it past the warranty expiration (48 months / 50K miles in the US). When everything is working, it is fabulous. However, the systems, particularly the electronics, are extremely complicated, with many components virtually inaccessible, only available from Volvo, and ridiculously expensive. Everything is interconnected by a computer network, so, for example, a problem in the radio could affect the brakes or heater! Even the dealers have trouble determining the cause of problems; independent mechanics will have no chance whatsoever. I think the engines are solid, but the transmissions, sourced from General Motors, have a dismal service record in GM cars. I think turbochargers represent a bad engineering choice driven by social policy (cars are taxed by engine displacement in many countries). Give me raw displacement for power and long life.

If fun-to-drive and reliable are your top priorities, you might want to look at the new V6 Nissan Altima. I drove my '86 Maxima for 120,000 miles and never had a component failure of any kind except one headlight bulb ($5). I did all of the recommended maintenance "by the book". It still had the original clutch and brake rotors when I sold it.

--
Bob
 

The Honda snowblowers, and Honda AC genrators are the ONLY ones I will buy!
Honda "PowerProducts" are outstanding.
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Steve Ferrara / Hoboken, NJ / 2000 S70-GLT

VolvoSpeed/bay13
 

Dunno, I'll take on any broken-down S80 by the side of the road. You can push the S80 and I'll drive the Honda...

-Groundhog

'98 V70T5M, 83k, I think

PS I need to use a nom de plume because I CAN NOT have my name pop out on every Google search of every stupid comment I make here. From time to time I may need to testify, and if some of the things I post here were ever read back to me, I think I'd lose sphincter control. Phil came along because I was unable to post my last nom de plume for reasons that are still unclear, I was on a gig in Pennsylvania and it was Groundhog Day, and I'm a professional soothsayer. ("Spring WILL happen! You can bet on it!") I do not believe the real Punxsutawney Phil is allowed internet access from his burrow.
 

Sort of scary report on S80 reliability.

Interesting, we looked at an Altima. That is a very nice car. Not exactly what we are looking for, want something a bit more upscale. I also had a 1986 Maxima. Liked it so much I bought a 1989 and 1991. Sold the ’86 to my son at 100,000 miles he drove it to 190,000. It was not exactly trouble free, but a good car. We also did all the maintenance ourselves and by the book. Used Mobil 1 oil. The engine was the best thing in that car, running perfectly when he sold it. Had to have the transmission rebuilt. That was the only major problem. Interesting job to pull and replace the transmission on a front wheel drive car. We learned a lot on that job. Sold the ’89 to the same son, Has about 140,000 on it now.

Go drive a 3.2TL Type S Acura. Bet you will really like it.

--
Hbum
 

What year is your S80? Curious if they got better over time.
 

Edmunds.com gives a "market value" for the GS300 of $2k LESS than the base S80. Plus options, of course.

I've had some luck obtaining bids through a non-profit (!!!) organization called "Car Bargains" (www.checkbook.org)

Indeed, the I35 is a dressed up Maxima. As the ES300 is a dressed up Camry. Not such a bad thing, I think.

From my personal perspective my only problem with the GS300 is it is only available in automatic, and I won't drive anything but a stick shift.

-Groundhog
 

Sorry. I got to thinking after I answered that you said GS300 and I was thinking GS430. If I got a GS I would want a 430 and they cost too much. Make sense?
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Hbum
 

It is a 2001, but actually built early in 2000. Based on posts from owners of 1999 and 2000 models, I think some of the common and serious early problems (such as front bushings and complete transmission replacements) have been solved. The things they appear not to have addressed are more annoyances than anything else, certainly not safety related, with one exception. There is a plastic air intake or vent that protrudes slightly under the engine. Four owners (that I am aware of) have struck something (like a parking curb)with that pipe, and ended up with $3000 worth of engine damage that is not covered by the warranty.

Base 2.9 (non-turbo)model owners seem much more satisfied.

Volvo's biggest shortcoming in the US appears to be that they will go to great lengths to avoid warranty work. They try to wear you out by requiring mutiple visits and channels of complaint. For those of us who were around to buy GM cars in the 60's, it all seems so familiar.
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Bob
 

Check edmunds.com for a comparison test tha features many of the cars mentioned in this thread (Entry level luxury sport sedans comparison test).

Koz.
 

Betcha the insurance is a lot less on a GS300 than a GS430.....the GS300 seems to move at least "adequately. I seem to recall 0-60 times in the sub-6 second area for the GS400.

My Volvo is quicker than 95% of the cars on the road, it's meaningless to go for 99%.

But if my wife wanted an S80, I can assure you that she'd get an S80.

-Groundhog
 

in regards to gs300. ive driven all of the gs series and with regret i say the GS300 nothing special. its quite sedate. if you are looking for a deal on a great sports sedan get a 1998 GS400. a great car and for not very much.
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-Jordan , S70 T-5, Greddy warning guage, k&n airfilter, clear signals and signal bulbs, blue vision low beams
 

That engine will last forever....turbocharged or not. I had a 740 Turbo (read:small 4 cyl, large turbo, high pressure) and I sold the car with over 200K on it, with absolutely NO engine problems whatsoever...the original turbo lasted 200K, I replaced it with a watercooled unit that should last another 200K. I also have a 940 Turbo. The turbos in the S80 are very small, produce little boost, and have watercooling. The S80 engine (inline 6) is a refined version of the 5 cylinder engine used for almost ten years now in the 850s, S70s, V70s, S60s etc....it was also the engine used in the 960s and S90s. This is a strong engine, with excellent responsiveness due to the small turbochargers. I would not be concerned about the longevity of this engine, this is one thing Volvo does very well.
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DavE