Have Volvo vehicles improved since being bought by Ford?Rating 1 to 6. (1 - Yes, 6 - No)

[telmo]

Originally Posted by hairyapple

think that they could improve a Volvo, wouldn't they attempt to fix their own problems first? Any Volvo before front wheel drive is better than anything Ford could or would be willing to build. In the US they are losing ground in their strongest area, pickups to the Japs. It's saying a lot when
American Rednecks start looking to the people who brought you WW2 for their wheels.

I would say that, Volvo needs some improvements.
The same civilians who got atomic bombed twice are building strong vehicles for many years - these Japs really care for their customers, here in Portugal Toyota gives 5 year-warranty.

[Volitiveflyer]

At the risk of repeating myself, (forgive me, my needle's stuck) the new generation of Volvo's have lost their Swedishness IMO. (I don't know about Saab's 'cos I have never owned one.) I just feel the new Volvo's are just Ford Clones in disguise. I have owned a Ford Mondeo (which leaked in water every time it rained! GRRR!) & I couldn't wait to get rid.

Having said that, it's a case of horses for courses, and one has to adapt to one's financial circustances & buy what is acceptable to the budget. I have always kind of been anti-vauxhall, but recently because of circumstances beyond my control (and the fact I am on a lousy low income) I bought a Vauxhall Astra Montanta Mk3, which has suprised me & I rather like it. Indeed may consider next time around another one.

Whilst I don't like the "newer Volvo's" if it was a case of having one against not having a car, then Shank's Pony would lose. It may be in time, who knows, I may have a "newer Volvo" & then may change my mind completely.

Ok, I am rambling now, the needles stuck good & proper!

[lee enfield]

Originally Posted by Volitiveflyer

At the risk of repeating myself, (forgive me, my needle's stuck) the new generation of Volvo's have lost their Swedishness IMO. (I don't know about Saab's 'cos I have never owned one.) I just feel the new Volvo's are just Ford Clones in disguise. I have owned a Ford Mondeo (which leaked in water every time it rained! GRRR!) & I couldn't wait to get rid.

Having said that, it's a case of horses for courses, and one has to adapt to one's financial circustances & buy what is acceptable to the budget. I have always kind of been anti-vauxhall, but recently because of circumstances beyond my control (and the fact I am on a lousy low income) I bought a Vauxhall Astra Montanta Mk3, which has suprised me & I rather like it. Indeed may consider next time around another one.

Whilst I don't like the "newer Volvo's" if it was a case of having one against not having a car, then Shank's Pony would lose. It may be in time, who knows, I may have a "newer Volvo" & then may change my mind completely.

Ok, I am rambling now, the needles stuck good & proper!

nothing wrong with vauxhalls the company i work for has couple of newish vectra estates as work horses for us oily engineers, i do quite a few miles in them and there excellent, the build is first rate, as good as my v70 imho , performance is also good and they rarely give trouble, and can be bought second hand for silly money making them a good buy for anyone who realises that they really are a underated car

[Viper_7]

Originally Posted by Volitiveflyer

At the risk of repeating myself, (forgive me, my needle's stuck) the new generation of Volvo's have lost their Swedishness IMO.

I've not read the entire thread - I don't have several hours to spare!

but...agree.
Volvo vehicles are becoming less and less Volvoish as time goes on.

There's nothing that stands out anymore. The new "luxury" models such as the x60's x80's etc are all pretty much standard compared to the Audi's/ Mondeo's etc. As time goes on, I think Audi is the company to go for in terms of orginality/service and build.

Even the Volvo Safety features are now common place. Yes Volvo's are still considered to be the most safest car, but when you look deep into the figures they are safe for the occupants, but very very poor for pedestrians and the like.

One of My first Cars was a Volvo - 340 GLE with the drivers side electric window needing a little help when going up. I'm glad that I moved back to Volvo, but I fear that my next move may well be Audi.

vipes

[the hoff]

to be honest all new cars are crap most look the same most drive the same and like footbasllers are bloody over priced long live the 80,s

[Volvophile]

The difference between Ford and GM is that Ford make cracking cars and GM make only adequate cars. SAAB have been totally butchered and are Opel Vectra's in a fancy suit. Ford are doing the same with Volvo if the new S80 is anything to go by or indeed the S40/V50 which is a Focus in all but name. The XC90 was a genuine Volvo product which started development before Ford took over so they had no involvement at all, the XC90 was the last actual Volvo to be launched with all Volvo parts and running gear based on the S60/V70/S80 chassis. The S40/V50 was the first car to be developed wholly with Ford and that's where things started to go pearshaped. If Ford don't stop interfering with Volvo our beloved car maker of will be in crisis like Jaguar currently are. When Volvo were boxy they weren't glamourous but they were noticed, the new Ford based Volvo's are just plain annonymous with no image at all and that has to change.

[Glen Morangie]

Let's not forget that the Ford takeover was necessary to keep the Volvo car division going, without it there might not even be any new models.

At the time Volvos did not sell in sufficient numbers - it's great enjoying the benefits of cheap motoring in old cars which keep going, but manufacturers have to attract the new car buyer (or company car driver) and the 850s and 940s didn't.

They mostly appealed to people who rarely bought a new car, which just didn't pay the bills, so they had to adapt to a wider market.

Personally I'd have preferred it if they'd stuck with RWD, but I have to say the finish on the showroom cars I've seen is impressive - particularly the panel gaps (maybe down to modern production techniques).

Also it looks to me like most of the major manufacturers have copied the design of the 1999 on Volvos - the V at the front and step side doors.

[BillB]

Yeah, this is the old 740's are great thing, S/Vxx's are crap. Sweeping statement. I have an 89 745GLE pushing 200k and a V70Tdi pushing 140k. Well, the 745 is a "nice old car" and I love it but it remains an old car. It is heavy on fuel and handles like a chest of drawers. The V70 is sleeker, faster, goes better, stops better, feels better and I know it's diesel but it uses half the fuel. The mechanical build precision is SUPERB - parts come off it easily and new ones fit. I've had major A/C trouble but so has every 760GLE owner. A MAF sensor is expensive but, hey, you change it once only and you're helping the environment. I'm sorry to say this, I really am, but if I had to let one go tomorrow, it would have to be the 745. Modern cars may all seem to be the same but they're not crap, they're highly engineered. I can get nostalgic too but you have to move on or we'd still have steam locomotives. There you have it. Regards.

[telmo]

Originally Posted by BillB

Yeah, this is the old 740's are great thing, S/Vxx's are crap. Sweeping statement. I have an 89 745GLE pushing 200k and a V70Tdi pushing 140k. Well, the 745 is a "nice old car" and I love it but it remains an old car. It is heavy on fuel and handles like a chest of drawers. The V70 is sleeker, faster, goes better, stops better, feels better and I know it's diesel but it uses half the fuel. The mechanical build precision is SUPERB - parts come off it easily and new ones fit. I've had major A/C trouble but so has every 760GLE owner. A MAF sensor is expensive but, hey, you change it once only and you're helping the environment. I'm sorry to say this, I really am, but if I had to let one go tomorrow, it would have to be the 745. Modern cars may all seem to be the same but they're not crap, they're highly engineered. I can get nostalgic too but you have to move on or we'd still have steam locomotives. There you have it. Regards.

You're right over the "elder reason", but the issue here is "Would Volvo be better off without Ford?"...
740 and V70 are 15 years apart in technology and engineering...but I must say that a 740 was more up-to-date in mid 80's than V70 is now...

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

In the late 70's and 80's Volvo, similar with Merc's, were at the top of their field.
There were introducing features to their cars that were ground breaking and heightened the quality and safety of the machines...

For safety, Volvo had an unenviable reputation.
The build quality of their cars was second to none.
Their cars, virtually, lasted forever.

Can you say the same of their cars today?
New computerised systems, and methodologies for wiring cars have been introduced as much to reduce the cost of the car (copper is very expensive) as to improve it..
It leads to a number of problems with loom failures and wiring problems..
Any number of times I have been behind cars where as soon as the indicator and brakes are on the car throws a wobbly or the lights are not working correctly..

This, of course, can be said of many makes of car. However, to come from the top of the tree to being, no better than average, is one hell of a fall..

Sure, Volvo needed money behind it to help it survive (as too Saab), but to savage a marque by changing the very things that were central to the company and it's products does not help maintain either the brand or its reputation..
This has happened under fords "stewardship" of Volvo..
Who the f*** else can you lay the blame with??

Excuse language...

Des. . .