Close to ordering an XC60: are options worth it?

[4wheeldriver]

No quite. Volvo dealer in Harrogate!!!

[ckp]

The volvo sat nav is expensive, but when I was ordering mine, the dealer was also offering a 'dealer' fit version which was based on a portable NAVMAN nuit or similar. Check if they are still doing it? I think it was £600.

I'll rate the system as good. On holiday in France, we used it every day and it tracked my sister's BMW sat nav OK.

I had to have it as it was the onlt was to get the rearview camera. But it does aviod the hassle of removing a portable unit all the time.

[tem]

Originally Posted by ckp

The volvo sat nav is expensive, but when I was ordering mine, the dealer was also offering a 'dealer' fit version which was based on a portable NAVMAN nuit or similar. Check if they are still doing it? I think it was £600.

I'll rate the system as good. On holiday in France, we used it every day and it tracked my sister's BMW sat nav OK.

I had to have it as it was the onlt was to get the rearview camera. But it does aviod the hassle of removing a portable unit all the time.

The Garmin Nuvi 760 is not available for the XC60, as there is no center grill for it to be mounted.

http://www.volvocars.com/intl/salesa...avigation.aspx

It is not listed with the accessories.

http://www.volvocars.com/INTL/SALESA...cessories.aspx

tem.

[tem]

Originally Posted by XC60Owner

(2) is incorrect. It is an extra option on all levels. Plus you need to get the RTI sat nav to get the reversing camera.

My mistake - I ordered the Comm's Pack and it comes with it.

tem.

[cc41]

Thank you all for your responses.

The sum total seems to be:
- buy what you want, but don't expect to get the money back on resale (recognising that resale may be easier). Given that I tend to keep cars for 6 - 10 years, this isn't much of an issue for me
- Satnav is OK, although interestingly no-one has commented on how well the up-to-date traffic information works ... which seems to me to be the principal advantage over my TomTom. My only experience of the SatNav is that on my test drive is that it tried to take me the wrong way up a one-way street .............
- There's lots of positive comment about the reversing camera (for which the satnav is a prerequisite), which I had thought would be a gadget too far
- BLIS, ACC etc. seem to have value, and seem to work
- PCC - why?

Back to thinking, and checking my bank balance ....

[adambsmith]

When I test drove I had two SE Lux's to play with which had all the safety kit.

Have to say they annoyed the hell out of me and worried me that I may come to rely on these gadgets at a risk of safety.

BLIS - Not totally confident with it and still felt it was necessary for a quick look over my shoulder when moving out to lanes 2 and 3.

ACC - Coming into roadworks 3 to 2 lanes, the car slowed me down very quickly which I did not like - felt like I was not in control of the car.

The red LEDs atop the dash warning of being too close to the car in front - very distracting.

Lane departure thingy - kept going off on a country road when I correctly took the straightest route through bends/s-bends. I know you can turn it off but it's just another distraction.

The novelty of them all wore off very quickly and they were then switched off for good.

PCC is handy if only for the keyless drive element. If it works as my wife's Mini's does then it's great. Walk up to the car, no need to get keys out, open car and drive off. Very easy and great if you're carrying stuff.

[tem]

Originally Posted by cc41

Thank you all for your responses.

- Satnav is OK, although interestingly no-one has commented on how well the up-to-date traffic information works

Back to thinking, and checking my bank balance ....

Traffic Information?

This is normally very good, BUT, you have to think ahead.

It is common for me to have a route 500 miles long in the UK and up to 800 miles in Europe, planned into the Sat Nav.

If you get an RTI message telling you that there is a problem, some 10/15 mile ahead, it is easy for you to decide to take the suggested detour, but if the RTI message refers to a problem some 80/100 miles away, you need to think about what is happening.

For example:- "Queuing Traffic at Hamburg". The time is 08.00 and you are 100 miles away, by the time you get there, the morning rush hour should be over.

An "RTA" at a similar distance, where you are informed that the road is closed, is slightly different. What I do, is continue on for some 50/60 miles, then pull over, switch off the ignition for about 30 seconds and then restart. If the road is still closed, you will recieve another RTI message.
You can also scroll ahead and see if the problem has cleared. (not advised at 80+ mph)

The above experiance, is with previous Merc and Volvo XC90's, (up to MY2007) Sat Nav Systems.

The XC60 system (fitted to some other Volvo's, as well), the 4 DVD system, looks to be much better.

If you ignore an RTI message (do not select the detour), a red icon is displayed in the left of screen and will stay there until the problem is resolved, or you choose to take the detour.

This morning I had to go to Inverness, 117 miles. With some 90 miles still to go, I recieved an RTI message informing me of queuing traffic and suggesting a detour, of 11 miles, to avoid it.
From experiance, I knew that this was the morning rush hour.
Ignored the suggested detour, the red icon was displayed. About 40 minutes later, the icon disappeared and I had a clear run into Inverness.

One final point to remember. The information you recieve. can have a human input and you have to rely on them to update information and this can be delayed.
As more and more road side monitors are installed, then the RTI information, should get better.
I cannot speak for other Sat Nav RTI Systems, but the Volvo System has a remote control and this give your passenger something to do, while you keep your eye on the road ahead.

I hope this gives you some idea how the RTI System work, but I am sure others, will add their two pence worth.

Finally:-

So far, I have never gone up a one way street, the wrong way, driven into a river, or become jammed between two cottages, in Cornwall.

I have been taken off, a through highway, to go around a roundabout and re-join the highway again.
I have seen railway tracks on the wrong side of the road and in the early days of Sat Nav, found that the road was over a lake in the South of France.

tem.

[XC60Owner]

Originally Posted by cc41

Thank you all for your responses.

The sum total seems to be:
- buy what you want, but don't expect to get the money back on resale (recognising that resale may be easier). Given that I tend to keep cars for 6 - 10 years, this isn't much of an issue for me
- Satnav is OK, although interestingly no-one has commented on how well the up-to-date traffic information works ... which seems to me to be the principal advantage over my TomTom. My only experience of the SatNav is that on my test drive is that it tried to take me the wrong way up a one-way street .............
- There's lots of positive comment about the reversing camera (for which the satnav is a prerequisite), which I had thought would be a gadget too far
- BLIS, ACC etc. seem to have value, and seem to work
- PCC - why?

Back to thinking, and checking my bank balance ....

BTW Latest Tom Tom has free RTI (via radio waves) - £214 for one with EU maps. http://www.amazon.co.uk/TomTom-730T-...1840725&sr=8-6
Works fine for me. You can pay for an extra subscription to get TomTom RTI.

[XC60Owner]

Originally Posted by adambsmith

When I test drove I had two SE Lux's to play with which had all the safety kit.

Have to say they annoyed the hell out of me and worried me that I may come to rely on these gadgets at a risk of safety.

BLIS - Not totally confident with it and still felt it was necessary for a quick look over my shoulder when moving out to lanes 2 and 3.

ACC - Coming into roadworks 3 to 2 lanes, the car slowed me down very quickly which I did not like - felt like I was not in control of the car.

The red LEDs atop the dash warning of being too close to the car in front - very distracting.

Lane departure thingy - kept going off on a country road when I correctly took the straightest route through bends/s-bends. I know you can turn it off but it's just another distraction.

The novelty of them all wore off very quickly and they were then switched off for good.

PCC is handy if only for the keyless drive element. If it works as my wife's Mini's does then it's great. Walk up to the car, no need to get keys out, open car and drive off. Very easy and great if you're carrying stuff.

I sort of agree. I turn off the distance warning in London traffic but would always use on motorway. I can't bring myself to not look over my shoulder even with BLIS. Lane departure has only gone off once when like you I cut a corner but it might one day be useful I suppose. ACC - yet to try it, but this is the one I really wanted as I find normal cruise control a bit unnerving.

But don't forget with all this you also get Auto Break which will break the car in the event of an imminent collision at high speed (City Safety is only for low speeds). So it could save your life one day!

[GSMGuy]

The thing with options, is that although you won't get alll the money back come sale toime - if a large proportion of a model is specced with certain options, then the used value WILL be hit if yours doesn't have them..

for instance...

Bmw X5 3.0D... Worth £2500 less without comms pack, £1000 more with prem pack and £500 more with sport pack...

Merc E320 Cdi... All values include desireable metallic paint and leather

Volvo XC70... All values incl desireable metallic and Winter pack

Volvo XC90... Values incl Leather on S model, Sat Nav, des metallic and winter pack - Manuals worth £2000 less

All taken from This months Glass's Guide....

Mike