Ford vs Volvo quality

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by biggbn

I'd buy a Nissan over a Mercedes for reliability any day. Merc and BMW seem to be getting terrible reviews over last few years

So do Nissan.

[green van man]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

So do Nissan.

The nevara has a habit of snapping the timing chain I'm told. Put me off looking at them few years ago.
Looking at the rubbish out there and the inflated prices being asked decided me to fit a new chassis to the old landrover rather than change it. A lot cheaper and a known item.

Would consider a Toyota but even they rust and are always heavy money.

Paul.

[Turbodave]

I've had five P2 Volvo V70's over the years... petrols and diesels and ranging from 150,000 miles to 250,000 miles. I've had my fair share of failures, breakdowns, bits falling off, appalling road manners, uneven tyre wear and such like. Don't get me wrong, I like them... they're a decent car when they're not busy breaking or slowly rotting from the inside out however for the past three years, I've also run a V50 2.0 Sport... that Ford thing with the French engine as the tedious types like to rattle off regularly. Despite it nearing 230k, it's been superb... drives much better than a P2, goes better, returns better MPG, has had significantly less issues and I have absolutely no desire to to get rid of it any time soon. I don't care if some bits say FoMoCo either.

[domhart10]

yup I do not understand the hatred between this ford vs volvo thing as its a combined effort. I have had my Volvo S40 T5 and it has been brilliant, had it from 44k 4 years ago now to currently 149k ... very happy, and even more so happy with how the chasis handles on track which is a focus chasis ... I think a car lasts as well as it has been treated regardless of make.

I also had the older V40 and older S40 and they were all lovely cars as well, obviosuly felt older in every way but still great cars.

If you are a Volvo P1 T5 owner and you are looking to upgrade parts, you upgrade to the Focus ST or RS parts, so you end up with more ford parts on the car instead of Volvo ... in my eyes thats a massive plus so thats where I struggle to see whats wrong with the P1 platform? as for the interior, mines 2009 and it is still in great condition. I am still running the original bushes all around the car, still on original driveshafts etc etc dispite the abuse the car gets.

[Boatie]

Originally Posted by Dibble

Now that is a shame. Great little piece of kit and I use mine regularly. Can you not speak to Volvo? Perhaps they would listen to you!

When I got a year old 740 back in 1980 I spent 10 minutes trying (and failing) to pull it out from the screen rubber. I thought the previous owner had just pushed a bit of plastic under the screen. Once I realised it's purpose I really appreciated it. I still do on my latest Volvo, a 5 month old V90 R Design. It's perfect for holding my blue badge when not using the time gizmo. The badge won't sit on the top of the dash without sliding off within seconds of driving off.

[Boatie]

Originally Posted by biggbn

Nissan based so might even be well made!!

I once bought a Nissan (X Trail) thinking it would be reliable. The turbo and intercooler both failed at 29k. Returned to Volvo after that where I remain to this day.

[biggbn]

Originally Posted by Boatie

I once bought a Nissan (X Trail) thinking it would be reliable. The turbo and intercooler both failed at 29k. Returned to Volvo after that where I remain to this day.

My comment was more aimed at Mercedes dire reliability. Only ever owned a micra frogeye and it was good as gold!!

I think as the public demand ever more complex cars the potential for fragility increases exponentially. Mate had an 86 Nissan patrol with a big straight six petrol engine. It covered over 400k hard miles before finaly disintegrating!!

[The Thong]

Originally Posted by biggbn

Never been a Ford fan, excepting the odd old Ka

Apart from the fact it looks like it was designed by a three year old it’s a cracking motor. I had a on X reg Collection and it was faultless. I drove it all over the country and used to get a pretty respectable mpg. The AC pump used to kill the performance of the engine but the fact it was ice cold more than made up for it. Loved owning it and made a huge mistake selling it.

TT

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by biggbn

My comment was more aimed at Mercedes dire reliability. Only ever owned a micra frogeye and it was good as gold!!

I think as the public demand ever more complex cars the potential for fragility increases exponentially. Mate had an 86 Nissan patrol with a big straight six petrol engine. It covered over 400k hard miles before finaly disintegrating!!

Mercedes are far more complex than Nissan's, so there's more to go wrong. In a way, they've dug themselves a hole by making their cars so complicated & this is why their reliability figures have dropped. The last true Mercedes in my opinion were the W123's, W124's & the W140's... They were reliable & were built like tanks to last mega miles. Whereas, the cars sold today by Mercedes aren't built as well & are loaded with complicated electronics.

I don't really think Mercedes can be compared to Nissan. Yes, both brands manufacture cars, but one is a prestige brand & the other isn't. Luxury brands should be compared with other luxury brands for example, so Mercedes vs Jaguar or BMW. Nissan on the other hand could be compared with brands like Ford & Kia, which would be in the same league in terms of being non-prestige vehicles.

[biggbn]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Mercedes are far more complex than Nissan's, so there's more to go wrong. In a way, they've dug themselves a hole by making their cars so complicated & this is why their reliability figures have dropped. The last true Mercedes in my opinion were the W123's, W124's & the W140's... They were reliable & were built like tanks to last mega miles. Whereas, the cars sold today by Mercedes aren't built as well & are loaded with complicated electronics.

I don't really think Mercedes can be compared to Nissan. Yes, both brands manufacture cars, but one is a prestige brand & the other isn't. Luxury brands should be compared with other luxury brands for example, so Mercedes vs Jaguar or BMW. Nissan on the other hand could be compared with brands like Ford & Kia, which would be in the same league in terms of being non-prestige vehicles.

I'd put an infiniti over a Mercedes for reliability and a top line super complex Lexus over anything. For brands to cite customer demand for complex vehicles as an excuse for any type of frailty is laughable in this day and age. Mercedes, BMW, VW, hell, even Volvo know they have the brand recognition and brand loyalty that their customer is happy to shoulder r and d costs for the 'priveledge ' of the badge. I agree, w123, 124, 126 and 140 were the last proper mercs, e38 and e39 the pinnacle for bmw quality...and even they were not without fault which is literally what tens of thousands of Lexus ls are/were. Yes, some break down, but anecdotally and in my own experience they are built to a standard not a cost and are incredibly thoughtfully and over engineered.

Edit, I was not comparing nissan to mercedes in a previous post, I was specifically highlighting that the merc pick up shares a lot with the nissan one and was implying that Mercedes reliabilty is so poor that the contributory parts supplied even by one of the less reliable Japanese brands would make it more reliable than had Mercedes built if from scratch. I'm unlikely to be in a position to do so but I would never buy a modern Mercedes. Overstated, overstyled cheap looking, g wagen probably excepted...it is all of the above but the child in me appreciates its ridiculousness and the tree hugging hippy in me delights in the incogrous irony of running one as a daily driver in these post eco Apocalypse times!!