Oh no! I may be losing the Envoy for...

[GMTruckGuy74]

... a Volvo! The Envoy is "technically" the wife's leased vehicle, but it really was my choice to get it over a too-high monthly lease payment on a GM minivan back in 2005. She liked it for the first year, but she's not really a "truck" person so the last year & a half she's driven the car more. With the lease up in August, we've decided to go back to "his & her" cars. We've been sharing the cars the last few years due to her mileage/commute to work (32 miles one way) and the need to keep leases in the 15k/year range. But I'm tired of fighting over seat & mirror changes (the Envoy does have memory settings that have helped), and she's tired of me picking out the vehicles we lease. Anyway, at last week's Philly Auto Show visit she spent a good amount of time in the Volvo display. She has liked Volvo's for as long as I can remember (don't ask me why; I think it's a "woman thing" with this brand). Anyway, all week she's been talking about the cars she's built on their website and that she wants to test drive one soon and blah blah blah. The S40 sedan is her main choice, although surprisingly she does like the V50 wagon too. I tried talking her into the C30, which she does like, but feels it will be too much of a hassle to get our 2 y-o son into his car seat. Tomorrow we're headed back to the Philly Show, and while I'll continue with my "GM is better" lecture, I know she'll have "Volvo" on the mind.

[GMTruckGuy74]

And just so you know, she's not totally against GM. She really likes the Buick Enclave, but it's more than what we can afford. She likes the Caddy CTS, but again it's over our preferred price range (we're trying to stick under $30k). She was looking forward to seeing the VUE, but was not happy with the two on display at the Philly Show. She doesn't like the ASTRA and we're both not Chevy fans (she likes the interior of the new Malibu, but doesn't like the exterior as much). She really liked her 2000 Grand Prix GT sedan a lot, and I tried to tell her that the G8 V6 sedan would be a good choice, but she's not much into the design of the car. She really, really, really likes the Volvo the best so far. I've got quite the battle ahead of me (I have purchased only GM, new & used, in my lifetime so far, so it will be hard to swallow buying anything but a GM vehicle).

[Blake Noble]

Well, at least it's not a Beetle.

... Sorry, been watching too much Top Gear.

Anyway, have you tried to convince her to check out Saab?

[daves87rs]

Saab, maybe?

Heck, if she really wants to go for it, it can't hurt. She may to turn out to really enjoy it-thus, making you a happy hubby.

As long as at least one of you guys drive a GM, you should be ok......

[loki]

*channeling more of someone than probably good for me* Lacross? lol

other ideas, Aura, hmmmm. do you have to buy new? maybe a used CTS,or new 06 - 07 ?

[Cory Wolfe]

Nothing wrong with a Volvo...

[ocnblu]

The newly updated S40, V50 and C30 are all very nice looking vehicles. How does a SAAB 9-3 compare in price to the Volvos?

[GMTruckGuy74]

I already tried the Saab route, with no luck. When we go to the show again today, I will make it a point for us to sit in the 9-3 anyway. She likes the Volvo V50 wagon, but thinks the 9-3 SportCombi is ugly I'm going to also make her sit in the two VUEs again and tell me what she doesn't like about them (I was off in the Pontiac area when she sat in them). I have not given up the GM-cause yet!

I want new because of the amount of miles she'll be driving each day to work (around 64 miles roundtrip). She has suggested looking at used, like a 1-2 year old car with very low miles, but I'm not sure I want a rental or off-lease car that may have been abused when driven and not well maintained. We already have the AURA XE (lease), and I'm not thrilled about buying a car I'm leasing (I'd be paying on it for way too long). Plus we're entitled to the GM Supplier Pricing through her work, so no matter where we decide to buy at, it really is a no hassle/no haggle experience.

If all else fails, then yes, at least I will still buy GM.

[GMTruckGuy74]

She likes to S40 but dislikes the G8?

Yeah, I know! Especially with her being a previous GP owner (2000), I'd thought she'd be excited about the new G8. She thinks it's too bland in styling (she's comparing it to the CTS btw), and she's the type that really needs to sit int he car before she'll consider one (which at this point no G8 is available to sit in). Thankfully the Envoy lease expires in August, so if we're not going the GM route for a replacement, she'll have to wait out the lease (and we'll be over mileage a bit, so she knows we'll owe GM some money too). I told her with staying in GM, we could take a pull-out program around the end of May and not owe anything on the mileage So far that plan hasn't had any effect.

For comparison's sake:

VS.

[ZL-1]

You wrote V50 vs. 9-3 SportCombi up there, but... would she consider a 9-3 sedan instead of the SportCombi?

[GMTruckGuy74]

BREAKING NEWS... she wants to check out the Saturn ASTRA again! She received her latest copy of US Weekly (woman's magazine ) and there's an ad for teh 3-door ASTRA XR. Now we went to the "ASTRA Ride & Drive" event back in the beginning of December and she walked away not too thrilled with the ASTRA (it was mostly due to the interior design). But of course a few months have passed and she sees a lot of ads for the car and I guess she's willing to give it another shot.

Hopefully I'll have some good news later tonight after we get home from the Philly Show. We're not buying now because no good pull-ahead offer is being made by GM (right now we have 6 payments left; the current pull-ahead is only waiving 2 of those payments), but what she walks away wanting from this show is pretty much what we'll seriously look into when the time comes.

Thanks for everyone's insights and suggestions. I'm leaving in an hour, so make more of them and I'll check back before I go.

[daves87rs]

GO Astra!

[Dsuupr]

Modern Volvos suck. I wish Ford had never screwed them up. Let her know you can save the money by buying a Mazda 6 or a Focus. Same platform, less issues. They don't even have the saftey rating they used to have.

Now if she was talking old school 240, 740, 140, 122; Then you are talking about some of the best made vehicles out there. Heck, why lease a new Volvo, when an old one will be more reliable.

[IfICouldWouldYou?]

How is Volvo doing in your neck of the woods? I had a friend who worked for a Volvo dealer (actually 2) and recently left. He told me that Volvo was in a lot of trouble, sales-wise and may even be pulling out of certain markets. That would be alarming to me if I was going to separate myself from $35k of my hard-earned money.

[K.C.]

Modern Volvos suck. I wish Ford had never screwed them up. Let her know you can save the money by buying a Mazda 6 or a Focus. Same platform, less issues. They don't even have the saftey rating they used to have.

Now if she was talking old school 240, 740, 140, 122; Then you are talking about some of the best made vehicles out there. Heck, why lease a new Volvo, when an old one will be more reliable.

Ford didn't screw up Volvo's design. At least they look like something other than a box now. Ilike the new Volvos.

GMTG, you hang in there. Keep pushing the Astra. I think that'd be a really great car for your family, especially if you are trying to conserve funds.

:thumbsup:on the Astra

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'm gonna echo Dssupr on this one. My aunt Mary Anne is a Volvo girl to the core, but she drives a 2006 Ford Focus SEL V6. Why? Although Volvos are mechanically reliable and go for a very long time, any FWD modern Volvo will Nickel and Dime you TO DEATH. She had a 760, which went near 300K Miles, but then she had a 1994 850 Turbo, which lasted her a good 200K miles, after that, a 1998 XC70 which went near 300K miles. Along the way, the expenses for small things were absolutely astronomical, even though she lived in the same 100 mile radius as a former Volvo assembly plant, with plenty of old Volvo factory technicians working for cheap. The 760 and 850 were Canadian made, the XC70 was made in Belgium.

My verdict: If you can guarantee it will be under warranty the whole duration of the lease, get one, if only to illustrate to your wife just how sucky it would be to actually own one after the warranty runs out in comparison to an American vehicle.

If I were you and you did get one, seriously, go for one of the wagons (V50 i guess for your price range). I really prefer them to the sedans in terms of versatility (and looks for that matter), I'm a sucker for the V70 and XC70 especially.

[pow]

I really like the V50, especially after the redesigned front end. Since you're in New Jersey, where Volvo of NA is headquartered, maybe there'll be some special deals. On CarsDirect.com, it says there is "special pricing" (incentives) going on, and you can score one for $24,701. Automatic transmission, stability control, and side curtain airbags are standard. I'd get the "Select Package" ($1844; leather, 17" alloys, sunroof, memory seats, and more), because Volvo leather upholstery has traditionally been very nice. The interior is a lot comfier and plusher than a Mazda3's.

Edited February 9, 2008 by empowah

[GMTruckGuy74]

Thanks for the info so far. Well, the show was interesting to say the least. My wife has expensive tastes, which right now are not on the financial radar.

What she wants but are not on the "list": any car priced over $30k, including the CTS and Enclave (the 2 GM's she really wants)

What she deemed "unacceptable": ASTRA (due to the interior design), Cobalt, G5, HHR, Malibu (loves interior, hates exterior), Saab 9-3

What she deemed "well, if I could have sat in it I'd consider it": Pontiac G8 (though she wasn't that enthusiastic about it)

What she said she wants to test-drive before seriously considering: Saturn VUE

What made her heart beat faster: Volvo C30 (deemed not practical for family use), Volvo S40/V50, and likes the V70 (priced too high though)

So depending on her test-drive of the Saturn VUE, plus whatever we learn about its true fuel economy mileage from owners here and elsewhere, this may be GM's one chance. The lease isn't due back untl August, so I told her that if she decides it will be "Volvo" that July would be the earliest we'd look at getting one. Of course I'm waiting for my local Pontiac dealer to get in a G8 (V6) so that she can sit in it and test drive it, but we'll have to see what games the dealers will play (hopefully no relapse of the GTO & Solstice "market price adjustments").

For the time being, if anyone can offer pro's and con's to the Saturn VUE AWD and Volvo C30/S40/V50, I'd be very appreciative!

[Dsuupr]

Around here they are doing $339 per month CTS leases. That would be a great fit.

[caddycruiser]

Pro GM is great...but NOT to the detriment of pulling someone away from something they like and you can afford. There's nothing wrong with a Volvo, and a lot that is GREAT, so why not try something different for once? You can even lease them very well, in most cases.

When GM makes something that's great and I like it to the point of signing the check...great. But if something completely different is the winner for me, so be it. Don't be brand/company phobic just "because" :AH-HA_wink:

[Cory Wolfe]

I could never be loyal to any one manufacturer or country. There are far too many great vehicles out there to own and enjoy. What's the point of being an automotive enthusiast if you only like one manufacturer, one type of vehicle, one country of origin?

[BigPontiac]

Around here they are doing $339 per month CTS leases. That would be a great fit.

From the Cadillac website:

2008 CTS

Low Mileage Lease Example

for Qualified Lessees

$369/month* 39 month lease

$3,169 due at lease signing

No security deposit required. Tax, title, license and dealer fees extra. Low mileage lease with mileage fee of $.25 per mile over 10,000 miles per year.

Example based on survey. Each dealer sets its own price. Your payments may vary. Payments are for a 2008 CTS with an MSRP of $34,790. 39 monthly payments total $14,391. Option to purchase at lease end for an amount to be determined at lease signing. GMAC must approve lease. Take delivery by 3/3/2008. Mileage charge of $.25 per mile over 10,000 miles per year. Lessee pays for excess wear. Payments may be higher in some states. Not available with other offers.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Because of the amount of miles needed in a lease to cover what she'll need, and her desire not to have a car payment for a year or two after paying the new car off, we are looking to purchase/finance whatever car she chooses. Because of my lack of Volvo knowledge & dealership experience, I would be more comfortable with her leasing the Volvo rather than buying it. However, the decision is ultimately hers to make. I will only put my foot down on a Toyota/Lexus product, as no way in is any money I make going to support that company That's also the main reason we're looking at spending no more than $30K for a new car (finances won't allow for much more). I did see the CTS lease offer that you posted BigPontiac when I was on the Caddy site yesterday. Again, she's not a leasing person (more of my doing) and would like to have one car that she really likes for a longer period of time (she really liked her '00 GP and '03 Rendezvous and was made that they had to be returned!).

I will say that I like the look of the Volvo C30 and V50, especially the V50 since it's a station wagon. The S40 is nice too, but I like the bigger space that the wagon offers over the sedan. The C30 is just a cool looking car and it looks fun to drive. I'd prefer her to own a GM product, but the nice thing is that next year when I replace the AURA, she'll have little say in what I get to choose

Now here are several Volvo pics from the Philly Show; they are all the uplevel and recently released R-Design trim:

S40 R-Design Sedan:

C30 R-Design Hatchback:

And the one I like best...

V50 R-Design Wagon:

[GMTruckGuy74]

I could never be loyal to any one manufacturer or country. There are far too many great vehicles out there to own and enjoy. What's the point of being an automotive enthusiast if you only like one manufacturer, one type of vehicle, one country of origin?

If you truly feel that way, get that printed on a t-shirt and wear it at any major classic car show and see the remarks you get. Legions of GTO/Cutlass/GS/Chevelle, Camaro/Firebird, Mustang, Impala, and so on and so on would greatly disagree with your opinion!

[BigPontiac]

I'd go for the V50 Wagon. If her employer allows for a GM supplier discount, she may also be eligible for Ford as well, which includes Volvo. I can get GM, Ford, Chrysler and all their related companies, but the plans vary.

The Volvo website will also let you search CPO inventory. If you found a low mileage 2007 with a CPO warranty you might be better off if you were going to keep it as the pushed the mileage to 100K.

[vonVeezelsnider]

^What He said^

But if you're gonna buy one and not lease, buy a good extended warranty, chances are you're gonna need it down the road.

[caddycruiser]

^What He said^

But if you're gonna buy one and not lease, buy a good extended warranty, chances are you're gonna need it down the road.

Not necessarily...Volvo's, especially recently, have not been of the "in the shop more than on the road" sense. Maybe one or two things that aren't Cavalier service priced, but there's little to worry and fret about, even with a lot of miles.

I know of a few people with S40's and they love them, including a kid in my building my age who has a fully decked out blue/charcoal leather S40 AWD (yes, of course, it was a parent purchase...I think). I too would be more inclined to go wagon, simply because it is a relatively small car and more open space in the back is always great to have--without much more weight or anything else negative.

I also really like the C30, and was just staring at a few today on the Volvo lot down the street. Not cheap, since most dealers have only optioned $30k ones, but an awesome little car...with extra on the little part. Added it to my theoretical future list, along with the S40/V40.

[pow]

And the one I like best...

V50 R-Design Wagon:

White is in.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Those Type R Volvos are real slick... but the only Volvos I could see myself buying would be the V70 or XC70

[Farkas]

Those Type R Volvos are real slick... but the only Volvos I could see myself buying would be the V70 or XC70

Same here. I really like the V70.

I really wish GM would offer a wagon on the Epsilon platform in America. coughvectrawagonequalssaturnorchevroletsomethingcough.

[Satty]

That V50 in white as pure awesomeness on wheels.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Same here. I really like the V70.

The plain looking black V70 on display at the Philly Show stickered around $36K... the XC70 on display stickered a tad over $42K. Those are both off the list; however, I like the sporty look of the V50 more. The R-Design models, even though it's an awesome package, will more than likely be priced OVER $32-$34k, so we'll be sticking to the regular model if that's what she ends up getting. I do like them in white though, and it may be cliche' but I'd like the rims to be painted white too (you can thank the late '80s and '90s Pontiac for that). We're probably going to go & test drive a couple next Saturday, so I'll be sure to post after we do.

[Robert Hall]

I could never be loyal to any one manufacturer or country. There are far too many great vehicles out there to own and enjoy. What's the point of being an automotive enthusiast if you only like one manufacturer, one type of vehicle, one country of origin?

True... variety is the spice of life... I've had Fords, GMs, 1 Chrysler product, 1 BMW so far..

[daves87rs]

Because of the amount of miles needed in a lease to cover what she'll need, and her desire not to have a car payment for a year or two after paying the new car off, we are looking to purchase/finance whatever car she chooses. Because of my lack of Volvo knowledge & dealership experience, I would be more comfortable with her leasing the Volvo rather than buying it. However, the decision is ultimately hers to make. I will only put my foot down on a Toyota/Lexus product, as no way in is any money I make going to support that company That's also the main reason we're looking at spending no more than $30K for a new car (finances won't allow for much more). I did see the CTS lease offer that you posted BigPontiac when I was on the Caddy site yesterday. Again, she's not a leasing person (more of my doing) and would like to have one car that she really likes for a longer period of time (she really liked her '00 GP and '03 Rendezvous and was made that they had to be returned!).

I will say that I like the look of the Volvo C30 and V50, especially the V50 since it's a station wagon. The S40 is nice too, but I like the bigger space that the wagon offers over the sedan. The C30 is just a cool looking car and it looks fun to drive. I'd prefer her to own a GM product, but the nice thing is that next year when I replace the AURA, she'll have little say in what I get to choose

Now here are several Volvo pics from the Philly Show; they are all the uplevel and recently released R-Design trim:

S40 R-Design Sedan:

C30 R-Design Hatchback:

And the one I like best...

V50 R-Design Wagon:

I like the wagon....

[Bimmer325]

Go for it.

[Robert Hall]

I like the C30, S40, V50..all pretty sweet looking.

Good friends of mine are on their third Volvo now... they've an 850 wagon, XC70 (currently have), and a last-year 240 (still have). They also have a BMW 540i and before the Volvos, had an '86 Grand Am and '91 Regal..they've been very happy with the Volvos.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I stick with GM because that is what I am used to and what have given me the best service. I will not give my money to Japan,Korea,Germeny or whoever else makes cars. I wont contribute to our trade deficit. I am not a huge fan of Chrysler products after a few friends and family had them and they were trouble. My sisters famous Grand Caravan stranded her 3 times in 2 weeks. The Venture she got after that has had a couple of things but has never failed at its job. Never was much for Ford either. They seem to always be a half a step behind GM. When they do try to keep up the product usually is a problem child.

[BigPontiac]

Two other wagons you may want to investigate besides the V50 would be the Subaru Legacy wagon and VW Jetta Sportwagon.

[caddycruiser]

I do like them in white though, and it may be cliche' but I'd like the rims to be painted white too (you can thank the late '80s and '90s Pontiac for that).

Keep it on the Pontiac...a Volvo doesn't deserve that kind of desecration, unless it's also getting some other out there custom work. Right now, almost every silver painted and machined wheel looks great as is that Volvo offers. Some not so much, but still, very fitting with the car.

Here we go, clean, classy and crisp in a fairly basic white V50...including the Volvo cloth seats which I'm a fan of: