Volvo, BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus -- your experiences?

  • Thread starter Thread starter T.T. Lee
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T.T. Lee

I wonder if anyone here could please comment on your OWN experiences
and knowledge with all these cars and your general impression about
them, their differences in terms of the design philosophy, and their
build quality + reliability? Thanks!!
 
T.T. Lee said:
I wonder if anyone here could please comment on your OWN experiences
and knowledge with all these cars and your general impression about
them, their differences in terms of the design philosophy, and their
build quality + reliability? Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Well.... I learnt to drive in a Merc, my Dads. I drive two Volvos and a BMW.
My neighbour drives a Lexus. Best car out of the lot? The Lexus.
I've had a whole lot more experience with all cars mentioned but I'm not
going to type an epic. In short, I like the cars in this order for sheer
drivability, and realiability, excluding home fixing. Lexus, Mercedes, BMW,
Volvo. If I had to service one and own it to death, it would be, Mercedes,
Volvo, BMW, Lexus.

Stuart.
 
I like my BMW 3 series the best as far as a car that is *fun* to drive.
Handles well with all the power you need. Cost for parts is surprisingly
reasonable Lots of aftermarket stuff, numerous retailers, owner's clubs,
on-line forums, knowledge base, etc.

My Volvo is my daily driver. It fills that role very nicely. Reliable and
solid, if a bit stodgy..

Our Mercedes M-class is a decent SUV, nice and luxurius, etc. but I
question the quality. We've had some problems. I think the marque has
gone down hill in recent years (based on our experience with this one
model). I haven't owned one of their sedans, so I can't comment on them.
I doubt I'd ever buy one. Very expensive to service.

I have yet to drive a Lexus, Acura, or Infinity (love to try the G35!), but
one of those may be our purchase. I'm also waiting for Alfa to reappear in
the US
market, maybe 2005 or 2006 from what I've read.


Bob

Volvo '940 944t
BMW 325iC cabrio
MB ML320
 
Tough call lately.

The 1996(iirc) and before Mercedes(previous generation) were the last
of the old tanks that they built. Much better than the new stuff.
They will last twenty years easily. The new cars - the E class has
so much plastic in it now that it might as well be a Volvo.(no knock
on Volvo, but a $50K Mercedes should be better made than a $35K
Volvo). The C class - Get an Audi instead.

BMW - nice cars, but quality is slipping lately as well.

Lexus - nice, but they don't have much of a soul. Like a really
fine watch with a plain face.

My recommendation? Late 90s Mercedes or Volvo - before the new
models came out.
 
Joseph said:
Tough call lately.

The 1996(iirc) and before Mercedes(previous generation) were the last
of the old tanks that they built. Much better than the new stuff.
They will last twenty years easily. The new cars - the E class has
so much plastic in it now that it might as well be a Volvo.(no knock
on Volvo, but a $50K Mercedes should be better made than a $35K
Volvo). The C class - Get an Audi instead.
Click to expand...


The new cars are tanks, they have plastic in them to keep weight down.
They are very solid, but have a different type of robustness than the
weighted feeling robustness of the earlier models.

My problem with today's Volvos, Mercedes, and BMWs are their software.
That's where their reliability is down.

Ben
 
BMW - nice cars, but quality is slipping lately as well.
Click to expand...

I agree. My 2001 530 hasn't got the build quality that my 95 and 98
540's had.
 
Benjamin said:
My problem with today's Volvos, Mercedes, and BMWs are their software.
That's where their reliability is down.
Click to expand...

Software?

Heh. That's why I love my 240 :) So many fewer parts to blow up
or go wrong.
 
I have yet to drive a Lexus, Acura, or Infinity (love to try the G35!), but
one of those may be our purchase. I'm also waiting for Alfa to reappear in
the US
market, maybe 2005 or 2006 from what I've read.
Click to expand...

This reminds me, could anyone please comment on Infinity versus Volvo?? Many thanks!
 
T.T. Lee said:
This reminds me, could anyone please comment on Infinity versus Volvo?? Many thanks!
Click to expand...

Both overpriced for what you get.

It's rough. There are no real luxury cars out there anymore as
they've all been bought out by GM, Chrysler, and Ford. Even Bentley
is no longer British owned.

Of the three you mentioned:
Lexus and Acura both are bad. Not from an engineeering standpoint, but
from how they are priced. Consider that they purposely make their Honda
and Toyota lines only so good anymore - and then there's a jump in
price to their "real" lines. I dislike this myself.

Infinty is a bit less so. The Mitsubishi upper end cars overlap
quite a bit and are still made well enough.

It's kind of like GM and Cadillac - they save their best toys and
innovations and engineering for their most expensive line. 10K
more money just to get a proper V-8 engine? I'll pass.

What you really want is a good car that has a full line behind
it, like Audi, BMW, or Saab. There are no budget versions because
they don't split their technology and research into two directions.

This means for instance, you can get a nice BMW 5 series that has
most of the goodies of a 7 series without spending tons of money.

Mercedes - E class is nice. C is a serious step down.

Of all of the new cars out there, the A6 impressed me the most.
Good seats, good interior, well made, nice handling, and not
too overly expensive. Better fit and finish than a E class
or Volvo, too. Saab was also nice. They are still based upon
Swedish designs despite being owned by GM, so buy one now before
they get turned into re-badged econoboxes.
 
Joseph said:
Of all of the new cars out there, the A6 impressed me the most.
Good seats, good interior, well made, nice handling, and not
too overly expensive. Better fit and finish than a E class
or Volvo, too. Saab was also nice. They are still based upon
Swedish designs despite being owned by GM, so buy one now before
they get turned into re-badged econoboxes.
Click to expand...

I think the Saab 9-3 is based on a GM car. I've read a few articles that
GM has laid off most of Saabs engineers and designers and that the new
Saabs will be mostly GM. Sad.

Audi's are well finished, well built cars but they are upscale
Volkswagens, in a sense.


Ben
 
"> I think the Saab 9-3 is based on a GM car. I've read a few articles that
GM has laid off most of Saabs engineers and designers and that the new
Saabs will be mostly GM. Sad.
Click to expand...

I think that will be a plus actually, at least if GM has any say about
styling. Saab styling has to be among the worst. They've come out with
some the ugliest cars ever made, as far as I'm concerned.
 
By far, the biggest problem with Volvo is not the car itself, but the
dealer who is selling it to you.

Btw, the Lexus ES300 is a Toyota Camry.
 
By far, the biggest problem with Volvo is not the car itself, but the
dealer who is selling it to you.
Click to expand...
I have to agree with that. I'm so fortunate to have a Volvo dealer a
few blocks from my house. They couldn't even provide me with a duplicate key
for my car. They said, "we don't do keys". I was looking for a nice "Volvo"
key with the plastic handle for my wife.. Guess that was too much to ask..
However, I do use them for a free car wash when I need one, but that's about
it.

Btw, the Lexus ES300 is a Toyota Camry.
Click to expand...

You mean it's not even an Avalon?? I suppose it could be worse.
Camry's are good cars though, as evidenced by the fact they are most sought
after car for
car thieves in the US. There must be something appealing about them.


Bob

'95 Volvo 944t
'92 BMW 325iC
'00 MB ML320
 
I have to agree with that. I'm so fortunate to have a Volvo dealer a
few blocks from my house. They couldn't even provide me with a duplicate key
for my car. They said, "we don't do keys". I was looking for a nice "Volvo"
key with the plastic handle for my wife.. Guess that was too much to ask..
However, I do use them for a free car wash when I need one, but that's about
it.



You mean it's not even an Avalon?? I suppose it could be worse.
Camry's are good cars though, as evidenced by the fact they are most sought
after car for
car thieves in the US. There must be something appealing about them.
Click to expand...

The Top 10 Most Stolen Cars are not the most popular cars but the
easiest to compromise.
http://www.planet101.com/most_stolen_vehicles.htm
 
Actually it is an Avalon. Of course, there's little difference other than
a few inches of interior space and the trim/amenities between a ES300, the
Avalon, and Camry V6.
 
The Top 10 Most Stolen Cars are not the most popular cars but the
easiest to compromise.
http://www.planet101.com/most_stolen_vehicles.htm
Click to expand...


Yes, I realize that ease of theft has a lot to do with it, but it's not
the whole story. If you look at the top 10 list, they include some very
popular makes/models (Hondas, etc.) Thieves also look for value and
something they can easily turn around. Also, the sheer numbers of some of
these cars (= availability) also has to be considered in the equation. I
heard that the Cadillac Escalade is also a target among thieves these days,
and that vehicle has a very advanced theft protection system!
 
Sam said:
By far, the biggest problem with Volvo is not the car itself, but the
dealer who is selling it to you.

Btw, the Lexus ES300 is a Toyota Camry.
Click to expand...

Nonsense. All Lexus are made by Toyota. Drive a Camry and then drive an
ES300. Camry is now a bloated, soft, family car, that's well built and
huge inside. The Lexus is a very luxurious car with far more sound
deadening, refinement with an interior with luxury and quality that no
Volvo can match.

Ben
 
Joseph said:
Actually it is an Avalon. Of course, there's little difference other than
a few inches of interior space and the trim/amenities between a ES300, the
Avalon, and Camry V6.
Click to expand...


Refinement, suspension tuning.

Also, trim and amenities are important. I think the latest ES300 is a
fairly distinctive looking car and one of the quietest, smoothest, most
luxurious (beautiful cherry wood trim) and refined cars I've ever been
driven in (though seems less robust than some European cars). The Camry
and Avalon *feel* like very nice family cars in comparison.

Ben
 
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