Volvo SUV vs. BMW SUV

[VV]

I am seriously buying an SUV for fun. My mechanic recommends a JAPANESE MAKE (Toyota./Lexus or Nissan?infinity, HONDA/ ACURA). But i find those brands extremely boring and there are too many around. My final choices are a Volvo's 2002 model or BMW's earlier model (2002 or before). I don't want to buy a new one. I have been told that the European imports lose value very quickly.I have been warned by my mechanic to be prepared to spend a bunch of money for repairs. Now - I have many questions. I need your advise. What are your repairs in the first year? How do you like these car makers in comparison to the JAPANESE (if you have ever owned JAP car or SUV before). How about the difference between VOLVO and BMW?
VV

 

[JohanE]

buy an XC90. American cars suck.

 

[Stephen M. Henning]

Now - I have many questions. I need your advise. What are your repairs in the first year? How do you like these car makers in comparison to the JAPANESE (if you have ever owned JAP car or SUV before). How about the difference between VOLVO and BMW?

My 2001 V70 XC has had no repairs in the first 3 years. I had a AWD Subaru Legacy and gave it away since it was rusting away. The Subaru had many repairs: the transmission/AWD unit was replaced just before 100,000 miles, the drivers door lock mechanism fell apart locking me in the car, the air conditioner compressor fell apart and had to be repaired, the drivers sun visor wouldn't stay up and had to be replaced, the air shocks leaked and were replace with mechanical shocks, the tail gate rusted out and had to be replaced, the sun roof leaked, and the axle bearings wore out and had to be replaced.

 

[James Sweet]

buy an XC90. American cars suck.

That's not very helpful, he didn't even list any american cars on his list in the first place.

 

[Rob Guenther]

I think he meant in general.

The BMW X5 is assembled in the USA, I guess he feels that American assemblers can't tighten screws as good as Germans or Swedes... Which is total bullshit, I would hope. American cars for many years have used inferior parts to Euro/Japanese cars, so they would break faster, in general. But that BMW uses all German parts (Bosch... guess what, so does the Volvo... my 960 has more German then Swedish stuff in it, it's all Bosch or Hella).

It seems to be true that the Americans don't care as much about adjustment tolerances for doors, trunklid, hood panel gaps. But i'm sure the German bosses have made sure that the X5 is assembled properly.

The X3 looks good, and is made at a Magna Steyr plant in Austria, I believe... Since I work for Magna, and they tell us the quality is quite good from that plant, i'll go on reporting that they are good quality .

I wouldn't buy either the Volvo or BMW SUV's if I had the money to tho, I think i'd have myself that VW Toureg, it's just such a nice car.... and has REAL offroad capabilty.

 

[Mark Seeley]

I think he meant in general.

The BMW X5 is assembled in the USA, I guess he feels that American assemblers can't tighten screws as good as Germans or Swedes... Which is total bullshit, I would hope. American cars for many years have used inferior parts to Euro/Japanese cars, so they would break faster, in general. But that BMW uses all German parts (Bosch... guess what, so does the Volvo... my 960 has more German then Swedish stuff in it, it's all Bosch or Hella).

It seems to be true that the Americans don't care as much about adjustment tolerances for doors, trunklid, hood panel gaps. But i'm sure the German bosses have made sure that the X5 is assembled properly.

The X3 looks good, and is made at a Magna Steyr plant in Austria, I believe... Since I work for Magna, and they tell us the quality is quite good from that plant, i'll go on reporting that they are good quality .

I wouldn't buy either the Volvo or BMW SUV's if I had the money to tho, I think i'd have myself that VW Toureg, it's just such a nice car.... and has REAL offroad capabilty.

Or spend a little more and get the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, though I'm not sure I like the styling as much. But the newest Range Rover..... they look fun! Interestingly enough, those of you who know Top Gear (TV program in the UK), despite them usually ridiculing volvos just for the hell of it, they did choose the XC90 as the winner of the 4x4 category - must be an awesome car!

Mark

 

[Rob Guenther]

I found a website with those Top Gear test on it (mainly the sporty cars tho), man do I wish I got that show in Canada, best car show ever.... love the "Stig" and the reviewers in general.

 

[Stewart Hargrave]

Because there's more to the internet than hits alone, Rob Guenther wrote:

I found a website with those Top Gear test on it (mainly the sporty cars tho), man do I wish I got that show in Canada, best car show ever.... love the "Stig" and the reviewers in general.

The Stig, I found out the other day, is Perry McCarthy, probably the most unlucky man ever to get a Formula 1 seat. He drove for a team that was so desparately underfunded in the early '90s that they often couldn't afford to send him out for practice, and I don't think he ever managed to get through qualifying and start a race. He built up quite a following in the UK, (we always like an underdog, apparently), though in international terms he was probably unheard of. He later went on to have more success in sports cars, including Le Mans.

As for the rest of the Top Gear programme, and in particular it's main presenter, I commend the following site to you (click on the picture):

http://www.urban75.com/Punch/clarkson.html