What car to get when the SVX is paid off?

[Chiketkd]

Lately, I've been thinking 2-3 years into the future about what my next car will be... By then my son will be 3-4 years old and the coupes I admire like the SVX & 3000GT wouldn't be able to give my family of four the adequate room we need when going on shopping trips, etc.

One car that really lights my fire is kinda quirky like the SVX and also from an unassuming automaker (like the SVX was in '92)...

Volvo S60R


Brand new these cars run like 38K, but used they're already going for 34K after only being introduced late last year as an '04 model. In 2-3 yrs time, a <25K price tag may be the norm for one of these machines...

C&D got a 0-60 time of 5.5 with a 1/4 of 14.0 @ 101mph. They also saw 0.88g's of lateral grip and a stopping distance of 168ft from 70mph - Car & Driver Article

Interesting parallels between this car and the SVX:

1) The awd system normally splits torque 90/10 and up to 50/50 under hard accel or slippage

2) Cd of 0.29

3) First performance awd grand tourer for the automaker

What's funny, is that my wife is all for a car like this in 2-3 years as it is a Volvo and extremely safe.

Has anyone here ever test driven this car? Thoughts???

-Chike

[immortal_suby]

BArN !!11!

[Chiketkd]

Hey, I never said I was gonna get rid of the SVX...

-Chike

Originally posted by immortal_suby
BArN !!11!

[NikFu S.]

B11s

[SVX-FF]

Good call Chike. I have had Volvo's all my life. Until now. They are very sound cars and hold there value. My mother's Volvo is pushing 200,000+ and the motor is still running good.
Word of caution on the new Volvo's do not get the laminated side glass. Yes it is safe it helps keep theives out but it also keeps the fire department out too. I have cut up a few Volvo's in practice. Those cars are damn tough. They use Tunstin bars in the doors and body to stiffen it up and it make it hard to extracate a person out of that car.

Steve

[NapaBavarian]

Originally posted by Chiketkd
What's funny, is that my wife is all for a car like this in 2-3 years as it is a Volvo and extremely safe.

It's mostly marketing, the Volvo is no safer in crash tests and real world survivability than the competition, namely BMW and Mercedes, I havn't compared other names. Infact all three scored almost identically in the crash tests, but Volvo had a slightly higher fatality rate than the other 2 in the sumary I read probably 5 years ago. As I recall Volvo stole quite a few of its safty features from the safty pioneers BMW and Mercedes.

[Chiketkd]

Thanks Steve.

I really feel like this is a Volvo I'd be happy with and enjoy racing, AutoXing and driving around with the family.

During high school, my dad owned a '92 850 sedan and that thing was reliable as anything and when my older brother got into a wreck driving it ( ), he was able to walk away w/o a single bruise even though the car was totalled...

I'm not sure if the laminated side glass is an option on the S60R, but if it is, I'll follow yuour advice.

I really have no intention of selling my SVX, but if my wife and I end up having a slew of cars like Shelfy did, then something may have to go...

-Chike

Originally posted by SVX-FF
Good call Chike. I have had Volvo's all my life. Until now. They are very sound cars and hold there value. My mother's Volvo is pushing 200,000+ and the motor is still running good.
Word of caution on the new Volvo's do not get the laminated side glass. Yes it is safe it helps keep theives out but it also keeps the fire department out too. I have cut up a few Volvo's in practice. Those cars are damn tough. They use Tunstin bars in the doors and body to stiffen it up and it make it hard to extracate a person out of that car.

Steve

[Chiketkd]

In the '90's Volvo's, were safe cars but probably no safer than a BMW or Mercedes. However, the newer ones have safety innovations galore (active headrests, reinforced frames, etc.)

The tungsten frame that SVX-FF spoke off is used extensively in their new SUV, the XC-70/90. In an independent crash test, they sent the car in a sideways roll at 40mph+. The XC rolled over at least 4 times and afterwards showed no bending or deformation in its frame.

I would rather take my family around in a car like that anyday!

-Chike

Originally posted by NapaBavarian
It's mostly marketing, the Volvo is no safer in crash tests and real world survivability than the competition, namely BMW and Mercedes, I havn't compared other names. Infact all three scored almost identically in the crash tests, but Volvo had a slightly higher fatality rate than the other 2 in the sumary I read probably 5 years ago. As I recall Volvo stole quite a few of its safty features from the safty pioneers BMW and Mercedes.

[n00b on demand]

I told everyone my SVX was bulletproof. They believed me because the windows were so weird looking.

[Chiketkd]

I'd believe you too!

-Chike

Originally posted by soobiesvx93
I told everyone my SVX was bulletproof. They believed me because the windows were so weird looking.

[Chiketkd]

The Subaru B11s is nice but would be similar to getting an RX-8. Even though it has four doors, it's still a coupe and wouldn't provide us with the interior space like an Audi A4, BMW 325i or Volvo S60, etc.

My next car will be a sedan, but I want it to be more 'unique' or 'quirky' like an S60R or Audi S4 - as compared to a BMW 3 series or Legacy GT.

-Chike

Originally posted by NikFu S.
B11s

[shelfy]

Originally posted by Chiketkd
I really have no intention of selling my SVX, but if my wife and I end up having a slew of cars like Shelfy did, then something may have to go...

as you can see, i haven't posted the claret for sale. and i would have to be last resort desperate to ever sell the polo green.

[Chiketkd]

Very true - but your short list of cars got much shorter after ordering the Scion Tc...

My wife and I will be getting a family car like a minivan or SUV once her Lancer is paid off. I may also look for a cheap <2K pickup to use when I go junk yard hunting in the future. By the time my SVX is paid off, some cars will need to go - and my SVX might be one of them. Who knows what will happen...

-Chike

Originally posted by shelfy
as you can see, i haven't posted the claret for sale. and i would have to be last resort desperate to ever sell the polo green.

[NapaBavarian]

Originally posted by Chiketkd
In the '90's Volvo's, were safe cars but probably no safer than a BMW or Mercedes. However, the newer ones have safety innovations galore (active headrests, reinforced frames, etc.)

The tungsten frame that SVX-FF spoke off is used extensively in their new SUV, the XC-70/90. In an independent crash test, they sent the car in a sideways roll at 40mph+. The XC rolled over at least 4 times and afterwards showed no bending or deformation in its frame.

I would rather take my family around in a car like that anyday!

-Chike

Yeah, BMW has all that too, and they have had integrated roll protection since the '70s, I saw a video of a guy in an early '80s 7 series on the autobhaun roll the car at over 100mph, then get out and walk away.

If you like the Volvo then buy it, but be careful buying it because it is safer than the comprtition, they are great cars.

Karl

[Chiketkd]

Thanks Karl. Yeah, I like the S60R and S4, but the Volvo more due to the quirkiness of it - twin turbo inline 5 engine, low production numbers.

I think I could get many years of driving enjoyment out of a car like that...

-Chike

Originally posted by NapaBavarian
If you like the Volvo then buy it, but be careful buying it because it is safer than the comprtition, they are great cars.