Which is better buy?

[Kc0378]

If im not wrong, only the 325 and above models come with iDrive

[Nazaki]

I see.. ok..

 

a 325i den. :)

[Nazaki]

I think he treats it like an enemy more than his gf..

 

Ok.. He thinks he drives a civic more than an alfa. haha.

[Mattgate]

with regards to the volvo, I have bitter experience with its reliability (agent says it is normal of conti cars) mine is less then 5 years old.

 

so far i have changed fuel pump, alternator, air-con compressor clutch, ignition key lock, pair of rubber above absorber, fuel door and engine torque rubber.

 

due to be change (have been informed by agent that it is time!)gear box solenoid, radiator, front absorbers, air-con blower, steering joint, front disc.

 

currently my car is in the workshop with worn camshaft ring (lead to serious oil leak, requiring change of timing belt and torsioner).

 

me, I find it hard to vote volvo, though i like my v70 very much ...is it true that conti cars are so unreliable??

[Nazaki]

Maybe yours is unlucky, a lemon.

 

My cousin owns a volvo too, so far no complains from him.

 

 

OOT: The nissan Qashqai is damn funny.

 

Edited May 14, 2007 by Nazaki

[Mattgate]

well lucky for your cousin, like i said, as of this moment my volvo v70 is still in the workshop, second time in two weeks! in less then 5 years, the car has been towed back to the workshop 3 times.

 

you know, the last time it went in for repair, their rep called me to ask if I intend to keep the car for long! for goodness sake it it less then 5 years old!

 

this is the list of my problems, agent says it is normal (claims that info is gathered from sharing among industry insider), maybe i should conduct a poll, gain owners experience if this is really "normal" among conti cars.

 

Replaced

- alternator

- fuel pump

- air-con compressor cluth

- ignition key lock

- fuel door

- pair of rubber above absorber

- engine torque arm rubber

 

Replacing now

- camshaft bushing

- timing belt

- timing belt torsioner (tensioner?)

 

Due for replacement/fix (advise from agent)

- front absorbers (knocking sound)

- gearbox solenoid (gear box slow to engage)

- radiator (leaking)

- air con blower (at setting 3 and above it vibrates like hell)

- steering ball joint

- front disc

 

are these long list of problems "normal" of conti cars?? can bm, merc, saab, owners share some experience?

[Russ]

Mercedes reliable? I know so many MB drivers complain no end about reliability problems, although I also know a few who have no problems.

 

You want reliable? Buy Japanese.

[Relagsingh]

wow... no offense, i guess yours is a super lemon bro...

 

never in my life that i've heard a car got so many parts replaced... even those kena accident also not as much as yours.

 

IMO most contis are quite sturdy if they are well taken care of and definitely can outlast japanese makes.

 

in europe with all the ice and rain, their driving conditions are far worse than ours. their engine components are more durable and designed to have less maintenance.

 

tough luck bro, maybe you got the bogey car along the assembly line.

[Dlar2]

My god!! Volvo ao bad?? I was looking at C30 along with VW Golf GTI, thought of getting one of them and keep it for 10 yrs, now I better think twice.

Maybe end up with Jap again.

Can you share which is replace FOC by agent and which you have to pay?

And till now, how much have you paid??

[Kaka23]

Lol Mercedes are getting better with the new facelift? Volvo fast and reliable? Cant believe how badly Volvo and Mercedes are doing in the poll when everyone are commenting how good it is.

[Bimmer12]

BMW 320i has a 50/50 weight distribution and excellent handling. Yeah very good in NSHW. It's a basic car but you can add on as there's lots of options. It is a driver's car.

[Guniang]

volvo interior is normal, juz the basic on what u need without fanciful gadgets but the handling n technology is superior...test drive n u know how it handles esp on the wet..very safe car to drive

[Kc0378]

Why cant mercedes be getting better with the new facelift? which company makes newer cars with no improvements from the older model?

 

i didnt mention anything about volvo being fast and reliable, i think u replied to the wrong guy.

 

Cheers

[Mattgate]

till now, No FOC parts...

 

out of goodwill (after over 6 phone calls where I voice my big big dissapointment!) SM absorb the labour cost to change the cam shaft oil seal, timing belt, pulleys, tensioner, gasket, oil filter, oil, ...

 

out of further goodwill, they will extend discount and absorb the cost of some parts among my outstanding problems.

 

paying 4 figures for my visits to volvo is not out of the norm.

 

i too thought that volvo being a conti car built for the harsh european weather would have more reliable parts or maybe i got the lemon from their production line.

 

as for my radiator leak, agent says that most of the car's radiator are made from "plastic" now days. non repairable?

[Silver_blade]

I was thinking of taking over my auntie's S80 before she relocated to chine...but I was taken aback by the maintenance cost. She usually spend over $1200 for servicing and replacement of some wear and tear parts. Audi and Merc are cheaper.

[Saabretooth]

Hey there, Based on your requirements, its quite a list to dig out from.

If you want a safe and reliable family car, with space and long term maintenance... Japanese seems to be the way to go. Cheap, cheerful and almost worry free.

 

btw, the Vector is 210hp with 300Nm, not 175hp, 175hp vector is for other markets and has got a smaller turbo. The Singapore Vector is was previously the Aero. Very good bang for the buck in terms of hp/$. Wait for the face-lifted 93SS coming up. You could either get the current version at better price or the newest version with very contemporary looks. Vector with inhouse stage 1 upgrade is about 232hp with about 350Nm. "out-house" stage 1 is about 250hp @ 380Nm+.

 

As for the actual $ for each car, the prices are "seasonal" as mentioned by just about everyone here.

 

In a nutshell, based on your list, I'd go for the Merc. 90% family car 10% occasional urges for surges....

 

In my opinion, if you are going for safety, I'd go with Saab, Volvo, BMW, Merc..etc

 

Handling wise, its going to be Alfa, BMW, Merc, Audi & Saab, Volvo. Turning radius of the S60 is amazing, almost lorry like, but very stable for highway cruising.

 

Power, the Vector has got the most refined turbo/torque curve on the list. Overtaking is effortless. Saab, Audi & Volvo, Merc, (by virtue of forced induction) then comes the rest... with Alfa leading the NA brigade.

 

Reliability... what reliability? haha

Seriously, we've also heard of Jap car recalls to fix up stuff, parts breaking down also, just that its less often. For conti cars, things do need replacement due to more power required to move a relatively heavier car, Stress and load on the parts and components could potentially be higher. The crunch comes when paying for the replacement parts! Contis cost a "nuclear bomb" more than "hand grenade" japs. BUT! Safety, Stability, Comfort is something very different and easy to differenciate from an Asian made car.

 

I don't know the package that the other makes are giving, but Saab is giving 3 year parts and labour warranty, 5 year servicing package. I am rather pleased with the fact that Saab places customer service rather high in replacing parts and making the car as trouble free as possible. Unfortunately, they recently let go one of their Mechanical Experts who is able to troubleshoot just about anything on a Saab! They still have a decent team, and a guy who is pretty good at electronics.

 

Also, I am wondering what your driving style and "aggressive" attidude you might have on the roads, as it plays a part in how hard you push your car, and how often. If not, most of the cars listed will be very pleasing to drive, fit your family and reliability will not be much of an issue.

 

Remember when you mod, the stresses on the mechanical parts are higher, and with mods, you tend to push harder for longer. Reliability will be tested. When you mod, service and do maintenance on the car more often and at shorter intervals. Treat it well and it will treat you back well.

 

On another note, having tested the 320, the 159, Merc, S60, no experience with the Audi and the AF GT. I felt that the handling of the 320 is one of the best. At the Alfa showroom a friendly SE allowed me to test out the 147 and 159. I am quite pleased with the handling too, but overtaking power and acceleration was lacking compared to my ride. for my Saab to at least match the 159 (93SS and 159 share a very similar chassis platform) I had to upgrade my suspension to a set of coilvers. Straightaway, the steering feel is much heavier and responsive (it was rather well set up). Handling was on par or better than a stock 159, with much greater power delivery. It surprised the SE who was given the opportunity to test out my car too. The Merc is very luxurious and comfortable. S60 is also very comfortable but slightly more cramped at the back, same as the BMW.

 

 

Test drive the cars listed here, shouldn't take you more than a weekend. My comments are based on Stock off the shelf cars without added extras.

[Veryfree]

why mention $$, if u choose these cars, $$ is not really an issue.

Alfa GT is one sweet beauty.