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Volvo S40

1807 messages,  Last post on Jul 01, 2011 at 7:51 AM

You are in the Volvo S40 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volvo S40, Sedan



Messages Page 105 of 182

#1033 of 1807 Well, I've tried'em all! by creakid1

Dec 28, 2004 (1:23 am)

& even the VR6 Jetta sucks, eventhough it's still much better than a bumpy & noisy Saturn. Just see how p48 04/99 C&D described the VR6 Jetta 5-sp in the comparison test & ranked it dead last. I found its ride sometimes too lumpy & sometime too floaty. The steering feel at the limit is poor, & now VW has to switch it to the Focus-type rear suspension by hiring the Focus engineers to do it.
 
First, it was the E46 3-series that lost the old E36's high level of steering feel & the very involving handling, even w/ the uncomfortable sport suspension. & I'm not too comfortable getting an used E36 due to the repair cost & the lack of DSC stability control on a RWD car discourages me to explore the handling limit in the wet, so therefore no fun!
 
So I thought I might as well get the '05 updated $43k C320 Sport sedan, which I CAN afford, by the way. It turned out that the feeling, especially thru the steering, is even more insulated than the already so-so E46 Beemer. So I wasn't having much fun w/ this highly-capable but rather-boring-to-operate vehicle, but I considered buying it anyway 'cause the color -- white w/ blue glass over the grey interior -- is what I like, & modern cars rarely come w/ rear visibility this wide. Then I decided that I still want a stick & should order one instead. & then I hated the salesman 'cause he persuaded me to buy that automatic car & lied to me that the charcoal filter was already included as std feature. It wasn't for '05, & won't be available as an option for months, according to the brochure.
 
Right after that test drive, I immediately tried out again the FWD S40 T5 w/o the uncomfortable sport suspension & found its weak-kneed front suspension performing poorly if I don't slow down over deep bumps such as speed bumps.
 
That left me no choice but to get either the base RX-8 auto or the '05 Focus ST:
creakid1, "Volvo S40" #998, 27 Nov 2004 2:31 pm
 
The E46's clutch is tediously heavy & long travel, while the Focus's clutch is beautifully light! & as far as how good dynamically the Focus is comparing to...
 
(p46-51, 11 June 2003 AUTOCAR)
Group Test: Alfa 147 2.0 vs Audi A3 2.0 FSI vs BMW 318ti SE(w/ std sport suspension) vs Mercedes C180K S Coupe
 
"Individually none is bad, but the general (in)competence level has shocked me because even the best car here doesn't come close to the basic dynamic standards set by the four-and-a-half-year-old Focus Focus. And for the money being asked that's criminal.
  But is that valid criticism? You bet it is."
 
"How you rate the BMW Compact depends entirely on how highly crisp styling rates on your prestige-check list. To me (accepting, as we now must, that a Ford is dynamically superior to them all) it's right at the top of the list;..."
 
The '05 Focus ST sedan, w/ 2.3 Mazda-developed 4-cyl & std SVT swaybars & shocks, is no ordinary American-spec Focus, & even the non-ST '05 Focus is so well honed & tuned now:
 
durability05, "Ford Focus vs. Mazda3" #154, 14 Dec 2004 11:05 pm
“…I bought a brand new 05 ZX4 automatic and
this car is like comfortable sport clothes. Driving the big SUV's is like wearing a suit. My old commuter car the Honda Accord it replaced felt like ill fitting clothes. The 05 ZX4 is much improved over a 2000 Focus I owned 4 years ago, which was about average.”

#1034 of 1807 Re: Well, I've tried'em all! [creakid1] by Rickster

Dec 28, 2004 (7:01 am)

Replying to: creakid1 (Dec 28, 2004 1:23 am)
This is geting tiresome. If you didn't end up buying the S40, why are you still posting here?

#1035 of 1807 Re: Well, I've tried'em all! [Rickster] by volvomax

Dec 28, 2004 (9:27 am)

Replying to: Rickster (Dec 28, 2004 7:01 am)
Here's what I don't get.
Anyone who can afford a bimmer or Benz or Volvo usually buys in the class.
This is the first time in my almost 15 yrs experience in the car business where someone shopped in the luxury market and bought an econobox.
I'm sure the Focus is a nice enough car, but better than a bimmer or benz?

#1036 of 1807 Re: Well, I've tried'em all! [volvomax] by ivan_99

Dec 28, 2004 (10:29 am)

Replying to: volvomax (Dec 28, 2004 9:27 am)
Hey...it's a FORD

#1037 of 1807 & the S40/V50 isn't a Ford? At least the steering & suspension are, & so is rest of the 62% parts-sharing w/ the German Focus II by creakid1

Dec 28, 2004 (11:36 am)

It's not a stupid American Ford, but an ingenious German-engineered one! I got offended when a senior-citizen old lady told me that my car is good 'cause she used to have a Ford...Uhhh!
 
& there's almost no reason getting this new S40/V50 this price over the other Volvo's if it wasn't for the Focus II suspension & steering rack. Why not just get an S60 or last year's S40/V40?

#1038 of 1807 Re: Well, I've tried'em all! [volvomax] by creakid1

Dec 28, 2004 (11:54 am)

Replying to: volvomax (Dec 28, 2004 9:27 am)
"Here's what I don't get.
Anyone who can afford a bimmer or Benz or Volvo usually buys in the class.
This is the first time in my almost 15 yrs experience in the car business where someone shopped in the luxury market and bought an econobox.
I'm sure the Focus is a nice enough car, but better than a bimmer or benz?"
 
It's such a "delicious toy", I swear! I know I know, no charcoal filter & no silent fwy cruising, but that's about it! It feels great speeding when cops don't even notice me w/ the blue-oval badge! The only thing I still envy from others is how the old Peugeot's & the C-class w/o sport suspension travel over speed bumps. But the Focus-suspension S40/V50 can't do that, either, & only the driving position leaves me "drooling". That's why I still constantly recommend people to consider the new S40/V50, especially the wagon people, who have to sacrifice the wide rear visibility anyway.
 
By the way, my next "delicious toy" that still rides comfortably is the next LSD-equipped Miata w/ folding metal top & an RX-8-like suspension.

#1039 of 1807 Exactly by dhanley

Dec 28, 2004 (12:53 pm)

I was thinking of getting a porsche 911 turbo, until i realized the sun blocking tint on top of the window was 5% too transparent. So i stayed with my 10 year old v6 mustang.

#1040 of 1807 Here's another cross shopping: by creakid1

Dec 28, 2004 (1:06 pm)

creakid1, "Mazda3 vs Acura TSX" #224, 2 Oct 2004 2:38 am

#1041 of 1807 Re: Here's another cross shopping: [creakid1] by volvomax

Dec 29, 2004 (12:06 pm)

Replying to: creakid1 (Dec 28, 2004 1:06 pm)
Your not cross shopping though.
Cross shopping is S40 vs TSX.Its Rolex vs Breitling.
What your doing is comparing Walmart and Nordstroms.
You can always make the argument that cheaper is better, since its cheaper.
Again, I defy anyone to say w/ a straight face that the Focus is better than or equal to a benz, bimmer, Volvo, Audi, Saab, Acura, or even a Subaru. Its just cheaper.

#1042 of 1807 Re: Here's another cross shopping: [volvomax] by creakid1

Dec 29, 2004 (5:56 pm)

Replying to: volvomax (Dec 29, 2004 12:06 pm)
"Again, I defy anyone to say w/ a straight face that the Focus is better than or equal to a benz, bimmer, Volvo, Audi, Saab, Acura, or even a Subaru. Its just cheaper."
 
Anyone?
 
Again...
creakid1, "Volvo S40" #1033, 28 Dec 2004 3:23 am
(p46-51, 11 June 2003 AUTOCAR)
Group Test: Alfa 147 2.0 vs Audi A3 2.0 FSI vs BMW 318ti SE(w/ std sport suspension) vs Mercedes C180K S Coupe
  
"Individually none is bad, but the general (in)competence level has shocked me because even the best car here doesn't come close to the basic dynamic standards set by the four-and-a-half-year-old Focus Focus. And for the money being asked that's criminal.
  But is that valid criticism? You bet it is."
  
"How you rate the BMW Compact depends entirely on how highly crisp styling rates on your prestige-check list. To me (accepting, as we now must, that a Ford is dynamically superior to them all) it's right at the top of the list;..."
 
So, dynamically, the Focus does trump them all, unless, of course, you don't care about the dynamics, especially in crowded traffic jams.

Messages Page 105 of 182

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