I’ve heard about the same thing you have, and I don’t personally know anyone with a diesel to ask, either. I’ll be keeping my Jeep so it won’t bother me too much if the diesel doesn’t want to start on the cold days.
Are you looking new or used? $30K will buy you a whole lotta car…
There’s goop you can add to diesel to prevent it from jelling in the cold, and given that you live in the frozen north, I’m sure that there’s probably a block heater installed on the car for you to plug it into an outlet, so it’s not difficult to start on cold winter mornings.
While block heaters are standard on pretty well EVERY car sold around these parts, they don’t seem to make much difference to a diesel engine. If you’ve never experienced it, -40 is COLD. A trickle of electricty barely keeps gas going, let alone diesel.
I have a feeling it might be more trouble than it’s worth.
Ok - I’ve got a test drive for a 2006 Volvo S40 2.4i, with the sport package and a sun roof on Thursday.
I’m sort of drooling over it, actually…
Do you want automatic or manual?
VW has the sweetest automatic available the DSG which really is better than manual (and I am a very pro-manual car driver). This is available on some Jetta’s and Golfs.
(PS the new Golfs are very cute, and a GTI would be great fun to drive.)
(PPS if you get lots of snow (guessing you do) check out the Subaru WRX wagons and sedans, the all wheel drive is great for snowey conditions )
I’ll only drive a manual. I hate automatics - my left foot gets jealous that my right foot is getting all the action.
I own a 2005 Volvo, but the S80 and I love it. Roomy and comfortable and lots of trunk space. In the past I’ve owned an older model Volvo GLT that was reliable. We drove it all the way from San Franscico to Seattle along the coast with no problems and an older model VW Jetta that was falling apart after a while and kept fogging up in the winter. That was the most annoying part was that it was constantly fogging up and overheating.
I would buy another Volvo if I had to get another car and IMO the S40 is sporty and cute. We bought ours brand new off the lot as they were getting ready for the 2006’s so you may get a really good deal if the new year models are suposed to be coming out.
2001 VR6 owner here. 55,000 miles on it, no major problems. I got the 17 inch rim sport tires though which love nice new asphalt, but hates (and goes flat) with bad potholes. I drive another car more often which has much less power, and when I switch back to the Jetta, I really appreciate its ‘but I want to go 80mph…why are you slowing down?’ attitude.
Dealers can be an issue though. Talk to people who you know who drive VWs at work or in your neighborhood. They’ll tell you which dealer is a ‘meat-market’ which one has slow/bad service, etc. Also, AAA recomends car dealers; maybe there’s a AAA rated VW dealer that they can refer you to.
Yah - the guy seems to think that I can get the S40 with the sport package and the sun roof for $34,000 (Canadian) - thats about $6,000 off the MSRP so I’m feeling OK about it.
Remember to price the car in the US as well. Depending ont he make and model you could save a significant amount if you’re willing to drive a day down south to Montana to pick it up.
Well it’s seems like the Volvo is more than edging out the beloved Jetta on this thread with good reasons.
FWIW, I am still driving my '95 Jetta with 112,000 miles. The engine is still running smoothly. Only now, am I starting to see a bit of rust around the rear driver side door. It’s a solid car. However we used to joke that anytime it needed some kind of service it would be at least $400 no matter what. My ex and I both learned to drive manual on this Jetta so we were rough on it early on (replaced clutch). The alternator and power locks went bad before 50k. So aside from user abuse and the electrical, my baby still drives like a dream. Never been stuck in snow, never lost control in nasty weather, always starts up, heat/ac never had a problem and she’s taken me all over the U.S.
Would I buy another one? Doubtful, mostly cause I don’t like the way the new ones look, but I would still buy another VW or more likely one of those hot new Passat Wagons. Cheers!
Ok, I’ve spoken to my car guy. Keeping in mind that the only car he would actually recommend is a BMW, he’s said regarding the Volvo “It’s not a mistake to buy it.”
Regarding the Jetta he said “Are you fu*&%^*ing kidding me?!?!?!” In his opinion the electrical problems that the Jetta is plagued with put it right out of the running.
He is pushing the Acura TSX, but I have to be honest, it’s styling leaves me cold.
Regarding the BMW, well, I don’t think I could get one for less than $40K, and I just don’t dig them that much. Perfectly fine, but they just don’t float my boat, ya know? At least not $40K worth, anyway.
BMWs are good cars for what they are, but (by secondhand experience only; I’ve never owned one) cost you an arm and a leg whenever they go in for repair. I don’t think the 3 Series cars are worth the money, but I haven’t been in one in a couple of years. If I were going to buy German, I’d get an Audi, though they’ve had their share of irregular reliablity, too. (Actually, the dream garage would have an RS6 as the practical car and an Aston Martin DB9 as the grand tourer, with a late Seventies/early Eighties Series 40 Land Cruiser in the “go anwhere” role.)
The Acura is a nice car and generally has a good reliability record, but I’m unenthused by them.
Stranger
EXACTLY! Jeeze - the thing looks like a friggin’ Camery. I mean meh with a capital M. Meh.
Infinity or Lexus do anything for ya? There is an Infinity G35 in our parking lot that the owner just loves. I don’t know anybody with a Lexus.
Not so much, no.
They seem like “Old Business Man” cars. I’m not really an old business man.
Funny! I used to own a 1998 VW Passat, and jokes that it cost at least $600 every time it was in for service.
Yes. I own a 1997 passat and this thing is freaking expensive. I like VW’s style and certain things about their design are just great. The big, big downfall is that it is so expensive to maintain. Even a routine oil change is not routine, it needs special coolant, parts, everything is twice as much as a ‘normal’ car. It has weird problems like doors that don’t open correctly and electrical issues. But on the plus side, I have well over 100,000 miles and the engine is going strong.
I have a friend who went from a VW to a Volvo and had many of the same complaints, that it was expensive to maintain. But if you are going to buy new and get a warranty you might not care.
I really like certain things about VW’s but I am ready to sell it and will never buy another VW just because of the frustration. That is too bad since I think they get a lot of things right. My next car is going to be a Honda, after much research.
I just heard from the Acura RSX-S owner. It’s a 2002 with 75,000km on it and it’s had NO time in the shop. Sounds like a goodie to me if you aren’t already sold on the Volvo.
Well, maybe, but drive it and see if you don’t change your mind.