[markwemple]

I've owned Audis for the last 20 years and the worst electrical problem I had was when the wiring between the door and chassis made it so that the pass side window wouldn't work right. Never left me stranded.

[Rick V]

Originally Posted by Cliff Claven

Whose list??

Insurance safty research study.
Please don't get me wrong, I like the new Volvos, they are just riding the rep. they developed years earlier.
My sister was T-Boned in her S40. (some punk in a Mustang ran a red light) The only injury she recieved was from an airborne can of catfood. She had just left the store. She was hit so hard in the pass. door, the engine/trans were picked up seperatly from the shell.

[Cliff Claven]

Originally Posted by BlackTalon

Sure -- it's hard to get into a wreck if your car is sidelined with electrical issues all the time!

You shouldn't have to sacrifice reliability for safety.

Safety ratings are not necessarily based on real life testing. Some makers are very good at designing cars to pass the safety tests. But it's like teaching kids just to pass a SOL; that's not real learning. Volvo designs their cars based on real life expectations, and real life crash experience. They have a team in Europe that travels on a moment's notice to sites of crashes involving their cars for the purpose of studying and learning from such incidents.

[racer]

I haven't had (m)any electrical issues either in 20 years of VWs. After 7 years and 130K miles I did have to replace coil packs on my GTi. I figured 7 years of oilchanges and normal wear and tear, the car cost me very little, so I didn't mind the interuption. But, this isn't a VW thread, its a Volvo thread - not that it makes it any better

[BeerBurner]

Thanks for the input guys!

Based on what I've read (here and elsewhere), I'm still leaning towards the 850. But I'll look at both as I'm shopping around and would consider a clean 740 should it come my way. I'm not opposed to other wagons as well, but the Volvo is what speaks to me the most. Maybe it's because I grew up with a mustard yellow '83 240 wagon, I dunno...

Not that this will likely happen for a while. Unless I trip over something... or get that bug.

BB.

[markwemple]

Why not the true mechanical/physical tank - the 240. You can get a turbo manual with that one.

[markwemple]

Oh, and can anyone show me a more stout and reliable racecar than the R8. I have no idea where people come from with the negative attitude toward Audi's mechanical or electrical reliability. I have close to a 1/2 million miles of experience in them and love them! Also, I was speaking of european tests. You know, the ones that tell you if you will walk away from a shunt on the autobahn.

[Cliff Claven]

Originally Posted by Rick V

My sister was T-Boned in her S40. (some punk in a Mustang ran a red light) The only injury she recieved was from an airborne can of catfood. She had just left the store. She was hit so hard in the pass. door, the engine/trans were picked up seperatly from the shell.

Damn, sounds like a bad wreck. But speaks well for the safety of the new volvos.

[BlackTalon]

Originally Posted by markwemple

I have no idea where people come from with the negative attitude toward Audi's mechanical or electrical reliability.

Guess I got my 'idea' watching a guy at work have nothing but trouble with his Audi A4 for 2-1/2 + years. Also hung out for a bit on some Audi BBs, as I had been considering an S4 ~ 3years ago. But like all oither car BBs, I'm sure all you ever hear from are the minority that have problems, versus the majority who don't (and therefore don't need to hang out on the BBs). As far as VWs go, I've seen a couple that had dash fires from faulty wiring. Mid-80s vintage problem?

[cmartin]

850's are dirt cheap now, for 2500 you can get a nice one. IF it does have a major issue a year down the road, so what?