Our base S70 is the best car we've ever owned. It's the second new car we've ever owned, actually. The first was a 1998 Oldsmobile that was a pure-dee lemon from the get-go. The car before that was a '91 Chevy that we still have, and has 126,000 miles on it. Our Volvo is totally the cream of the crop.

We bought the 162hp S70, with manual transmission and a sunroof, but no options past that, and we paid $26,400 -- any new 4x4 pickup would cost more. For that price, we get 5-star crash protection, stellar winter handling, outstandingly comfortable seats, (the rear seat is as comfortable as some cars' front seat!) and the possibility of reaching a million miles, as Irv Gordon has shown.

We're constantly amazed at just how much stuff we can pack into the car, due to its square design. It eats the freeway miles at 75mph and returns 29mpg, yet beetles around town like our old Chevy Cavalier. We tested the 323i and loved it, but it wasn't "dealable" and the Volvo was.

We keep discovering bits of excellent engineering in our Volvo. First we were impressed by the gas gauge, which has proven to be dead-nuts accurate. I was impressed by the windshield wipers that don't float at freeway speeds. I was impressed when I had to replace a headlight and discovered that the car is engineered to be easy to work on. When our son was born in May, I was praising the built-in locking clips to Valhalla. (if you have a baby you understand!)

I could give a rat's rip about leather-coated ashtrays, dual-auto-electronic-HVAC, spiffy-doodle-flashy rims, one-touch windows/doors, navigation systems, power seats/tilts/pedals/shades/toys, touchie-feeley auto transmissions, and most other optional crap. ANY car can have all that "luxury" crap tacked on, and it doesn't make it special.

I adore examples of good engineering -- "form follows function." I wish I lived in Europe so I could buy a C-Class Mercedes with cloth seats, manual tranny, you-crank windows and so on. All the engineering, and none of the "fru-fru." They're only about $22k US, but not US Certified. Sigh.

I'd buy the S70 if it had the standard content of a Metro, because it's a well-engineered car. I'm opposite of most people here, though.

Nick,

I agreed with your ALL points. For me, I regret not getting the sunroof, the GLT alloy, and the rear spoiler, but we don't get too much sunshine, so I guessed it is USELESS. I also brought a base S70, with the following options: Auto, TRACS, and Leather. I later added the CD Changer, the FRONT FOG LIGHT, Sill protector, and the leather steering wheel. I am thinking about installing those turning signal indicator on the front fender. I was sort of in a rush to get rid of my old Pontiac 6000 STE, as the brake system was failing, and the transmission was leaking very badly.

European vehicles are ANYTIME better than American vehicles. For me, EUROPEAN vehicles are the way to go for any vehicles above the 30K Cdn range.

You probably felt heart-broken when your S70 got vandaled. I did when some IDIOT vandal my front hood a few months after I brought the car in May 1997. I feel heart-broken each time some IDIOT put a minor scratch ( That REALLY spoiled the rest of the day. I just want to go home, and remove that scratch, if I can ). I still have a dent on my rear passenger-side door and on the front left fender.

There has been a few close-call where I wouldn't want to be driving anything else than my "BABY". The first one was when a large box fell off from the truck in front of me on a major highway. THEN, there is those semi, who don't check whether there is a vehicle beside them before they begin changing lanes.

If the time ever comes to change my S70, I probably buy another Volvo, but definitely an European sedan, if $ permits it. Still thinking about that S60R that I post earlier this week.

Oh ! I forgot to thank you for replying.

Kenny

'98 S70 GLE; '00 Focus ZTS; '00 BMW X5 4.4i