Let's face it, 99% of all the posts here are negative, but we all know that there are many of us who really love our cars. Personally, I'm getting tired of reading about problems with automatic transmissions, computer performance (door locks, etc), sun roofs, radios, etc, etc. The fact is all cars have their quirks, some more than others (a friend of mine just had a new transfer case installed in his 2004 Dodge truck after only 400 mile). Sure the S80 had a rough start in 99'. There are lots of cars out there that had a terrible first year. But I also hear lot's of people praising the S80 for it's comfort, performance, good looks, luxury and comfort, safety, and the fun of driving/owning one. Just read some of the editor and owner reviews on Edmunds.com, although there are a few "I hate my S80" posts, most are positive.

What I'm proposing here is an opportunity for the silent majority (minority?) to post some good news about S80 ownership. Request all the nay-sayers avoid this post because you may be discouraged by our positive ownership experiences.

Allow me to start.

I owned a 2000 Ford Mustang for the last three years. During the first year of ownership, I suffered a severe back injury that required surgery. I haven't been the same since, I'm almost always in pain. Anyway, I tried for the last 2.5 years to get out of that shoebox-of-a-car and into a Volvo S80. Unfortunately, the dealers in the area were asking more than my budget would allow. A few weeks ago, I happened across a dealership close to where I work (I communte 75-100 miles a day, through back roads, highways and bridges). He had several low mileage Volvos on the lot. First I test drove a 2000 S70 with 37K miles. Nice car, in great shape, only flaw I could find was what appeared to be a small oil leak. It drove well and had nice acceleration, although it didn't handle the bumps in the road to my liking. Then I test drove a 2000 S80 2.9L with 34K miles. What a difference from the S70! The S80 was so much more refined in appearance and performance, a very nice and comfortable car. The car was very clean and had just come off lease. They were asking $20K and were willing to give me $10K for my Mustang (which is around $3K over Kelly's Blue Book trade-in value). It was a great deal, plus I managed to get 2.9% financing from the local Credit Union as well.

So far the car has been everything I would have expected from a Volvo. It rides very well, super comfortable on my daily commute. I used to literally collapse when I walked in the door at night after my commute with the Mustang. Now when I come home after driving the S80, the only thing I want to do is go out and drive it some more! I've been averaging 25 MPGs as well (beats the Mustang anyday). My wife is so much happier and worries less about my commute (remember that the S80 is one of the safest cars on the road).

Overall, I'm very satisfied with the car. I called Volvo to ensure the recalls had been taken care of. All is well, I love my car!