Volvo Was Sold

[MrWinkey]

Man I want in this conversation bad ...however I don't have the time to debate any of this !

I've been turning wrenches as a career since 87. Have seen many changes over the years. Been under the hood of just about everthing from Alpha to O-Vega. I will say workin' a 76 Targa through the gears at 18yrs old chuckin' their Slim Whitman cassette tapes in the back seat after an oil change was pretty banging (cause you gotta check'm hot.)

Take note..... whenever installing a Corvair flat six in a bug you need to flip the gear box diff around as the Corvair runs counterclockwise and you will have 5 spd's in reverse. Ralph Nater is alive and possibly harboring money hungary automotive CEO's and engineer's in Argentina with Hitler,Tricky Dick,Hellen Keller,Jim Morrison....not Elvis though IMO, if he was alive, you know darn well he would have come outta hiding when his daughter married Michael Jackson.....Elvis is really dead!

Oh forgot too add sorta specialized in Swedish cars since 93.(my certificate of authawinkaty)

Honestly, I think BMW and Volvo would make a good merger with the right school of thought and the proper engineering(...wait ...I mean ditch all the faulty programing,nitch the propritery rights crap and hire a Japanesse programer)

GM and Saab is a very good merger as far as I'm concerned. They have very good platform right now on the 93 sport sedan but it needs a Saab powerplant and they(GM) just need to stop screwing with it and their stupid 10yr parts obselete school of thought....... just total retardation???

Do the new school engineers and CEO's of these top 500 come to work. Wave their weiners around(thx Charles) and sip coffee in their highrise's everday while humming the Sponge Bob or Lone Ranger theme song? Just so many mistakes on engineering anymore

The Jap's have the market cornered in a lot of aspects right now IMO?

Just my thought's

Yes I'm TWI (typing while intoxicated)....... Violation of Code 9/3, rule book850, chapter S-70, subchapter 240

[info2x]

Im here to stand up for GM. There are SOME inside that know what they are doing. I put 265K on my Corvette, the second owner has now put another 100K on it. All on the original engine that is still purrring like a kitten. 90% of all Corvette's EVER MADE since 53' are still on the road or in a collection.

Dont ever compare the smallblock and bigblock Chevy engines with any eurotrash. I can take a ZZ4 crate engine, pop in low compression pistons and cam, and pump 30+Lbs of boost into it and it WONT BREAK. And some modifications to the design (including some SAAB innovations) could easily yeild a 50MPG 500HP monster.

I love my V70XC but this Porche designed silly 5cyl isn't worthy of holding a smallblock chevy's dirty oil. Just a fact Jack. Imagine an S80R with the Z06 Corvette engine in it.

Two things... the green barettes of GM engineering are FST people (Gotta toot my horn). I think the vette owners are a different breed than the rest of GM owners meaning they actually take care of their cars and as Volvo owners we are all too aware that proper maintenance is key. That is all I'll say since I'm tired...

[pro_star]

there is a point being made with the proper maintenence bit there.

Then again, I just don't like GMC cause I remember my parents bought a Safari back when I was young...nothing but problems from day one. It's possible we were the exception, but, I just don't trust GMC

[tubalcain]

If BMW had the sale it may mean the resurrection of the turbo? Maybe the "R" we have all dreamed about?

[dmelviØØ7]

If BMW had the sale it may mean the resurrection of the turbo? Maybe the "R" we have all dreamed about?

Reserrection of the turbo?? I drove a 2008 S80 T6 today, it had 6 miles on it.

[crc1185]

Reserrection of the turbo?? I drove a 2008 S80 T6 today, it had 6 miles on it.

Yeah I wasn't aware that the turbo went anywhere!

[info2x]

there is a point being made with the proper maintenence bit there.

Then again, I just don't like GMC cause I remember my parents bought a Safari back when I was young...nothing but problems from day one. It's possible we were the exception, but, I just don't trust GMC

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that GM didn't have quality problems, I'm just saying that proper care no matter what is key.

[(n)A-GAME]

I still stand by my position that they won't sell it. HOWEVER, whoever said above that Nissan/Renault might buy it is right on the money. Really all that's missing from that partnership is a global luxury marque. Nissan has Infiniti, sure, but worldwide neither of those brands are known for luxury (Infiniti is only a North American brand anyways). Volvo has that reputation, acquiring Volvo would really complete the trifecta for Nissan/Renault imo.

[matt b]

I still stand by my position that they won't sell it. HOWEVER, whoever said above that Nissan/Renault might buy it is right on the money. Really all that's missing from that partnership is a global luxury marque. Nissan has Infiniti, sure, but worldwide neither of those brands are known for luxury (Infiniti is only a North American brand anyways). Volvo has that reputation, acquiring Volvo would really complete the trifecta for Nissan/Renault imo.

Carlos Ghosn introduced Infiniti in Europe last year.

[gdizzle]

Man I want in this conversation bad ...however I don't have the time to debate any of this !

I've been turning wrenches as a career since 87. Have seen many changes over the years. Been under the hood of just about everthing from Alpha to O-Vega. I will say workin' a 76 Targa through the gears at 18yrs old chuckin' their Slim Whitman cassette tapes in the back seat after an oil change was pretty banging (cause you gotta check'm hot.)

Take note..... whenever installing a Corvair flat six in a bug you need to flip the gear box diff around as the Corvair runs counterclockwise and you will have 5 spd's in reverse. Ralph Nater is alive and possibly harboring money hungary automotive CEO's and engineer's in Argentina with Hitler,Tricky Dick,Hellen Keller,Jim Morrison....not Elvis though IMO, if he was alive, you know darn well he would have come outta hiding when his daughter married Michael Jackson.....Elvis is really dead!

Oh forgot too add sorta specialized in Swedish cars since 93.(my certificate of authawinkaty)

Honestly, I think BMW and Volvo would make a good merger with the right school of thought and the proper engineering(...wait ...I mean ditch all the faulty programing,nitch the propritery rights crap and hire a Japanesse programer)

GM and Saab is a very good merger as far as I'm concerned. They have very good platform right now on the 93 sport sedan but it needs a Saab powerplant and they(GM) just need to stop screwing with it and their stupid 10yr parts obselete school of thought....... just total retardation???

Do the new school engineers and CEO's of these top 500 come to work. Wave their weiners around(thx Charles) and sip coffee in their highrise's everday while humming the Sponge Bob or Lone Ranger theme song? Just so many mistakes on engineering anymore

The Jap's have the market cornered in a lot of aspects right now IMO?

Just my thought's

Yes I'm TWI (typing while intoxicated)....... Violation of Code 9/3, rule book850, chapter S-70, subchapter 240

:D

[RZT5]

Yeah I wasn't aware that the turbo went anywhere!

I think hes talking about the fact that they are now making NA 2.5's with that maniturbo BS and calling it a T5. With the R now gone, the S60 T5's will be the only volvo that still has an HPT motor. Unless of course the T6 is a true HPT motor. anyone wanna let us know?

[(n)A-GAME]

I was pretty sure that Infiniti was not launched yet in Europe, it's only in Russia now, not going to the rest of Europe until 2008 . Still, my point stands.

[Scootdiggity]

I just dont trust GM because they may have the corvette which is a pretty decent car for 60,000 price tag but across the board their quality is terrible in alot of their other models and makes. The people who i know who have had chevys and buicks all ended up going to different brands because of many issues and build quality. Almost all american cars build quality is terrible, even on the new ones, the lines never mate up throughout the cars especially in interiors. The american automakers just dont take pride in their designs and quality and use the exact same designs on their other brands, like someone stated a saab has an interior like an envoy. This is true or the japanese wouldnt be beating them in sales. If Gm got rid of pontiac, like they did oldsmobile they would be better off. GM needs to have only 2 house brands one entry level and one high end like toyota has lexus, nissan has infiniti and honda has acura. If ford did the same thing, keep ford their entry level and lincoln their high end and ditch mercury. They just need to restructure themselves and they will have a better chance getting back in the game. Ford needs to sell their complete PAG department and concentrate on getting the core of their company solid instead of trying to save themselves by bringing the Taurus back, you dont bring back a name you already discontinued. The reason Ford is in this predictment in the first place is they bought too many brands before making their own brand more solid. If they go back to basics i believe they will do alot better.

Edited July 20, 2007 by Scootdiggity

[rodrigo]

If hyundai bought volvo, im quitting volvospeed and joining a vdub forum.

ive seen you on there already... :rolleyes:

[info2x]

I'm sorry I'm biased I work for GM. Stupid quality problems of the 80s and 90s screwing us over, but alas let me interject although this probably isn't the right forum…

I just dont trust GM because they may have the corvette which is a pretty decent car for 60,000 price tag

The vette starts at 45K for the base 53K for the convertible and 70K for the Z06.

their quality is terrible in alot of their other models and makes.

So is this why our JD power IQS scores are getting closer to the likes of Toyota and Honda? I suppose this is also the reason for several favorable reviews of new products as well including one that pitted the new Saturn Aura against the Camry where it asked the question if Toyota has lost its edge.

The people who i know who have had chevys and buicks all ended up going to different brands because of many issues and build quality

Yeah we've had our problems, we've admitted it. Are there still problems, yup. Are we working on fixing them, damn straight we are. Toyota has them too look at the new Tundra cam shaft failures or the previous generation's suspension failures. Again you don't hear about those problems now do you? Toyota was also under investigation in Japan for hiding safety problems.

Almost all american cars build quality is terrible, even on the new ones, the lines never mate up throughout the cars especially in interiors.

Ford recently beat out Toyota and Honda for quality, funny how good news doesn't travel as fast.

The american automakers just dont take pride in their designs and quality and use the exact same designs on their other brands, like someone stated a saab has an interior like an envoy.

I can't speak for the other companies, but there is a lot of pride here at GM. Oh and finally GM designers are above the accountants that's why cool cars such as the Saturn Sky and Chevy Camaro are actually making it somewhere. If we didn't care about quality we would have died a long time ago and wouldn't have increased our warranty. Our Saturn dealers also wouldn't invite you to drive a Civic and Camry when you test drive an Aura.

This is true or the japanese wouldnt be beating them in sales.

GM just took back that crown thank you very much.

If Gm got rid of pontiac, like they did oldsmobile they would be better off. GM needs to have only 2 house brands one entry level and one high end like toyota has lexus, nissan has infiniti and honda has acura.

I disagree. Pontiac as well as the other brands are getting face lifts (give it time) to take them back to their roots to a degree. Pontiac is going back to being the sporty brand that's why the GTO came back (they shouldn't have called it that though), the G8 is coming, and the Solstice is here. What GM needs to do and is doing to a degree is differentiate its products that are on the same platform so there isn't as much competition among its brands. Look at the Sky and Solstice.

Oh Toyota also has Scion…

Let's face it we're all biased. We all know someone who got screwed by a GM product. We also know that one black mark is worth 10 positive ones. I'm not saying Toyota or Honda make a bad car, I'm not I think they make a good car, and so does GM. GM needs work and so does Toyota (as evidenced by an increase in recalls as the industry trend is down as is GM's).

I'd like to end with an experiment that my coworker ran. He had a Buick that he took to customers to get their opinions on. They played with it and overall the response was negative. He returned later with the same car badged as a Toyota, response was positive.