Benz quality slipping?..

[boba world]

Check out the article from msnbc today-
http://www.msnbc.com/news/699301.asp?0dm=N21BB

[EvilHorace]

I repair Volvos for a living and the same has occured with them too, generally poor quality compared to how they were years ago. From what I've heard from BMW guys, they too have suffered. Guess one doesn't get much 'bang for your buck' with high line cars anymore :(

[OC]

I think it's a result of both MB and BMW trying to expand down-market. This is partly why MB merged with Chrysler. In Europe, the hot hatch market has been strong for years. This makes most European makes want a piece of that pie, including MB and BMW. So they design cars for that segment - and to maximize profits they try to have a certin commonality of parts among all their car lines. Does this mean the lower end cars get some high-line parts? Nope, just the opposite. High-line cars get some lower-end parts, and this is the result.

-OC

[Kebbies]

how interesting. my friend just took his '00 bmw 3-series coupe to the shop for the 3rd time b/c the clutch just doesn't catch in time.

you fix volvos, evilhorace? cools. i drive a white '97 S90/960, the last RWD model volvo put out...before they went all FWD :bawl:

[EvilHorace]

I was at a Volvo 2002 update class today and rumor has it there that Volvos quality has gone down and will continue to do so due to Fords influence. Ford doesn't care as much about quality and longevity as Volvo once did years ago. Ford would rather sell you another car than see you keeping your old one. If anyone here doesn't already know, Ford bought Volvo a couple years ago and we'll also soon see new Ford/Mazda based Volvo products. Ford also owns Mazda (and then some.....). Like it or not, that's how it's going to be. The way I see it, I'll be employed and busy no matter what happens but the old time and once loyal Volvo customers will move on to other makes as they'll want a better built car and they can afford it.

[Kevster]

Originally posted by EvilHorace
I was at a Volvo 2002 update class today and rumor has it there that Volvos quality has gone down and will continue to do so due to Fords influence. Ford doesn't care as much about quality and longevity as Volvo once did years ago. Ford would rather sell you another car than see you keeping your old one. If anyone here doesn't already know, Ford bought Volvo a couple years ago and we'll also soon see new Ford/Mazda based Volvo products. Ford also owns Mazda (and then some.....). Like it or not, that's how it's going to be. The way I see it, I'll be employed and busy no matter what happens but the old time and once loyal Volvo customers will move on to other makes as they'll want a better built car and they can afford it.

I have a long history of hating :angry: ford products (well, any ford product younger than 1951) and this does not suprise me in the least. :2far:

Do I have to start going into the different acronyms for F.O.R.D.? :laugh:

Anyway, many thanks for the Volvo update - I was considering them for my next car...

[Jihforce]

bummer...yeah I guess Jags will suffer the same fate huh? :(

[EvilHorace]

Our dealership also sells Jags and although I hate Jags and want nothing to do with them, the Jag people say that Ford improved their product alot BUT it took 10 years for them to see the changes.
As for Ford, not everything they've made is bad. I'm not especially fond of any newer "affordable" car. GM and Chysler have made more than their fair share of junk too over the years so I'm not sure that one's really better than the other these days.

[Kebbies]

what~!? ford owns mazda?? when did THAT happen????

i knew about volvo being bought out by ford. supposedly, the last pure swedish brick produced will be the AWD S60. can you verify that, EHorace?

sigh. looks like i'm the only volvophile around these days...it's hard when you live in a land of hondas and acuras. i still get teased for driving a "mommy-mobile".

but then it's a RWD straight-6 w/an IPD bhp-mod chip mommymobile~!! muahahahaha.

[LPMiller]

Ford doesn't own Mazda; they do own a lot of stock in them though, and they have a long standing partnership.

Ford also owns part of Kia, which is why the Sophia, Protege and Contour share the same platform, and have similar engines.

[boba world]

Sad to hear about the demise of the VolVo-
My 83' DL got me through lots of wild high school days, and the lack of acceleration actually saved my ass a couple of times.
Also, the super slick cornering abilities ensured bangin some tite U turns..
Its still in the family, pushing past 200k Miles!!

[EvilHorace]

My modified, restored '86 Volvo 745T (turbo wagon) has 211K miles on it but it's had it fair share of costly parts put into it in the 8 yrs I've owned it. It's still my daily driver, pretty much like new and is faster than many other cars on the road.
Rumor has it that the new Volvo SUV (the XC90) will be the last "true Volvo" and after that we'll see a blend of Ford, Jag and Mazda products mixed having a Volvo badge on it.

[Jihforce]

Sad...better tell my sister to hang on to her S70.
By the way EH, what do you think of the C70s? IF they weren't so pricey, I'd like to have me one of those. :D

[kimchicowboy]

although the quality is going down for volvos, bmw, MB, and other luxury cars, i'd still take a MB over any of them.

[Wizard]

The way I understood it LPM was that Ford currently controls:
Mazda
Ford
Volvo
LandRover
Jaguar
Kia

The best one I think is that Fiat owns Ferrarii and that VW owns Lamborghini as well as Audi. hehehe barely no companies are on their own now.

[brain]

Originally posted by kimchicowboy
although the quality is going down for volvos, bmw, MB, and other luxury cars, i'd still take a MB over any of them.

Damn straight!

[shoeish]

Ford has control of:
Volvo, mazda, lincoln, mercury, jaguar, aston martin, and landrover.

[EvilHorace]

The C70 coupe is OK with the exception of the window regulators which is a fiasco if (more like WHEN) they break as it's the type with wires and small plastic rollors rather than the good ol' tryed and true metal arm types that last (almost) forever. When the C70s window reg breaks, they're about $500 plus alot of labor as they aren't easy to adjust properly (without air or water leaks afterwords).
Whatever you do, don't ever think about the C70 convertable as their convertables are terrible, about the worst design for a convetable that I've ever seen and big $$ when they break. They'd be great if you could just always leave the top down and only drive them on nice, sunny days (if not too hot out) but that's about it.

As for the list of luxury cars, I too would still like a big Benz for everyday driving if money were no object.

[psycho-]

Well, from what I understand, the quality slip at volvo was partially due to their in-car LAN system, which was introduced on the S80. When the S80 was around, it started from the beginning with poor reliability ratings. At that point, the S70 still had good reliability ratings. Whent he S70 was phased out and the S60 took its place, it also started going downhill. A large part of the issue involves the fact the majority of problems are electrical. From what I understand with my car (94' 854) is that alot of the components are taken from Alps electric (Alpine).


If you know anything about recent automotive history, you know that Ford has actually decreased the overall reliability of Jaguars vehicles by overhauling their entire vehicle engineering program.

But, remember, Volvos always have had electrical issues in the past.