Volvo now, or Volvo later?

"victor" (victor)
10/15/2014 at 03:35 • Filed to: Volvo, car buying, wagons, Polestar

This is a battle of the brown wagons. On one hand, I can get a dressed-to-the-nines fully loaded (w/ Parking sensors, BLIS, heated seats, some other stuff) 2015.5 polestar xc70 t6 Platinum for 1k under invoice (around 47k) that would come in around December.....

Or I can wait and roll the dice on an upcoming v90 (XC90 T6 AWD will base at 49k, a 20% rise in price; for reference)

As I !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I'm coming on 85k and 7 years on my Subaru 2.5xt Limitd Wagon. I went through looking at various wagons. I originally had a 2015 outback on order; but since cancelled to it's excruciating looks and newfound blandness.

I also looked at an e350 wagon (whoa! pocketbook!), allroad (size) and 328i (size, also). The xc70 is actually a perfect size. It's about the same volume and dimensions as an Outback. It's a size class (squarely midsize) that has lately been abandoned as cars grow in size.

The problem with this whole equation is that the car is coming to the end of life, and it's quite old. The car has been updated to stay with the times, and that polestar T6 is quite a sweet engine putting out 329bhp and 354lb-ft torque. Combined with the Sensus Connect system w/ in car 3G, and still a greatly engineered vehicle, and you got quite a nice car. The bones may be a bit older than the new young'uns, but the bones were never bad to begin with.

Now I'm just venting at being stuck in this weird car buying limbo as vacillate between wanting the xc70, and waiting for it's key competitive alternative in the US Automotive landscape....the V90. So in the end, it seems like that the only fairly well sized alternative will be another Volvo. But will I be able to afford that replacement?

DISCUSSION (19)

KatzManDu > victor
10/15/2014 at 04:18

Don't go into hock to buy a car. I've lived that stupidity too many times.

victor > KatzManDu
10/15/2014 at 04:49

This will be an almost all cash purchase

Leon711 > victor
10/15/2014 at 04:49

XC70, live for the now, not for the later.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > victor
10/15/2014 at 05:09

From a designer's point of view: Volvo Later

From a Car guy who values practicality's point of view: Volvo Now

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > victor
10/15/2014 at 06:37

Well I think it kind of depends on one thing, how are you paying? Are you going to be financing and locked into the XC70 for a while?

Or will it be most cash so you could theoretically sell it without being meters and meters underwater?

Id get the xc70 now. The v90 is beautiful but im just not sure what to expect or when to expect it.

we have a 2012 S60 and love love love that car. Everything about it. If you haven't driven a newer volvo recently you are missing out. Also, I still find the XC70 very sharp looking. Our only gripe was gas mileage.

Vicente Esteve > victor
10/15/2014 at 07:29

This is a tough one. I'd suggest you take a look at the MKT or the Ford Flex Ecoboost, both of these wagons haul like hell, 350HP. And, they wouldn't be too expensive compared to the europeans. But if it were those 2 Volvos, it depends when the production version of the V90 does appear. See it this way, did you like the look of the new XC-90 so badly that you would want a wagon version of it? If it didn't make you really really desperate for it, then id go for the XC70, because the V90 will likely be very much like the new XC-90. Also, get the polestar, XC70s with Polestar packages are very very rare.

Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready > victor
10/15/2014 at 07:57

Wait for the V90.

FromCanadaWithLove > victor
10/15/2014 at 08:39

I'm pretty sure Volvo has 0% financing for 6 years right now, so I wouldn't pay upfront.

victor > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/15/2014 at 12:10

I'll be paying mostly cash, but if I were to change cars in 2 years; it's going to be a huge wallet hit. The current crop of Volvos are actually quite well designed for the age.. The best analogy is that it's a 40 year old Ironman triathlete. The bones are old, but it's still super strong, and it'll hang with the young whippersnappers.

I like the XC70, and taken in a vacuum, it's actually an easy buy for a wagon lover. The Volvo T6 in the has a beautiful heritage, it's super reliable, and the XC70 has a good reliability history (considered "Very good" by consumer reports).

I'm also still a bit skeptical of what to expect of the V90. What will it be for reliability? Will it be better built or better handling? But it's also the allure that Volvo is getting out of it's long drought, building something sexy.

The XC90 is jumping from 40k to 49k with the 2016 model change. Will the same occur with the V90? Will it even come to the US? That's my conundrum.

victor > FromCanadaWithLove
10/15/2014 at 12:20

only on the 2015, not on the 2015.5

Tina Corbett > victor
10/15/2014 at 13:54

I sell Volvos and I say go for the XC70 now. Sounds like it's going to do what you want, and why wait for something you 'might' like, when there's a perfectly good car here right now that you know you WILL love?

victor > Vicente Esteve
10/15/2014 at 14:06

I wanted a Flex Ecoboost. Wife said too big. Wouldn't fit in garage either.

victor > Tina Corbett
10/15/2014 at 14:23

Because I know I will love the new HMI from the new Sensus unit and the new interior. I can imagine them trying to be pricier and going upmarket more with the new vehicles though.

Tina Corbett > victor
10/15/2014 at 14:34

That *is* true. Ive seen the training on the new XC90 and it's flippin gorgeous. And the prices seem to be on par for what you'd expect from Volvo without being too ridiculous. We won't actually have one here in the dealership till April but we are taking orders now. I'm personally hesitant to buy a car myself before I sit in it and fuss with it.

If I could afford one, I'd buy one myself in a heartbeat. It's that brilliant. But that being said...if you're wanting a car 'now', go with the XC70. To each thier own I guess. :-)

Tina Corbett > victor
10/15/2014 at 14:37

Also, where on this planet do you live? If you're willing to go Volvo, I could have you get in touch with one of the new car guys here at Byers Volvo. I do mostly used cars myself, but we have two of the best Volvo dudes I've ever seen here in Columbus Ohio.

Vicente Esteve > victor
10/15/2014 at 17:44

Well thats not great

Toy Slacker > Hahayoustupidludditeshutupandgohandcrankyourmodeltalready
10/16/2014 at 13:28

I'm currently sitting in a 2010 V70 Red RDesign... I'm 4+ years into my 10 year ownership plan... but I may be tempted by the V90, can't wait to see it. FWIW... the XC70 T6 hauls! I had one as a loner for a month while VCNA was rebuilding my engine under warranty, and I was SO tempted to not pick my car back up, but I couldn't live with the body roll from the high-riding XC70.

So, as a current low sitting V70 driver, WAIT!

victor > Toy Slacker
10/16/2014 at 18:22

That's what i ended up doing. I called to cancel my preorder. I am waiting until Feb/Mar to see what's coming out. By that point, it'll be clear whether or not i want a XC70 or wait for the V90 CC/ V90/ etc

RiceOwl > victor
03/19/2015 at 16:49

Do you feel strongly about ordering a brand new XC70? Since the design is so old and you're mostly paying cash anyways, wouldn't it make sense to buy a couple year old one with some warranty left?

You'd still have most of the benefits of buying new, but you'd skip the huge depreciation hit when the model is replaced. Plus, your options would stay open to get a V90 in the near future.