Its a struggle.
I was crashed into in my mums LR4 the other week, guy came across the median strip straight at me. Managed to swerve to avoid the head on, but he swiped the whole side of the car and wrote it off. If I was on one of the bikes I'd be dead.
Now is the dilemma of what to get to replace it. New diesels are so loaded with emissions shit that I didn't want to touch them. Ended up with a 2019 VW Tiguan, 2L petrol, as an interim.
No idea what is even worth buying as a near-new for her.
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That sounds like it sucks ass. I really hope I'm able to hold on to driving old cars forever.Leave a comment:
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Main reason I say XC90 is that the SPA gen started 2 years earlier, and there seem (or seemed at the time I bought mine) to be more options, cheaper, and usually spec'd well.
The trunk is absolutely massive compared to the competition - Acura MDX, BMW X7, Audi whatever, etc. Wider, lower floor, trunk opening horizontally and vertically, all of it is multiple inches more than you get with other stuff, and you still get the third row.
I rented a new Durango a few weeks back, and I always thought those were large, but the hatch felt damn near a foot narrower, and after the stroller went in, my luggage only fit on its side.
Mine is only missing the BW sound system (HK mid-tier system is damn good though). I'm under the impression that the "Acoustic Glass" option and electronic air suspension were added sometime later in production, and I've heard that neither are really an improvement. (After my LR4 air suspension experience, I would've thought it is well worth whatever it costs to have and maintain EAS, but the XC90 guys with EAS seem to dislike it)
My main gripes are:
Road noise (could be somewhat tire or bearing related on mine, but loud tire/wheelwell area is a common complaint.)
All vehicle coding options are subscription based. Car configuration is cloud synced with Volvo, so if the dealer plugs it in, it may revert edits and even brick some replaced modules.
Some modules need to be virgin to use them. Once VIN or position is set for some items, it can't be changed. Sometimes that means you just can't use a Left Headlight Control Module on the Right side, but sometimes it seems to be more of a problem? I have heard stories but have not had issues myself.
Vehicle "Variant Code" determines which parts fit your car. For example, there are 2 rear shock part numbers, but I don't know which one is actually for my car. The dealer is the only one who can decode the VIN to tell you your variant code.
I think the last 3 are just unfortunately how cars work now, and this sort of "make life harder for the end user" thing is my main complaint about mine.
That said, it motivates me not to fuck with it, so that helps it perform its duties as a Daily...Last edited by Northern; 04-09-2026, 08:42 AM.Leave a comment:
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I love how nobody mentions the XC60 lmao, It's a decent "SUV" compared to the XC70 and 90 but make sure that 4 cylinder isn't drinking oil like it's trying to compete against Badlandchugs, Otherwise the SPA cars are excellent, Can't complain with them!Leave a comment:
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I like the XC70 idea.
I'm biased toward the SPA cars though... and the 2017-2020 XC90s are still a bargain. I'd include the 2016, but they have piston ring issues, maybe ones that have been repaired are worth looking at. Nice cars, plus Muh safety and all that.
That said, all rear-facing seats are fucking yuuge. Wife fits with room to spare, but I barely fit in the passenger front seat.
"Tahoe or some shit" is also rational.Leave a comment:
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She probably wants something that one of her friends drives. Just buy that, she'll feel safe and happy.Leave a comment:
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w211 for the win
w212 w m272/273 has intermediate shaft issues (engine out) type shitLeave a comment:
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Ok, I've come to the conclusion that 955 or 957 Cayenne S or Turbo is not the right call for the wife. I assume anything mechanically sound is going to have decent paint, which will get fucked from street parking in south philly. I had been tossing around the idea of a w211 E500 or E550 to get a fun V8 wagon, but my wife doesn't like the looks. A w212 E550 is a little too pricy for a disposable car. Also, it's really hard to find a V8 wagon. Also also, my wife has some thoughts about owning a bunch of old german luxury cars.
Surprise surprise, we had our first kid at the end of December, so he's a little over 3 months old now. My wife doesn't currently have a car, so she's stuck using the bus if she wants to get around town and she's not able to get out of the city at all. No idea if she'll need a car when she returns to work in another 3 months. She won't drive a manual, so the f30 doesn't work for her, and she has something against taking the kid in the e30, so that car is out. The rear facing car seat makes the front passenger seat unusable in the f30, and the stroller takes up the WHOLE trunk. I want something that she can drive for 2-3 years and then we sell, I want it to be somewhat fun, and it can't be a project car. Occasional issues are fine, but it needs to be mostly reliable. Oh, and I wanna stay under $10k for the car.
My new idea is a 2012-2016 XC70 T6 (facelift P3): Plastic clad bumpers for street parking, AWD for occasional snow/camping/hiking, ground clearance for the shitty philly roads, automatic for the wife, safe, good interior space for hauling shit, essentially a normal car (plentiful), and a turbo 6-cyl that can be tuned for a bit more power. Thoughts?Last edited by McGyver; 03-30-2026, 09:22 AM.Leave a comment:
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How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?
Something I would never have guessed Simon was in to.Leave a comment:
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have at it boys… clearly she can handle a lot of pipes back there, of all shapes and sizesLeave a comment:
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