unfortunately they are very unappealing on this truck.

 

They can't look an worse than that build up you have going on there! That’s nasty.

 

like the seats.

 

Beautiful vehicle Andrew... Looks fantastic!

 

Show us the Yamaha V8 under the hood!

 

ok I'm a car snob and I knew Andrew was knowledgeable about cars but I didn't get the volvo thing...
but just out of the mailbox is the new Automobile pub and one of the top 10 cars to have in the garage is a... C-30! a volvo? a white one!?
hmmm...change my value system or cancel the magazine...how would I explain the Z06...

 

the contenders were the range rover sport (61k), bmw x5 4.8 sport (63k), and the volvo xc90 V8 sport (56k)...

price really persuaded my decision... i lease all of my cars (easier to deduct for my type of business)...

the payments were out of control on the rr ($1,200 per mo) ... bmw ($1,060 per mo). with the volvo ($625 per mo)... its a no brainer when you consider the above msrp's.

its not that i can't afford the rr or the bmw... it comes down to the justification... and i can't justify handing over 1k per month on a leased car.

the range rover has horrible depreciation along with poor money factors... the bmw just had poor money factors... combined with no incentives. the volvo offered 1% interest and heavy discounts...

the volvo sport is a simplistic and conservative imo but has turn out to be a very good choice in many ways... the sport version is rare (400 produced per yr)... in fact there is only 1 other in the area... the yahama V8 is a perfect match... the sport seats & steering wheel are great interior accents... all the sport pieces in & out allow the volvo to be different than all other xc90's on the road. i like something unique and slightly different than every other car out there.

i think if you drove one (sport)... your opinion may change... and this is coming from a true bmw enthusiast.

this is a great vehicle for its intent and for my wife... her only wishes... they would have offered the sport in white.

 

I had just looked at your snow post when I was handed the mail. For whatever reason I flipped the mag in the mail to the article I mentioned. The brief article made me connect the dots why a car guy would be looking at that brand - because not 5 minutes earlier I was reading your snow post. First time I had seen a volvo in that company of cars. Its the latest issue of Automobile, you should get it for your wife. I think I poorly communicated that my views of volvo were outdated - my views did change. My wife had a turbo wagon in the early 90's and it was plastic-y and always in the shop - but what every wife and mom in town had. They must be a different car today.

 

12 months ago... i would have never imagined a volvo product in my garage...

but last year we stayed at a condo in st pete florida (friends of ours) and used their new volvo xc70 awd wagon... after driving it around for a week...
the product kinda grew on me (but not the look of the tall wagon) ... and only then did i consider their suv.

andrew and a volvo ... i would have never guessed it either.

 

How Bad Is The Gas???

 

Very sharp looking SUV Andrew.

 

~ i average just over 15 mpg... but it doesn't require premium fuel like many others do.

 

Even with the snow it still looks sharp.
4X4 is the best with winter weather.

 

~ here are some pics...

DSCF0017.jpg

DSCF00151.jpg

 

Well, it looks like andrew's new XC90 may soon become an orphan like the Crossfire. See this story from Motor Authority. Obviously, andrew has more class than luck...

 

When you lease like Andrew does, there's no problem.
Besides, isn't exclusivity a good thing?

 

Absolutely. Both cars score high on that desirable feature. The problem is not with us - it's with the majority of drivers who see their vehicles as "transportation appliances" and care very little about exciting performance or a remarkably unusual design. So most of these unique cars end up with pistonheads who do care about those qualities, which is indeed, as you say, "a good thing."

 

fp... this is for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgbVYyHscKA

 

Hey this is cool. I like. How do I get one?