Volvo - A prestige car?

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Staples

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A friend of mine has his heart set on buying a Volvo on the basis that it's a "prestige" car in the same categorty as Merc, BMW, etc.

Personally, I think they're a bit "tinny" and that they date quickly. I wouldn't put them anywhere near a Merc or BMW in terms of staus or desirability.

What do others think?
 
I'd put them in the same category as Saab.

I wouldn't put most modern Mercs in the same category as Mercs of old.

As a matter of fact...I think the whole prestige factor has changed over the years. Owning a Beamer or Merc isn't like owning one years ago when we were all driving skips around the place. They've become a lot more accessible to people.

But...in saying all that...no...Volvo would not have the same prestige as a Merc or Beamer. One rung below.
 
Hi Stapes,

I have owned a Audi A3, A4 and 318 BMW. I now have an 05 S40 SE model and can confirm that it is the most luxurious of the 3 cars. It also drives very well and has excellent seats.

The current S40 came out in 04 and in my view still looks modern. I am not a big fan of the bigger models (s60, s80) as they are only available with large engines e.g. 2.0T or 2.4 Diesel. Looking at used car prices I would say these do not hold up as well was the equivalent BMW, Merc, Audi

The S40/V50 I think will hold is value reasonably well compared with A3 Sportback, BMW 1 Series, Merc A/B class.

I addition I get approx 40MPG from the 1.6 petrol matching the official figures. ()

The 2.0T S60 on the other hand will give approx 31MPG.
 
westside said:
Hi Stapes,

I have owned a Audi A3, A4 and 318 BMW. I now have an 05 S40 SE model and can confirm that it is the most luxurious of the 3 cars.
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If the BMW and Audi were boggo models then yes...the S40 would be more luxurious. But are you comparing like with like?

There's Renaults out there with nicer interiors than some BMW's...doesn't make the brand more prestigious.

Btw...not knocking your car here :)
 
Volvo aren't in the same league as BMW or Mercedes even among the Germans there is pecking order. IMHO BMW and Audi would rank above Mercedes. I'd agree with other poster that Saab & Volvo are in the same category of niche brands. Of the two I'd rank volvo rate volvo higher than saab.
 
Certainly not in the premier Prestige category.
With Volvo's, buyers tend to recognise a high level of 'Perceived quality'
 
All this depends on what we term 'prestige'.

Is it build quality, interior and/or exterior?
Price
Bang for buck with regard to standard features
What your mates think down at the bar
What your buddies think in the Golf Club Car park

What is 'prestige' then we can answer if Volvo fits the bill.

Compare the SUV's of Merc, BMW, Audi and Volvo (of equal spec level!) for example. If I was to rate them in order of what I would buy then

Audi Q7
Volvo XC90
BMW X5
Merc SL?

And then again that's only my opinion, not based on whether one is more prestigious than the other...

Prestige is a vanity thing, how you look and how people look at you....no?
 
But what's your main concern Staples?

Is it just the appearance/perception?

Or do you want comfort or power or reliability etc?
 
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I think Volvo is a prestigious brand ie its not a Ford or a Toyota but its not as prestigious as BMW or Mercedes......and before you all go mad I know that both Toyota and Ford have luxury models within their ranges. I'm talking about the overall brand perception.
 
Prestige is the level of respect with which something is regarded by others.

Volvo are fine cars, but would not attract, imho, the same respect (or indeed resentment!) as Mercs or Beemers.
As rightly pointed out above though - Mercs & Beemers have themselves lost some degree of "prestige" as they become more & more commonly seen. Jaysus, people in 9 to 5 jobs have them now!
Saab in Ireland has less prestige than, say, the UK, where they would be seen in most cases as more prestigious than Volvo's.
If "your friend" has his heart set on a Volvo, - if he buys one in a good colour, nice alloys etc - it'll draw just as many admiring glances in the golf club car park!
 
Goggin said:
I'm talking about the overall brand perception.
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That's pretty much what I was getting at. In the way that you might look at a car and say "someday......".

Personally, I don't get that "someday" feeling about Volvos in the same way as I would with a Merc or BMW. I recall a review of the (then) new S40 which remarked that it fell somewhere between a BMW three series and a Ford Mondeo., although nearer the Ford than the beemer. That's pretty much how I'd view it i.e. with some indifference.

Just thought I might be missing something.
 
Jock04 said:
Prestige is the level of respect with which something is regarded by others.
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This is a pretty good definition of prestige.

Jock04 said:
If "your friend" has his heart set on a Volvo, - if he buys one in a good colour, nice alloys etc - it'll draw just as many admiring glances in the golf club car park!
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It actually is my friend. I don't like them at all and don't therefore feel the least bit envious. It's a bit of an awkward one. Pretending I'm pleased for him is difficult while offering my opinion (at this stage) would sound like sour grapes.

Anyway, if he's happy............
 
Staples said:
That's pretty much what I was getting at. In the way that you might look at a car and say "someday......".

Personally, I don't get that "someday" feeling about Volvos in the same way as I would with a Merc or BMW. I recall a review of the (then) new S40 which remarked that it fell somewhere between a BMW three series and a Ford Mondeo., although nearer the Ford than the beemer. That's pretty much how I'd view it i.e. with some indifference.

Just thought I might be missing something.
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I have to agree. I rank Volvo as slightly better than Ford from a brand image point of view. I also think they are bad value for money and depreciate like mad.
 
Staples said:
It actually is my friend. I don't like them at all and don't therefore feel the least bit envious. It's a bit of an awkward one. Pretending I'm pleased for him is difficult while offering my opinion (at this stage) would sound like sour grapes.

Anyway, if he's happy............
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Sorry bout that, just read to many "my friend wants to know..." threads.

I think there's a consensus that a mate's new Volvo wouldn't get the same "ooooohh" factor as a Beemer or Merc, no matter how many of the German fellas are on the road now. But more "oooooohh" than a Ford or Toyota etc.
I guess "well, it's a lot nicer than an Avensis" isn't what your pal will be hoping to hear, though, eh?
Good luck with finding a compliment for him that won't make you squirm!
 
Does that mean then that a Volvo C70 convertible for example would get less 'ooohh' than a 316i with no alloys...

I think it comes down to more than just brand, it's the individual model/variation then also.

Ultimately, I would ask your friend, who is he buying the car for ;-)

'Prestige' is in the eye of the owner first and foremost.....
 
sinbadsailor said:
Does that mean then that a Volvo C70 convertible for example would get less 'ooohh' than a 316i with no alloys...

I think it comes down to more than just brand, it's the individual model/variation then also.

Ultimately, I would ask your friend, who is he buying the car for ;-)

'Prestige' is in the eye of the owner first and foremost.....
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Good point. I know people who think that their boggo 316i is the greatest thing on the road. I'd rather drive a Golf or a Focus than a 316. A 316 shrieks of I wanted a BMW badge and not much else.

The XC90 is a good example of a relatively middle tier prestige car company producing a car with a lot of prestige. The price tag goes a long way towards this as well.
 
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