[johninvegas]

I can't understand the comment made about BMW and other European cars not running well in the desert. Certainly the oil sheiks in Dubai and Saudi Arabia don't seem bothered by this when the majority of their car purchases are BMWs, Mercedes and Rolls. Older air cooled Porsches do have a bit of a problem in the summer, but even the new Porsches are water cooled now. As for the interiors, all cars suffer here, that's why you see so many windshield and dash covers.

Due to the smaller engine displacement on most new cars now, there isn't even as much of an overheating problem as there used to be when the average engine size was 5 liters.

[dynimagelv]

Originally Posted by PinkString

The OP's question reminds me of a question one of my brother's asked me before we moved to Las Vegas: "Won't your tires melt out there while driving in the desert?" I am sure he was kidding. At least I think so.

ACTUALLY stringy....WAYYYY back in the mid 70's I had a Toyota Landcruiser with the BIG soft rubber off road tires....I drove up to Death Valley in the summer [127 degrees in the shade of a mesquite tree] parked in the Hotel Parking lot...mid afternoon....came out next morning...loaded up..jumped in threw it in reverse and let out the clutch....a WIERD sound from the left rear....got out to check....when the valley had cooled down the hot soft asphalt and the hot soft tire bonded....POPPPPP left a 5 inch square piece of my tire on the parking lot....

[Robustus]

The first time I went to Vegas I drove out from New England in an old Volvo 240, with no AC, in July. I went near Phoenix for some reason, and the rear-trailing arm bushings melted, as well as an engine mount, and I had a U-joint seize up. I limped the car to a shop, got a hotel, took a cab to Casino Arizona, made $600 at the poker table, paid the $550 mechanics bill, and proceeded to Vegas. No trouble after that.

That story doesn't indicate anything about Volvos specifically; merely that an old car with old rubber (suspension bushings) may have issues in the heat.

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by aitchem

Sand?

Heat?

1998 S90 and one other not purchased yet

Ummmm...like any other most expensive to the least expensive car on our roads. It will be just fine.

We have some Volvo dealerships here in the valley as well and I see plenty of them on the roads so they must fare well

[Spraynard Kruger]

Originally Posted by aitchem

I've read comments regarding deterioration of interiors in the hot sun. I also read on another thread that BMWs and other European cars may not run as well as certain other cars in desert conditions

Our desert sun will oxidize paint, fade fabrics and dry out a dashboard faster than a temperate climate, not to mention if you haven't driven on the freeway behind a rock hauler, you're in for a real treat, such as pockmarks in your paint or a new windshield.

I don't think that there's any truth that one car will perform better than another in our climate. People will need to be slightly more diligent about maintaining what they drive, though. Batteries and tires tend to fail and wear out much quicker. I've driven hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles in all sorts of cars in our climate and you just have to stay on top of maintenance.

Inevitably, you will come back to the parking lot or the garage and the car won't turn over. It's a fact. Keep jumper cables and a cell phone. I would get triple A if you don't like replacing flats or wrestling with a wrench.

Also, a good thing to note is that Vegas has a unique service on our freeways should you break down during their business hours. The freeway service patrol will come to your aid in case of a breakdown. I've never had to use it so I don't know what they charge, if anything.

[dynimagelv]

and remember, if you buy a lifetime battery or a one year battery, it will die in 2 years....

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

and remember, if you buy a lifetime battery or a one year battery, it will die in 2 years....

I bought my car over 3 years ago. Who knows how old the battery was when I bought it. Needless to say, it is still working fine so what you said is not true.

[dynimagelv]

and if I said the sun was coming up in the morning, you'd argue the point.

[Spraynard Kruger]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

and remember, if you buy a lifetime battery or a one year battery, it will die in 2 years....

Die Hard?

[lisdol]

Originally Posted by aitchem

I've read comments regarding deterioration of interiors in the hot sun.

Get window tint, use a sun visor when parked, and perhaps get something to lay across the dash (I knew people who had those odd looking dash covers, sometimes personalized, when I lived in NM).