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Happy New Year you all....that being said....I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with Volvo xc90 AWD vehicles. I am in the market and have been checking out low mileage 2008 and 2009s. Any mechanical problems know? 6 cyl or V8? Appreciate your input!
My sister had a V8 XC90 she bought new (actually picked it up at the factory). Car was ok, electrical gremlins made her nervous to own it out of warranty. One issue: Everything electrical on the passenger side died. She liked the SUV but never bought another one.
Our most recent Volvo purchase (we've had a few because we love them ) was a 2006 XC70. It's wonderful. We test drove both the xc90 and the xc70 and preferred the xc70 for a few reasons: it drove smoother, we found it to be more comfortable for long road trips, it had more space in the back for our camping gear, better gas mileage, and at that time the xc90's were still a bit new for Volvo so we weren't sure how reliable they were going to be.
I would suggest talking to a mechanic who knows Volvo's. Don't go to a dealership - find a European mechanic sort of place that works on Volvo's and get advice from them. We love our Volvo mechanic and they have always had wonderful advice regarding which models/years to avoid and which to look for.
The XC60's are supposed to be really nice, though we haven't tested one yet.
I have a friend who bought one. Its the worst car he's ever owned, his wife is afraid to drive it as it's left her stranded a couple of times. Run away!
I have a friend who has a 2006 that he bought used when it was a couple of years old. Never had problem. However, he is a Volvo guy and he has an in with a mechanic. Another friend had an early model and he thought it was an awful car.
Overall, it's a very nice ride, although the design has been around for quite some time with some interior refreshing. They are very comfortable and good to drive. I've had a few as service loaners.
The 2007+ models have been much more reliable than the earlier ones, particular the earlier T6. Maintenance costs are pretty typical for expensive European cars. The Volvo Certified warranty is very comprehensive. I think it's up to 6 years from in-service date, or 100k miles, whichever comes first. I'd recommend a Volvo Certified vehicle if you can find one. The "suggested" certified prices seem to be comically inflated, and highly negotiable.
The 2.5T were always good (made through 06), but the earlier T6 models (up to 2004 or 05) were a mess, because of the variant of the GM 4T65E transmission which almost all failed. It's important to mention this, because the XC90 has survived with basically the same design for about a decade, but the powertrains are entirely different than the earlier models. It's been difficult for Volvo to outrun the earlier reputation because people keep telling horror stories about the earlier models.
Volvo basically cleaned up its act by 2005. They had a very bad period during the late 90s to mid 2000s.
I don't think many know that Volvo is owned by a Chinese company.
It's interesting that Ford bought Volvo thinking that it would help them earn, yet when Volvo owner's/buyer's learned of this (AND the fact that Ford was using Ford chassis in the Volvo cars!! ) they were reluctant to buy so sales dropped! Irony. Ford owned Volvo from 1999-2010.
I was concered when I heard that Geely had bought Volvo from Ford, too. But our mechanic reassured us that even though Geely, which is a huge Chinese company (I heard they own the company involved with making London's taxi cabs?), so far things are looking towards positive growth. Our Volvo mechanic told us that the Chinese are basically throwing lots of money into the Volvo hat and letting the Swedes build they way they used to back when the brand stood for high quality well-built cars (before Ford and before the 740 and S series which were awful cars). I'm excited to see what comes of this new turn of events. I hope Volvo keeps getting better - my husband wants to buy one of the C30's.
I think it takes a long time - many, many years - for automobile companies to recover from bad press or bad attachments. Poor Volvo has now suffered through the Ford years and now often gets hit with the "Chinese" label now as well - right at a time when so many Americans are so quick to stamp a negative label on anything having to do with China. It's a tribute to the Volvo brand, I think, that it has survived as long as it has, especially being as expensive as the cars are - and the brand is still kicking!
It's really important to talk to a mechanic that knows Volvo before you purchase one. He will tell you exactly which years and models to look out for. There are some bad ones out there. But there are also some really good ones. You just need someone "in the know" who can help you navigate the purchase.
I have a 2012 XC 70 T6. It was manufactured in Sweden. And it is totally European - excellent quality and design. I'm quite happy with it - no trouble.
Also there is Volvo US which has US customer support, technical support for dealer technicians, marketing, etc. So total US English speaking support for customers, dealers, and technicians.
The new cars have *all* sorts of gizmos and options available which are really cool! Like a rear view camera as well as front view camera. There are sensors which will beep if you are about to back into something or drive forward into something. Like someone walks in front of the car and it beeps. If a kid takes off their seatbelt in the back it beeps (Busted!) It even has "City Safety" which will automatically brake if you are about to hit a car (not watching where you are going). All sorts of little things and safety features available.
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) was a 2006 XC70. It's wonderful. We test drove both the xc90 and the xc70 and preferred the xc70 for a few reasons: it drove smoother, we found it to be more comfortable for long road trips, it had more space in the back for our camping gear, better gas mileage, and at that time the xc90's were still a bit new for Volvo so we weren't sure how reliable they were going to be.
) they were reluctant to buy so sales dropped! Irony. 
