If any of you all know anything about Porsches you will know that they are INSANELY fast, handle like nothing else you have ever driven and are ridiculously expensive to repair and are not the most reliable things built. As the owner of 1986 911 Carrera I am all too well aware of these things. Also as the owner of countless 200 series Volvos I am very disappointed in the longevity of the Porsches and am very interested in a replacement. At this point I am considering an S60r and S4 Audi. I have test driven both and own an A4 (hey girls have shoes I have cars!) with 200k miles, it has held up well but I am very curious as to how well the S60Rs hold up. Remember that I have raced Porsches and if Volvo advertises that their car will maintain .8gs around a corner I will have to verify that for EVERY corner to make sure that they were correct!

So what can you all tell me about the toughness of the S60r? Is that turbo going to kill that Audi 5 cylinder before my 200 series needs new rings at .5M miles.

Also how much of a PIA is working on a motor that some screwball put in the car sideways?

I can not wait to hear to see what you all have to say. Thanks!!!!

Andrew

An Audi S4 vs an S60R. Interesting. The S4 has a V8 with gobbs of Bhp and likes to drink gasoline. The engine fills the bay so that access to it requires removal of the bumper. The 60R has a small I5 with room to see the block, but less torque and a smaller price tag.
Both cars corner well because of awd, but the S4 has better brakes. Until the master cylinder gets spongey.
If you are going to maintain it your self, consider the 60R. If it will be dealer maintained, go the S4 route. Just make sure you get an extended warranty.
The S4 will me faster and have better resale, but a 60R will be slightly cheaper to maintain.

Klaus
--
1975 164 w/173,500mi 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/128,000mi

Try visiting the Volvo R forum over at "Swedespeed". Then, for fun, search out the latest thread on the fuel pump problem.

http://forums.swedespeed.com/

Mostly it's old 850 and early 70-series people who hang around here, trying to keep them running on JB Weld and Duck Tape without getting badly reamed by the Volvo stealer.

There's now a 300hp BMW 335xi with deliveries rumored for the spring. All these cars -- Audi S4, Volvo R, BMW 335xi, Porsche C4S are awfully, awfully complex vs. a 240 Volvo.

If you want reliability, buy a Honda.

If you want to play, you have to pay.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 170k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, XC grill, C70 jewel E-Codes, V-1, Lidatek, Mobil-1 since new.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."-Douglas Noel Adams (1952-2001)