By the way, before I return to work why don't you go abd check out the following sites so you can see that your BELOVED Maxima and some other cars (to a lesser extent with the exception of the Avalon which is HORRIBLE) and you will see that "I am not just a salesman"...These cars are SUBPAR with ANY Volvo, especially the S70 and the S80, they are not "just a little bit less sage than the Volvo", they are LESS SAFE than a Volvo... They are at least 1 or 2 stars away from being a...Volvo (and the Avalon is way far from being close to a Volvo). When I am spending my money on a car I do not want to compromise A SINGLE STAR!

So, as you can see, despite your statement that "I am the LEAST qualified here to experess an opinion because I am a salesman", on the opposite, I am one of the MOST qualified since I deal with these facts on a DAILY basis whereas you deal on an "as you go" basis. Yes, I am biased towards the Volvo but the facts speak for themselves...And I will say it once again:

VOLVOS ARE NOT THE BEST CARS ON EARTH....But they do give you A LOT in return for your hard earned $$$.

Anyway, "have fun" on the sites below:

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/ncap.cfm NHTSA

www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/midsize_4dr/maxima.htm

www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/midsize_4dr/avalon.htm

s a m e a s a b o v e /old_passat.htm, etc, etc.

You will see that your GREAT Maxima (and MY1998-2000, not previous, the past Maximas were worse) scored:

Left leg injuries: Marginal

Head restraint performance: Marginal

Overall: Acceptable (would you settle for ACCEPTABLE when you can have the best?)

Avalon was...pitiful...

Old Passat (well, until MY1997, if I am correct) was a...deathtrap!

New Passat: much better, although its head restraints were rated POOR, that means in the most frequent cases (minor fender benders, etc.) you are GUARANTEED whiplash...:)

Honda Accord (again, a recent model not your grandfather's):

Right leg: POOR

Headrest restraints: ACCEPTABLE/MARGINAL (depending which model you drive)

My point is that, no, the roads are not strewn with crashed Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans and VWs with dead bodies hanging out of them as you sarcastically pointed out in your attempt to make fun of me...but guess what Pat? If I see two cars crashed on the side of the road....one being a Volvo and the other a Nissan (or whatever), abd they told me that the occupants of ONE car died...I am willing to bet my $$$ that the Volvo occupants were the lucky ones.

But is so easy to pick "on the Volvo salesman", "the crook", "the liar" or whatever some people here think of me because of what I do for a living.

But so be it, I love what I do, it is not easy at all and I will continue to defend this car until there is HARD PROOF that it is reversing direction.

Yannis