It sounds like an opinion, but it is fact.

It sounds like opinion, and it is.

My wife had a Volvo, a 760. It was the single worst-built car either of us has ever owned. It had relatively low mileage, and we finally realized it was because it spent all its time in the shop. I found this Brickboard, and I thought, great! no other car has such a good fix-it resource. Well, guys, maybe it's because most don't NEED it! Finally she blew the engine (yes, the french engine, but this was plumbing failure and driver error, our real troubles with the car were with everything else, especially electrical) and I was actually relieved to see it go.

Meanwhile, my '86 Encore (hatchback version of the Alliance, also designed by Renault but built by AMC) with 100,000 miles starts and runs with no fuss and perfect reliability every day (now I've jinxed myself!), gets a hair under 50 mpg on the highway, has a nimble, fun-to-drive feel, and no rust at all anywhere, here in Maine rust country. Service and repair has definitely not been a problem for this car.

Bottom line, I think it depends on the individual car and driver. I won't have another Volvo, and I get a kind of knowing smile when I see 'em, but if you're willing to spend a lot of time and/or money fixing, yes, they'll probably last more miles. The Renault shows no sign of giving up, but I don't expect more than maybe another 50,000 out of it. I've been in a minor crash in the Renault and it did fine by both of us, but in a serious one I'd rather be in the Volvo. Then I'd be rid of it, and I could go on driving the Renault!