S60P*
Hi,
Just wonderng if there are any other Melbourne based S60 Polestar Owners on here?
jpv21
Hi mate. Sorry I'm not an owner yet but I'm definitely thinking about getting an s60 Polestar. Looking at a used 2015.
Do you still own yours? How has reliability been?
Tzantushka
Welcome.
Awww come on - it has to be a wagon though :)
jpv21
oh hey @Tzantushka - yeh the V60 looks awesome too! definitely would consider it. going by your signature it looks like you own one - tell me mate. What's cost of ownership like? I've been thinking about a BMW 335i /Audi S4 or the S60 Polestar - share your thoughts with me. I just don't know enough about the Volvo and don't know anyone that owns one, let alone the S60 Polestar.
spdterence
Hi there,
I have had my 2014 S60 Polestar for about 18 months now. Bought it with low Km's as a demonstrator / exec driven car. It now has 35K on the clock.
I just had the front struts replaced with the Ohlins MY 15 spec as there were making a knocking noise when hot - this was done under warranty. Other than that nothing at all.
I think this car is so easy to live with day to day and when you want to nail it, lots of fun. The brakes and handling are awesome and it has never caught me.
The T6 sounds awesome in my view without being intrusive - infact there is nothing I really dislike about the car.
The seats are beyond comparison - whenever I get in a BMW / AUDI / Merc all I can do is compare how crap the seats are.
Seriously good car - and IMHO a sexy beast to look at. Hope that helps. Tex
jpv21
Thanks Tex - appreciate the insight. Do you take it for servicing to an indie or the dealer and what's the average costs been for service so far?
What made you choose the Polestar? I'm looking to buy second hand and had my eye on the S4 B8.5 for ages, but at the end of the day, there were just too many potential major issues that could happen that I couldn't ignore. I've also been looking at the F30 BMW 335i MSport - love the car, but again the issues I keep hearing about from owners etc make me cringe thinking about what it's going to be like after the warranty period ends. I'm planning to keep the car for a long time (as opposed to a 3 year lease) and so I'm trying my best to make a good decision and get an all round luxury/sports AND reliable car - is there even such a thing?? (That's what I'm hoping the Volvo will be!)
However, I'm also open to the possibility that at the end of the day, there may not be that 'perfect' car and that maybe I'll have to compromise on sportiness, and opt for well known reliability like Lexus - like the IS350 Fsport (2014+), - Lexus are so well known for their reliability - I'll definitely miss the sportiness aspect though...
spdterence
Hmm well - I went through exactly ( I mean exactly) the same thought process. Had an IS350 F Sport overnight, drove the 335's etc etc. In the end anything that is sporty will cost money.
The tyres are not cheap, the suspension components with the Ohlins will cost money etc.
But - I didn't want a car that everyone else had. No-one knows what it is. - so for me the ultimate sleeper.
The rear seats usability was important. The S60 by far the best hands down. I have 3 x teenage boys who appear to be growing like weeds - so it had to be a car I could live with everyday as well as do a solid job of the Putty Road.
AWD is by far the biggest difference to the other cars you mentioned. Other cars in this category are rear wheel only - that I can think of. Perhaps you can think of others. Guess that comes down to driving style. I don't drive like Jeremy Clarkson, I like point and shoot and sure footed-ness, which the Polestar has in spades.
The AISIN transmission is used in heaps of vehicles and seems to be quite solid - although if you wish to track it I believe it will show it's limits there and get hot (or perhaps more cooling is required)
I love the interior design - that is a personal thing. Particularly the Alcantara seats - I hate full leather. Sweaty when hot and cold / hard when cold and slippery when you go hard - so the seats are again a highlight for me.
Seriously none of the cars you mentioned are bad -
I won't touch anything out of the Audi / VW stable though - my parents have had 2 x DSG boxes fail on them.
Buy what you feel most attracted to - I have owned plenty of cars including a 911 and this S60 Polestar finds the sweet spot for me.
Hope that helps. Tex
jpv21
Thanks Tex - Really appreciate your info and you're absolutely correct re sporty cars costing money..
And yes - the Audi DSG nightmares I've been reading totally threw me off of the S4...which I hated to admit, because I was really digging those cars.
Are you planning on keeping the P* as a long term car?
What were your thoughts on the IS350 Fsport?
spdterence
I like the IS 350 F Sport - but have to say I drove it out to Wisemans Ferry from Sydney on a choppy B road for 80Kms or so and found that my next hurt afterwards. There was something going on that made that car very fatiguing to drive for longer Km's. I also wasn't sure how the electronically controlled dampers would go long term.
Apart from that I thought the car was very good - it was my close 2nd choice. But lack of AWD, Brembo's, Alcantara, etc was the deciding factor for me.
Resale is the only thing that would be better in the Lexus. I think the Volvo re-sale will hurt - and that is why I intend to drive the P* (as you call it )for as long as possible. (but then again I did buy it at the right price!)
Cheers
jpv21
Haha yeh I saw P* in a different forum where they used it widely instead of Polestar...anyway...
Well, they're my top 2 right now. IS350 and Polestar s60.... I'm glad to hear you're planning on keeping it. That's what I'm going to do as well, whichever car I decide on. The wife says I can pull the trigger after September...so I'll have plenty of time to make my choice.... it will be tempting to hold back if I see some good prices out there in the meanwhile .
Tzantushka
Few comments to the questions raised here:
Alternate vehicles
Definitely the S4 of the same vintage is the Polestar's 'peer' - I've found the S4's pricing a bit high for my budget.
Plus it's a VAG product...
Ownership costs
If you exclude finance & depreciation & insurance (and buy with low kms) - for the first few years your biggest costs are fuel and maintenance.
Maintenance
Depends on the age - for low km's it's basically stealership charges for routine servicing.
The main attraction of the stealership are software updates, important for the Sensus infotainment & any engine/trans firmware.
Only when you start changing wear items like brakes, tyres (and eventually rebuilding shocks) do the bills rack-up.
Any parts that are specific for the Polestar tend to get expensive here, due to Volvo Cars AUS mark-up and limited aftermarket options.
Reliability
Has been fine.
Although, full disclosure it's virtually a new car when I bought it - basically an ex-demo with 1300km on the clock
Only niggle i have is the OE tyres Michelin Pilot Super Sports are noisy.
Newer version or alternate brand tyres would solve that.
@jpv21 - Seeing as you've got plenty of time, drive both.
Set up an alert on carsales.com.au
If you are Melbourne based and ready to buy - PM me your details and I can hook you up with someone reputable.
Like Tex, I found the V60 Polestar to be the right balance of practicality, AWD, performance, comfort & uniqueness.
Plus the ability to transform the car in sport mode with some good ol fashioned exhaust noise!
jpv21
@Tzantushka - some great info here thank you.
Totally agree re Audi, but yes, unfortunately it's from VAG.. I was keen on it for so long you can't imagine!
I know there's no perfect car when it comes to reliability, especially if it's performance oriented, like all the cars I'm looking at. I'm happy that from all reports so far, the S60 Polestar is definitely holding it's own - I'm hoping from all accounts that it's 'that' car that has it all - performance, luxury and reliability.
Obviously goes without saying that all makes have lemons.
It's going to be an interesting couple of months for me.
thanks again.
