Faults:

Electrical problems from beginning.

Air conditioning system gone at 80000.

Electronic computer chip gone at 85000.

Ball joints.

Control arms bushings.

Turbo seals.

And now immobilizer antennae at 97000.

To fix everything wrong with this Ford would mean spending more than double the car's worth.

General Comments:

Handled and drove well, but the high cost of maintenance and repair, in my opinion, makes this one of the worst products on the road. Would never recommend one.

Also own two Acura TL's, a Maxima, and a Lotus Elan. All much superior autos.

Faults:

So far, nothing has gone wrong with this car, as expected. I believe at 105k, I need to replace the gas filter and timing belt (as cars need this with age for the continuation of good performance).

General Comments:

I love this car a lot, as it is. I could change a few things, but overall, it was thought out very well, and has a great inner and outer design.

The ventilation system smells funny sometimes, but is very efficient, as it has foot vents for the back seats, as well as side vents between the doors.

One big no no about the car is its backward visibility, it can be difficult to swoop your head back when changing lanes, as Volvos are no longer boxy (I have gotten used to this).

The back seat are very comfortable, and have sufficient legroom when the front seats are pretty far up. I am 6' 2" and do not find that the front seats need to go back very far, they are quite comfortable and sporty.

In terms of performance, the car has sufficient acceleration for the size. It accelerates more quickly if you do not hold down the gas all the way. It can be sluggish when under 35 mph, but rides PERFECTLY at 50 mph plus. I took it to 115, and it didn't sway at all, and felt as if I were going 55 mph. If you want a safe car, which has good acceleration, I would recommend the 2.4t, or t5. Personally, I am fine with the standard s60 though.

Faults:

Upon delivery headlamp bulb connector was loose, water pump was leaking, turn signal lamp out, hesitation when accelerating from stop.

General Comments:

I purchased a 2001 S60 2.4 Base engine from a midwest dealership on E-Bay. I won the auction at $12,000 (U.S.) and considered the price to be excellent since most dealers were charging $15,000 - $17,000 retail for a similar car. The car came equiped with moonroof, heated leather seats, 15-inch wheels (ugh) with some worn tires. This is an interesting car. Being the non-turbocharged engine, I was worried that the car would be quite slow. It is very lazy off the line, but has more than adequate highway cruising abilities and can pass other without too much effort. I immediately traded out the 15 inch wheels for 17 inch alloys with new, wider tires. There was a vast improvement in handling. The purpose of this car was to have a daily driver that would be economical, comfortable, safe, and still carry some style along. This car is hands down, the most comfortable vehicle I have owned. Ergonomics are excellent and the front seats will get you across long distances without any distress (I'm 6 feet 2 inches and tall in the saddle.)

The stock stereo is excellent and the one-tough power windows and moonroof operate flawlessly. This is not a fast car on the low end, but it will cruise quite nicely with a satisfying hum. My other vehicle is a Mercedes CLK55 AMG and while there is no comparison as far as performance goes, I often find myself taking the Volvo simply because of its comfortable, relaxing manners. I am fortunate to have a unique color, Maya-Gold, and am often asked about the car at gas stops. The dealership service has been exceptional. The car needed a new water pump (this was stated from the onset from the seller) and the service was not cheap. However, the dealer set an appointment, kept it, gave me a loaner car (s40), and had the repair done the next day. Cost of repair was $569. I have yet to have any other problem arise since (5k miles later). The car has mainted 26 miles per gallon, mostly city driving! Expecting somewhat of a dressed-up economy car, this vehicle has been growing on me quite strongly. My Mercedes is being a bit neglected. I look forward to rounding the 100,000 mark within the next few years. If you see an S60 in good shape, and want an extremely comfortable daily driver, I would highly suggest this car.