I found out that the brakes from the manufacturer were inferior to aftermarket parts. Get your brakes from anyone, but Volvo. Volvos pads are too soft.
Headlights and taillights seemed to need replacing often.
Paint was inferior. I had minor rust spots with 2 years off the line.
My wife loved this car. Small, Sporty with a nice helping of luxury. It was completely loaded and the features were loved.
We'd get lots of compliments from others.
Expensive to maintain.
SAFE! SAFE! SAFE!
My wife and child were rear-ended on the freeway by a very large SUV. The back end was absolutely destroyed. The rear window shattered over the back of my sons head (like it's supposed to, yet the interior remained intact. This is exactly why I bought this car, for its safety.
My wife and son walked away with no injuries. Not even a single cut from the glass. My wife didn't even have whiplash. The WHIPS feature seemed to work here.
The police officer told her that if she had been in any other vehicle, save few select others, they both would have been in the hospital.
I agree with you in that the car has some brake issues. I am however going to have to say that that your rating on the vehicle seemed a bit off considering the s60 safety features saved your family. Volvo has been rated as one of the most reliable and safest vehicles every year. I have an s60 and overall has been a much better car for price and quality compared to Mercedes or BMW in its class.
I've owned a Volvo in the past, and yes, the brakes wear relatively quickly. However harder (aftermarket) brake pad material may lead to more vibration and squealing, and you may be unhappy with the results. Conclusion - spend a bit more for Volvo pads, and rest assured that they are superior to the brakes on 95% of the other vehicles on the road.
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