Topic: Comparison Test: 2014 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD Platinum vs 2014 Audi Q5 TDI Technik

[nlm]

Nice comparison write up, but what a squandered opportunity! After towing the Volvo out, since the tow is right there, you should've taken another, proper, run at the ruts and see if you could've made it as far as the Audi.

For the same $ I prefer the Volvo too.

[Solstice2006]

Kudos to Volvo for a reasonable freight charge of $1,095 for a vehicle made in Belgium, vs a Rav4 made in Ontario with a freight charge of $1550!

[dirtyjeffer]

Kudos to Volvo for a reasonable freight charge of $1,095 for a vehicle made in Belgium, vs a Rav4 made in Ontario with a freight charge of $1550!

to be fair, higher freight costs on a RAV4 are to help boost margins chipped away in a very hot and price sensitive/competitive segment...there's already more margin in the $60k bracket, so using the freight charge as a scheme to boost margins from a "low advertised starting price" isn't needed.

[sailor723]

Kudos to Volvo for a reasonable freight charge of $1,095 for a vehicle made in Belgium, vs a Rav4 made in Ontario with a freight charge of $1550!

to be fair, higher freight costs on a RAV4 are to help boost margins chipped away in a very hot and price sensitive/competitive segment...there's already more margin in the $60k bracket, so using the freight charge as a scheme to boost margins from a "low advertised starting price" isn't needed.

Can I quote you on that to BMW 

[Solstice2006]

Kudos to Volvo for a reasonable freight charge of $1,095 for a vehicle made in Belgium, vs a Rav4 made in Ontario with a freight charge of $1550!

to be fair, higher freight costs on a RAV4 are to help boost margins chipped away in a very hot and price sensitive/competitive segment...there's already more margin in the $60k bracket, so using the freight charge as a scheme to boost margins from a "low advertised starting price" isn't needed.

Get what your saying, but the manufacturers charge it across the board on compacts, luxury cars, especially to Canadians, even if it's built in Canada, like the MDX was, because they know we are used to getting screwed, we often pay double the freight of the Americans for a vehicle made here!  But I don't want to derail this thread.  Should be two or three levels of freight.  Made in North America, under $30k, one price, over $30k another price, overseas another price...

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

[blotter]

I wonder about an overlap, with the XC60, XC70 and the upcoming V60....

I think if you go spec to spec, they're pretty similar in price.  (but it's been a while since i looked)
comes down to if you want the wagon look or the SUV look, i think?

now the V60...  I think the major difference aside from the obvious look will be towing capacity vs the XC70 ---  but I haven't seen any stats yet on the V60

The Subaru comparo is pretty darn good though!

What Subaru comparo ?

someone said --->   Slightly off topic - is there much of a difference between the XC60 and XC70?  I assume the XC60 is a little taller but shorter in length - but what about chassis and powertrain options?  They kinda strike me as premium versions of the Subaru Forester/Outback, respectively - a "true" CUV and a "wagonish" CUV, with a lot of overlap in capabilities, target market, etc.

[sailor723]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Amen!  I just tried to buy a used BMW earlier today and the dealer was playing games with admin fees and stuff like etching etc   

[mixmanmash]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Amen!  I just tried to buy a used BMW earlier today and the dealer was playing games with admin fees and stuff like etching etc 

I hate when they bring up the admin fees or this fee and that fee.  When I negotiate, I tell them what I want and the all-in (taxes, fees, etc) price that I am willing to pay.  I make it absolutely clear that this is the all-in price, not a penny more for any fees, etc.  They can figure out how they want to allocate their fees based on my all-in price.

[tooscoops]

Kudos to Volvo for a reasonable freight charge of $1,095 for a vehicle made in Belgium, vs a Rav4 made in Ontario with a freight charge of $1550!

add to that the option to go pick it up! they pay for the lions share of the trip over there and then ship it back for you... love that they offer that.

[sailor723]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Amen!  I just tried to buy a used BMW earlier today and the dealer was playing games with admin fees and stuff like etching etc 

I hate when they bring up the admin fees or this fee and that fee.  When I negotiate, I tell them what I want and the all-in (taxes, fees, etc) price that I am willing to pay.  I make it absolutely clear that this is the all-in price, not a penny more for any fees, etc.  They can figure out how they want to allocate their fees based on my all-in price.

Exactly! I don't care if mandatory etching is $15,000 and admin another 10,000  but when I'm negotiating it needs to by all in +HST...period!

[Snowman]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Amen!  I just tried to buy a used BMW earlier today and the dealer was playing games with admin fees and stuff like etching etc 

I hate when they bring up the admin fees or this fee and that fee.  When I negotiate, I tell them what I want and the all-in (taxes, fees, etc) price that I am willing to pay.  I make it absolutely clear that this is the all-in price, not a penny more for any fees, etc.  They can figure out how they want to allocate their fees based on my all-in price.

  Well said and I do the same.

[Northernridge]

Way to go Volvo! Nice match up for a comparison. Good job JB.   

[dirtyjeffer]

Get what your saying, but the manufacturers charge it across the board on compacts, luxury cars, especially to Canadians, even if it's built in Canada, like the MDX was, because they know we are used to getting screwed, we often pay double the freight of the Americans for a vehicle made here!  But I don't want to derail this thread.  Should be two or three levels of freight.  Made in North America, under $30k, one price, over $30k another price, overseas another price...

while reduced freight costs for "Made in North America" would be good, tiered freight costs because of the cost of the vehicle doesn't make sense...a $20,000 car and a $70,000 car cost the same to ship (from/to the same origin/destination).

and i agree, pricing should always be "all-in" (aside from HST or whatever taxes are in your area)...i've said that for years...many years ago, i worked for Bell, and Bell Mobility launched a family of rate plans called "All-In-One"...the plans were competitively priced and simple as the only extra cost was tax...the problem was marketing...our cheapest plans were $30-$35 whereas our competitors advertised plans "Starting at $20/month*"...of course, that little "*" would point to the fine print where you would see about $8 in "fees" tacked on, and our plans included a couple of extras other companies charged for...so, when comparing apples to apples, we were bang on in price, but appeared to be $10-$15/month higher...this is despite numerous advertising campaigns...Bell's hope was that the other companies would follow suit...they didn't, and after about 10 months, the All-In-One plans were dumped.

[Solstice2006]

Get what your saying, but the manufacturers charge it across the board on compacts, luxury cars, especially to Canadians, even if it's built in Canada, like the MDX was, because they know we are used to getting screwed, we often pay double the freight of the Americans for a vehicle made here!  But I don't want to derail this thread.  Should be two or three levels of freight.  Made in North America, under $30k, one price, over $30k another price, overseas another price...

while reduced freight costs for "Made in North America" would be good, tiered freight costs because of the cost of the vehicle doesn't make sense...a $20,000 car and a $70,000 car cost the same to ship (from/to the same origin/destination).

and i agree, pricing should always be "all-in" (aside from HST or whatever taxes are in your area)...i've said that for years...many years ago, i worked for Bell, and Bell Mobility launched a family of rate plans called "All-In-One"...the plans were competitively priced and simple as the only extra cost was tax...the problem was marketing...our cheapest plans were $30-$35 whereas our competitors advertised plans "Starting at $20/month*"...of course, that little "*" would point to the fine print where you would see about $8 in "fees" tacked on, and our plans included a couple of extras other companies charged for...so, when comparing apples to apples, we were bang on in price, but appeared to be $10-$15/month higher...this is despite numerous advertising campaigns...Bell's hope was that the other companies would follow suit...they didn't, and after about 10 months, the All-In-One plans were dumped.

I know tiered freight doesn't make sense, only brought it up as an option as you suggested on the lower end vehicles they make less profit.  So while technically two vehicles from Europe should cost the same to ship, one vehicle being 60,000, the other being 25,000, in this highly competitive industry, I believe the more expensive car should have like a 20% bump over the cheaper one.  Just a thought.   Freight costs are one of the major reasons I don't buy new.  For the same cost of freight (average $1500), I can get a vehicle that is 1 year old, with 20k on it, save at least $5000, and add extended warranty (average $1500).

[OliverD]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Exactly. The freight charge is irrelevant. I want to know the all-in price.

[carcrazed]

Make the monroney sticker price be the on the road price. No room for shifty sales tactics like bloated shipping costs and admin fees.

Exactly. The freight charge is irrelevant. I want to know the all-in price.

They do this in many other countries; I don't know why they can't do this in Canada.

I agree, I'd go with the XC60 as well.  I'm really interested in the next major Q5 re-do, though.

[nlm]

add to that the option to go pick it up! they pay for the lions share of the trip over there and then ship it back for you... love that they offer that.

Really!?! Is that option still around ~$1,000? You basically get a heavily subsidized trip to Sweden!?!

[tooscoops]

from what i remember when i worked there, you lost a lot of the incentives available and had to be a cash purchaser... but on some cars, it was actually just cheaper, plus you got that trip basically paid for. hard to say no to that.

[PJ]

Your're welcome but don't know if it will stop the bitching about the price. 

Personally I think all cars should cost $3,500. Be manual, and diesel, and wagons, and have 500 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, and RWD, and a heated steering wheel.

And they can.  You just have to wait long enough. (well maybe not the 500hp part unless you want to do that part yourself).

I know someone who just bought a Volvo S60 for $3300.  Very nice car.  It's even a manual but sadly not a wagon. Forgot to ask the year.