Duncan, Volvos are extremely popular in San Francisco. California is the world's twelfth largest economy, and the United States has more car buyers than Europe, so I am not sure that when you say the U.S. is Volvo's largest market, that is significant for Europeans rejecting them. But more important than that, there is tremendous brand loyalty. I have several friends who bought their first one as very young adults, and keep buying them over and over again. They consider themselves Volvo families. I have owned two, and they are the most reliable cars I have ever had. They also run almost indefinitely without having any mechanical problems, whereas Mercedes are quite tempermental, and hideously expensive to repair. If I had invested all the many thousands of dollars I gave to Hans and Gunther to work on mine, I would be quite wealthy now.
Have you ever actually owned a Volvo? Mine is not an economy car, at all, incidentally. The interior is totally leather, for example. But they are very fuel efficient, considering how safe they are. There were several years in a row in the early 1990's when there was not one single accident death in a Volvo in the United States. Then in the year that broke that record, there was only one. I think that says a lot about a car.
Does anyone else want to discuss Volvo as an investment opportunity? I notice there is no thread here. Maybe you should start one, Duncan. |
