Volvo C30

[dichiee]

Would you buy the Volvo instead of the MS3?

http://www.volvocars.us/NR/rdonlyres/5C3D1A88-58CE-4C21-99AC-9F2E21464CAE/0/C30_exterior_15.jpg

I would if the power was the same as the MS3.

I wonder if its mod friendly. I really like the design specially the interior.

Maybe an R version will come out?

[designflaw]

Yeah I like the design, it's really cool. Until I saw the power specs I was considering it vs the MS3 that I plan on getting in a week or two. Wahooo.

[bushrat]

My only complaint about the C30 is that Volvo has no options packages for it. There are 3278464 options for it and you have to pick each one individually. The price, of course, shoots up really quick. IIRC, they also charge a $750 customization fee if you custom order one.

[TonyBSRT]

I think it was Motor Trend that just tested one. Something like 237HP and 15sec 1/4 mile. It's slow.

[Chibana]

Volvo is no longer doing "R" versions of their cars, so there won't be a an R version of the C30. Supposedly, the Volvo tuners are getting pretty big power improvements with retuning, exhaust--all the standard stuff you do with a factory turbo car. I love the styling, inside and out, but the I-5 turbo engine is uninspired.

[Karma_hunden]

I definately like the looks...but it lacks some powah. I need powah or else I start to desintegrate.

[TonyBSRT]

So, is powah the greater than, less than, or equal to "power"?

[GoFast]

does it come in 4 door?

[Kosh]

does it come in 4 door?

I don't think I would trade the convenience of having a 4 door. My last car was a 2 door and it wasn't the best car for having passengers.

[CX-7owner]

The T5 is VERY mod friendly, with the $$ were talking bringing that 227 up to 250+ in 5 minutes with an ECU reflash VIA the port thingy. This really is not a good comparo though, the Volvo is lux with an interior along with tech ahead of the MS3, not to mention 3 doors/5 doors. But wait a while and get 7500 off MSRP with Volvo. The turbo is also has two scrolls; Turbo lag is little to none.

0 - 60 (sec): 6.6

[mountjonas]

i love it. i wouldn't necessarily cross shop it with a ms3, though. (yeah, i know it's the same platform) the c30 seems more aimed at the mini, maybe that's just me.

[ecniemann]

I think it was Motor Trend that just tested one. Something like 237HP and 15sec 1/4 mile. It's slow.

No. Yeah, it was C&D or MotorTrend, one of those that put it up against a GTI and Mini Cooper. It basically got beat in all aspects of performance, although I am sure the interior is slightly better. Plus, did you see the way that hatch opens? It's ridiculous, I could maybe fit my shoulders in that opening! Just not very functional or sporty. Also, I am sure parts/repair is very expensive compared to Mazda. Someone I know has an Audi, and it's like $100 for an oil change.

[CX-7owner]

It beat the mini in some aspects at Edmunds, faster 0-60 times, faster in the Slalom.

[genjy]

No. Yeah, it was C&D or MotorTrend, one of those that put it up against a GTI and Mini Cooper. It basically got beat in all aspects of performance, although I am sure the interior is slightly better. Plus, did you see the way that hatch opens? It's ridiculous, I could maybe fit my shoulders in that opening! Just not very functional or sporty. Also, I am sure parts/repair is very expensive compared to Mazda. Someone I know has an Audi, and it's like $100 for an oil change.

Maybe you should drop by a Volvo dealership and test drive one first. Much of the performance that the C30 lacks isn't really noticeable unless you are at the track tossing the car around. For everyday driving, the C30 performs perfectly fine and comparable to other hot hatches.

I personally despise how the MKV GTI looks (I do love VW in general, though). I guess the GTI is more functional if you are talking about wider hatch opening and more cargo space, but the price of that utility is the look of the car... the GTI is a typical, boring-looking VAG jellybean.

Volvo parts are about just as expensive as Mazda parts. Scheduled maintenance prices are about the same, as well. I do most of my car maintenance and some minor repair, so dealership labor cost isn't that much of an issue.

[Kosh]

Holy crap, on the volvo site this car looks like shit. The back end looks so jacked up and the interior is awful. I do like the look of the front seats but bucket seats in the back?!?!

[ecniemann]

Maybe you should drop by a Volvo dealership and test drive one first. Much of the performance that the C30 lacks isn't really noticeable unless you are at the track tossing the car around. For everyday driving, the C30 performs perfectly fine and comparable to other hot hatches.

I personally despise how the MKV GTI looks (I do love VW in general, though). I guess the GTI is more functional if you are talking about wider hatch opening and more cargo space, but the price of that utility is the look of the car... the GTI is a typical, boring-looking VAG jellybean.

Volvo parts are about just as expensive as Mazda parts. Scheduled maintenance prices are about the same, as well. I do most of my car maintenance and some minor repair, so dealership labor cost isn't that much of an issue.

Yeah, I didn't drive one, already have a Speed3 I am happy with. I was just reporting what I read. The article basically said the same thing you just did, good for highway driving and sporty enough if not pushed real hard. It does look cool, but just too expensive in my opinion. I've said the same thing about the GTI in prior posts; liked the way it looked, but too expensive for what it is. I was just speculating on the costs of maintenance from hear-say from people I have known that owned Volvo's, Audi's, etc. That's cool you like it, that is all that counts. Everyone has their priorities, one of mine was hauling capability.

[CX-7owner]

Holy crap, on the volvo site this car looks like shit. The back end looks so jacked up and the interior is awful. I do like the look of the front seats but bucket seats in the back?!?!

Awful interior? hahahahah, hahahahah, hahahahahah, hahahhahahahhaah, riiiiight.

[Simply Silver]

I like it. The local dealer had a light tan white one with the brown molding. I didn't really care for the taillights, but overall a very nice car and it seems well priced.

[uncletime]

im a fan... i wouldnt buy one but its a decent looking car

[Kosh]

Awful interior? hahahahah, hahahahah, hahahahahah, hahahhahahahhaah, riiiiight.

This is what I was thinking was awful. I hate all the buttons and while the build looks good I don't like the style. I think the buttons shaped like the person sitting down looks stupid. Plus all that unused space with too much brushed metal looking surround. That and the roll top desk looking center compartment doesn't appeal to me at all.

And 2 bucket seats in the back is just weird.

[CX-7owner]

Maybe you like clutter but the Volvo's interior screams functional simplicity, I have had that same interior layout, everything you could ever need is right there, and so many presets I lost track. It's hard to grasp but own one for a week and you will know how to control everything without even looking, and that little compartment behind the center stack, has an AUX jack. But either way it will get praise for its stylish, simple, and intuitive layout. Even some editors mentioned what you have but after being in it for a while their minds changed completely.

[Kosh]

Maybe you like clutter but the Volvo's interior screams functional simplicity, I have had that same interior layout, everything you could ever need is right there, and so many presets I lost track. It's hard to grasp but own one for a week and you will know how to control everything without even looking, and that little compartment behind the center stack, has an AUX jack.

I understand the controls learning curve but they could have used the space a little better. Fumbling around trying to keep your eyes on the road and find what button turns the air off wouldn't be so great. My background is interface design and usability so whenever I see a new design that is the first thing I break down. Awful wasn't the best word to describe the interior since it looks quality nice but those controls just stood out so much.

[CX-7owner]

The A/C is pretty simple, turn the fan knob until it stops blowing air.

[Kosh]

http://www.egmcartech.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/volvo_c30_customized_1.jpg

:(

[Kosh]

The A/C is pretty simple, turn the fan knob until it stops blowing air.

lol ya I bet once you get in and see what everything does it makes sense

[Young Roids]

Who wants to drive a 5 cylinder??? Not me. I think that 5 cylinders are just oddball engines. Why not go that extra mile and have a good engine like an I6 or an I4?

[Rotary_Powered]

Because the same engine will produce more torque (in theory) than an I4 and is cheaper than a V6. That's the same engine the use in the S60R with 300 hp and 300 lbs/tq. Less lag as well.


Horsepower : 227 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque : 236 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
Redline : 6500 rpm
Top speed : 149 mph
0-60 mph : 6.2 sec.(manual), 6.6 sec.(auto)
0-¼ mile : 14.5 sec @ 100.0 mph(manual)
60-0 braking distance : 114 ft
200 ft skidpad : 0.85 g

[Young Roids]

I still would like to stay away from 5s. Just like I would stay away from 3 cylinder bikes. These odd numbered engines are just a good idea to stay away from. And I didn't say V6 I said I6. The I6 is basically the best engine design ever made. How much harder is it to make an I6 vs an I5?

[civic si hb]

The C30 engine is the engine and turbine taken from the S40 T-5. You can get the basics for it but the turbo runs out of steam very quickly and cooling is a huge issue too. The turbo is connected right to the manifold on the car.The S60-R is a completly different set up and is much more mod friendly than the S40 orC30 will ever be. I owned a 2006 S40 T-5 AWD 6speed and I did a ton of research on it.The price that you pay for mods and the HP that you get just isn't worth the time or money on that car.

[TonyBSRT]

Yea, 3cyl engines suck. I mean, look at the Triumph Rocket III bike.........

So, do you think black cats are bad luck too?

[Young Roids]

Yea, 3cyl engines suck. I mean, look at the Triumph Rocket III bike.........

So, do you think black cats are bad luck too?

They are just oddball engines. The number of cyclinders needs to corespond with the number 4 in some usefull way. like a 6 cyclinder would be 3/2 when divided by four and a four cyclinder would be 1 and an 8 cylinder would be 2 and so on.

[Young Roids]

Straight-6 four-stroke cycle engines are in perfect primary and secondary balance and require no balance shaft. They are in primary balance because the two ends of the engines are mirror images of each other and the cylinders move up and down in pairs, one on the compression stroke and the other on the exhaust stroke. Piston #1 balances #6, #2 balances #5, and #3 balances #4, canceling the end-to-end rocking motion that would otherwise result. (This does not apply to two-stroke cycle engines.) Secondary imbalance occurs in straight-4 engines because the two pistons on the upper 180 degrees of the crankshaft rotation move faster than the two pistons on the lower 180 degrees, creating an unequal motion. Straight-6 engines have cranks at 120 degrees to each other, so the differences in speed on different parts of the crankshaft rotation are offset by the changing number of pistons on each portion.

Diesel straight-6 engines
The straight-6 in diesel form with a much larger displacement is commonly used for industrial applications. These include various types of heavy equipment, power generation, as well as transit buses or coaches. Virtually every medium-duty to large over-the-road truck employs an inline six diesel engine. Its virtues are superior low-end torque, very long service life, smooth operation and dependability. On-highway vehicle operators look for straight-6 diesels, which are smooth-operating and quiet. Off-highway applications such as tractors, marine engines, and electric generators need a motor that is rugged and powerful. In these applications, compactness is not as big a factor as in passenger cars, and reliability and maintainability are much more important concerns.

As with everyday passenger vehicles, the smooth running characteristics of the straight-6 engine are what make it desirable for industrial use. In addition, a straight-6 engine is mechanically simpler than a V6 or V8. It has only one cylinder head and half as many camshafts as a V engine. The fact that the the straight-6 is the simplest engine that is in both primary and secondary balance mean it can be scaled up to very large sizes without causing excessive vibration, and the fact that most of the engine components and accessories can be conveniently located along both sides, rather than on top of or underneath the cylinders, means that maintenance is easier than on a V-type engine.



Just some stuff from wiki about the great advantages of I6 engines. A 5 cylinder engine is flawed from the begining since it is basically missing a cylinder.

[CX-7owner]

I had a 2.4i, and It was OK, the concept of a 5 cyl was to offer 6 cyl performance with 4cyl economy(it did neither good) right? BUT the T5 is a very nice turbo engine, regardless of how much it cost its very easy to add power to that engine with the aftermarket plug in chip tuner thingy. I love the T5 S40, its my next car(2008), but I'm leasing it lease because I have heard too many horror stories about S40's, lucky I had no problems besides rattles. The turbo has two scrolls which is nice, but it does die in the higher RPM's, Modded T5's are beating 350Z's.

[Hirudin]

I'm not a racer by any means; in fact I'm not convinced I'd like to own a manual car again...

Anyway, I test drove a Speed3 and a C30 the same day (a couple days ago). First the Speed3 then the C30. The C30 made a much bigger impression on me! The performance is definitely there, plus for those of us like me you can opt for an automatic (~$1250 "MSRP"). But as everyone will tell you: the options will drive the price up very quickly!

Starting at $22,700 and ending up at $29,000 after a couple pages of options gives quite the sticker shock!
For instance: adding Xenon's will cost about $1000 after you add in the required headlight washers/climate package.

Oh, and the "custom" charge is $300... lame but better than $750.

Oh yeah... Volvo will apparently fly you over to Sweden and put you in a hotel for a night to drive your car around a little. They do this for free! (so they can import your car as "used"). I don't know much about the program, but it seems like everyone (except the US government I suppose) wins.

[genjy]

Here's my all-black C30 T5. I picked it up a few days ago.

A lot of drivers have been tailgating and passing me to check out my car. It really is a very unique looking car. There's nothing else like it on the road.

It's a great city and highway cruiser with plenty of power and strong acceleration. The handling is responsive and tight enough to get me out of trouble and emergencies. The clutch is very light and 6-speed manual shifter is like butter. I don't feel stressed or worked driving the C30... which is good.

The interior quality is everything expected of a Volvo. Most plastic is soft (the upper dash itself is completely soft) and everything is tightly fitted... most interior pieces feel decently high-quality. The interior design is very European but without that utilitarian German feel to it. It's very simple and elegant in an artsy way.

The four bucket seats are made of this durable Volvo cloth that feels sort of like suede but not to the point where it feels "fuzzy." It looks and feels like quality cloth. It seems like the shift boot is made of the same cloth, as well.

For those who think they might like the C30 but not sure if it's sporty enough for you... just test drive one. You may discover sportiness alone isn't everything.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/5670/1005764pd9.jpg

[CX-7owner]

You should have gone 2.0! With that Premium Volvo Surround sound W/Dynaudio speakers, it's great.

[genjy]

You should have gone 2.0! With that Premium Volvo Surround sound W/Dynaudio speakers, it's great.

A 2.0 would have cost thousands more than a 1.0. Although the 2.0 is a great bargain, I really don't need what it comes with... especially when I can use the money to buy the stuff I want instead.

I read that the 10-speaker Dynaudio system is awesome. However, I am not an audiophile by any stretch, so the Volvo 8-speaker premium system is fine.

My first cheapie mods will be to undo what U.S. Volvo wronged:
1) European red bumper reflectors to fill in the U.S. bumper vents
2) Volvo lowering springs (there's a chance I might go with Koni FSD + something, but that might ruin the ride)

When the warranty expires:
3) Chip or reflash (from 227HP to ~260HP)
4) Bigger intercooler

Maybe the bigger brakes and rotors from the bigger Volvos might fit the C30, but I haven't done research on that yet.

[CX-7owner]

You can chip it now, there is no way for Volvo to know, I know because I had a S40, they cannot and have not found any traces of an ECU reflash, even when a members ECU Fried, they could not tell, and replaced it under warranty(the ECU fried for another reason unrelated to the Chipping) And you can revert to the Factory settings in Five minutes, its great. But I'm sure you knew all of that already. Oh and one feature I wish Mazda has that Volvo does, Kickdown! You can demand the lowest gear and set you back into your seat, I love It on our 07 S80 V8, that thing can pull.

[genjy]

You can chip it now, there is no way for Volvo to know, I know because I had a S40, they cannot and have not found any traces of an ECU reflash, even when a members ECU Fried, they could not tell, and replaced it under warranty

Really? I guess I might go with BSR then (after I am done with the reflectors and lowering).

The BSR seems like a relatively inexpensive yet effective reflash. It doesn't provide custom tuning, though... but not that I am going to extensively mod my C30 anyway.

[CX-7owner]

Yep, they can't tell! Unless they found some new way(which I highly doubt).

[solomr2]

Would you buy the Volvo instead of the MS3?
Having recently driven both, that would be a RESOUNDING NO!

The Volvo is just not a driver's car. The feel is somewhat numb, the clutch is made for 10-year old girls, and the steering is non-communicative. Add a really high back sill, a non-existent cargo space and you have the C30. No thanks.

The MS3 is much more fun to drive, much more communicative in every respect, and far better value IMO.

But the volvo does look cool, and the interior is a notch up from Mazda.

In the end, I didn't buy either one, but if it was down to just these two I would have bought the MS3.

[konvex1]

What exactly is the difference b/t the Version 1.0 and the Version 2.0?

[Hirudin]

What exactly is the difference b/t the Version 1.0 and the Version 2.0?
v2.0 is basically an option package. It's $2876 more than 1.0 (invoice). You get 18" wheels, color matched (in most cases) body kit, and 3" exhaust tips for ~$1200 of the upgrade cost (these 3 options aren't available on the 1.0), the remaining ~$1676 are options that you can add to a 1.0 car. For instance, one of the v2.0 options is for a $700 (MSRP) 650 watt stereo upgrade.

The various sources of information on what comes on a 1.0 and 2.0 car don't have the exact same information. It's possible I've got the numbers off by omitting a couple options, but I think I've got it pretty close.

[genjy]

v2.0 is basically an option package. It's $2876 more than 1.0 (invoice). You get 18" wheels, color matched (in most cases) body kit, and 3" exhaust tips for ~$1200 of the upgrade cost (these 3 options aren't available on the 1.0), the remaining ~$1676 are options that you can add to a 1.0 car. For instance, one of the v2.0 options is for a $700 (MSRP) 650 watt stereo upgrade.

The various sources of information on what comes on a 1.0 and 2.0 car don't have the exact same information. It's possible I've got the numbers off by omitting a couple options, but I think I've got it pretty close.

From the top of my head...

2.0 comes standard with:

Bodykit, roof spoiler, 18" wheels, exhaust tips
Aluminum trims, Sirius, 10-speaker Dynaudio
Dynamic chassis (stiffer struts)


Any items from that list can be built into a 1.0 if you order and customize your car.

The items you can't buy for the 1.0 as dealer accessories (after the car is built) are Sirius, Dynaudio, and dynamic chassis.