Discussion
Hello
Thinking of getting something a little different to replace my leased Audi. Is the c30 t5 a rare car? Only appears to be a handful for sale. Fancy something small with a bit of poke that isn’t German and now that I’m on first name terms with my local Volvo garage due to the work completed on my xc90 I fancy a small Volvo. I have got my eye on a black one on eBay in R design spec but would prefer a different colour to be honest.
Anyone had this model?
Thinking of getting something a little different to replace my leased Audi. Is the c30 t5 a rare car? Only appears to be a handful for sale. Fancy something small with a bit of poke that isn’t German and now that I’m on first name terms with my local Volvo garage due to the work completed on my xc90 I fancy a small Volvo. I have got my eye on a black one on eBay in R design spec but would prefer a different colour to be honest.
Anyone had this model?
Edited by oldaudi on Saturday 7th March 09:14
I had one a few years back, an R-Design SE Sport Geartronic. Great little car that seemed at odds with what it wanted to be. Too refined to be a hot hatch, too fidgety to be a comfortable luxury hatch. I suspect a lot had to do with it being an auto mind you. Superbly comfortable, and on a long drive, a really welcome trait. Boot size is laughable, but it was never an issue for me as I had roof rails and rack for my bike which was the biggest thing I carried. Expensive to maintain mind you.
I have contemplated getting another many times, and it was the longest i kept a car since 2010. Mine was Cosmic Whute with Java bodykit which I loved. I would.just say that the half leather/neoprene cloth of the R Design wasnt the hardest wearing, and the leather showed its age even though the car was really low mileage and inwore a suit most days.
Engine was lovely though and I would certainly recommend one if you fancy something stylish and a bit different. Just dont expect it to be a hot hatch like Golf GTI or Focus ST.
I have contemplated getting another many times, and it was the longest i kept a car since 2010. Mine was Cosmic Whute with Java bodykit which I loved. I would.just say that the half leather/neoprene cloth of the R Design wasnt the hardest wearing, and the leather showed its age even though the car was really low mileage and inwore a suit most days.
Engine was lovely though and I would certainly recommend one if you fancy something stylish and a bit different. Just dont expect it to be a hot hatch like Golf GTI or Focus ST.
I’ll look out for the manual. A number of geartronic ones available but appear to be down in power over the manual. I’m in no particular rush and I’ve not even looked at one close up! Can’t even find one in a multi story car park that I walked around this morning.....
Thanks for your feedback. I’ll keep looking
Thanks for your feedback. I’ll keep looking
oldaudi said:
I’ll look out for the manual. A number of geartronic ones available but appear to be down in power over the manual. I’m in no particular rush and I’ve not even looked at one close up! Can’t even find one in a multi story car park that I walked around this morning.....
Thanks for your feedback. I’ll keep looking
Keep looking. They are a great looking car. Thanks for your feedback. I’ll keep looking
I have an S40 T5, so same engine but slightly bigger car.
Wait till you get a good example, make sure it has had its oil changed regularly. Great cars and real fun to drive.
timing belt is due about 90k I think but if it hasnt been done, it gives you the opertunity to do the block mod at the same time to reinfornce the liners.
Wait till you get a good example, make sure it has had its oil changed regularly. Great cars and real fun to drive.
timing belt is due about 90k I think but if it hasnt been done, it gives you the opertunity to do the block mod at the same time to reinfornce the liners.
Not a T5, but I have a D5 with the geartronic box. Great car to drive, boot is comical but big enough for my needs. Only had mine since November and no issues at all.
The auto is a little dim witted at times, but changes are smooth. Heard good things about re-mapped T5's putting out good power compared to standard.
The auto is a little dim witted at times, but changes are smooth. Heard good things about re-mapped T5's putting out good power compared to standard.
Ive found two on Ebay which Ill look at later in the month. Both Manual, one a 2008 in a SE Lux Spec, fully beige the second is a 2010 R Design in Black, wheels look in terrible condition. If they're gone they're gone and ill keep looking. Think I prefer the SE spec, looks even less like a pocket rocket without its fancy body kit.
There is another one that looks in great condition, cosmic white and bronze body kit but its Auto. Also a 2007 in Grey, manual that looks the part too but is Manchester, im in Bristol. A few to chose form.
Other than V O L V O and VOLVO on the back, whats the difference in the face lifts?
There is another one that looks in great condition, cosmic white and bronze body kit but its Auto. Also a 2007 in Grey, manual that looks the part too but is Manchester, im in Bristol. A few to chose form.
Other than V O L V O and VOLVO on the back, whats the difference in the face lifts?
Edited by oldaudi on Wednesday 11th March 10:46
oldaudi said:
Me again. At what point did these t5 move from 220 to 230bhp.
2008 MY, so late 2007 build.Pre 2008 MY, there was no R-Design. The "sporty-looking" ones were the SE Sport, the stereo didn't do USB and the engines were down on power - B5254T3 vs B5254T7. Not sure on the technical differences between the two.
The 2008 MY cars are identifiable by their USB port (where fitted) and the wider spacing for the Volvo writing on the back. These also came with the option of R-Design trim levels - R-Design Sport and R-Design SE Sport - and the T5 came with the 230PS B5254T7.
The "facelift" was a 2010 thing and IMO ruined the look, but to each their own. Key differences were mainly cosmetic although there was the option of a "sports chassis" pack which was suspension changes and stiffer ARBs.
yes late 2007 - 2008 the T5's became 230bhp ... but with a remap you can easily change that. Running gear is pretty much the same.
These are defenitly Volvo's, never understand these comments with the old volvo owners joining on slatting these are fords. These are wonderful Volvo engines, mated to a lovely focus chasis. Absolutly great handling, thanks to the chasis.
The only thing you need to look out for is the history of oil changes really. These cars defenitly need looking after and their oil regularly changed.
These are defenitly Volvo's, never understand these comments with the old volvo owners joining on slatting these are fords. These are wonderful Volvo engines, mated to a lovely focus chasis. Absolutly great handling, thanks to the chasis.
The only thing you need to look out for is the history of oil changes really. These cars defenitly need looking after and their oil regularly changed.
They're lovely cars, I've had mine for nearly 4 years - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
That reminds me, quite a bit of work has been done since the last update, I should do another post on it.
That reminds me, quite a bit of work has been done since the last update, I should do another post on it.
Moonpiemagic said:
yes late 2007 - 2008 the T5's became 230bhp ... but with a remap you can easily change that. Running gear is pretty much the same.
These are defenitly Volvo's, never understand these comments with the old volvo owners joining on slatting these are fords. These are wonderful Volvo engines, mated to a lovely focus chasis. Absolutly great handling, thanks to the chasis.
The only thing you need to look out for is the history of oil changes really. These cars defenitly need looking after and their oil regularly changed.
Not an old Volvo owner in the slightest, 37 years of age, when you compare the earlier stuff, we have an 850R and a 2003 phase 2 V70 D5 sport, both wonderful engines in there own right. However the build quality is far far superior to the wife’s 2008 C70 D5, the engine is fantastic but the interior feels cheap compared to the other of our cars. The seats are no where near as comfortable , if you’ve sat in an 850 or V70 you would certainly feel the difference. These are defenitly Volvo's, never understand these comments with the old volvo owners joining on slatting these are fords. These are wonderful Volvo engines, mated to a lovely focus chasis. Absolutly great handling, thanks to the chasis.
The only thing you need to look out for is the history of oil changes really. These cars defenitly need looking after and their oil regularly changed.
850R said:
Not an old Volvo owner in the slightest, 37 years of age, when you compare the earlier stuff, we have an 850R and a 2003 phase 2 V70 D5 sport, both wonderful engines in there own right. However the build quality is far far superior to the wife’s 2008 C70 D5, the engine is fantastic but the interior feels cheap compared to the other of our cars. The seats are no where near as comfortable , if you’ve sat in an 850 or V70 you would certainly feel the difference.
You are comparing completly different cars, that makes no sense at all!I have had the previous Volvo S40's and V40's and yes agree they have a different feel. They are comfy and I thought they were great but boy are they dated with how they handled. Comparing my old S40 to my new S40, the new one is light years better ... in power, comfort, safety etc etc I have had my current S40 T5 for over 4 years now and there is nothing wrong with the interior build quality and never had a problem with it at all if its looked after. The ride is a lot more firmer than the old S40's but thats because they handle and corner better, sacrificing comfort for handling. I do miss the comfort of my old S40 but the seats in the new one are great and cornering is way more fun.
All the volvo's old and new are great cars, but the P1 platform that this guy posted about is a great platform used / shared with the focus, so its more enjoyable to drive for sure and the neat T5 volvo engine is reliable if looked after and with a nice tune, can see som big gains.
Edited by Moonpiemagic on Friday 20th March 10:42
I had the opposite experience with "proper" Volvos. My early (2002) S60 was built to a quality I could best describe as indifferent. It had a whole bunch of problems with loose connectors, fragile trim, self-destructing door locks and heater matrix (it blew two OEM Volvo units before I replaced it with a pattern one), lots of interior rattles and the feeling that chassis-wise it was a bit of a lash up. That's before getting to the inevitable death of the Aisin-Warner autobox, although that one isn't so much Volvo's fault.
The 2006 S40 that replaced it was completely trouble-free barring a few air conditioning issues past 10 years old. Better screwed-together and with the Ford influence enormously better to drive. I did miss the seats and the fantastic stereo from the larger cars, but once you got over not sinking into the front seat the same way it was just as quiet and comfortable for long trips, with the added bonus I wasn't constantly worrying about what would blow up next or whether the next minor road imperfection would inspire an attempt to tramline hard into the nearest barrier. (An S60 party trick: between the string of parts failures and attempts to dash itself against the Armco I did wonder if Volvo had somehow engineered a car with a death wish.)
I suspect a lot of that in my case was differing approaches to maintenance early in the car's life. The S60 had been given the bare minimum of servicing, whereas the S40 had clearly been cherished. This isn't the usual way round: historically owners looked after the big Volvos better with a decent amount of preventative maintenance, whereas the smaller cars get treated like any normal Focus or Astra and run into the ground with only the most urgent pieces of inevitably deferred servicing attended to, typically by whichever tyre and exhaust warehouse has the cheapest deal on that day. The cars which have been properly looked after drive better and encounter fewer niggles later in life, further cementing the reputation by encouraging the type of second and third hand owners who want a car that will look after them if they look after it.
The 2006 S40 that replaced it was completely trouble-free barring a few air conditioning issues past 10 years old. Better screwed-together and with the Ford influence enormously better to drive. I did miss the seats and the fantastic stereo from the larger cars, but once you got over not sinking into the front seat the same way it was just as quiet and comfortable for long trips, with the added bonus I wasn't constantly worrying about what would blow up next or whether the next minor road imperfection would inspire an attempt to tramline hard into the nearest barrier. (An S60 party trick: between the string of parts failures and attempts to dash itself against the Armco I did wonder if Volvo had somehow engineered a car with a death wish.)
I suspect a lot of that in my case was differing approaches to maintenance early in the car's life. The S60 had been given the bare minimum of servicing, whereas the S40 had clearly been cherished. This isn't the usual way round: historically owners looked after the big Volvos better with a decent amount of preventative maintenance, whereas the smaller cars get treated like any normal Focus or Astra and run into the ground with only the most urgent pieces of inevitably deferred servicing attended to, typically by whichever tyre and exhaust warehouse has the cheapest deal on that day. The cars which have been properly looked after drive better and encounter fewer niggles later in life, further cementing the reputation by encouraging the type of second and third hand owners who want a car that will look after them if they look after it.
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