Are there any Volvo enthusiats at all?

[Vision33r]

Can't remember the last time I've seen a volvo with even non-stock wheels.

[Waarp]

I was enthusiastic about Volvos back when they were rear drive and 107hp. The minute they gave their cars some power, they had switched to front drive--ruining it.

[hushypushy]

Doesn't VadGTI have a Volvo??

Simbin, a Swedish sim racing developer, are surely Volvo enthusiasts (although with their location, one would expect it). Showing their brilliant Swedish creativity, they created a game called Volvo: The Game. If you have a gaming PC, check it out, it's free.

[mellbergVWfan]

Chilledman is a Volvo enthusiast. There are lots of Volvo enthusiasts. They reside mostly in Scandanavia however.

[DrewSXR]

Can't remember the last time I've seen a volvo with even non-stock wheels.

Yes, there are Volvo enthusiasts, almost 50k of them on Swedespeed...

[BRealistic]

They are all in bed by now.

[varanus]

There is quite a volvo enthusiast community... Turbobricks, brickboard, swedespeed, volvospeed...
I guess we typically don't tout it? I don't know...?

The 2.3l T5 has quite a following, even if they're FWD It's one of those engine that can pull 40+hp and 50+tq with an ECU retune and exhaust. They are not the most tossable, even with full suspension upgrades. But they are fun cars.

[Bonanza]

I briefly cross shopped the C30 against a GTI. But the bloated price and Twilight usage helped me move on.

[JacksSenseOfRejection]

Can't remember the last time I've seen a volvo with even non-stock wheels.

Plenty of enthusiast out there, just not a lot of aftermarket wheel options out there. Generally you have to go custom to order built wheels if you want something different than a set of Pegasus wheels.

I've been trying to convince Fifteen52 to start carrying 5x108 wheels

[Live-Wire]

Who gives a damn about non OEM wheels??!? I have been a Volvo enthusiast since I was old enough to pronouce the name on the back of my dad's 740... when he moved up to a GLE 16-Valve, I knew we had something special, because even most of the other GLE's weren't 16-Valve... (pretty good figuring, for a 7 year old)

I grew up in a 960, and later inherited that car (in almost mint shape, because that's how well they hold up if you take care of them). I love Volvo's!! I always wanted an 850 T-5 R AWD wagon, a P2 generation T-5 (R or non R, hell I even like the 2.4T). My favorite colour on the old T-5 was Saffron... loved the wheels back then - the 5 spoke with the bend in the spoke. Gorgeous!

Even back in 1993 (the year of our 960), Volvo had dash-strokers covered (probably why I became one).... Vinyl over foam dash, nice stereo *for the time, black velvet headliner, black leather seats - that continued to smell good the entire life of the car, controls in just the right spot - actuated by beefy but refined feeling switches. It was perfect... No nasty seams or parting lines anywhere - you could feel certain areas were even finished by hand for a nicer to-the-touch feel.

You don't need mods and wheels to be an enthusiast. But thanks for waking some of us up

[DUBSfightinRUST]

Volvos were cool until Ford meddled

[blue70beetle]

You don't need mods and wheels to be an enthusiast. But thanks for waking some of us up

This.

I'm as enthusiastic about my cars as anyone on here and I love to learn all I can about them. I do most of the work on them. However, I don't have extra money for wheels and mods. In fact, I've never bought a set of wheels, and my wife thinks I'm addicted to buying tires because I buy a set when one of our cars absolutely needs it (about every 18 months or so I have to buy them for something we have).

There is no dollar or parts count threshold that determines your status as an "enthusiast."

[BRealistic]

Volvos were slow boring plastic interior tanks until Ford meddled

yep.

[TurboMinivan]

Can't remember the last time I've seen a volvo with even non-stock wheels.

So you're saying running OEM wheels automatically makes one a non-enthusiast?

[MightyDSM]

So you're saying running OEM wheels automatically makes one a non-enthusiast?

No.
What he's saying is that you dont' "even" see one with aftermarket wheels. As in people don't seem to modify them so you can't really tell if there are enthusiasts or not.

[hushypushy]

You don't need mods and wheels to be an enthusiast. But thanks for waking some of us up

There are three things to do with cars:

1. Drive them (the intended purpose)
2. Admire them (as a work of art. Think collectors, kids, etc)
3. Work on them (modification, reparation, destruction, etc)

Being seriously interested in any one of those qualifies you as an "enthusiast" in my book. Some people like just one...some all three. Doesn't really matter.

I know there are plenty of people who love their car and love driving it, but will never turn a spanner or modify anything. I don't quite get that, but I'm not against it

[AlpineE90]

I'm a fan of the S60Rs, and older 60s/70s Volvo's like the 122 & 142/145 series. Rear wheel drive, B20 engines (single carbs, dual carbs or fuel injected) and a chassis that comes alive with springs, shocks and sways.

1969 122S - B20 dual carbs w/4 speed manual:


1972 142E - B20 fuel injection w/ 4 speed manual:


1972 145 - B20 single carb w/ 4 speed manual (and an extremely clean bay)


I passed on a few S60Rs because of maintenance costs, but I would definitely consider one of these in the future. They're great driving cars and completely changed my impression of volvo.

[TurboMinivan]

As in people don't seem to modify them so you can't really tell if there are enthusiasts or not.

This line of thinking is exactly what those of us who build sleepers (Volvo or otherwise) prey upon.

[JacksSenseOfRejection]

This line of thinking is exactly what those of us who build sleepers (Volvo or otherwise) prey upon.

Once my springs and shocks on on my car (still sitting in boxes in my apt) I'm contemplating sticking with my steelies and hubcaps for awhile. Maybe even after the +T conversion is done.

[mellbergVWfan]

I know there are plenty of people who love their car and love driving it, but will never turn a spanner or modify anything. I don't quite get that, but I'm not against it

We live in America. Call it a wrench dammit.

[DTMTrini]

Of course there are...tons of em in the city [NYC] .

[Biff Beltsander]

Doesn't VadGTI have a Volvo??

Simbin, a Swedish sim racing developer, are surely Volvo enthusiasts (although with their location, one would expect it). Showing their brilliant Swedish creativity, they created a game called Volvo: The Game. If you have a gaming PC, check it out, it's free.

Thanks, I will be downloading that game.

[JacksSenseOfRejection]

We live in America. Call it a wrench dammit.

He probably types "mate", "bonnet" and "boot" as well. But probably never says any of them out loud to anyone, ever.

[genjy]

My 2008 C30 T5 6sp with H&R adjustable coilovers, 16lb wheels, ECU reflash, etc.

[Bluegrape2]

who makes the best SW for the 2.5t in C30? Asking for friend looking to get some more HP out of his. Def falls off hard in the upper part of tach. Do they make open source programs? Do you flash them or "chip them" ? What kind of gains can be expected? Thanks for your help.

[genjy]

who makes the best SW for the 2.5t in C30? Asking for friend looking to get some more HP out of his. Def falls off hard in the upper part of tach. Do they make open source programs? Do you flash them or "chip them" ? What kind of gains can be expected? Thanks for your help.

All the C30 flashes use handheld units--they are ECU remaps.

The best remap is probably the Autotech tune. It is sold through Elevate. I read the Autotech tune is pretty customizable... you just have to tell Autotech or Elevate what you need/want.

IPD supposedly has a good one too... IPD's tune has an optional data logger, which AFAIK is the only one on the market for the C1 Volvos. IPD's software was supposedly developed by someone who is a super-expert engineer who specializes in Volvos, and that's why only IPD offers a data logger.

[mellbergVWfan]

who makes the best SW for the 2.5t in C30? Asking for friend looking to get some more HP out of his. Def falls off hard in the upper part of tach. Do they make open source programs? Do you flash them or "chip them" ? What kind of gains can be expected? Thanks for your help.

I think with any modern car with OBDII it's going to be an ECU flash. The first 2 companies that I think of for Volvo mods are IPD and Elevate (formerly Evolve).

[SixerFixer]

I've got an 04 V70R!

[SSLByron]

My 2008 C30 T5 6sp with H&R adjustable coilovers, 16lb wheels, ECU reflash, etc.

Does that "etc" include a cat-back or a resonator delete or something? We had a stock C30 at our Mazda club autocross a couple weeks ago and it sounded like the course had been red-flagged every time he ran.

[genjy]

Does that "etc" include a cat-back or a resonator delete or something? We had a stock C30 at our Mazda club autocross a couple weeks ago and it sounded like the course had been red-flagged every time he ran.

My car doesn't have any power-related mod except the ECU reflash. I am into suspension/handling mods a lot more.

Plenty of exhaust mods for the C30 if you are wondering about that. Even Mazda3/Speed3 and ST/RS exhaust stuff can be fitted on the C30 with a bit of modification.

[Mk2Fever]

S60R Owner/Enthusiast Checking In:




6MT, AWD, 300HP, Atacama Leather. A fantastic cruiser and everyday hauler with some extra punch.

[200HP4dr]

850R and XC70 owner checking in. I actually like the wheels my R came with, so its really, really low on my list of crap to do.

Besides, older Volvo enthusiasts are too busy dumping money into the rest of their car to afford wheels (if they own a FWD/AWD car).

Chris

[om617952]

1972 142E - B20 fuel injection w/ 4 speed manual:

This thing is worth quite a bit of money back where it was made.

Nice collection

[MCTB]

Ive been drooling over 240s lately. Never liked white wheels until seeing them on a nice 240. Now, Im thinking that a 240 wagon with white Tarmacs and some HP would be an awesome, fun to drive family hauler.

[01tj]

S60R Owner/Enthusiast Checking In:




6MT, AWD, 300HP, Atacama Leather. A fantastic cruiser and everyday hauler with some extra punch.

One of the coolest features and they stopped making it