RE: SOTW: Volvo C70
Discussion
'This week it's the turn of the Swedish coupe that swapped 'safe' for 'sexy'....'
Maybe im missin something, but I can't see anything sexy about a C70..........unless Sandra Bulloch was butt naked on the back seat..
Shed of the week oh yes, would I be seen dead in one? Oh no..not unless Sandra asked nicely tehe.......
Maybe im missin something, but I can't see anything sexy about a C70..........unless Sandra Bulloch was butt naked on the back seat..
Shed of the week oh yes, would I be seen dead in one? Oh no..not unless Sandra asked nicely tehe.......
Edited by dingocooke on Friday 5th November 15:37
My Dad purchased one brand new from Murray Motor company in Sighthill.
I loved it , once you had managed to fit yourself into the back its was a lovely world.
Drove it only a couple of times but it was nicely built and a very substantial machine.
He paid £21,9995 for his , so £995 is rather a bargain.
I loved it , once you had managed to fit yourself into the back its was a lovely world.
Drove it only a couple of times but it was nicely built and a very substantial machine.
He paid £21,9995 for his , so £995 is rather a bargain.
ExPat2B said:
ManOpener said:
ExPat2B said:
I test drive a couple of these when I was looking for a car coupe a while ago. The T5 estate gets a lot of good press on here, as when it came out it was in a class of one, ie 200 bhp estate cars in a reasonable price bracket.
The problem is that once translated into a coupe, it come up against much more serious competion, and is judged to higher standards. And the bad news is that it doesnt reach those standards at all.
The first problem is the power. 250 BHP is a lot for the front wheels, and some changes were made to the chassis to try to cope. The rear suspension is very very stiff. The front suspension is extremely stiff. So you have a large, supposedely luxurious coupe with a terrible ride, and unforgivably, it still doesn't tame the front wheels torque steer. It desperately needed to be RWD. So its no good at motorway cruising, as it far too jiggly with a lot of tyre roar, and its terrible down a back road, with no grip from the front wheels and crashy over the potholes at speed.
The second problem are the controls. They were never designed to be a drivers car from the outset, it is after all a large saloon car where feedback is seen as an irritation by its octegenarion owners. As a result, the steering lacks any feel, the brakes are a bit of a joke and the gearchange is more suited to an ocean liner. Such things can be forgiven when motorway crusing is your aim, but as previously mentioned its a terrible motorway cruiser.
Drive one of these, and then go and drive a Manual E39 530 BMW, to see how much better it could have been.
Find me an E39 530i coupe, or for that matter any 330 engined BMW for under a bag, and I'd have that instead. At £995 you really would struggle to beat the Volvo.The problem is that once translated into a coupe, it come up against much more serious competion, and is judged to higher standards. And the bad news is that it doesnt reach those standards at all.
The first problem is the power. 250 BHP is a lot for the front wheels, and some changes were made to the chassis to try to cope. The rear suspension is very very stiff. The front suspension is extremely stiff. So you have a large, supposedely luxurious coupe with a terrible ride, and unforgivably, it still doesn't tame the front wheels torque steer. It desperately needed to be RWD. So its no good at motorway cruising, as it far too jiggly with a lot of tyre roar, and its terrible down a back road, with no grip from the front wheels and crashy over the potholes at speed.
The second problem are the controls. They were never designed to be a drivers car from the outset, it is after all a large saloon car where feedback is seen as an irritation by its octegenarion owners. As a result, the steering lacks any feel, the brakes are a bit of a joke and the gearchange is more suited to an ocean liner. Such things can be forgiven when motorway crusing is your aim, but as previously mentioned its a terrible motorway cruiser.
Drive one of these, and then go and drive a Manual E39 530 BMW, to see how much better it could have been.
As a E39 530i owner I have to agree! Basing such a big powerful car on a FWD chassis is just penny-pinching. Even my Dad's 740 estate was RWD! Got the back out once, but thats another story...It is a pleasant enough coupe and certainly good value for money. Does it excite me? - No; it isn't simply isn't special enough outside or in.
It is a good, sensible buy at this money provided nothing expensive blows up or fails. Personally though, I'd rather have a Jag. They are so much nicer inside.
It is a good, sensible buy at this money provided nothing expensive blows up or fails. Personally though, I'd rather have a Jag. They are so much nicer inside.
ExPat2B said:
The first problem is the power. 250 BHP is a lot for the front wheels, and some changes were made to the chassis to try to cope. The rear suspension is very very stiff. The front suspension is extremely stiff. So you have a large, supposedely luxurious coupe with a terrible ride, and unforgivably, it still doesn't tame the front wheels torque steer. It desperately needed to be RWD. So its no good at motorway cruising, as it far too jiggly with a lot of tyre roar, and its terrible down a back road, with no grip from the front wheels and crashy over the potholes at speed.
The second problem are the controls. They were never designed to be a drivers car from the outset, it is after all a large saloon car where feedback is seen as an irritation by its octegenarion owners. As a result, the steering lacks any feel, the brakes are a bit of a joke and the gearchange is more suited to an ocean liner. Such things can be forgiven when motorway crusing is your aim, but as previously mentioned its a terrible motorway cruiser.
Drive one of these, and then go and drive a Manual E39 530 BMW, to see how much better it could have been.
A great shed find. The second problem are the controls. They were never designed to be a drivers car from the outset, it is after all a large saloon car where feedback is seen as an irritation by its octegenarion owners. As a result, the steering lacks any feel, the brakes are a bit of a joke and the gearchange is more suited to an ocean liner. Such things can be forgiven when motorway crusing is your aim, but as previously mentioned its a terrible motorway cruiser.
Drive one of these, and then go and drive a Manual E39 530 BMW, to see how much better it could have been.
Had no idea they'd be in this price range now. A friend had a T5 version of the C70 in the same colour as a company car - we called it the Crunchie mobile.But as ExPat2B says they are unfortunately a complete failure as a car.
The steering wheel didn't appear connected to the wheels.
It didn't corner and was seriously nervous going round bends at any speed other than pottering.
The ride was so bad it actually mad you feel sick after a while.
Given the looks they deserved to be so much better but unfortunately they were utterly, utterly awful.
For what its worth back in May, I was tempted by one of these having had the loan of one for a couple of days. Managed to buy a well maintained fairly late example, and five months on and a fresh mot am still hugely impressed . Although it is a large heavy car it gets away well , and once rolling is simply astonishing.I say this as someone who would have dismissed any thought of owning a volvo previously.
The ride is not good on poor road surfaces, but on good tarmac it takes some beating. Very impressive economy too mines a t5 and with some spirited driving has never failed to return less than than 29 mpg.So great shed in my opinion , i think the only proviso with the purchase of one of these, is look at maintenance to date ,use the owners club forums to identify known problems , take time over purchase and then sit back and enjoy.
The ride is not good on poor road surfaces, but on good tarmac it takes some beating. Very impressive economy too mines a t5 and with some spirited driving has never failed to return less than than 29 mpg.So great shed in my opinion , i think the only proviso with the purchase of one of these, is look at maintenance to date ,use the owners club forums to identify known problems , take time over purchase and then sit back and enjoy.
My brother in law had a metallic blue t5 gt about 8 yrs ago & i thought it was awesome, quick, comfy & with the best stereo i had ever heard at the time.
He bought it from an auction & proved perfectly reliable.
Really good cars for fwd & decent looker.
As previous posts state if rwd they would have been a world beater!
He bought it from an auction & proved perfectly reliable.
Really good cars for fwd & decent looker.
As previous posts state if rwd they would have been a world beater!
sidaorb said:
y2blade said:
sidaorb said:
Fantastic shed, been looking at one of these for while as I'm still missing my 850 T5R (yep an original yellow one), as said above its a toss up between this and the 406 Coupe. But just also been offered a 406 oil burner for silly money too and with the mileage I do, think I will be going for that.
Carl, I never had you down as a Volvo driver 
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