2009 Volvo C30 Turbo... What Say BITOG?

[LoneRanger]

http://www.volvocars.com/us/models/C30/Pages/default.aspx

Nevermind the msrp, found a place selling the turbo model (T5) as low as $20,995. Warranty is 5yr/60,000 and Volvo is offering 5 years of free factory scheduled maintenance *and* 5 years of free wear & tear coverage along with 5 years of roadside assistance. Built in Belgium with majority of parts content being Germany and Sweden. Not super fast, but 0-60 @ 6.7 seconds and 28mpg is okay, given the price and incentives.

We're considering getting out of the wife's Volkswagen Beetle TDI and getting her something else, and this offer from Volvo makes the C30 a prime candidate.

I believe it is built on the Mazda 3 and Ford Focus (Euro version) platform. Seems more upscale than some other hot hatches.

 

[BimmerMan]

The C30 is a cool car..


I like the Mini Cooper too..

 

[01rangerxl]

They seem like neat cars and are definitely unique, I just wish there was a coupe version available and not just the odd looking glass hatch.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Personally, I find the back of the C30 hideous. For that reason alone, if I wanted a Volvo, I'd go for the S40 instead.

Otherwise, when talking about sporty hatches, the new VW GTI would be high on my list.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
They seem like neat cars and are definitely unique, I just wish there was a coupe version available and not just the odd looking glass hatch.


there is, it's called the C70 and its a hard top convertible

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Personally, I find the back of the C30 hideous. For that reason alone, if I wanted a Volvo, I'd go for the S40 instead.

Otherwise, when talking about sporty hatches, the new VW GTI would be high on my list.


test drive it, then test the VW Rabbit in base (2.5 5 cyl format) you'll see how much better the VW is!

I had a C30 while my S60 was in the shop as a loaner last winter. Sure it had looks that reminded me of the p1800 which I thought was a really neat LOOKING car, but thats where the enjoyment stopped.

The rabbit can easily out perform the C30. Not only is it far more fun to drive, but it's also THOUSANDS less! Consideirng how much better the base Rabbit was over the NA C30, I can only imagine how awesome the GTI would be.

all the best

 

[saaber1]

C30 IMO is good car that is about the individuality of the body style. I have had a few different versions of the turbo 2.5 over the years and I have found then all to be "gruff" (a bit too noisy and too much vibration due to the naturally unbalanced 5 cylinder). I think the car's biggest drawback is how unusable much of the interior space is. But coming from a bug it will be an improvement I'm sure. I haven't driven the c30.

Mini IMO is a good car that is about the handling, smallness, and feel of the car. It used to be about the individuality of the design but there are way too many on the road now for that. I have driven the S and regular cooper a few times and I love the handling and they are fun to drive but I am always finding them a bit uncomfortable. It must be due to interior size.

GTI is more understated in exterior appearance IMO and more about doing everything well. The interior fit and finish is just a step under audi. They handle very well but not as tight feeling as a mini. They are a blast to drive and feel "alive" and always seem to asking you to "go go go". Test drive note... a GTI with 18 inch wheels handles and rides quite differently than one with 17 inch wheels, try dsg in s mode for fun and d for smoothness.

I would suggest back-to-back test drives of these three and one will jump out as the right fit. As much as I love the mini's handling, there was no comparison for me between the mini and GTI. The GTI in 4 door form really performs the functions of sports car (excellent handling, fast, very fun to drive), city runabout (nimble, easy to park, and good mpg), and suv (amazing utility and usable interior space compared to the other two). Also full size adults can fit in the back no problem. The new one is supposed to be out in Sept. but they will just show up on the back lots of dealers probably any day now I would guess. Feel free to ignore just my opinion.