cortina64
Well-known member
Really enjoying your trip Gregor, nice choice of car.
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Mid-Century Moto Mecca Makeover
- Thread starter sakurama
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Got the car - it’s f’ing awesome.
It’s a 2015 Volvo V60 T6 R-Design - Polestar tuned but not the actual “Polestar” with the Ohlins suspension and 20” wheels. This is probably a bit more comfortable and about as fast. And it is so fast and so nice - but I’ve been driving a 9000lb diesel van for the last 4 or 5 years. If I manage to get home without getting a ticket it will be a minor miracle.
I’m enjoying my time in the 21st century of the automotive world.
Gregor
Horror Business
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2014
- Messages
- 511
Herb Chambers is a reputable dealer in this area. Looks beautiful!
Before Tam & I bought the electric Polestar we tried one with the Ohlins and larger wheels - it was unpleasantly harsh. It seemed nutty that you need tools to change settings. On imperfect roads base suspension and more sidewall are ideal.
Enjoy the trip!
nicholam77
Well-known member
Awesome choice Gregor and that blue is killer!
wasfast
Well-known member
Knowing that no matter how awesome the Polestar is (it's incredible), I know how it's hard to leave things alone. Turns out that one of the best Volvo aftermarket companies is in Portland, IPD https://www.ipdusa.com/
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
A 95 Buick Roadmaster Estate had a blue baby, and it lived! Enjoy your new toy.
TiFJ
Well-known member
Great choice and I love the Polestar blue.
fullthrottle24
Well-known member
Glad you got the car. I too tend to shut down when stuff keeps breaking. The part that gets me the most is the money spent on maintaining something only to have one stupid part cause catastrophic damage. It’s a shame we don’t have a society that values reliability over up front price. Planned obsolescence *****.
Vertigo Cycles
Well-known member
That's so much better than a Caprice wagon!
I'm back! If you followed along on Instagram you sort of got to see the whole trip. For those that didn't I'll give a brief synopsis here.
So, while I'd done my homework and had the car checked out by an independent mechanic, checked with the mechanic of the original selling dealer who'd done all the maintenance, the way that the sale happened, with the salesman threatening to sell the car out from under me unless I rushed to get my wire transfer in before someone else (truth or fiction I'll never know) that whole process left me wondering if I'd been swindled.
My flight was cancelled out of Seattle so I got another flight from LA. All told I spent 36 hours in airports and planes. The salesman picked me up in the car at the hotel and the car looked perfect. I was starting to feel like it was real.
It's been a long time since I've owned a car and while the car is used it seemed to be about as perfect as you could hope for from a car with 82,000 miles. No dirt anywhere. The only flaws were curb rash on the rims and one ding on the hood. Getting in the car for the first time and leaving the dealer felt familiar, because I'd already driven two examples, but also like I'd stolen the car.
Getting on the gas the first time was a thrill and I knew immediately I made the right choice to get the fast version.
I got about 30 miles of dry roads and then the snow started. I headed to a lake where my friends were ice racing on minibikes and I thought I'd just watch as I'd brought no gear but "just one lap" turned into two, into 20 and into a race. Flat track this year did wonders for my ice racing.
I headed west through New York state scrolling through menus and trying to learn the complicated dash.
I would drive until I got tired or it was late then find a motel and get up before dawn to drive while the sun was coming up - one of my favorite things to do. I visited some friends along the way and made good time. The seats are the best I've ever experienced. It took me about 1500 miles to finally figure out the trip meter and 1800 miles to identify a whistling noise that was coming from the luggage rack.
In Iowa or Illinois there was a fair amount of traffic and it wasn't going fast so I decided to how far I could stretch a tank - mostly to see if I could assuage my guilt at getting the fast car. With the cruise set at 70 I managed a whole tank at 30mpg and almost 500 miles and felt so good about that that I celebrated by burning the next tank at 85-90mph just to see the contrast. Which was not as stark as I suspected. At 85mph I was getting 22-24mpg so not horrible.
In Colorado, somewhere around 2200 miles, I learned how to shut off the traction control which also engages the "Sport" mode and if I thought the car was fast before it was way faster in Sport. To celebrate Sport mode I did donuts in the parking lot at the top of Monarch Pass in Colorado.
I remember trying to convince myself that a FWD car would be fine but when I drove one and got on the gas in a wet corner and felt the understeer I was sad. I hate the way front wheel drive cars handle - they are the antithesis of fun. I wanted a "fun" car and this - 325hp and AWD is a LOT of fun.
I was also very happy that I went against my instinct and bought a bright blue car. It was mostly Nadia's pick but once she said "Blue, for sure" the idea grew on me. Thinking back my last "car" when I lived in Colorado was a blue Volvo 245 wagon. So I guess I've come full circle although this one is a wee bit faster. The color makes a fun contrast to the landscape.
In Utah I explored some dirt roads and the more I pushed in mud, snow and gravel the more confident I became in the cars ability to find grip and not get stuck. Spinning all four wheels is a thrill.
The first time I saw a V60 series I was looking for a car for Judiaann but they were pretty new and not really in our price range. But the car stuck with me - I love the styling of it. It's got to be one of the best looking wagons out there.
I passed through Salt Lake City late in the day but not late enough to want to spend the night. The section after that is notorious for wind storms and I almost stopped after it was dark but decided to push a bit longer into the night. I ended up in a pretty good blizzard with some crazy winds and saw a camper jack knife and go off the road. You could be on a perfectly dry road and in the space of 100' the road could disappear in a ground blizzard. It was a long drive.
Idaho was cold and I got a check engine light but when I got to Boise I met the guys from UpShift Online and they had a OBD2 diagnostic tool and saw the code was something innocuous like the cat giving an error - we reset it and it never came back. I now bought one of those readers as I guess this is the future.
Miraculously I did not get a ticket despite forgetting to bring my radar detector. A friend in NY told me about a program that gives you a heat map of speed traps so that you can know where the cops typically set up and that, combined with a radar detector, seems like it might be a good way to avoid tickets. Not that I was ever speeding.
The car is just loads of fun. The trip was loads of fun and it snowed on me every single day making me extra happy about having AWD. I would love to take it to a track day or gymkhana or something just to understand the limits a bit better in a safe environment. I kept pushing cloverleafs a bit faster each time until I scared myself but the car never lost grip. I suspect it will go away fast and I'd like to know what happens then.
The power of the car is impressive. It pulls like a motorcycle and has the power to pass anywhere, any time. Just like a motorcycle. If it could wheelie I'd be very conflicted.
The car is home. It's super fun and I'm 100% certain I got the right car. Between buying a house and this car it's the closest I've ever felt to being an adult.
Gregor
So, while I'd done my homework and had the car checked out by an independent mechanic, checked with the mechanic of the original selling dealer who'd done all the maintenance, the way that the sale happened, with the salesman threatening to sell the car out from under me unless I rushed to get my wire transfer in before someone else (truth or fiction I'll never know) that whole process left me wondering if I'd been swindled.
My flight was cancelled out of Seattle so I got another flight from LA. All told I spent 36 hours in airports and planes. The salesman picked me up in the car at the hotel and the car looked perfect. I was starting to feel like it was real.
It's been a long time since I've owned a car and while the car is used it seemed to be about as perfect as you could hope for from a car with 82,000 miles. No dirt anywhere. The only flaws were curb rash on the rims and one ding on the hood. Getting in the car for the first time and leaving the dealer felt familiar, because I'd already driven two examples, but also like I'd stolen the car.
Getting on the gas the first time was a thrill and I knew immediately I made the right choice to get the fast version.
I got about 30 miles of dry roads and then the snow started. I headed to a lake where my friends were ice racing on minibikes and I thought I'd just watch as I'd brought no gear but "just one lap" turned into two, into 20 and into a race. Flat track this year did wonders for my ice racing.
I headed west through New York state scrolling through menus and trying to learn the complicated dash.
I would drive until I got tired or it was late then find a motel and get up before dawn to drive while the sun was coming up - one of my favorite things to do. I visited some friends along the way and made good time. The seats are the best I've ever experienced. It took me about 1500 miles to finally figure out the trip meter and 1800 miles to identify a whistling noise that was coming from the luggage rack.
In Iowa or Illinois there was a fair amount of traffic and it wasn't going fast so I decided to how far I could stretch a tank - mostly to see if I could assuage my guilt at getting the fast car. With the cruise set at 70 I managed a whole tank at 30mpg and almost 500 miles and felt so good about that that I celebrated by burning the next tank at 85-90mph just to see the contrast. Which was not as stark as I suspected. At 85mph I was getting 22-24mpg so not horrible.
In Colorado, somewhere around 2200 miles, I learned how to shut off the traction control which also engages the "Sport" mode and if I thought the car was fast before it was way faster in Sport. To celebrate Sport mode I did donuts in the parking lot at the top of Monarch Pass in Colorado.
I remember trying to convince myself that a FWD car would be fine but when I drove one and got on the gas in a wet corner and felt the understeer I was sad. I hate the way front wheel drive cars handle - they are the antithesis of fun. I wanted a "fun" car and this - 325hp and AWD is a LOT of fun.
I was also very happy that I went against my instinct and bought a bright blue car. It was mostly Nadia's pick but once she said "Blue, for sure" the idea grew on me. Thinking back my last "car" when I lived in Colorado was a blue Volvo 245 wagon. So I guess I've come full circle although this one is a wee bit faster. The color makes a fun contrast to the landscape.
In Utah I explored some dirt roads and the more I pushed in mud, snow and gravel the more confident I became in the cars ability to find grip and not get stuck. Spinning all four wheels is a thrill.
The first time I saw a V60 series I was looking for a car for Judiaann but they were pretty new and not really in our price range. But the car stuck with me - I love the styling of it. It's got to be one of the best looking wagons out there.
I passed through Salt Lake City late in the day but not late enough to want to spend the night. The section after that is notorious for wind storms and I almost stopped after it was dark but decided to push a bit longer into the night. I ended up in a pretty good blizzard with some crazy winds and saw a camper jack knife and go off the road. You could be on a perfectly dry road and in the space of 100' the road could disappear in a ground blizzard. It was a long drive.
Idaho was cold and I got a check engine light but when I got to Boise I met the guys from UpShift Online and they had a OBD2 diagnostic tool and saw the code was something innocuous like the cat giving an error - we reset it and it never came back. I now bought one of those readers as I guess this is the future.
Miraculously I did not get a ticket despite forgetting to bring my radar detector. A friend in NY told me about a program that gives you a heat map of speed traps so that you can know where the cops typically set up and that, combined with a radar detector, seems like it might be a good way to avoid tickets. Not that I was ever speeding.
The car is just loads of fun. The trip was loads of fun and it snowed on me every single day making me extra happy about having AWD. I would love to take it to a track day or gymkhana or something just to understand the limits a bit better in a safe environment. I kept pushing cloverleafs a bit faster each time until I scared myself but the car never lost grip. I suspect it will go away fast and I'd like to know what happens then.
The power of the car is impressive. It pulls like a motorcycle and has the power to pass anywhere, any time. Just like a motorcycle. If it could wheelie I'd be very conflicted.
The car is home. It's super fun and I'm 100% certain I got the right car. Between buying a house and this car it's the closest I've ever felt to being an adult.
Gregor
DrinkMan
Well-known member
Great job on the car. You must have gotten the only blue one for sale in the country. My wife and I have been thinking about that exact car in that color but can't find one (we are only 70% serious about purchasing....but if a blue one with low miles came up nearby, the temptation may be too much). Lots of them in black are available but some of us in the sunny south avoid black cars with black interiors. Its hot enough.
Yes, blue ones are really rare as 2015 was the only year the color was offered before it became the official Polestar color. I think the color was the reason the sale almost went sideways too. They had the car listed for a week without photos even though the color was described. When the photos were finally posted they got a ton of responses but luckily it was mine by then. If a legit Polestar was for sale I might sell this to fund that but otherwise I'm happy.
Gregor
runit
Well-known member
very sweet car. not that many around!
I was gonna say to get a ranger or colorado in place of the f150 as they can tow and haul as much as a 20 year old f150, but I guess you made a different choice!
I was gonna say to get a ranger or colorado in place of the f150 as they can tow and haul as much as a 20 year old f150, but I guess you made a different choice!
hewey
Well-known member
Car looks and sounds like fun, and stunning photos as always. Man that blue is nice!
TiFJ
Well-known member
Congrats on the new ride Gregor, and enjoy it in good health!
MicTheAussie
New member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2014
- Messages
- 1
Hey Gregor,
I started reading this thread back in 2013-14 and just picked it up again this week reading 70 odd pages. Glad to see you still have the house and have rekindled some old loves in the recent past. I am sad to hear about you and your wife, but you seem much happier these days.
I am also into music but have no musical talent. My sound systems are just a little bigger. I mix live sound and try make the musicians sound good. This is my turntable of sorts...
For those interested in live audio, its an Avid S6L 24D console with Waves plugins and a D&B AudioTechnik line array PA. I absolutely love it.
The talk of Volvo wagons has also sparked my interest. I have a 93 240 wagon that I have upgraded with a Chinabay Garrett turbo, home made turbo manifold and stand alone ECU. She goes a little quicker than stock and hopefully with a stronger transmission I can up the boost some.
I live in Fort Collins and just saw that Audio Alternative is just 5 mins from my house. I'll have to swing by and see what Rick has in store to check out. I am not sure I can afford that rabbit hole but Vinyl seems like a fun hobby.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. It is really inspiring to follow someone who is embracing such a diverse group of hobbies and businesses. I love your attention to detail.
I started reading this thread back in 2013-14 and just picked it up again this week reading 70 odd pages. Glad to see you still have the house and have rekindled some old loves in the recent past. I am sad to hear about you and your wife, but you seem much happier these days.
I am also into music but have no musical talent. My sound systems are just a little bigger. I mix live sound and try make the musicians sound good. This is my turntable of sorts...
For those interested in live audio, its an Avid S6L 24D console with Waves plugins and a D&B AudioTechnik line array PA. I absolutely love it.
The talk of Volvo wagons has also sparked my interest. I have a 93 240 wagon that I have upgraded with a Chinabay Garrett turbo, home made turbo manifold and stand alone ECU. She goes a little quicker than stock and hopefully with a stronger transmission I can up the boost some.
I live in Fort Collins and just saw that Audio Alternative is just 5 mins from my house. I'll have to swing by and see what Rick has in store to check out. I am not sure I can afford that rabbit hole but Vinyl seems like a fun hobby.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. It is really inspiring to follow someone who is embracing such a diverse group of hobbies and businesses. I love your attention to detail.
Honestly I'm on the fence about the van and if there's a vehicle that would be a better replacement. The car is now, of course, my daily and I'm more than thrilled with it. A more modern pickup might make sense from a work perspective as I have been in spring cleaning mode and have just sold most of my old studio lighting gear and condensed my setup to a very small amount that could easily fit in the wagon.
Interestingly a Volvo wagon is what sparked my interest in becoming a photographer. In 5th grade we were having our school photos taken and the photographer showed up in a P1800 wagon, mutton chop sideburns, bell bottoms and his gear in the back of the wagon. He was, at that moment, the coolest person I'd ever seen driving one of the coolest cars I'd ever seen. We had a Peugeot wagon but it was not ****. The P1800 was ****.
And here we are, 50 years later, completing the circle. Minus the bell bottoms.
It's so nice.
Rick loves to entertain interesting people and the shop is his social world - it's a haven for quirky, eclectic and intellectually curious people - tell him I say hi.
Gregor
So I started looking for a car as a simple utility. I was not planning on turning it into a "thing" and yet, somehow, I forget who I am. Everything becomes a thing I can't leave alone.
The car needed new tires. The ones that were on it were getting towards the end of their useful life. I wanted a Polestar version of this car but couldn't find one and then, while "accidentally" browsing the wheels for sale on Facebook market place (because I wanted a second set of wheels for winter) I found someone selling a set of Polestar wheels.
After a few exchanges he said he'd actually want to trade my wheels for his plus $500 which to me sounded like a great deal. He's a Volvo tech who got them for his C30 but they didn't fit.
They're a little larger, actually way larger. Like two sizes larger. 8x20.
I needed new tires either way so I went with Continentals and had them siped. That's the process, controversial as I've discovered, that makes tiny cuts across the blocks. Not sure if it's a mistake or not but it's supposed to aid in wet grip and snow grip.
On the way home I drove by a big pile of wood with a puddle and took some photos.
This is a good example of combining some basic tricks: Single color repetitive background (in this case I got lucky because the wood is orange - the compliment to blue), calm water for a reflection of the sky and car, a medium telephoto lens (the shot below) that compresses things and forces focus and finally it's just after the sun has set (magic hour!) which gives you a smooth sky with tonal gradation (again, orange works with blue) and then angling the car so the angle of incidence reflects the sunset which shows the shape.
I was a little worried that the ride would be harsh with so little sidewall but that's not the case. Firmer slightly but not harsh or uncomfortable. Much sharper for steering and the grip, the grip is just silly. It pulls more g's in the wet than the pickup could in the dry. Perhaps only earthshatering to me but I'm very behind in the world of cars.
I think I'm going to need to get this on the track to understand it better. And of course I'm shopping for some bell bottoms.
Gregor
The car needed new tires. The ones that were on it were getting towards the end of their useful life. I wanted a Polestar version of this car but couldn't find one and then, while "accidentally" browsing the wheels for sale on Facebook market place (because I wanted a second set of wheels for winter) I found someone selling a set of Polestar wheels.
After a few exchanges he said he'd actually want to trade my wheels for his plus $500 which to me sounded like a great deal. He's a Volvo tech who got them for his C30 but they didn't fit.
They're a little larger, actually way larger. Like two sizes larger. 8x20.
I needed new tires either way so I went with Continentals and had them siped. That's the process, controversial as I've discovered, that makes tiny cuts across the blocks. Not sure if it's a mistake or not but it's supposed to aid in wet grip and snow grip.
On the way home I drove by a big pile of wood with a puddle and took some photos.
This is a good example of combining some basic tricks: Single color repetitive background (in this case I got lucky because the wood is orange - the compliment to blue), calm water for a reflection of the sky and car, a medium telephoto lens (the shot below) that compresses things and forces focus and finally it's just after the sun has set (magic hour!) which gives you a smooth sky with tonal gradation (again, orange works with blue) and then angling the car so the angle of incidence reflects the sunset which shows the shape.
I was a little worried that the ride would be harsh with so little sidewall but that's not the case. Firmer slightly but not harsh or uncomfortable. Much sharper for steering and the grip, the grip is just silly. It pulls more g's in the wet than the pickup could in the dry. Perhaps only earthshatering to me but I'm very behind in the world of cars.
I think I'm going to need to get this on the track to understand it better. And of course I'm shopping for some bell bottoms.
Gregor
gilr
Well-known member
Jake,
Volvo makes a slightly lifted version of the V60 called the V60CC and the larger V90CC. That would give you the ground clearance you are looking for without having to buy a SUV. I have the V90 CC and love it. Much better looking than a SUV.
Volvo makes a slightly lifted version of the V60 called the V60CC and the larger V90CC. That would give you the ground clearance you are looking for without having to buy a SUV. I have the V90 CC and love it. Much better looking than a SUV.
MadeByMiller
Well-known member
Gorgeous photos!
As gilr says the V60CC is the same body as the V60 that I have but it's slightly lifted and has flares. I considered that car which comes with the 5 cylinder motor in the early years (2015-16) and the same four in later years. I think. They also make an XC60 which is a taller body style, more SUV shaped.
I really wanted all wheel drive for snow but I have no intentions of taking this off road in any serious way. I am sure I'd be fine on gravel roads if I'm careful and not blasting without looking. In Colorado I learned the technique of putting your wheels on the higher bits to keep the undercarriage off the ground. Using this method I successfully took my little Ford Fiesta to top of several four wheel drive passes and surprised many a Jeep.
Like most things technique trumps equipment.
But clearly, with the addition of the 20" wheels I'm leaning towards street performance. That being said with a second set of wheels with studded snows I'm sure this car could handle a few feet of snow. On all seasons I was having no problem with 8-12" that I came across on the trip.
Gregor
zeug
Well-known member
Volvo wishes they had Gregor doing their photos. I submit as evidence:
-VS-
-VS-
TiFJ
Well-known member
This thread continues to deliver. The Polestar wheels are in my top five OEM wheel designs with the others being BMW E46 M3 CSL/ZCPs, Audi B6 RS4, Lamborghini Diablo SV and Ferrari Challenge Stradale wheels. Great choice and sounds like you got a good deal too - now you need a set of Polestar Ohlins to get rid of a bit of wheel gap and really tighten up the handling!
gasgas17
Well-known member
"
Interestingly a Volvo wagon is what sparked my interest in becoming a photographer. In 5th grade we were having our school photos taken and the photographer showed up in a P1800 wagon, mutton chop sideburns, bell bottoms and his gear in the back of the wagon. He was, at that moment, the coolest person I'd ever seen driving one of the coolest cars I'd ever seen. We had a Peugeot wagon but it was not ****. The P1800 was ****."
That is one of my most favorite cars from when I was a kid. My mom had a 1976 Toyota lift back and thought the volvo was that car on steroids. They used to run slalom events in the parking lot at our local mall on Sundays back then and we used to ride down on our bikes to watch all the cool cars taking there turn on the course. That Volvo, Datsuns, Toyota liftbacks like my moms, but in SR5 trim with manual, old porsche 914's and really early Subaru's. I still love that Volvo and the modern take on it as well. I have always been a sucker for wagons too. Especially Volvo Wagons. Wicked new ride and hope you enjoy it.
Interestingly a Volvo wagon is what sparked my interest in becoming a photographer. In 5th grade we were having our school photos taken and the photographer showed up in a P1800 wagon, mutton chop sideburns, bell bottoms and his gear in the back of the wagon. He was, at that moment, the coolest person I'd ever seen driving one of the coolest cars I'd ever seen. We had a Peugeot wagon but it was not ****. The P1800 was ****."
That is one of my most favorite cars from when I was a kid. My mom had a 1976 Toyota lift back and thought the volvo was that car on steroids. They used to run slalom events in the parking lot at our local mall on Sundays back then and we used to ride down on our bikes to watch all the cool cars taking there turn on the course. That Volvo, Datsuns, Toyota liftbacks like my moms, but in SR5 trim with manual, old porsche 914's and really early Subaru's. I still love that Volvo and the modern take on it as well. I have always been a sucker for wagons too. Especially Volvo Wagons. Wicked new ride and hope you enjoy it.
kjdhawkhill
Well-known member
They don't need to buy the cow, he's doing it for us. (Reformed Volvo owner, not quite wanting to repeat the experience, but it sure looks appealing from Gregor's photos).Volvo wishes they had Gregor doing their photos. I submit as evidence:
-VS-
Tripledave
New member
This will be my first post on GJ. Dude, you have seriously good taste. That Volvo is about as bitchin' as a wagon gets (you know, save for the 6oohp Mercedes stuff). I'd have given my opinion on vehicles to choose earlier but It was fun to see the torment, prodding, and general discourse of your peers here on the forum. BTW, I would have put my vote in for the 100 Series Land Cruiser, this one has 260k and does its job with no complaints:
This will be my first post on GJ. Dude, you have seriously good taste. That Volvo is about as bitchin' as a wagon gets (you know, save for the 6oohp Mercedes stuff). I'd have given my opinion on vehicles to choose earlier but It was fun to see the torment, prodding, and general discourse of your peers here on the forum. BTW, I would have put my vote in for the 100 Series Land Cruiser, this one has 260k and does its job with no complaints:
Love the 100 series. I was looking for one of those before I picked up my gx470. I couldn't find one that fit what I was looking for. Picture of the gx below, it's been great and able to handle everything we've needed it to so far. I have some steel bumpers for it sitting in the garage waiting for me to be proficient enough with my welding to put them on...
-------------
Just finished up reading through this thread in it's entirety. I appreciate the time and effort that you've put into this thread to keep it going over the years, Gregor. It's been a very entertaining and educational place for me to spend some time. I'm looking forward to more updates!
Last edited:
LeonardY
Well-known member
This is funny to me. I had both. The Volvo was bought by my dad to teach me and my brother to work on cars. It was fun but my big brother ended up with it. My dad bought me the Corolla. My brother was upset because being the little brother, I got the newer (used) car. And I didn't need to do any work on it."
Interestingly a Volvo wagon is what sparked my interest in becoming a photographer. In 5th grade we were having our school photos taken and the photographer showed up in a P1800 wagon, mutton chop sideburns, bell bottoms and his gear in the back of the wagon. He was, at that moment, the coolest person I'd ever seen driving one of the coolest cars I'd ever seen. We had a Peugeot wagon but it was not ****. The P1800 was ****."
That is one of my most favorite cars from when I was a kid. My mom had a 1976 Toyota lift back and thought the volvo was that car on steroids. They used to run slalom events in the parking lot at our local mall on Sundays back then and we used to ride down on our bikes to watch all the cool cars taking there turn on the course. That Volvo, Datsuns, Toyota liftbacks like my moms, but in SR5 trim with manual, old porsche 914's and really early Subaru's. I still love that Volvo and the modern take on it as well. I have always been a sucker for wagons too. Especially Volvo Wagons. Wicked new ride and hope you enjoy it.
I love Volvo Station wagons I was going to get one in 2001 but my best lady friend said. "You're never going to get a woman driving that."
So I settled for a Volvo C70 convertible. And my friend was right. The first day I met a wonderful woman. Unfortunately, she was married with kids. The first words out of her mouth were, "Oh, I didn't know Volvo made a convertible. Does it have child seat mounts."
LeonardY
Well-known member
Beautiful car! I'm sure you are going to enjoy all the utility it brings you.So I started looking for a car as a simple utility. I was not planning on turning it into a "thing" and yet, somehow, I forget who I am. Everything becomes a thing I can't leave alone.
The car needed new tires. The ones that were on it were getting towards the end of their useful life. I wanted a Polestar version of this car but couldn't find one and then, while "accidentally" browsing the wheels for sale on Facebook market place (because I wanted a second set of wheels for winter) I found someone selling a set of Polestar wheels.
After a few exchanges he said he'd actually want to trade my wheels for his plus $500 which to me sounded like a great deal. He's a Volvo tech who got them for his C30 but they didn't fit.
They're a little larger, actually way larger. Like two sizes larger. 8x20.
I needed new tires either way so I went with Continentals and had them siped. That's the process, controversial as I've discovered, that makes tiny cuts across the blocks. Not sure if it's a mistake or not but it's supposed to aid in wet grip and snow grip.
On the way home I drove by a big pile of wood with a puddle and took some photos.
This is a good example of combining some basic tricks: Single color repetitive background (in this case I got lucky because the wood is orange - the compliment to blue), calm water for a reflection of the sky and car, a medium telephoto lens (the shot below) that compresses things and forces focus and finally it's just after the sun has set (magic hour!) which gives you a smooth sky with tonal gradation (again, orange works with blue) and then angling the car so the angle of incidence reflects the sunset which shows the shape.
I was a little worried that the ride would be harsh with so little sidewall but that's not the case. Firmer slightly but not harsh or uncomfortable. Much sharper for steering and the grip, the grip is just silly. It pulls more g's in the wet than the pickup could in the dry. Perhaps only earthshatering to me but I'm very behind in the world of cars.
I think I'm going to need to get this on the track to understand it better. And of course I'm shopping for some bell bottoms.
Gregor
Ray Bell
Well-known member
The car is just loads of fun.....
Gregor
I'm really glad you're having fun, but I'm perplexed...
I don't understand what the picture above is all about. A tunnel? If so, of what?
Love your pics, by the way.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Love. He's in love with his car, duh.
Ray Bell
Well-known member
I'm actually asking from what it's formed...
Love might well be there, but it's a different shape. Anyway, how come a seasoned veteran like you hasn't posted on my welcome thread?
Love might well be there, but it's a different shape. Anyway, how come a seasoned veteran like you hasn't posted on my welcome thread?
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Ray, on his way home Gregor drove through Utah, where the Great Salt Lake is located. I suspect he took that photo in one of the salt caves.
Engineers Are Building Huge Salt Caves to Store Huge Amounts of Hydrogen
If the hydrogen boom is ever going to happen, we need somewhere to keep the reserves.
www.popularmechanics.com