[GTiTOM]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? ([email protected])

Quote, originally posted by [email protected] »

Worse than a PT Cruiser's?

never driven a PT, but i wouldn't be surprised

i have an easier time parking pick-up trucks than i do my girl's s60.

 

[Ld7w_VR]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GruvenVR6)

i think they look pretty good and they have some power. i sall one today that really caught my eye on the way to school. the 4 door S60R's look good. Do they make them in 2 door??

 

[GTiTOM]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (VR6VDub172)

Quote, originally posted by VR6VDub172 »

i think they look pretty good and they have some power. i sall one today that really caught my eye on the way to school. the 4 door S60R's look good. Do they make them in 2 door??

nope. i don't think volvo has any 2 doors right now (besides the vert)

 

[Ld7w_VR]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GTiTOM)

Quote, originally posted by GTiTOM »

nope. i don't think volvo has any 2 doors right now (besides the vert)

o0o0o ok i did not think so but was not sure.

 

[AndrewT]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GTiTOM)

has anyone ever driven a 6 speed version of this?
i test drove one, and the clutch was terrible...was too light, very small engagement zone, and very high. i had to rev the crap out of the car at a full stop to have any semblence of a smooth start. could there have just been something wrong with the one i drove?
other than that, its a great car. its certainly not as sporting as a S4 or M3, but the engine pulls like a freight train, and it handles quite well for such a big car. i agree with the person above who said it sounds like a vacuum cleaner at full throttle. kinda nasty.
i'd buy one with an automatic, but that clutch was terrible.

 

[HarryHood]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GruvenVR6)

Unlike the people who have responded here, I own a V70R.
Likes:
--Seats (best seats ever, anywhere, anytime)
--Power is impressive, turbo hooliganism
-- Hauling capacity
-- Q-ship
-- looks
-- stereo system is fantastic
-- blue chrono dials
-- comfortable
-- ability to modify suspension settings
-- AWD for winter fun
-- loaded with all the luxury trimmings
-- definitely feels, looks and smells like a Swedish car
-- safety ratings are great
-- car feels like a brick, substantial, doors are pleasingly chunky
-- nice 6-speed manual shifter
Dislikes:
-- too big and heavy for real fun in the twisties
-- steering lacks feel, overboosted
-- turning radius wider than many full size SUV's, makes for difficult parking in most urban parking lots and garages
-- suspension feels wrong (jiggly damping picks up every bump in the road but floaty suspension in "comfort" mode, search swedespeed for "sidehop" or "sidestep" problem)
-- common problem is a retaining bracket under the exhaust hangs low and can get bent upwards on a speedbump, forcing the exhaust into the driveshaft. = expen$ive repair.
-- bi-xenon headlights are embarrassingly bad especially on high beam, worse than many halogens
-- torque listing of 295 lb-ft at 1950 rpm is optimistic; full engine torque doesn't feel like it cuts in until 2500 and up; Haldex AWD plus turbo magnifies turbo lag as the AWD system causes it to bog a little bit.
The V70R is a great "total package" -- speed, hauling, comfort, luxury, looks. There are few if any real competitors to the V70R at its price point (S4 Avant is smaller and much pricier; Dodge Magnum SRT-8 is interesting but lacks the hauling capacity; Legacy GT wagon is a cheaper alternative but nowadays you can't get it in a stick; SUV's might factor into it but if you don't like SUV's, then there's not much there).
BUT, an S60R seems like a good value only on heavy discount, as there are dozens more viable competitors that could present you with similar performance and attractiveness. But if you must have AWD, you don't have a lot of choice.
And those seats. Sweet jesus, they are like the Throne's of God Himself.

 

[98JettaGT]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (HarryHood)

Quote, originally posted by HarryHood »

Likes: --Seats (best seats ever, anywhere, anytime)

xEleventy-Billion. I only wish my living room furniture was this comfortable.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

HarryHood, have you adjusted up your Xenons?

 

[Vision33r]

Very nice looking but not stealthy. I've seen them on the streets and usually comes in bold colors.

 

[a529612]

Re: (Vision33r)

The styling looks dated.

 

[Uber Wagon]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GruvenVR6)

I love them. I would make mine a V70R though...I love the fast wagons! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[Triumph]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (Uber Wagon)

My buddy has a regular S60, and it's a very nice car. Comfy and stylish inside, if a bit tight, but it is dead quiet (almost too quiet). The 6 speed is a good box, nice engagements and the clutch isn't too bad. And the 5 cylinder sounds awesome, when you can hear it.

 

[A.Wilder]

i just bought a 2000 V70 GLT i love it. i love the dual AC and its one of the coldest blowing AC systems ive ever had. Handling isnt great, but i plan on getting the IPD sway bars to fix that.

 

[HarryHood]

Re: (mojojojo.ca)

Quote, originally posted by mojojojo.ca »

HarryHood, have you adjusted up your Xenons?

Yup, by 1 and a quarter turns. It's an improvement, but they are still embarrassing for xenons.

Quote, originally posted by Vision33r »

Very nice looking but not stealthy. I've seen them on the streets and usually comes in bold colors.

The cars come in mostly bland colors -- black, gray, silver, dark blue. The bolder colors include sonic blue, red and (until this year) flash green.

 

[lip]

Re: (mojojojo.ca)

Quote, originally posted by mojojojo.ca »

Yes, but it costs tons less. You can also look at the the 6MT, with it's 298hp and Brembo's. I've always wanted a used R, but soon, a new G35x (with the same amount of power, etc...) will cost the same!

I think it's a close call. There is a lot to like about the R- I think it's Volvo's best looking car to date- Gotta love all of the features like Brembos, 6-speed option. You have to admit, it's a pretty cool car.
It's also a bit pricey.
You can't really mod the X- In terms of suspension, nobody even makes an aftermarket shock for the G35x-
The G35x is more like $32-35k new, if you take your time.
The R even with rebates is considerably more expensive.
That was the deciding factor for me actually. Volvo has to have the most comfortable seats too.
Things I don't like about the R?
I think 300hp is a bit on the optimistic side, or maybe it's just that the "flat" torque curve doesn't really tell the whole story. A chip would cure that I'm sure.
Dynamically, decent, similar to other Volvos (except the S) which is to say the steering is a bit more numb than average.
If you could find a fully loaded one for under $40 new, I'd say you can't go wrong. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif Actually that would be a sweet deal.
And you don't see them everyday

 

[spicygimp]

Re: (HarryHood)

The Bi-Xenons have heavy restrictions here in the states. The low beams are great but the Highs suck!!!

The only alternative is to swap them out for Euro Bi-Xenons. See swedespeed.com for the swap they just did it last month on their project V-70R.
The flash green was only available for one year with only 7 of them coming to the states!!!

We had one in stock, here at the dealership!!!! Awesome Color http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[spicygimp]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (AndrewT)

Yes, I have driven several 6spd. R's They all feel a little funny at first. It is something you get used to. All of the Volvo clutches feel that way. I found that it helps to drive without shoes! I personally could feel the clutch a lot better.
Harryhood- i read that you that you own a V-70R and that the 6 spd manual is great, but is yours a manual. You said the torque is not all there at 1950rpms and comes in at approx 2500rpms. To the best of my knowledge the Autos are limited in 1st and 2nd gear to promote longevity.



Modified by spicygimp at 4:30 PM 6-1-2006

 

[Live-Wire]

Re: Volvo S60R - Hit or Miss? (GruvenVR6)

I really like it, but of course the fast Audi, Mercedes, and BMW are "better" cars (they also cost a lot more)... but the Volvo is definitely designed to be able to live with and in all weather, it's also NOT German, which is sometimes a nice thing - more comfortable ride, comforting interior layout that isn't so cold and dark, generally a softer alternative.
THe S60R is a good car, but it's the V70R that really does it for me... The Audi S4 Avant is useless as a wagon, way too damn small for rear passengers, and luggage space isn't nearly as good... the Mercedes E-Class AMG wagon is huge like the Volvo, but it costs a whole lot more (but it does have way more power) and will probably break down more often,
I really like Volvo's in general, the R cars will probably always have my approval as sweet cars.

Quote, originally posted by spicygimp »

Yes, I have driven several 6spd. R's They all feel a little funny at first. It is something you get used to. All of the Volvo clutches feel that way. I found that it helps to drive without shoes! I personally could feel the clutch a lot better.

I kind of like Volvo clutches... you're right at home if you've owned a VW... I found the engagement point to be very similar, but the Volvo manual transmission drivetrains are so damn smooth and easy to launch - loved the fact that their engines don't over rev at the tip of the gas either, making it that much easier... I test drove a lot of cars between last summer and this past winter, and I found the Volvo manual transmission drivetrains to be the best for smoothness and ease of launching the car (most Japanese cars had engines that would rev way too high at the tip of the throttle, I don't like that).

Quote, originally posted by MEIN_VW »

My local Volvo dealer said the S60/V70 would be redesigned for the 2008 model year but I don't know how official that information is.

You heard right, the cars will be announced in 2007 as 2008 models, following the launch of the Volvo S80 flagship... there will also be a Volvo C30 hatchback to compete with the VW GTI, Audi A3, Mini Cooper S etc.

Modified by Live-Wire at 7:36 PM 6-1-2006

 

[KjTAssaSIN817]

Re: (lip)

Quote, originally posted by lip »

And you don't see them everyday

Probably my favorite "feature" of the R.

 

[BlackMagicPearlR32]

Re: (spicygimp)