HAlp! Thinking of a new car...

[mikebike357]

So this year may not be the year for a new buggy but next year will probably be unless the Obama stimulus package destroys the globe... thinking about switching things up and replacing the Foz with an 08/09 Volvo C30 R-Design. I was comparing it side by side with the 08 STi (looks only, not power, so don't go there) and I really like the Volvo better.... the lower price tag & regular gas make it more appealing.

let the flame fest begin...

 

[Evil Jeff]

Enjoy your FWD Focus.

 

[Lawdawg]

I have always liked the looks of this car and an inline five turbo reminds me of a certain rally car from a by-gone era.... Make it all wheel drive and bias the rear and I'm in.

 

[Rightseat]

my bro in law bought a C30 when they first came out. He loves it, waaay bettAr than the Passat that went before it. His Volvo now has about 60k on it, all in all a remarkably trouble-free purchase.

tempting but ultimately unfair slam on the C30 to call it a Focus...yeh they share platforms, but no effin usdm focus ever came with a nice gritty 220-hp turbo motor and a six-speed!

C30 interior is really cool, if a bit spare in my bol's base model car. have seen more recent ones with sweet birch-veneer trim, tres sexay Sweedie!

Have driven his car a good bit, it's plenty peppy, shifts well and rides great. A bit wallowy compared to a Rex. The Volvo trac/stability control system is darn good tho, let's you toss car sideways a bit before horning in on would-be Petters. Lots of room for back seat passengers despite the tucked-in rear end styling.

That big glass hatch makes loading most stuff easy, tho bikes are a tight fit (seatpost and front wheel must come off first).

etc etc, I'd give the C30 a Nigel rating of 1.75 thumbs up. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: -.25

 

[mikebike357]

Everything i've been finding on them is that they are good, reliable cars. Not as powerful as expected but still fun to drive. Also that they can be tail happy in the snow. I found a C30 Forum and there are rear sway group buys going on, etc. So I think it'll be moddable.

Just because it shares the platform with the Focus doesn't mean it's a Ford.

 

[Pedro]

I'll give you $2000 for your fozzy.

 

[Evil Jeff]

tempting but ultimately unfair slam on the C30 to call it a Focus...yeh they share platforms, but no effin usdm focus ever came with a nice gritty 220-hp turbo motor and a six-speed!

By that logic, it could be considered that the STi is not an Impreza either. Sure, they share platforms, but no effin 2.5i ever came with a nice gritty 300hp turbo engine and a six-speed.

Volvo is a wholey own by Ford. It rides on a platform designed and built by Ford for the Focus. Cosmetics aside, there is far more Ford in this car than not. It's really nothing more than a Focus ST, rebadged for the US because they knew they could never ask that much for a Focus here, and so they wouldn't impede on Mustang sales.

Don't get me wrong, I think the car looks absolutely stunning. But if I was going to spend that kind of money on anything that wasn't AWD, I would probably start with a Civic SI. Almost as good looking, but damn near indestructible.

 

[Rightseat]

Everything i've been finding on them is that they are good, reliable cars. Not as powerful as expected but still fun to drive. Also that they can be tail happy in the snow. I found a C30 Forum and there are rear sway group buys going on, etc. So I think it'll be moddable.

Just because it shares the platform with the Focus doesn't mean it's a Ford.

bet that 'tail happy' comment came from somebody who had the trac/stability control off, and they stepped on the brake while trying to turn hard...ooopsie! aka, left foot braking

but maybe it WAS the trac control letting them get a bit sideways before saving their bacon

and to continue striving with El Jeff: ...not to mention that no effin focus ever looked as sexay as a C30! ccasion14:

 

[Evan]

is the motor a traditional volvo motor or something that volvo/ford have come up with since and might be more ford than volvo?

looks cool anyway. what about the toyota subaru rwd coupe thingy?

 

[Legwagon]

dont leave the subie family!!!

 

[Pedro]

dont leave the subie family!!!

the wifey has an Outback.. but still..

 

[Evil Jeff]

and to continue striving with El Jeff: ...not to mention that no effin focus ever looked as sexay as a C30! ccasion14:

While that is certainly a hard point to counter...

yummy...

is the motor a traditional volvo motor or something that volvo/ford have come up with since and might be more ford than volvo?

looks cool anyway. what about the toyota subaru rwd coupe thingy?

Good question. In the US, all you can get (to my knowledge) is the turbo I5. Ford isn't usually known for it's 5-cylinder engines, so it wouldn't surprise me if there's more Volvo than Ford under the hood. That said, it's the same engine as in the euro-Focus ST, and it's still all Ford regardless. Elsewhere on the globe, it gets an array of I4's, which are probably just generic Ford engines from the Focus/Mazda3/etc...

As for the Subyota thingy, last I heard it was on hold pending recession of the recession.

 

[ReZPunK]

the C30 is probalby as close to an RS focus as we will see here in the country.

and why not a focus? they are the winningest platorm in the WRC for the last 3 years.

 

[Jimbo]

I say get a four-door Tacoma. If you're going to transition out of the sporty stuff, might as well be able to take stuff to the dump.

 

[mikebike357]

The only engine you can get in the US is the T5 which is fine by me! I have no issues with the Focus... I've always liked it and looked at the SVT before buying my GTI.