Jump to content

Are Volvo becoming the new "hate brand"


ian_m
 Share

Recommended Posts

Volvo drivers come across to me as smug. Oooh look my car's just as good as your BMW honestly but it's really really safe. And it's nicer to trees. Aren't I a better person than you...

[dons flameproof suit.. SAUER0421.GIF]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bikers have always hated Volvo's FIREdevil.gif.

They used to be owned because they were big, solid, safe, safer, big and solid.

So the 'average' driver was:-

A really cr4p driver

Needed the safety

Needed the big

Needed the Solid

Needed the lights on (all the fecking time!)

And needed huge bumpers so they could leave a nice black 'bump' marks wherever they went.

Then came the T5, which killed off some of the bad rep and created a mini legend 169144-ok.gif.

Then came Police driving them as a pursuit car and everyone went back to hating Volvo's tongue.gif.

Mostly they make good cars (little bro has a T5), but that old image of Volvo driver in the 70's, 80's and early 90's being a tw4t, pipe smoking, hat wearing, myopic person in his or her later years, towing a caravan and causing mayhem whenever behind the wheel, will never die grin.gif.

Moral being, don't drive a Volvo or if you do, make sure it has blue lights and a siren shocked.gif.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got to admit, I don't like the old (pre '95) Volvos.

But the 850/old style V70 T5 are cool in a Swedish boxy way (Have had several, wouldn't own another - too dated now).

From the current range, I like the S40, S60, V50 and V70.

The (new) S40 is too similar price-wise to the S60, and the V70 is too big for my needs.

Being a diesel fan, I think my next car may well be a V50 when they bring it out with the D5 185 engine, which can be mapped to 226bhp.

030971-E.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

I've got to admit, I don't like the old (pre '95) Volvos.

But the 850/old style V70 T5 are cool in a Swedish boxy way (Have had several, wouldn't own another - too dated now).

From the current range, I like the S40, S60, V50 and V70.

The (new) S40 is too similar price-wise to the S60, and the V70 is too big for my needs.

Being a diesel fan, I think my next car may well be a V50 when they bring it out with the D5 185 engine, which can be mapped to 226bhp.

030971-E.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely, I really like the V50 with the subtle kit and Motorsport look alloys. There's one in Livinsgton, silver, very nice, see it now and again and think.... mmmmm, I could drive that!!

A realy alternative to the A4 !!

smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

Dad has a V50 Soot chucker and it is the dogs bollox (if you don't need the room of the V70)

UHOH7.GIF

[/ QUOTE ]

The only thing stopping me is that the 2.0D only puts out 136bhp. They're putting the 185bhp D5 lump in it in Sept '07 which is upgradable to 226bhp and 460NM.

Should be fun grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bit surprised at this post.

I never had anything but good vibes from other road users in my old T5R, and my new V70 D5 (185 bhp, 400 Nm) is a cracking car too. I like the image myself (could have had BMW/Merc etc etc for the same money), but Volvos are big, powerful, well specced, reliable, comfortable, gave great stereos, and (importantly) not too 'bling'. Classic Q cars.

Oh, I'm 33, hate caravans, and have never killed a biker (yet), so that blows that stereotype then ....

PS - you can't switch the lights off manually on the new ones, annoying yes, but there were at least 10 twats on the M1 in Notts in the rain today who were nearly invisible thanks to no lights and no brain, so it ain't such a bad idea is it ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

PS - you can't switch the lights off manually on the new ones, annoying yes, but there were at least 10 twats on the M1 in Notts in the rain today who were nearly invisible thanks to no lights and no brain, so it ain't such a bad idea is it ?

[/ QUOTE ]

All new cars will be coming with their lights turned on permanently in the very near future, thanks to Mr. E.U.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Dad has a V50 Soot chucker and it is the dogs bollox (if you don't need the room of the V70)

UHOH7.GIF

[/ QUOTE ]

The only thing stopping me is that the 2.0D only puts out 136bhp. They're putting the 185bhp D5 lump in it in Sept '07 which is upgradable to 226bhp and 460NM.

Should be fun grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

blush.gif

Now that would be fun; the 2.0D is OK as it has 6 gears.

226bhp would be a giggle !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a nice tip (very very simple too) from a customer of mine, who helped design the new D5 engine (worked for Volvo in Gothenberg), gives 40 bhp more (so he says). I daren't touch mine (only 6 months old, still under warranty), but if you PM me, I'll tell you what he told me !

I saw the V50 abut 5 years ago in the design centre (when it was still a Focus in drag), and also saw the XC90 V8 'prancing moose' in Sweden too. I do like Volvo, even their canteen is excellent ! 169144-ok.gif Ha det bra ! (one for the bikers) .... smirk.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...