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Volvo C70 Test Drives

20 messages,  Last post on Jul 18, 2007 at 10:57 AM

You are in the Volvo C70 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volvo C70, Coupe, Convertible

Messages Page 2 of 2

#11 of 20 Re: Thanks for the Input [jeckles] by redbuzz

Feb 14, 2007 (5:24 am)

Replying to: jeckles (Feb 13, 2007 7:46 pm)
If you are considering buying through the OSD program you should be aware that there is no discount for the C70. We decided to go with OSD because my wife loves to travel and she found out about the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi. So everybody gets something - she gets to have an arctic adventure and I get a cool convertible. We are picking up the car at the end of the trip rather than driving the 1000+ miles from Gothenberg. It would have been fun to drop the top in the snowy north but time does not allow. We leave next Monday and return 2/24/07. I will post info when we return.

#12 of 20 We Ordered Our Car! by jeckles

Feb 19, 2007 (4:51 am)

Hello,
 
Just wanted to let everyone know we ordered our car through the OSD program.
 
We hope to pickup our car in May or June. The free trip to Sweden was too hard to pass up!

#13 of 20 Re: We Ordered Our Car! [jeckles] by redbuzz

Feb 19, 2007 (7:16 am)

Replying to: jeckles (Feb 19, 2007 4:51 am)
Congratulations! If you want to know anything about the OSD program from someone who's done it, email me after 24/Feb/07. We leave this evening for Sweden and will return on the 24th. I am so psyched!

#14 of 20 C70 and VW Eos comparison in Road and Track by rschleicher

Mar 08, 2007 (11:50 am)

In case you are interested, the April 2007 issue of Road and Track has a comparison article on the C70 and the VW Eos. I think the article is also available at www.roadandtrack.com (or whatever R&T's web site is).
 
It's not a full-blown A versus B comparison road test, with points given for various objective and subjective criteria, but more of summary description of both cars. They did publish their normal road test data sheet for both cars.
 
The EOS model used was the 2.0T version (2.0 liter, 4-cyl. turbo), and not the more expensive 3.2 liter V6. But it was fully-loaded with options. It had the 6-speed DSG (auto-shifting manual) transmission.
 
The C70 was not loaded with options, possibly in order to have the price difference be smaller. If I remember right, the only option on the car was the 18" wheels. The test car had the 6-speed manual transmission, standard Haverdahl interior, etc. The price-as-tested difference was only $3400 or so, but the VW had some options that were left off of the C70, that would have made the price difference a fair amount greater ($8K say??)
 
The Eos tested somewhat faster, 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, with the C70 clocking in at 7.5 (somewhat slower than Volvo's advertised 7.0 sec. for the manual). The gap narrowed at higher speeds, with the respective quarter-mile times being 15.1 and 15.7 seconds. Although the Eos has somewhat lower horsepower and torque figures than the C70, it had a 180 lb. weight advantage (as tested, and also has lower gearing in the first few gears.
 
The C70 had a very slight advantage in handling numbers, with skid-pad g-force of 0.83g versus the Eos' 0.81g, and a slalom speed of 65 mph verus 64.7.
 
In spite of its greater weight, the C70 also had better stopping distances - 120 ft. versus 134 ft. from 60 mph, and 217 ft. versus 233 ft. from 80 mph (sorry about the English units, for those of you who are more used to metric). (I don't know if the C70's very good braking numbers are helped by the Electronic Brake Assist, since I don't know if Road and Track's testing method takes reaction time into account.)
 
Qualitatively, Road and Track liked both cars. They had good things to say about the Eos, especially its value for the money. The only real Eos quibble was that it didn't look as good with the top up as with it down, and that it was noticeably noisier and more turbulent with the top down than the C70.
 
They also liked the C70, although they wished for a bit more power. They noted that the C70 looked equally as good with the top up or down, and had high-quality materials throughout. They ended the C70 segment by saying that it cost a fair amount more than the Eos, but that you basically got what you paid for. Nicer exterior and interior styling, less turbulent ride, and the safety features that Volvo is known for.
 
The same issue also has a "first look" mini-article (without test) of the new BMW 3-series retractable hardtop. No new info, really, other than a statement that prices would probably start "in the low 40's" (dollars). This would be for a no-option 328i version, I think. My own guess is that even the 328i will end up being about $5K more than a comparably-equipped C70, and that the 300hp 335i will be closer to $10k more. Since they are supposed to go on sale in the US as of April 1st, presumably official US pricing will be out soon.

#15 of 20 Re: C70 and VW Eos comparison in Road and Track [rschleicher] by jtrego

Mar 12, 2007 (2:55 pm)

Replying to: rschleicher (Mar 08, 2007 11:50 am)
I am glad to see that some of the "experts" have confirmed what most of us figured out on our own. The Volvo isn't the fastest car from a dead stop, but from 30 to 70 I bet it beats most of whats out there to drive against, and I think for this kind of car that is what really matters.
 
And, after now having ours for 6 weeks and driving in all kinds of conditions (rain, snow, sunshine, warm, very cold, both top up and down, I can say that this really is a versatile car. It works and looks great both ways and I don't think there is anything out there like it!

#16 of 20 Re: We Ordered Our Car! [redbuzz] by vanest

Apr 27, 2007 (6:01 pm)

Replying to: redbuzz (Feb 19, 2007 7:16 am)
Hi Dave,
Would love to know about the OSD program. Please tell!
Vanest

#17 of 20 Re: We Ordered Our Car! [vanest] by redbuzz

Apr 28, 2007 (2:56 pm)

Replying to: vanest (Apr 27, 2007 6:01 pm)
First the pluses. Get the DVD "It's Too Good to be True" from your dealer or directly from Volvo. Check out the information on the web site. Basically, they give you a good price on most cars (the C70 unfortunately was sticker price), they fly two of you to Gothenberg, Sweden and back for free, and they put you up in a good hotel in Gothenberg for one night. You can take your new car on a vacation or just turn around and go home. The wait for your car in the states varies by your location. We are in the suburban New York area and got our car in about 4 weeks. The negatives...1)check out your state's registration requirements. We've had our car for a full month and still don't have our permanent plates. 2)If you are financing your car, you will have trouble getting banks to do an OSD because they can't put a lien on it until it is titled in this country. We financed through Volvo but the rate was high. We will re-finance with a bank when the title and registration finally come through. Since full payment is required 30 days before your delivery date, you will probably make 2 or 3 payments before you are driving your car in North America. 3)Your warranty period begins on the delivery date in Sweden, so you lose the time that it is in transit. If you like to travel, its a great program. We took a great vacation (although we didn't use the car) and the free flight saved us big bucks. We would definitely do it again.

#18 of 20 Seat belt? by doctord13

Jul 15, 2007 (6:12 am)

Surprised at how few posts there are to this forum - loved the EOS, and the C70 - drove both cars multiple times and think the C70 is the clear long term winner -- only complaint with the C70 was that at speeds over 40MPH the Drivers side dealt belt was "fluttering" on my shoulder - happened to my wife as well...not in the passenger seat however. Cant believe this is not occurring to other owners - the salesperson wrote it off as a fluke, but would annoy me if not correctable - any owners experience in having similar occurances - or was it a flukey thing?

#19 of 20 UK Test Drive by yeltep

Jul 18, 2007 (10:48 am)

Volvo dealer in Birmingham, UK has been great. Lent me a C70 to test for a week and valeted my own car whilst I was away. Overall impressions:
Good - D5 (diesel with Geartronic) quiet enough even with roof down. Boot(trunk) big enough for family use. Great finish (I drive a C Class Merc at the moment and C70 was way better). Comfortable seats and driving position. I am just over 6ft tall and was worried that the roof would be too low.
Less good (there were no bad points) - MPG poor even for an oil burner (36mpg on the same 300 mile journey my 2.7litre Merc gets 47mpg) Some minor roof squeaks - seemed to be due to damp - opening and closing the windows sorted that out.
 
All in all a great mid-life crisis car and I shall be ordering one for delivery at Christmas. Looks good, drives well but not too exciting, safe, family friendly but gets attention with the roof. Also rare still in the UK. I drive nearly 600 miles per week on busy roads and I don't think I see more than 1 a fortnight. BMW, SAAB and Audi are plentiful. Nobody in the UK will let a BMW out at a junction (I know, I had one). Volvo drivers tend to be regarded as responsible "plodders" and not sneared at so much as those driving the German marques.

#20 of 20 Re: Seat belt? [doctord13] by johnh7

Jul 18, 2007 (10:57 am)

Replying to: doctord13 (Jul 15, 2007 6:12 am)
They flutter. It's no fluke. But - they don't flutter with the windows up and I don't really notice it much since I got the wind screen (which I've found worth the money)

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