My Ride For The Day, AMA

"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion) 06/21/2018 at 09:30 • Filed to: None

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I have my mother-in-law’s car for the day, it’s a 2014(?) Volvo C70, T5, automatic (I’m not sure you could get a manual).

First impressions: Good looks. Comfy. Visibility is, of course, amazing. Interior is the same as my wife’s 2005 S40, so clearly they don’t care about C70 buyers; you want a drop-top Volvo? Here it is, take it or leave it. But then, the 2005 had a great center stack design (in my opinion), so why change it?

Driving: the T5 engine is exactly as I remember it: great torque curve, it moves well but it’s not going to snap your head back. Nice sounds, when you can hear them. Handling - it corners nicely until you hit a bump and then HOLY HELL THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR JIGGLES and NOW I understand why people think convertibles are floppy. I mean, it’s not so much that it’s super unsettling, but my regular car is an E46 wagon, and every time I drive something else, I appreciate it a little more.

That’s all I’ve got for now, I’ve got to work.

WilliamsSW > functionoverfashion 06/21/2018 at 09:48

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Ahh, good old cowl shake. Fun times. Every convertible I’ve ever driven has it, including my E46.

Sounds like a nice ride otherwise though - and looks good, too!

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > functionoverfashion 06/21/2018 at 09:54

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TIL a C70 exists

Milky > WilliamsSW 06/21/2018 at 10:00

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I genuinely don’t know if I’ve ever experienced cowl shake, or if I experience it all the time and just dont know it because the whole car shakes over Detroit’s shit roads.

-ND driver

WilliamsSW > Milky 06/21/2018 at 10:17

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H a r d t o t e l l on those s h i t t y r o a d s really.

The M i a ta h a s a l w a y s been d e c e n tl y s t i f f, thanks t o i ts being d e signe d a s a c o nvertible t o b e g i n wi t h. D r o v e a n N D a w h i l e back a n d i t seemed like i t h a d a l i t t l e bit, but way l e s s than m y B MW.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > functionoverfashion 06/21/2018 at 11:52

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I know at least earlier C70’s had a manual, not sure about later ones.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > functionoverfashion 06/21/2018 at 12:01

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I kind of want one of these...

The V70 R for fun and long distance road trips.

The XC90 for camping, hauling, and future kid duty.

A convertible for...I dunno -  why not?

functionoverfashion > cmill189 - sans Volvo 06/21/2018 at 13:02

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Yes, that’s a good Swedish fleet right there. I approve. 

functionoverfashion > Milky 06/21/2018 at 13:02

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Nah, I don’t remember the two miatas I drove having that... at least not as noticeably. 

functionoverfashion > WilliamsSW 06/21/2018 at 13:03

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I expected it from the ‘74 MGB I drove a while back. But less so from a modern Volvo. 

functionoverfashion > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/21/2018 at 13:04

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My wife’s S40 had the T5 and a 6 speed manual. This car would be way better with the manual, but then there’s a little bit of appeal to just having one arm on the window sill at all times, in the ‘vert. 

functionoverfashion > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 06/21/2018 at 13:05

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lol, you don’t see them around much! But this is her second. I see a black one around occasionally, and a nice green one. They’re pretty rare.

For one, who goes to the Volvo dealer to shop for a fun convertible? And then there’s the mechanism, which I’m sure isn’t unique to Volvo, but still. It looks like as soon as you get so much as a pineneedle in there, it’s game over, send it to the scrap yard. 

WilliamsSW > functionoverfashion 06/21/2018 at 15:41

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Newer cars have far less of it than older ones - and in the case of my BMW, it was hardly noticeable when the car was new, but it’s there now, 18 years later.  

functionoverfashion > WilliamsSW 06/22/2018 at 09:15

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I’d expect more rigidity from the BMW, for sure. The Volvo only has like 22k on it. Driving it again today, it was less noticeable, maybe just because I was expecting it? I never thought I’d be singing the praises of the cornering ability of our XC70 but it’s certainly more solid on the bumpy ones, haha. I do have an upgraded sway bar in it, so that’s something.