Volvo C70 Road Trip

cricket4

Thought I might try a new discussion. Has anyone taken a road trip vacation in his/her C70? Details, please. Also, because you all are from across the U.S. thought you may have some tips as to where to go in January that will still be warm and I can still drop top. Thinking about Okla to Southern Calif. Recommend any hot spots along the way or a different route all together? Thanks!

cricket4

Okay, I'm having a conversation with myself (what's new). I've decided to nix the road trip. Don't want that many miles on my new car and I don't want my car to have that "lived in" feeling that comes from a long road trip. But I am looking forward to the miles that I will put on the car. (However, if any of you do want to tell about a particularly nice ride that you've taken, feel free.)

cricket4

Okay, this is not exactly the road trip I had in mind but wanted to let all know how my C70 has been holding up in the aftermath of an ice storm here in middle America (Oklahoma). We had about 2-6 inches of ice on streets & powerlines after the storm passed. The temperature has not been above freezing for four days. It's awful out. There is still about the same amount of ice on residential streets. The major roads are somewhat clear. As far as a trip around my neighborhood, it's very bad out. I found that the C70 handles great (but am not over-confident enough to drive like some maniacs out here). I do at least 10-15 miles per hour (mph) under the posted speed limit; sometimes about 5-8 mph on residential streets (25 mph is posted). On my street, there are ruts in the road with a mound of ice down the middle that the car straddles. Unfortunately, the C70 sits pretty low and on many, many occasions, the bottom of my car hits hard chunks of ice (or a small mountain of ice) and scrapes bottom. I hate hearing the sound. Tried to come to a stop at an intersection last night and slid right through it (finally coming to a stop at the other side of the intersection) and I was only doing about 8-10 mph. The ABS brakes were great. I pressed down and my foot vibrated wildly. I started to slide very slightly to one side and the little warning light (a picture of a car slipping around) lit up... fortunately, I was sliding so slowly (almost in slow motion) that I could actually look down at my instrument panel and notice this. (Either that or the mind is so amazing it can take in so much detail in milliseconds.) I hate that I am breaking in my new car under such conditions but am well pleased with its performance under such harsh conditions. Love it! (Another really bad thing is that it has grime and dirt on it from salt and dirty ice that it breaks my heart I can't wash it.) I really love this car!!

cucci

Just wanted you to know you are not talking to yourself out there!!!!! How amazing you get a warning sliding car symbol!!!!! But it sounds as if by the time the warning light comes on ... you are already sliding!!! Oh well!!! Currently have a near hurricane blowing in London .... so the car is going no where right now!!! I am rather watching the neighbours wheelie bins across the street which keep blowing over ... and am just worried in case they fly over here and give me a bigger dent than you and erisaman have already had!!!! Why did we all buy convertibles I wonder?????

redbuzz

The car hasn't arrived yet (we took OSD Feb 23) but I am already thinking about a road trip to the southwest, NM in paticular. We are in NJ and just had our second sleet storm of the season - that stuff weighs a ton! Anybody have suggestions of scenic routes that would be good for a footloose couple in a convertible?

cricket4

I used to live in NYC and would make frequent trips back to Oklahoma. I tried three different routes. I think the scenery was the best through the Carolinas, Tennessee and part of Texas (not much to see in Texas part, though). Can't remember to Highway # off the top of my head. It is a little farther but I think more scenic (not as direct). Old Route 66 would be fun (as long as you make stops at nostalgic places along the way) but it will be a longer trip. Anyway you decide to go, I'm sure you'll love the drive in your C70. Plus, I love New Mexico (especially Albuquerque). The old part of town is great.

redbuzz

Thanks for the suggestions, cricket4. Maybe we'll do Rte 66 outbound and do Tennessee on the return trip. In any event that gives us a good start for planning. I'll bet there's a story behind the NYC / OK connection, huh?

cricket4

Not much of a story behind the NYC/OK connection, actually. I just couldn't resist the appeal of bright lights, big cities (had never even been on a train before I went to NYC). Caring for parents brought me back to OKC, after eight years. I still love NYC. I would have loved being able to make those roundtrips in a C70... Guess, I could always make a trip back in my new C70. But where to park it?!?

laurasdada

"But where to park it?!? "

In Greenwich. Then Metro North into the city!