Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Volvo C70 Convertible - 2006 and Newer
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
There is certainly nothing wrong with a more luxurious highway cruiser like you are expecting the Volvo C70 to be. Choosing a car comes down to a matter of personal preference.
A test drive is worth a thousand words and I am very anxious. I'm sure I won't be disappointed and will report back to everyone after my test drive.
I've never heard a favorable professional review of the Saab convertible.
If the SAAB convertible was perfect I wouldn't be getting a new car. Performance was not the reason to give up on Saab but turbo steer and cowl shake was certainly enough.
I guess it depends on what you want in the performance department. For me, bad torque steer and cowl shake means performance is greatly compromised. If all you are concerned about is holding onto the wheel tight and accelerating fast, then a Mustang would certainly fit the bill. I think where the Volvo will outshine your Saab is its quietness, smoothness, and rigidity WHILE performing.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
However, after reading this forum, I wonder if I should continue to be patient and pass on the '06 I am told to expect in July and wait for the '07 due in August (but will it really be August?). Will the model years be that different? Or will the car just an '06 off the line with an '07 prefix. Doesn't sound like the iPod connectivity issue will be resolved nor will Bluetooth be a fully integrated factory option (not that the dealer installed option is bad... just would have been nice for the designers to incorporate the controls into the sexy center control panel).
Guess I have still have plenty of time to ponder it all.
My dealer showed me his allocation sheet and expected delivery dates. My car was ordered by the dealer on March 4th has an expected delivery date of June 14th. The delivery date was dependant on the color ordered. The dealer told me that once the intial allocation was filled the 07's would be expected in September.
August delivery sounds pretty optomistic to me.
Waiting one or two months for an 07 will sure make a difference in your resale value. I wonder if they will discount the 06's if they will be arriving so close to the 07's? After all negotiating the price of a car is really just one big game usually but not always one by the dealer.
Good luck and btw, how did you get to drive one for a week?
What were your driving impressions?
What is even more surprising is this: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/03/01/212156.html
Volvo has only sold 74 C70s in January and February. I assume they had minimal sales in 2005, and I also assume most of Jan/Feb are the 2006 C70 (not prior model). Why will it take so freaking long to deliver the 74 (or so) 2006 C70s (including mine!!) that have been ordered in the US so far (give or take)? It is amazing that being a CONVERTIBLE that Volvo would not make better plans to have the model available in the early Spring (like now !!!...) in the US. It will really piss me off if I start seeing C70s on the lots before my custom order is delivered.
I seriously considered cancelling my order and waiting for 2007 model...but I really do not care about resale. Also, everyone who cares will know the 2006 C70 came out in summer 2006.
Based on your rants...or posts, I will check with my dealer tomorrow to see if everything is on schedule. I was supposed to get a test drive by end of this month.
I hate driving cars that have saturated the market like Honda Accords or Toyota Camrys. The fact that my Volvo C70 will be one of only 74 in the US is really cool. Everyone will be turning their heads and wondering what kind of car it is! (only until they get close enough to read the label, "VOLVO")
He did tell me that the inside roof looks well finished and only has seams of the panels--I was kind of concerned that you may see the metal hinges.
I think Volvo should fire their project manager on the C70.
The dealer will not provide me with a loaner but will help me get a discount on a Hertz retail. Bid deal! Is it unreasonable to push for a loaner or demo car for those 2 weeks? Or maybe I should have the dealer pick up part of the rental car charges?
I was not able to get a discount on the C70
Rocky
Re your two-week lag problem - isn't there any way you can extend your lease by two weeks to a month?
I don't see that Volvo really has an obligation to do anything for you (you're not currently leasing a Volvo, right?) It's just unfortunate bad timing.
If it were me - I'd just rent the cheapest econobox I could, and take advantage of your dealer's offer to help out a little with the costs, and live it with it for two weeks. Once you get the new C70, do you really think you'll begrudge the extra two weeks' wait?
Of course if it stretches out to longer than that, you might have to make a different decision, but for anything less than a month's wait, seems to me a cheapo rental to fill the gap would be worth it.
The dealer claims that the trade in value of the Saab is about $3,000 less than the buyout of the smartbuy. He claims that if I keep the Saab until delivery of the Volvo he will be losing money on the residual value. I personally think the dealer is full of cough and that he found a way to save me the sales tax and return the car to Saab without taking any hit.
Anyway, cheapo rentals in New York for 2 weeks is $500 at minimum. I guess I'll be giving back some of the sales tax savings but if the car is delayed then I may be giving back the whole thing.
I appreciate your input...
"Tipping the scales at more than 3,700 pounds, the C70 puts a strain on its 218-horsepower engine. It's adequate in most circumstances, but the car is no road burner. The five cylinder engine has the whining sound of a powerplant turbine starting up rather than the throaty growl of an internal combustion engine."
Hmmm... adequate and whining doesn't cut it for me in a $40,000+ car.
Can't wait for my test drive.....supposed to be April 6th.
The 2007 version will have an interface for ipod or another type device.
What you are seeing is probably the demo cars being reported.
how certain are you that the 2007 model will have a digital music player interface?
i've asked volvo of north america & they won't say as much, and neither will my local dealer.
my 2006 order won't arrive until august, so if i could change to a 2007 order & get this interface (which i desperately want), i'm willing to wait another couple of months.
if i can't change my order, is the technology such that volvo dealers could add such a feature to a 2006 model, or would that require a wholesale change in the audio system.
thanks for any help you can give - this is a huge sticking point for me as my whole music collection is pretty much digital now.
What I am not sure about is if it will be available with the initial run of 07 cars.
We will probably not have the official stats for the 07 until May.
It is highly unlikely that such a radio will be able to be retrofitted to the 06 car.
If the aux interface is such a big deal for you then wait for an 07.
isn't no news good news? :confuse:
The demos are in port and are having upgrades done.
As soon as all the demos have their upgrades then the cars will be released to the dealers.
I was shown the prices for the 5 incoming models this dlr will receive over the next 30 to 60 days. One is sold. All have a $5,000 markup. This would be a deal killer for me if I was not going OSD. I have been told the OSD price will not include the $5,000. I guess this should make me feel better if the OSD program does not include a discount. It won't.
The light gray interior made the car feel large inside. The interior of the top is well finished. We drove in the rain so the top was up and I found plenty of headroom. Under the dlr canopy I sat in the back while the top was raised and lowered. Although the top never came near my head (I'm 5'11") it still was a strange experience. Ingress and egress from the rear is about the same as with any coupe. With the top stowed it's very easy since you can just stand up and step in or out.
The controls needed some explanation but seem well arranged. The accelerator and brake pedals are smaller than on my IS300 and they are real close together. If I lifted my foot to move from accel to brake my foot ended up on the far left edge of the brake pedal. You can do better just rotating your right foot over. The dead pedal seemed a little closer than I like, but I could accept it. The footwell on the pax side was wider and more comfortable.
I only used about 3/4 throttle but the power was adequate. The thrum from the turbo when engaged is a nice touch and the car was very quiet when it was up to speed and the turbo disengaged. I hit 65 on a four lane and the car was tight. No real wind noise or excess tire rumble. The steering whel is generously fat where you hold it, but the top quarter is thinner than the rest of the wheel. I failed to notice if this is so on the bottom also. The sightlines all around are better than in my Miata this may replace. Rear windows make lane changes no different than in any other coupe. The handhold on the door is a nice big handle that will make long drives comfortable as will the center armrest which for me was in the right spot with the right height. I had the seat pushed way down so the door sill was almost up to my shoulder. I felt very secure in the seat. The seat is firm and adjusts in all the right directions. The pax seat is the same which makes my wife happy. Both have 3 memory settings. The ride was comfortable without much roll or sway. This will be more a touring car than something I bring to the track, which is fine for the use I plan for it. The pax seat has about an acre of dashboard in front of it. I could not touch the front windscreen from the seat.
If we go for the OSD some of the luggage will be in the back seat. The trunk is plenty deep enough with the top up and will hold a medium duffle with the top down. The top has many interconnects that will not allow operation for many reasons (foot not on brake, door ajar, luggage cover not in place, etc.) Our salesman warned that we will inevitably have a moment when the top will refuse to obey our commands and it will be our fault, but we may have to search to figure out why. Then he tried to lower the folded top back into the trunk (it lifts about 3" to allow one to reach in and pull out bags) and the top would not move. Proved his point. He failed to lower the trunk cover thingy.
I could go on but this is too long as is. I will gladly answer questions anyone might have. Final impression is a lot will depend on the OSD pricing. I'll be looking for a used Audi A4 cab with the 6 to see how prices may compare.
Looking forward to others' impressions.
If they do the $5,000 additional dealer markup here, that would be a deal-killer for me, too. I'm already comparing this with the Toyota Solara, the new VW Eos, or possibly a used Lexus, so an additional $5k would put it at more than I want to spend.
Sounds like the ride is good. Interesting about the brake and the accelerator pedals being close together. Which car was it that recently had that same problem, an Audi I think? People accelerated when they meant to brake and had all sorts of accidents.
the NY auto show starts on Friday and I'm sure I'll see it there.
i know the C70's measurements but i've never seen a picture of it next to a different vehicle.
just curious Habu, what was your first impression of the cars size, did the C70 look smaller in person than it appears in its publicity photos?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
speed and the sound system incredible....this is a purchase. Especially with the added safety features that the other car companies do not offer..
I think that the top inter connects are for safety reasons...you don't want to close that roof on something in the trunk that is oversized and ruin the fluidity and function of the roof.....
I took to top off and down several times with no issue...
I've cancelled my OSD order and have decided to look seriously at an A6 Avant. As mentioned here you would not want to wrinkle any part of the top mechanism on the C70. I imagine the repair bill would be substantial. Same for a rear end collision. Even a low speed fender bender could bend something and make the top inop. I'm hoping others find their drives more exciting. For some number north of $40,000 the car just did not make me want it enough.
Happy hunting everybody.
Figure 1 or 2 days and the cars should be at the retailers.
If you are after sheer speed the C70 isn't your car. The power is more than adequate but its not a pavement burner.
While I certainly don't want an inadequate product rushed to market prematurely, the lack or reliable communication gives me pause. I think I would have had better luck importing a Peugeot 307cc retractable hardtop convertible from France instead of waiting for the C70, even with all the EPA hoops to jump through (damn the lack of Peugeot maintenance/service in the U.S.!)
For those of us who fell in love with the new C70 at first sight, it seems Volvo is doing its damnedest to make those of us wed to the car get cold feet! Meanwhile, Saturn (Saturn???) is hitting all cylinders with its marketing and rollout of the Sky. Go figure.
West Coast uses Hueneme in LA.
Drive the car before you dismiss it.
If the dealers can't be bothered to share that info w/ their employees and customers shame on them.
Volvo learned their lesson w/ the 99 S80 launch. That car was rushed and it was a disaster. The XC90 was delayed as well. Short 03 year, but the car had a much better initial run.
As for the Peugeot, I've seen them. The C70 is a much nicer car.
Plus you don't have to buy a fleet of them to crash for the DOT.
Backup radar was an option that could have been specified.
When we take a deposit for a C70(which is different from taking an order, an order means you sit down w/ the options book and spec out a car) we call the customer once an actual order can be placed and go over the options available.
Orders can be changed, but not past the LDOC(Last Date of Change) date.
Dealers get reports every day on the status of their ordered units, both pre and post assembly.
Backup radar can be installed on most Volvo's, so it should be possible to dealer install it on the C70.
Given the visibility of the new C70, I don't think the backup radar is really necessary. It sure would have been nice on the old car however.