OK, this was the car I was never going to sell. I don’t really want to sell it, but the truth is it’s not been used for five years (it has been started and moved), I don’t have room for it at home, I don’t have a job and I’ve got a million other things going on.
While I don’t post here often these days, those who remember me will recall I tend to post walls of text, you’ve been warned.
Background
I saw the C30 at the 07 NAIAS in Detroit, and instantly thought it was the best looking car under $50K on sale, and the best looking interior period. At that time I worked for Ford so when it was time to get a car I was cross shopping the C30, Mazda Speed 6 and 3 with the Mustang vaguely in consideration. The C30 won out hands down, and I ordered it for overseas delivery and picked it up in Gothenburg in June 2008. I wrote a piece on that for the Ford Motorsports club magazine (newsletter included with sale). Highlights were 2K miles across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, England and Wales before dropping it off for shipping in London. Oh yes, and there were a few laps of the Nurburgring on day three or four.
The car
- 2008 Volvo C30
- 12x,xxx miles
- Manual
- Trim level V2.0 - The ‘R’ Design wasn’t available when I ordered it
History, work, accidents
In 2010 I was in an accident where another car ran a red light doing over 50mph in a school zone, he was going so fast I didn't see him, even though I looked right. The damage was limited to the nose as I hit his side. Nor related to the car, but the guy driving the other vehicle left the scene in cuffs as he was driving the car without permission, no insurance, and on a suspended licence! The work was done at Automark Collision in Novi Michigan, I'm still looking for the the invoice.
Automark are awesome and does amazing work, they are certified by Merc, Audi, BMW, Jag, Land Rover etc. for dealer approved body repair including aluminum. At the time I knew a guy who worked there, and while I didn’t get a discount (insurance paid), I did get gold star treatment. The work was done to such an amazing standard that I defy anyone who wasn’t told it had been in an accident could tell. Not only did they do the work, but they mimicked the factory paint, correctly painting things in order, with no clearcoat under the hood. New VIN stickers were created for all body panels placed in the exact place of the originals etc. About five years later, the paint on the front lower bumper (the Mocha part below the main bumper) started peeling. They warranted the work and repainted with zero out of pocketcost to me. I still defy anyone except a master painter to spot the work.
Between 100 and 105K miles, I did the following:
- New timing belt including idlers, water pump, and the other ‘while you're in there’ stuff
- New Koni FSD shocks and new OEM top mounts.
- Various control arms, ball joints, and end links were replaced as needed.
- Other than the Konis, all parts were genuine Volvo.
- Right half shaft CV joints rebuilt.
- The left half shaft was replaced by a Rock auto part after Detroit Axle failed in rebuilding the CVJ twice. The original part comes with the car if you want to rebuild it again.
- A/C clutch
- One front wheel bearings
As mentioned previously, I stopped using it around Oct 2019 when I got my wagon. Since then it was parked behind the office where I worked. I’d start it every few weeks, and drive it around the parking lot. Every few months I go and put a few miles on it. At some point, the A/C started acting funny, and I’d get only hot air out of the driver's vents. The passenger side would work fine with ice-cold air. Something with the HVAC module. About 18 months a year ago, my eldest needed a car, so I said she could have the C30. I paid a guy to get it back ready for use. He did both front wheel bearings (not sure why the 'new' one needed replacing, but still. Fluids, a battery, and found something online for ‘re-programing’ one of the heater controls. That appeared to work for about 50 miles before stopping again. Then her parents in law gave them a different car, and the C30 wasn’t needed so it sat again. In December I was starting to think of selling it again, so paid a Volvo specialist to sort out the HVAC. He had to send the module out to be rebuilt, and that fixed the A/C permanently.
The body is amazing and the paint is good, no dents, only minor scratches
Current condition
It may have been a Michigan car, but it’s a Volvo, and they know about body protection. The car is amazing for a Michigan car. While every Focus or Mazda 3 (the same platform) started rusting through the rockers and rear arches within five years, this is still rust free. Unfortunately, while the body is perfect, there’s a fair amount of rust on all the suspension components, including surprisingly, the new control arms I put on. When I moved the car a few months ago, there was a clunk that turned out to be the RF spring broke. I replaced the spring with the help of Tom Spangler as the car is currently at his house. While doing that the strut mount disintegrated so that was replaced, along with the RF Sway bar end link. After finishing everything I discovered I left the jounce bumper and boot of the shock, but they are included. I’ve also noticed that when someone over the last few years worked on it, the front strut brace vanished. It was only about ½” diameter and I’m not convinced it really did much, but it is missing.
Price
These cars easily go for over $10K in good condition and lower miles, some as high as $15k. If the car was still in the same condition as when I stopped using it, I still think it would be an honest $7-8k car, but leaving it for long periods outside wasn’t good. I believe the car is an honest $5.5-6K car, so I’m asking $5k for it here.
I'll post pics in the next post.
