Young drivers with Volvos

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Sun 17 Dec 2006 16:53
Young drivers with Volvos - The Purifier
Hi. I recently bought a Volvo S60 to a lot of people's surprise as I am only 21! I think it's a great car for the money and I don't know why a lot of younger people are afraid of bigger cars. However I'm just wondering if anyone knows of other young people who drive an S60 or something similar - it would be interesting to find out!
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 16:59
Young drivers with Volvos - Nickdm
I got my first Volvo - a new S40 - when I was 29 years old, does that count as young?!

S60 is a great car, pretty well respected by the critics. Isn't insurance (group 15?) a bit steep for a 21 year old? That probably puts most youngsters off.
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 17:06
Young drivers with Volvos - Hamsafar
8< SNIP

I'm sure your comment was posted as tongue in cheek (I did spot the smiley) but following a complaint of stereotyping, I've had to remove it. DD
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 17:09
Young drivers with Volvos - sir_hiss
8< SNIP

Same reason as above. DD
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Sat 28 Apr 2012 20:50
Young drivers with Volvos - Roly93
8< SNIP Same reason as above. DD

I'd better not bother posting my observation of Volvo drivers then, especially a guy I followed in a V70 for 20 miles on the M4 last week.

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Sat 28 Apr 2012 20:51
Young drivers with Volvos - unthrottled

Has DD been reincarnated in the form of "dodgethebullies"?

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Sun 17 Dec 2006 17:08
Young drivers with Volvos - LeePower
S60 is seen as a family car.

Insurance companies wont have hardly any claims for youngsters in S60s so the insurance premium wont be as high as you think because it isnt seen as a high risk.

At 20 I was driving a 5 year old 2 litre Pug 405 GTX with really cheap insurance, reason being because it was a family saloon car & they was hardly any claims for young drivers smashing up 405s the fully comp insurance was nice & cheap, Cheaper then my friends where paying TPFT for 1.4 Escorts & XR2's etc

If your young go for something out of the ordinary / family car & be mighty surpassed how cheap the insurance can be.
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 18:17
Young drivers with Volvos - stunorthants26
I had a mint Volvo 460 1.8 when I was 23 and loved it to bits - really comfy, very reliable and did nearly 45 mpg if you took it gentle. Not bad for a 1993 car. I actually have a soft spot for the old Volvo's as they may be boring, but boring starts in the middle of a cold winter, unlike my neighbours M-reg Mondeo!
Mine also took a heavy shunt to the rear from a large van and you could hardly see it had happened. I drove it home after that. Still written off if I had claimed on insurance ( I just did a decent repair myself and moved the car on ).
Fab cars.
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 18:25
Young drivers with Volvos - BazzaBear {P}
I had a Volvo 440 1.8 at the age of 18.
It was the same cost to buy and insure as an Astra 1.3, an absolute no-brainer, the difference in quality was an immense gulf.
I'll be 29 next year, and if things go according to plan, will be buying another Volvo, a slightly more upmarket S60R.
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Sun 17 Dec 2006 18:25
Young drivers with Volvos - mss1tw
I'm 22 and pay as much to insure my SEAT Toledo 110 as a 306 HDi 90.

Apart from cachet and sporty handling, the Toledo whoops the 306 everytime. Never regretted the swap, and no common rail worries either.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 09:46
Young drivers with Volvos - aahbarnes
Insurance companies wont have hardly any claims for youngsters in S60s


So they will have plenty of claims then?

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Sun 17 Dec 2006 18:30
Young drivers with Volvos - MichaelR
Hi. I recently bought a Volvo S60 to a lot
of people's surprise as I am only 21! I think it's
a great car for the money and I don't know why
a lot of younger people are afraid of bigger cars.
However I'm just wondering if anyone knows of other young people
who drive an S60 or something similar - it would be
interesting to find out!


I am 22 and I drive an E39 BMW 530i Sport, which I guess is similar. Test drove an S60 though and found it horriifcally dull, the sort of car I could see myself driving when all my hair is grey. So I went for the BMW, great fun to drive.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 01:53
Young drivers with Volvos - Blue {P}
In my time I've had a Mondeo, a Vectra (just for a week thankfully) and am now on an E46 323 Ci Coupe, I'm now 22 and guess that I'll be bored of the E46 within about 6 or 7 months when I turn 23. I'm anticipating the 2007 Mondeo to cripple residuals for the current model which is on my wish list, or, ideally, a nice 5 series like Michael R's. but it would have to be a manual. Whatever I get will have to be bigger than the E46 as I don't think I would like to go smaller, besides, by the time I'm 23 I'll need an even more mature car!

As for an S60, I would be quite happy with one of those too if it was the 2.4 Turbo with a manual box...

Blue
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 10:53
Young drivers with Volvos - artful dodger {P}
In 1979 I bought a new Mercedes 200T (E class size) when I was 25. Loved driving it even though the 2 litre engine made it underpowered. 5 years later I bought a new Mercedes 230 TE, the larger engine with fuel injection made it much more powerful. Neither car was very expensive to insure.


--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 12:10
Young drivers with Volvos - markengland
At the ripe old age of 21 I owned (with some embarrassment) a rather fetching D-reg Austin Montego finished in fire engine red. From that I moved up to an M-reg Pug 405 and then my last 'big' car was a VW Passat TDI auto, which I loved.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 12:21
Young drivers with Volvos - davidh
At 20 years of age, I bought a ten year old Jaguar Series 3 XJ6 in fairly rare sebring red with wolfrace wheels (I know, I know). I couldnt afford its thirst really or how much it cost to replace the rear inboard disks, but boy even just pootling round in it, it sounded like Barry White gargling whiskey....mind you it was a dipsomanic!

Ah the memories.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 15:32
Young drivers with Volvos - Cheeky
My second car is a V40 for carrying the toddler's plethora of buggys and bags. 27 when I got it - quite like it, a T registered 2.0 SE bought for a cracking £3000 6 months ago.

I'm looking to replace my 5 series with an S60 or X Type quite soon. See my other post for opinions....!

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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:00
Young drivers with Volvos - mattc
I'm 26 and am considering an S60 T5 to replace my 2.0 406 Coupe (although haven't ruled out going for a V6 406 Coupe yet)
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:07
Young drivers with Volvos - LeePower
V6 406 coupe, Go for the later ES9J4 V6 24 valve lump with VVT, more BHP & they are much easier to do timing belts on then the non VVT version.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:13
Young drivers with Volvos - Shaz {p}
Hi Lee,

Any idea what year these come in? My brother is interested in one. he 2.2 hdi's have come down in price...It'll be the v6 or the hdi.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:21
Young drivers with Volvos - LeePower
Pretty sure the V6 gained VVT when the 406 had a facelift in May 99, Ill ask my mate at Peugeot when I see him.

2.2 HDI is a nice lump but a bit agricultural when stacked up against to the other HDI 406 engines.

If you see ( doubt it because hardly any where sold ) a Petrol HPI lump walk away, nothing but trouble & that's why Peugeot / Citroen dropped them.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:40
Young drivers with Volvos - BB
Im 31 and bought my S60 T5 earlier on this year. I consider myself to be young although others may disagree!!!

Nothing wrong with a Volvo at any age. If you like the car, then go for it. I will certainly be looking at another Volvo when I need a new car. It certainly appeals to me more than a BMW would.

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Mon 18 Dec 2006 16:43
Young drivers with Volvos - LeePower
Old boss had a V70 D5 geartronic, im only 28 & I liked it, might be tempted by the C30 in a few years time.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 18:15
Young drivers with Volvos - DavidHM
Switchover date for the 210 bhp vs 194 bhp engine in the 406 V6 was early 2000, from January or February build onwards. I know beacuse it came up in the Q-car thread a couple of months back.
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Mon 18 Dec 2006 22:51
Young drivers with Volvos - Navara Van man
Ive never understood why young drivers feel the need to restrict themselevs to smaller engines and tin cans. My firs car was a 1.6 rover folowed up by the old and new shape mondeos a trooper and now a 02 reg Nissan Navara and new shape transit for work 04reg

I have always just looked upon insurance as one of those things so paying £1000 per year is no hardship for safety and overtaking/ motorway ability.

My premiums are around 900 per vehicle on a clean licence but with two no fault acidents on my score card.

I am 24.

i did look at an s80 and was very tempted by one but atleast i can use the navara for work when the van is getting serviced.
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Tue 19 Dec 2006 11:54
Young drivers with Volvos - mk124
I leant to drive in a mark 2 F reg cavalier when 18 years old. Not the biggest of cars I know but quite big enough for me. It had a 1.6 engine and for a young man that is enough. I still wonder how I did'nt manage to write the thing off or have an accident.

-----------------------------------------------

Torque means nothing without RPM
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Tue 19 Dec 2006 17:22
Young drivers with Volvos - Navara Van man
Correction the navara is a 2003 reg
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Tue 19 Dec 2006 13:45
Young drivers with Volvos - bobda
However I'm just wondering if anyone knows of other young people
who drive an S60 or something similar - it would be
interesting to find out!


I'm 24 and I drive a 2003 S40.

It's also a diesel (albeit the sporty version and remapped) and I've also started to listen to Radio 2.
I think I'm geting old.

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Tue 19 Dec 2006 13:58
Young drivers with Volvos - Group B
I leant to drive in a mark 2 F reg cavalier
when 18 years old.


My first car when I was 17 was a D-reg 1.8 Cavalier (didnt own it but was given exclusive use of it). Not a bad car at all, 115bhp was quite a lot in them days. But 185 tyres and no power steering made for good exercise when parking!
I didnt write mine off either, but I did manage to get 3 points for speeding in it..

A mate of mine's parents equipped him and his brothers with Volvo 240 estates when they passed their tests at 17, rather than buy small flimsy cars. The reason being it was not a case of 'if' they crashed, but 'when' they crashed, at least they would be in something safe.
At Uni in 1991, he had a 1975 240 estate, hand painted black, looked a bit like a hearse but was never driven like one! He used to "get the back end out" occasionally.

;o)
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Tue 19 Dec 2006 21:58
Young drivers with Volvos - AlastairW
and I've also started to listen to Radio 2.
I think I'm geting old.

Panic not. You just know quality when you hear it!)
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Tue 19 Dec 2006 23:37
Young drivers with Volvos - bobda
Panic not. You just know quality when you hear it!)


It just sounds SO good on the Volvo radio...
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Wed 20 Dec 2006 00:31
Young drivers with Volvos - MichaelR
I've listened to Radio 2 for years.

Even when aged 18, driving a Citroen Xantia Diesel.
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Wed 20 Dec 2006 11:20
Young drivers with Volvos - bobda
Even when aged 18, driving a Citroen Xantia Diesel.


Understandable, the tuning knob had broken off, yes?
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Wed 20 Dec 2006 22:39
Young drivers with Volvos - reevsie
All these youngsters running flash motors in their early 20's. When I was 22 I was driving around in a Nova 1.2 merit. I thought I'd hit the big time when I got my first company car at 23, a 3 door M-reg escort 1.4 special edition...wowee.
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Thu 21 Dec 2006 00:09
Young drivers with Volvos - Navara Van man
I' ve worked very hard for them (selfemployed)
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Thu 21 Dec 2006 09:23
Young drivers with Volvos - BazzaBear {P}
All these youngsters running flash motors in their early 20's.


It's very easy to achieve. All you have to do is leave most young drivers to be obsessed with running the same car everyone else does, and spend 8k+ on new or nearly new Corsa / Fiesta, whatever. Then you go off and buy something excitingly different which is a few years old and actually spend less money than them on your 'flash motor'.

Here's the cars I've owned and what they cost (forgive the first one, it's an anomaly):

Astravan £400
Volvo 440 £1800
Mitsubishi Colt GTi £1600
Alfa 145 cloverleaf £5000
Fiat Coupe 20VT £5200
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Thu 21 Dec 2006 09:43
Young drivers with Volvos - boxsterboy
My 20 year old nephew started out with a Volvo 340 before progressing on to a 345, and then a 760 estate. He's now driving a Saab 9-5 and he's still only 20!
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Thu 21 Dec 2006 10:07
Young drivers with Volvos - The Purifier
Bazza Bear is spot on. A mate of mine bought an old shape 54 reg Punto for 5k and I couldn't believe he did that. He kept telling me he wanted a powerful car and he settled for a 1.2 Punto! You see a the majority of young people driving nearly new Corsas, Fiestas, and Puntos but you can get a more prestigious car (it wil be a few years older) for around the same money as a nearly new one of those. Only downside is the fuel bills and maintenance costs but I do feel good getting out of my nice S60!
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Tue 24 Apr 2012 16:31
Young drivers with Volvos - antony251

Hi, I own a 2004 Volvo S60 D5 SE , (88k on the clock) i am 27 and always been an alternative man. My girlfriend is Swedish and a big Saab fan so i decided to buy a Volvo. We both love it, she is 24 .I used to own a Subaru Impreza TURBO and the Volvo isn't anywhere near as fast or exciting but i really like it, it handles very well, so solid build, good fuel economy 45+ mpg and that's great for such a big car. I dont advise putting your thumb anywhere near the door/roof as the doors DO bite! and are heavy! (christine inspired) I also love the heated seats and dolby surround sound and electric memory seats and full leather, it also holds by bike carier, even with the spoiler, great car. They are also very good value for money, £4900 a year ago with volvo history, 74k, insurance about £670 for both of us. I think i would have another Volvo, it's like my big old friendly bear. I look after it and it looks after me.

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Wed 25 Apr 2012 00:10
Young drivers with Volvos - Avant

Welcome to the forum - this is an old thread but no harm in resurrecting it,

Perhaps even more than when the thread was first started, Volvos have largely shed the 'Swedish tank' image. if you want a big solid car with some of the best seats in the business, why not go for a Volvo? Some of them have a good turn of speed too.

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 13:21
Young drivers with Volvos - VanGuard666

Hi guys. I'm 22 and next month will be looking to buy my own car and stop sharing a VW Golf with my mum.

I have been looking at the Volvo S40 2.0D ... It looks great... I would love the R design but it is expensive so may have to stick with the regular or sport version.

The other contendor is the Saab 93.... looks great and in Aero form 2.2D is powerful!

Any suggestions for cars I should look at? I have a max budget of £5000 and want something with good spec, good economy, spacious, sporty etc.

Thanks.

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 13:49
Young drivers with Volvos - unthrottled

looks great and in Aero form 2.2D is powerful!

The 2.2 wasn't a very good engine. The 1.9 is the one you want.

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 13:53
Young drivers with Volvos - VanGuard666

Hey thanks for your reply.

My uncle had the 2.2TiD Aero and I loved it. The turbo noise and the sensation you get when you feel yourself being pushed into your seat when the turbo kicked in... it was rapid too.

So in terms of the 1.9 vs 2.2 debate, why is the 1.9 considered better?

Thanks.

Edited by VanGuard666 on 27/04/2012 at 13:54

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 14:14
Young drivers with Volvos - unthrottled

Completely different engine. The 2.2 used an old rotary distributer pump and is noisy, and not very economical.

The 1.9 is Common Rail. Quieter and more efficient.

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 16:04
Young drivers with Volvos - concrete

There seems a lot of affection for their Volvo's from most owners. It reminds me of a youngish new technical manager who joined our office to bring us all forward in terms of computer technology etc. He chose a BMW 5 series with the i drive system as his car. We thought it was because of the new technology. Every day he was heard muttering dark comments about BMW and was always scowling. One day he appeared with a big smile on his face. He had negotiated a car swap with another manager, he took a Volvo S80 for his BMW, and loved it. Turned out he could not master the technology of the i drive. Needless to say we didn't rib him about it- well not much, hee, hee. Long live Volvo and all who sail in her. Cheers Concrete

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Fri 27 Apr 2012 17:27
Young drivers with Volvos - Bobbin Threadbare

My mum and dad had a Volvo 340 when I was a kid. 'E' reg if I remember. 5 door hatch. It was a tank! It had no power steering though so they got rid as my mum struggled with it.

I like the Volvo C30; it's on my list to look at for my next car.

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Sat 28 Apr 2012 23:51
Young drivers with Volvos - Avant

I remember test-driving a 340 about that time (1980s): it had the most ferociously heavy steering I've ever tried, and the basic model had a 1.4 engine which was shared with Renault. It did a good job in the Renault 5 (which SWMBO then chose) but was hopelessly gutless in the heavy 340.

The bigger-engined versions (GLS and GLT if I remember right) were much better and were probably the safest cars in their class.

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Sun 29 Apr 2012 08:07
Young drivers with Volvos - Falkirk Bairn

Recently I realised I must be getting older when my youngest son sold his 5 series(RWD) and bought an XC60. (Snowy part of UK normally and 5 series went nowhere for a month 2010 and 2011)

Funnily enough I did not sufffer the same pags when my eldest son bought an ES480 back in 1995 - good car over 3 years - apart from the daylight running bulbs that blew constantly.

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Sun 29 Apr 2012 11:24
Young drivers with Volvos - Bobbin Threadbare

I remember test-driving a 340 about that time (1980s): it had the most ferociously heavy steering I've ever tried, and the basic model had a 1.4 engine which was shared with Renault. It did a good job in the Renault 5 (which SWMBO then chose) but was hopelessly gutless in the heavy 340.

The bigger-engined versions (GLS and GLT if I remember right) were much better and were probably the safest cars in their class.

I can't remember what sort of engine it was - too young to notice. I do remember that they'd traded in a Ford Escort estate though, of which I can still remember the reg plate!

The Volvo was very comfortable and it was very safe. We were rear-ended and the other car had a lot more damage than us! (Never rear-end a police officer driving his children to school...)

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Tue 1 May 2012 12:36
Young drivers with Volvos - Problem_Polo :-/

As a young-ish driver (26!), I would happily buy a Volvo and indeed have seriously thought about a recent S40, which I think is a very stylish machine. As for big cars in general, most of mine have been tin cans but I did manage a Mazda 626 Exec estate 2.0 a few years ago, it wasn't very pretty mind! My current ride is about as big as I'd want to go, '94 Jag Sovereign 4.0, bargain buy for £750. Needless to say it's on a classic policy to avoid bankruptcy!

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Sun 13 May 2012 14:44
Young drivers with Volvos - sebthefish

First car was a Fiat Punto, Turquise Green. I gave it to my brother.

I have driven Volvo V70's (MK1s) Since 19 years of age. I am now 23.

FIrst Volvo was 2.0L V70 1998 (S reg) £1000 (210,000miles)

Second volvo (and currently own) a volvo V70 2.5L Turbo AWD 1997, (R reg) LPG converted (by previous owner), I bought it for £950. Its also done 205,000miles.

They are fantastic car. I took the first volvo 4000miels around Europe last summer, which was awesome. I've also helped a few mates move flats/furniture etc... The AWD is great when the freak snow storm hits the UK.

The LPG (gas) does help with the running costs... And as has been reported by others, having a big car doesn't necesarily mean very very expensive insurance. This is due to Insurance costs being based on statistics (eg: how many young people have driven/crashed a v70 =answer, not many). Currently paying £550/year insurance (under my name) 5Years NCB.

I really want an old (1980's) Jaguar XJS 6L v12, as insuracne was even cheaper on that than for my current volvo. Running costs a bit steep.

I would suggest to many young people to get an old Volvo v70. They are great; and they will go on forever!!! this latest one will porbably take me to my early 30s I imagine...LOL.

Everyone does however think I am mad.

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Sun 1 Jul 2012 23:12
Young drivers with Volvos - at6077

Drove a Volvo S60 for 4 years or so whilst at uni, was called grandad until people rode in it and then declared it the comfyest car they'd been in.

Had to go since it was an absolute beast on fuel thirst and my mileage soared from less than 10k per annum to over 33! now driving a Seat Ibiza Ecomotive and missing the heated seats and sound system enourmously. But my bank balance is far healthier!

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Wed 4 Jul 2012 17:02
Young drivers with Volvos - 72 dudes

Got my first Volvo aged 41!

An S60 D5 SE. Chose it as a company car instead of a 320D, C200D and A6 TDi. It replaced an A6 1.8T which looked lovely but was not as involving to drive as the S60.

Some of my BMW/Audi driving work colleagues thought I was mad, but I enjoyed being a bit different.

I now have an S40 2.0D SE and love it too.

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Wed 4 Jul 2012 17:21
Young drivers with Volvos - madf

Not drievn a Volvo since a 740 estate...

Never wanted to drive another after that.

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Thu 5 Jul 2012 11:23
Young drivers with Volvos - OmegaSupreme

First time poster here. My first car was an Vauxhall Omega Estate (hence the username) and I loved it. Loads of room in the boot, very economical for its size, and I am now a master of parallel parking! The best thing about it...learning how to drive on a beast made me a better driver.

Fond memories.

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