Anyone own or owned a Volvo C30 T5?

[GrumpyGregry]

Circumstances may mean I have to take advantage of the Chancellors intent to spend £1.3bn to abolish road congestion (yeah right) and buy a car. I was thinking Focus ST to free my inner yob, but a friend raves about his C30 T5 with something called the R-Design pack.

Budget would be around five grand.

Anyone?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Same question asked on THIS ST forum, so may well be Ford biased but probably worth a look.

I've no experience of either TBH but they can't really be all that different, (to the average driver anyway), as they basically share technology, engines and chassis components, but FWIW and IMHO the @rse of the Volvo is seriously FUGLY

 

[Drago]

You'd buy a high performance turbo hatch for five G? That's getting down towards used hand grenade territory. I'd either up the budget or look at something else.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You'd buy a high performance turbo hatch for five G? That's getting down towards used hand grenade territory. I'd either up the budget or look at something else.

I take the point, and others have made similar in the past yet I've only got burned once in about 20 cars. You just have to be very selective about which frog you kiss.

 

[Simon1234]

I had a D3 R-Design until recently. Lovely car. Most comfortable car that I have owned, and a very easy drive. Very different to the Focus on which it was based (Volvos being typically over assisted and soft), although same quick and direct steering. Not the stiffest body shell, and rattled a bit when cold. Mine was very reliable (60 plate). I had 16" wheels and was fine, although 17"'s are not much harsher apparently. Go for one with the High Performance sound system if possible, as they are supposed to be amazing (standard stereo is very poor - I had to upgrade speakers in the first month). volvoforums.org.uk is a good and friendly site. A T5 would be fantastic though (the D3 was a straight 5 as well) if speed is your thing!

 

[Salar]

Yes,

We had one about 7 years, Black C30 T5 geartronic box, top of the range job, pre R design pack. I never liked the R pack preferred the subdued wolf in sheeps clothing look.

Obviously quick,slightly heavy on the petrol 25mpg, well it would be. Solid safe car, handled well.

Geartronic very good, but didn't use it much, tended to leave it in auto, but check where the box comes from. I also had an older Volvo V70 D5 which had a General Motors gearbox which played up and they are expensive to replace. The one in our C30 was fine.

We only traded it in as the wife was making 400mile round trips at the weekend on top of our usual mileage, otherwise we would have kept it.

Doubt if you'll get a full service history one for £5K, but If you can get one within your budget, buy it.