[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, Mr. Plainsong let me have my fun and pick the paint color and interior. I mean since I can't drive the thing, I as well use some authoritah somewhere in the process. He would have wanted black... bleh! It didn't take any arm twisting though to like this color. But if not this blue, then silver, absolutely. I just wonder how well they'll do in the US. There's not a huge market for 3 door hatches, even the T5 version isn't really playing in hothatch territory. If they price it insanely, they'll miss the target market. Locally it was priced at just below the Audi A3 and came with more stuff. It was right above a similarly spec'd Citroen C4, 1.8L Yaris, and below the A3. That's just about the perfect price position really. It's not cheap, and it wasn't expensive for what you got. It attracted the kind of buyers who are looking at one price tier, and then think to themselves, if we stretch a tiny bit more, this car is cooler... Of course, a lot of that went to taxes, but what can ya do?

Tell him to teach you! if not threaten to learn on your own and you do not mind the grinding of the gears as you shift because the car has a LOUD STEREO. He will be so scared the tranny will go out he will find a way to teach you.

 

[iGig]

Nice car plainsong, congrats! I'm driving a Volvo too, except mine is the Soccer Mom version...

Team Swedish Car FTW

 

[Mrvile]

Great looking car! I personally love Volvo styling...the hatchback looks good. And as always, in this day and age, efficiency > power.

 

[luckybaer]

Hope your wife enjoys her new car.

 

[courierdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif We just need to find a place where we can hand-wash it since everything around here is automatic, and yes it's a metallic paint job, but still, I prefer hand wash.

Yeah, I totally feel ya there, sister! There's two things I'd never intentionally do:

1- Abuse my audio gear
2- Wash my car in an automatic car wash. They ruin the paint

Quote:

I can't drive a stick shift, never learned. So ummm, yeah, this was a good way from keeping the wife from using the car.

Ya gotta learn. Once you drive a stick it's hard to go back to an automatic. If you enjoy driving, you'll find yourself more in control of your vehicle. That's especially useful, when you encounter poor weather conditions. If you're more frugally minded, a stick will allow you to shift sooner and quicker, thereby increasing your mileage. Again; another advantage of manual vs. automatic tranny.

If your man won't teach you (or he's an impatient teacher...lol!), you might want to consider some lessons on manual, from a licensed instructor. Most of the people I know (who have never driven a stick-shift), learned by going out to a large, abandoned (or vacant) parking lot, and learning the clutch and shifter. After you master the clutch/shifter, you'll be handling it better than an automatic.

 

[Tbln]

Ohhhh nice!

The way the rear glass hatch extends down to the bumpers is a really nice touch.

Too bad they will cost an arm and a leg here in Singapore.

Enjoy the car!

 

[fat pat]

we are getting the c30 in the us, but only with the 5 banger 225hp motor, im interested in one when i get out of college. im in love with the styling, but i wasnt too fond of the seats and the rubbery shifter when i checked it out at the auto show in february.

congrats!!!

 

[Gurra1980]

I'm not so found of Volvo otherwise but I like this new C30 and the new S80. Did you get the one with the Dynaudio speaker setup?

 

[plainsong]

Our stick shift is leather, but it's an extra option if you get the base model, we got one up from the base model, which in the UK I think is the SE package and in Finland it's the Momentum package. I think if it's not leather it is that rubbery stuff.

As for shifting, if it was just the hand that had to do it, I'd feel 100% gung-ho about learning it, but having to clutch+shift everytime I want to speed up or slow down seems a bit stressful. But it's absolutely true that I have to learn. It's not right to have a fun little car and not know how to drive the thing.

My husband is a patient teacher, but I'm an impatient learner.

I'll let him get fully used to it first before pestering to go to some empty parking lot somewhere.

We didn't get the Dynaudio speaker setup simply because Mr. Plainsong is not big on music in cars. I am, but I've heard worse stock speakers in cars, so for the amount that it'll get used, it's ok.

 

[solvexyz]

wow. How can I miss this thread? I got the Volvo c30 exactly one month after you. I am in love with mine as well.

So any other Volvo c30 owners on head-fi?

 

[daduy]

the design is really nice, i love it, especially the all glass hatchback thingy, i think volvo really done a great job on c30 design