5 Things I HATE About The Volvo C30
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- In this video I go over the 5 main things I hate about my Volvo C30. I have owned the car for 5 years and have become accustomed to both this vehicles strengths and weaknesses. If you disagree or want to know more, leave a comment and I will reply!
Did you just demosntrated the turn radius by U-Turning on a blind corner?
Agreed, stupid and dangerous
My thoughts too this guys an idiot. Blames the turning radius for his bad driving 😂
Man everyone hating on me for this. The corner seems blind but there is absolutely nobody on the road and I chose this spot to demonstrate the radius here based on that. I will not do this again - thank you for being concerned and calling me out
I've learned manual on my c30 and i never tried another manual car so I can't tell if its different but i didn't think it was that hard to not stall
Same here but our clutch’s are amazing the borg goes crazy
Premium gas isn't required. Regarding the clutch, it's the pedal spring, replace it with a Steeda Focus ST/RS return spring. Makes it feel significantly easier and more of a linear push.
The stock airbox is the only reason I got an "upgraded" air intake. I took it out and put it back in once, and decided I never wanted to do it again. The turbo and induction noises are a nice side effect, though, and I haven't noticed any real issues from it so far. its made things like oil changes and my pcv replacement nice and simple, surprisingly, and my C30 is one of the cars I more enjoy working on.
I have heavily considered this, but am hesitant just because I don't want to take the stock one out again😂 I have seen many people go that route. Also, I agree - despite having minimal space I have enjoyed working on the c30 and it has helped me improve my mechanical skills immensely.
I appreciate seeing some other C30 owners/enthusiasts make new videos about these decade old cars. I bought mine about a year and a half ago and still really enjoy it. When I first started watching I thought who would put Jaguar wheels on a C30?? But after watching through to the end, I've now decided I'm a fan haha. They look good! Keep up the content, man. I'll do my best to try to join you and start making some videos on mine soon too.
Thanks for the feedback, glad you’re enjoying the C30! I definitely recognize the jag wheels aren’t for everyone, but I like them and that’s what counts. Plus they were CHEAP haha!
Thanks for posting. I just bought my daughter a 2012 C30 auto with 72K miles in July. I bought it out of state and drove it home 1200 miles no problem. She loves it. I love it. Now I want a manual for myself.
Congrats on the C30, they can eat up 1200 mile road trips no problem! I really do love these cars and am glad they are picking up popularity. I wish you the best of luck in finding your own haha!
Drove my mates and never stalled the clutch wasn’t a problem. Now looking to buy one
Clutch on my C30 isnt bad at all. So that's interesting, but ive not had others try it. The turning radius feels pretty typical for cars these days. My wife's C70 is much worse. I think my biggest gripes are the seat belt that digs into my shoulder (fixed with a belt pad thingie) and the stereo that is also part of the HVAC which makes aftermarket stereo equipment challenging. Lastly the interior air filter is a super pain in the ass to change. The stock intake isn't bad because as others have mentioned you can just swap with an aftermarket one.
I actually thought the same about the clutch after getting used to it, only after having others try and driving their cars did I realize it was a weird one. I have a belt pad on mine for the belt too! Also - yes... taking the gas pedal out to change air filter is ridiculous.
Hey! I just got a 2007 c30 T5, I love it so far! Is it normal for the turbo spooling to be audible from inside the cabin?
yes. that is typical of any turbo car. the turbo starts to wind up faster and faster the more rpm the engine is at, hence more turbo noise more when being at higher rpm. noises can also occur when letting off the throttle aggressively when the turbo is spoiling
Yes, though its pretty quiet on mine. I love hearing it when it does come through haha!
Nice to see more enthousiasts!
I’ve bought a 1.8 sport with full option. Great sounding stereo, sunroof, leather seats and most of it is in prestine condition.i love the design of these cars amd
In perticular the front end. Though my headlights could do with a polish and maybe upgraded bulb as they are not the brightest.
For people who own or want a sunroof, be warned! The draintubes will get clogged (so regularly service them) and the draintubes will shrink. This means they will disconnect at the windshield end and leak huge amounts of water into your car. The result is you’ll need take out your seats (disconnect the battery first to avoid an airbag light on dash), take out the front carpet and fold up the rear carpet and thoroughly dry. I solved it by pressing out water with towels and a blowdryer. Took me two days.
I’ve fixed the tube issue by cutting the tube and extending with a piece of garden hose. Also carfully pushed a steel wire through the lower part of the tubes that sit underneath the window to declog them. The car is dry and not leaking anymore. Test this by throwing water on your sunfroof and see if it somes out underneath. Should go quick and with more water then you think!
I really adore the car and it drives so well and comfortable. It love to accelerate out of corners and did 180(km/h) on the highway and it felt planted and safe. Awesome drive!
Be aware 1.8 is not the most powerful.
Mine was owned by a family that never really pushed it, so it was a little ‘lazy’ in the beginning but after 4000km’s of more sporty driving it starts to come alive nicely and performs quite a bit better.
Any other ownership issues? I have a 1.8 too, no issues yet after my first 3000km's.
@@GP5zona Front right shock seems on its end, so i'm thinking to replace all 4 but thats just maintenance. Gear nr1 and reverse sometimes don't really go in which resulted in a little grind. But it happens rarely. I'm gonna have it looked at this summer.
I did have a biggie though. The rubber hoses from the sunroof shrank and disconnect at the windshield end. All the water went under my carpets, and it was a lot. Olympic pool.
What I've done;
Cut the shrunk hoses in half, bought a gardenhose and glued in the middle as extension and put them back in the holes. Carefully declogged the hoses on the windshield end with electric wire. That did the trick.
Removed the seats and folded the carpet up. Blow dried the parts that remained in the car and the parts that I could get out I layed to dry in the sun. Note that I needed to disconnect the battery first before removing the seats to avoid a airbag problem light on the dash (luckily found it on some blog/vlog before I started). This also did the trick. It's a serious problem that happens to probably all the sunroof c30's but it's a relatively easy fix.
How’s the steering feel in these? I’ve heard that it’s pretty bad in the S60s and all the Volvos I’ve driven so far confirm what I’ve heard.
Well, as a former owner of a 1.6D C30 (in Sweden), I agree with the turning radius and clutch issues. On top of that, my car had massive issues with Diesel Particulate Filter, had a heavy steering wheel, bad brake disk rotors causing lots of vibrations. Also, being a diesel car, the engine would redline around 4500 RPMs and sounded horrible at any rpm. Long story short, I bought the car for its gorgeous looks, but sold it due to huge maintenance costs. I always wished I had bought a petrol one instead. So yes, I think you have it pretty good with your car😊
Thank you for sharing you experience with other engine configurations, we only got the T5 here in the states. I had some disk rotor issues as well, I believe they're fairly common. Sadly, looks aren't everything, otherwise the C30 would be one of the best hatchbacks ever!
I've had mine for around 2 years and it's an auto so ofc I had that stupid rubber piece explode and had to rip apart the center console to replace it which was a PITA, the cabin air filter is far harder than it should be, if you have a sunroof, it WILL leak into the cabin eventually. It's been the rainiest summer of my life here in MA and I've had to leave my carpets peeled up essentially every time we had clear weather. Still leaked despite redoing the drain tubes so I have it without the windshield rn and made damn sure those hoses fed through deep and properly, and the glass tech said to me that the adhesion to the top edge of the glass was poor which also contributed to leaks. the AC is a pain too, had a line replaced only for the clutch to need reshimming. Unfortunately that is just what its like owning a 15 year old car. Shits old, hoses and rubber start to break, leaks happen. Thankfully the engine has been solid aside from needing a new coolant tank and T belt @ 96k miles ofc. I love the torque and wish I could drive stick to experience it without any bottlenecks
I would like to know what wheels those are , they are pretty nice
1. Get a c30 with 17 inch or smaller wheels from the factory and you don’t have this issue, the 18 inch wheel option came with a different rack (or rack stops I’ve not checked) that limited the turn radius.
2. Absolutely, the C30 is probably the best hot hatch out there that people don’t appreciate. As you say though it is starting to sink in for people now.
3. You might have an aftermarket clutch? An OEM clutch is very easy to drive I find, and even the upgraded S60R clutch is fine too. The pedal is relatively light as well, my Renaultsport Clio would give me a dead leg in traffic.
4. Yeah they’re thirsty bois. Stock, it’s just not worth it. I have a V50 d5 with a remap as well and that uses half the fuel of the T5 but has the same performance as the T5 did stock.
5. Engine bay is tight but I find it reasonably simple to disassemble. Airbox is more a knack than anything but I binned mine purely for better access.
1. No way... I never knew this and this is definitely interesting! I'd love to drive one with the other rack to see the difference. I pretty much agree with the rest, especially that despite being tight, working on this car is rewarding and enjoyable. Also, nice miata 😎
I just got a C30 a few months ago and it is the EXACT same spec as yours, R-design trim, 6 speed manual, Shadow Grey! Great looking car man! The recognition thing hits hard especially with the pre-facelift R-Design models, allegedly only 400 were sold in the states and only in 2009.
Wow what are the odds haha we must be one of verrry few with this spec!
@@AmrinDosanjh We gotta gang up as the few 2009 C30 R-Design owners and prove they aren't just driven by old people! 🤣If you weren't in California I would say we should meet up with our cars
Thank you so much for the video. Any c30 owners out there with high miles on it, can you share some stories of any maintenance history about your car? I want to buy one soon.
Hey there! I plan on making a video about my maintenance history soon!
I've had a P1 C70 T5 for 8 years now (convertible version of yours), and you don't have to always buy premium petrol. Mines been modified and mapped to about 290bhp and after fuel prices sky rocketed a few years back, I started using regular petrol. Its had no adverse effects. I rag it around quite a bit, since it sounds great, and its been fine. I don't know if there is a difference in fuel quality between UK and US, but our regular is 95 and premium is 97+. The general rule is, cars are designed to work in countries where the fuel quality is much lower. In terms of performance, I cant say I notice any difference between premium fuel and regular, and tests/data on the fuel differences are not so clear cut (some find small benefits, some find none). (I would still buy premium like every 3-6 months as a 'treat' for the car, you know how it is)
Also, I find the clutch nice and light on mine, it was my only car for many years though, and in UK its common to drive manual, so its not something that's special that we often encourage other people to try for comparison. (I find my diesel cars way worse, in that they have a really heavy pedal, horrible for town/city driving).
In terms of noticing, I often get comments on the C70, its in red, with aftermarket black alloys, and uprated cat-back (so its louder). Even had another Volvo guy get out of his car whilst we where waiting at lights, come over, and we had a chat about Volvos. Was great. But I think your typical petrol heads don't recognise it because its 'Volvo'.
But I agree with the rest... I got so used to the bad turning circle I nearly crashed a rental car because it turned way more tightly than I was expecting when parking in my carport (nearly went straight into the wall). and i've had a few scrapes because of the poor turning circle... Its deffo the biggest drawback. And last I checked, there's no easy fix (I have wider wheels, so scrubbing becomes an issue)
After driving 7 years auto C30 was my first manual. That's where I learned driving manual. You can say I learned the hard way.
After 6 years on different cars, I want another C30. It is unique, it is gorgeous and it is Volvo!
I have the 2.0l r design manual diesel now for 3 years. Best car I have ever owned.
hey just so you know premium gas isn't required!! pretty sure you have a t5 like me, and my manual says that 87 is fine and will be perfectly reliable, premium will just get you the best performance.
I've actually seen this as well in the manual, but I strictly use premium because I like the performance so I guess that's my own fault 😈
@@AmrinDosanjh hahaha fair enough - i used to use just premium but now i’m at college and it’s way too expensive 😭
I was considering a C30 last Summer but I ended up buying a rebel blue V40. It's interesting to know that despite the V40 being a much larger hatchback, the turning circle is about the same or maybe even better than the C30. My V40 is my second car, and the clutch point on it is way better than my first car which sounds like that would have a lot in common with the C30; I won't name my first car but you could say I'm compensating with the Volvo now! 😅 The V40 has a nice deep bite point so there's no tapping it.
Essentially what it boiled down to it being a C30 or the V40 was the age, the V40 I got was 2 years newer than the last batch of C30s. Plus there's all the Ford proprietaries in the V40 like heated windscreen and the capless fuel tank.
Man, i’m convinced any car has a better turn radius at this point haha😂 Age is definitely a big factor, I just hope you enjoy the V40 and don’t feel like you’re comparing to your last car all the time!
@@AmrinDosanjh I adore my V40! It's such a pleasure to drive, and as you say, Volvo has some of the most comfortable seats ever. The only car I've had a more comfortable ride in is my dad's Volvo 240 estate - that was like a sofa! My first car was tiny but it made for really tight turns, basically the only thing I miss - I certainly don't miss the drive!
I got C70 facelift and people dont know what it is but unlike C30 owners, they always flash and wave :D
I love that haha! C70s are awesome!
You should see the radius of my T5 wagon .. even worse but love them both .My 335i and my SL500 have very tight radiuses - I'd know what you had - I really like the front spoiler you got and yours and the rims. Clutch may need to be bled. Premium gas is a choice - you can add lower but performance wont be great. That engine comes out with the tranny very easily - just need some patience, unlike an Audi.. also dont fall for buying a brand new set of wipers you can get refills as they swap in very easily.
I have heard that about the wagons! Very cool that you mention the SL500, my brother has one (1999 R129)! Thank you for the compliments and tips!
I can get 70+ mpg out of my diesel version - the efficiency is the main reason I bought it. I drove almost the entire length of the UK on a single tank.
That's insane. I would love to have that option here in the states!
What kind of alloys are they? Nice.
Jaguar Velar Wheels. They come on the Jaguar F Type!
@@AmrinDosanjh oh mate, they are class 😁. Love it
@@AmrinDosanjhsorry are they 18 or 19" I'm hunting for some ❤
@@tipsandtricks5258 these are 18”
For any new enthusiasts a big pro of the c30 especially the t5 model is that they make power easily, I was able to get 250 to 270 hp to the wheels with just a turbo back exhaust with air intake and a better flowing turbo intake pipe with a tune on premium gas but a huge con is that the factory block and head gasket won't be very happy once you start pushing 350 hp to the wheels but fortunately you can easily get the motor sleeved for possible power numbers between 600 to 1000 hp to the wheels depending on how committed to the c30 you are me personally I think I'll be stopping at 500whp but who knows
Point 2: surely that's a good thing? SE Lux owner here and I like that it's not as ubiquitous looking as a Scirocco or 1-Series
SPOC-Compatible Body structure should have something to do with the turn radius!
SPOC is a scenario where 20~40% of the front of your car overlaps with an obstacle at around 64kph,
and this accounted for around 50% of all frontal accident fatalities!
And this car addresses that issue by, For example,
Usually a car would have Near 90-degrees angle between the angle of the Footwell portion and the engine mounting rail!(lower side member)
But for this car, there's only 45-degrees of angle to prevent the wheel from penetrating into the footwell and crushing both your legs,
and to best manage the impact force!
So it's going to look like this :
←rear, ⬛︎⬛︎ = the front wheel, front →
a Volvo :
＼ ⬛︎⬛︎
＼ーー|
a Normal car :
| ⬛︎⬛︎
|ーーーー|
You see, just how much space is going to be taken simply by doing so!
I do mostly highway miles on my (sadly auto) c30 and I only use 87... get about 25-30mpg
3 point turn on a blind bend...clever.
For me the most annoying thing are the long front doors! Pain in the arse getting out in tight parking situations.
Not knowing it’s the twilight car is crazy
I used to wave and I'd get a glare back all the time, I don't know what that's all about, maybe it's the location or the clientele. Now I don't wave in the Volvo unless I get a wave first.
- turn radius is defined by factory wheel size, european versions that came on narrow 15, 16 inch wheels as standard turn very well. larger wheel sizes came with a steering limiter. my S80 on 17 inch turns tighter than your C30 does. might be possible to shorten them a bit without rubbing the rubber.
- first time i hear complains about the clutch. i suspect pre owner was not experienced on driving a manual and wrecked it, replaced it with a cheaper 3rd party part. so in best case one goes for original parts on essentials like clutch and engine.
- american premium gas is lower standard in europe. usually nothing less than 95 oct available. comparing gas prices in US to europe. this is almost funny, so don't mind too much i would say, could be worse.
- T5 is top of the line engine. i wonder how they could fit it in in first place. on the other hand, same engine bay on S40, there is one that has a swapped B8444 V8 in it. therefor it should fit the C30 as well.
Guys volvo c30´s manuel is so op trust me. I drove a lot of manuel car
Huh mines turns pretty damn good
2 of the problems related to your driving skills and the U turn in a blind corner confirms my words , gas is not as issue if you drive it properly
Why blame the turning circle when it's your inability to drive with precision that's the problem?
No matter how bad the turn radius might be, it's still better than your driving 😂
Airbox - if you know you know lmfao 😂 indeed
I have nightmares about it to this day
Only 1 things I HATE about turning radius at that goddamn corner.stupid hush puppies
Car worth wheels
You can't blame the car for your bad driving.
2.33 people will be confused with that Ferrari badge on the side lol rip it off
Hey, that's a funny Volvo badge with a deer on it!
things I hate..
Worst headlights ever on a car
No space for storage in doors
Fucking sound system no upgrades possible
Worst seats ever in a volvo
although everyting is pre wired, you have to pay 150-400 euro's to activate cruisecontrole , hitch, seatheating etc
Had volvo's from 740 to V50...no more volvo's for me
Man... sorry you have had a rough experience. I personally love my seats, but yes the headlights are awful!
You need the Xenon ones
Get a Mazda 3
You will never go back
Anyone else see California license plate an clicked off this…..