New car pics.

[RyanA3 [C30 v2]]

I sold my 2006 A3 2.0T two weeks ago this past Saturday. Long story short, I ordered a new Audi. But it was going to take 2-3 months. So I needed a fun temporary vehicle. Same day I sold the A3, I bought an old Jeep Wrangler off craiglist for $3500. I had a lot of fun improving the Jeep (my 5th, 3rd Wrangler). I quickly realized the Jeep is the perfect 2nd car. Great all year round. Fun in the sun AND snow.

I am lining up to get a bigger house in the next year. So, keeping the Jeep long term, and having a big car payment didn't make sense. I decided to go away from Audi. Sorry folks.

The new Audi would have been $41,000 to $43,000 before taxes and fees. The car I bought (2008 Volvo C30) and the old Wrangler = about $31,500!
Last Thursday night I took a train from Philly to NYC for the C30. There were not any manuals in my area with the right gear.

The Volvo: 2008 C30
GREAT chasis, same as the mazda 3
2.5L I5 Turbo w/k04
227hp @ 5000
236tq @ 1500
(Audi A3 2.0T, 200hp/207tq)
Version2 (dynaudio, body kit, dynamic chasis)
Cosmic White
Climate Package(heated seats and other stuff)
Navigation with real time traffic
6 Speed Manual
BiXenon
Cruise Control
Trip
Sunroof (with op
F+R Fogs
Tpms
18"s w/p-zeros
32,315 List, 27,995 Purchase Price.

Amazing handling compared to a stock A3, way better turn-in and body roll control. WAY.
Can't comment on power or turbo yet since I didn't get it over 3k (break in). 29.8 Mpg on varied speed-drive home, not using cruise. 65-85 Mph. Dynaudio: the best OEM system I've ever heard, and I'm really into sound. Wish list: Rear sway bar and a chip. Chip brings this car to about 275-300hp.


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The Jeep:
1997 4.0L Sahara model
Hard top, soft top, A/C, etc.







I'm pretty happy with everything so far. The C30 has 4 bucket seats, all very comfy. The trunk is smaller than the A3, but way bigger than a mini. The ride is nice, no body roll. Can't wait to chip it and have the same power I had in the A3. I will miss my car, being an Audi owner, this forum. I made a lot of friends here, with members and vendors. I will miss hangin with the REVO posse! Their management, George and Robin, very good people.

The Volvo community seems to be fun and I'm having deja vu. The C30 is new to the states. Just like the A3 was, when I first started posting here, May 2005!

So far... body roll/handling, C30 wins. MPG, A3 gets the slight nod on the highway. Sunroof, auto close feature on the C30! Heated seats, only two settings on the C30, Audi wins. Key, audi wins huge, as the volvo key doesn't fold in, and it's a softer plastic. Dynaudio in the volvo wins over bose hands-down! And the dyn doesn't have a sub! It does have dolby digital pl2. Interior materials audi. Interior look and level of sexiness, C30. Exterior sex, C30, but that is subjective. Nav, no sd slots with volvo. But the C30 nav does have the traffic feature, and a remote control for your mate. If you are hauling yourself + four people, you have to get the A3, as the C30 only has 4 seats. When the seats are folded down, both cars can fit a lot of gear, although the hatch entry of the C30 sucks. Both vehicles doors close with an impressive thud. I think the volvo has a heavier thud, but prolly b/c it's a two door, and the volvo doors are very, very safe. Both cars have an auto up/down window switch. C30 supposedly needs a pc to program the window up/down with key fob. Mine didn't need the pc. Seats, I think the s-line seats may be nicer than the V2 or base C30. The type-R seats in the C30 trump the s-line in the A3. But the v2 or base C30 seats kill the base A3 seats which blow. Tires, p zero comes standard on C30 V2 or type R, love them, they are my # 1 or 2 tire in the world.



Happy Labor Day everyone.
All the best,
Ryan

[Bezor]

[Craig3Q]

[vplaza]

And it looked similar to your car. I told my wife that that was the first C30 I've actually seen on the road and it didn't look half bad. For that price and all the things you got, there is no way an A3 could come close.

[Zetetic]

[ABarthol]

[Zetetic]

[duglas]

[brian@AutoSpeed-gt25]

[tpierce]

torque steer can be kinda a bitch, esp with the turbo, but it can be managed. The main problem is putting the power down. It'll just want to shread the front tires at low speeds and in when getting on the gas hard in tight turns.