What is it about....

[mattywatsit]

What is it about the 300 series that gets under a person's skin?

I can't fathom it at all! You would think having had two I may have "got it out of my system" as I've driven and owned faster cars, cars with better build quality, refinement, more toys, better economy etc etc.... but still I miss the 300 series!

However... after owning a diesel, I don't think I could run a 360 as a daily anymore! simply from an economy point of view to be quite honest! I do think a 300 would make a perfect second car though....

Keeping my eyes peeled....

[Nimminz]

To me, it's about having something special, even though 90% of people don't appreciate it. It's the sense of keeping something going that, in today's society, should be scrapped because it's too old, un-economic, poorly built etc. etc. It's the obscureness, something different. They are fun to drive, the sideways action, 50/50 wight distribution, comfy seats. The simplicity! i wouldn't be able to do half the tings i've done to my 300 on a modern car mechanics wise and the lack of ABS, traction control, automatic wipers, parking sensors, gps dashboards, airbags etc. etc.

Some days i wonder why i bought it in the first place or why, after that, i decided to tinker with it, sometime i think i should just scrap it and get a modern thing i can afford to run. but, then you look at it, sit in it and you realise you are glad you bought it and tinkered with it. Those conversation's with old people ' I used to have one of those'. People who look and point at the side of the road. Even the boy racers who drive past in the college car park and point at it to their mates and laugh because its an old volvo and is utterly worthless compared to their 1.1 citroen c2 with black wheels and an oversized exhaust - That still makes me like my car.

in short, i'm probably mad

[wiganer31]

alot of what nimminz said tbf, i love the people that laugh at you and rip the utter shit out of you, to many examples, good one was two lads at a drift day that new each other, heard them talking and laughing at my *shit box polo or what ever it is* etc before the briefing, later saw theme in there (gotta be honnest) very nice and shiny big spec s14's, 30 mins threw the day the marshals waved a few of us round the 14's to go out in a group of 5 because the two lads needed to go out in 2's till they get better, i consider myself a beginner and not very good but that felt great, just shows money cant buy you the know how or pimpness.

then with my 340 its bog as they come out of volvo and soon im gonna give it abit of a restore to keep it like that aslong as i can, i started to love 300's after i got my 340, still wouldnt say i like them exactly as they get on my fucking tits at times lol

[Logan360]

Agreed. the obscureness and rarity play a part. the standing out in a car park where there are 4 of the same cars and then more cars that match and bam! there's your 300. the reliability and simplistic maintenance of an old RWD. ok there not fast. there not economic. but that manual in the wet with ultimate balance and control. there is something about them. Compare my project next to my daily. 360glt vs 850 turbo. leather seats. massive power increase. 360 only has manual RWD up on it. but I'd pick it any day for a fun car.

so in short were all mad. keeping our hard to find parts for low economy beasts going, but its definitely a labour of love.

[Speedy88]

As above really, plus my gaff who knows NOTHING about cars or driving likes it. It's just something different, isn't it?

I've had a few other cars and nothing does pretty much all car tasks 95% well other than this car. Big volvos are a bit nicer in some areas but are let down by their size. 300s do all tasks a 940 can do about 95% as well whilst being a hell of a lot easier to park.

[trabitom99]

It's definitely about doing something different. It's so cool that Volvo was still building this car as late as 1991, with its RWD and crazy rubber band transmission, and who cares what the road testers think, comparing it to VW Golf MkIIIs and the like. They've certainly changed their tune these days though.

Even in the classic car scene, the V300 is a breath of fresh air. (Rover) Mini, VW Beetle, chrome-laden Mercs? As common as muck, compared to these things

I just wish they would go up in price a bit, so people would actually try and keep them rather than throw them away when the first brown bubbles start to show ...

Cheers

Tom

[L14MNP]

I must be in the minority. Cars don't get under my skin in that way.
Vauxhall Nova SR, mk1 Fiesta XR2, Volvo 360 are just a few that I have owned that 'should have' according to their respective fanbases.

Don't get me wrong, I would have another. I would also be quite happy not owning any of them again though.

I found that my 360 used to blend into modern traffic for the most part, which with its small dished wheels, duckbill splitter, rear louvre, fmic hanging out of the front and ground scraping height was a surprise.
A welcome one on occasion though.

Maybe it was the colour?

[MCHUDD]

Hi all.
As above. I was in a car park the other day abloke came over and said how good
the car looked for its age Itold him it was a 1983 GLS. I also told him it was probably more comfortable
than his. He laughted, so i got out and told him to jump in. He did and went Holly shit it is .
I see one of the staff writers in practical classics now has a mk1
Tis should give the car a bit of coverage.
Cheers Mark.

[SteveP]

No idea, I certainly can't get them out of my system and I don't intend on ever not having my GLT. But however I try and convince myself I don't think I could run one daily anymore - although I'd like to! I haven't had other cars get under my skin, perhaps it was a timing thing and having my original one when I first started driving The fact theyre unconventional make them interesting imo, strange drivetrain layout etc

[Speedy88]

I think another point is that they're easy to live with - easy to work on, nice to drive and rarely develop problems. They only develop typical wear that happens to all other cars, on top of the other problems associated with popular brands of the same era.

[Rubenv340]

It's a low rated car that can shut up a couple of high rated cars, when driven properly.

I like my Ovlov

[Evoman]

I love my mine because everytime I walk towards I smile, I think it looks great, then I get in it and remmber all the problems but soon forget them as drive off down the road hunting for prey to hassle The thumbs up and smiles you get from random people, I also like how it cost me £800 and gets me more "attention" good or bad and strikes more conversation then some of my friends cars that cost...well...£21,000!! (retard! )

It also fullfills my needs pretty much perfectly, loads of room, swallows my bike and gear, easy to work on, cheap (ish) and a good crack to drive I can do this in it....!!

[SteveP]

I also think there's little choice if you want a smallish, rear wheel drive hatchback. The next car I can think of that fit this criteria didn't come along until BMW released the 1 series?!

[Evoman]

I also think there's little choice if you want a smallish, rear wheel drive hatchback. The next car I can think of that fit this criteria didn't come along until BMW released the 1 series?!

I have said to many people that I see the 1 series like a modern 300, small rear wheel drive car with a preimium brand attached to it

[Chris_C]

I drove a standard 300 on the road today, something I havn't done for... 3 or 4 years. And it had rubber bands.

Both myself and my passenger were reminded just how flipping comfortable they are (I'm used to poly bushes, very keen suspension and buckets in Fake), having just done 150miles in the Corset and about to do another 150, it really did win hands down.

And then, because I have the anti Midas touch in 300s, it broke down, so the sanes kept me from buying it. Have a picture of a broken down 300