best bit of volvo 300 design

Post by **foggyjames** » 21 Oct 2004 09:21 pm

I'm not so sure about the driving position - on later cars (with the final dashboard style - ie: the cars almost everyone has!) the accelerator position gets very painful on long journeys. Other than that they're nice though.

Shall we have a turning circle contest at the meet? PAS vs...er...not! I'm a little mystified how you guys can think I'm talking BS - we do own and I have driven examples of both cars in question (360 vs 940)...All I can think is that PAS is to blame on my car. I mean its still a good turning circle against most FWD cars, but its pretty pants for RWD, especially when the bigger Volvos have unusually good turning circles.

cheers

James

Post by **5lab** » 21 Oct 2004 09:23 pm

if you find yer leg hurts do what I do - put the ball/side of your foot on the bit of carpet to the right of the pedal and drive with your heel. or take your shoe off, and drive with just yer big toe (might only apply to those with size 14 feet)

Post by **foggyjames** » 21 Oct 2004 09:26 pm

Sure, there are ways around it....but you shouldn't need to. I'd call that a design flaw.

Interesting thing is....Rupert (V6 Man) says it wasn't a problem with the old style dash. Discuss...

cheers

James

Post by **Chesh740R** » 21 Oct 2004 09:36 pm

Ok its about 7 years since i had my 1.4 340GL but where i regualary do a no point turn around to get to the cash point it could do it with no sweat, i can just do it in the 740 if i pick my line right.

But it has been 7 years so my memory is a little hazy.

Allthough i do remember telling someone it had a damm good turning circle and when i demonstrated it in a mcdonalds car park, i destroyed a mcdonalds bin when it didnt turn as sharp as i remember.

Post by **SteveP** » 21 Oct 2004 09:36 pm

hmm, I thought that the old style dash had the same pedal layout, certainly from memory the two '82 345s we had were the same as my 360 now - but my memory might be just crap!

Maybe I find the turning circle astonishingly good because I've only driven FWD cars, in comparison it is exeptional. But I haven't experienced 740/940 turning circles, so I'll take your word for it! A turning circle comparison would certainly prove it either way!

What is pretty good is the courtesy light for the ignition key on 360s!

Steve

Post by **foggyjames** » 21 Oct 2004 09:48 pm

The courtesy light is there on them all!

It looks like Griz will be bringing his 940, and we'll have plenty of PAS and non-PAS cars there, so let the comparisons commence!!

cheers

James

Post by **SteveP** » 21 Oct 2004 10:00 pm

Is it? I was reading a brochure the other day and it only listed it on the GLE and GLT, maybe it was an early brochure or something, otherwise I'm confused!

Steve

Post by **Chesh740R** » 21 Oct 2004 10:10 pm

GOD I AM SO BORED

Volvo 340 1.4 Engine Turning circle 9.2M

All other volvo 340's and 360 9.35M

Whereas a volvo 740 has 9.9M

I got the 300 series info from this link

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/pdf/3 ... elease.pdf

Post by **ivan141** » 21 Oct 2004 10:22 pm

FR layout & modest weight are my favorite things about the 360..If only it had a lower fuel consumption 16v & lsd diff...

Post by **Duvel78** » 22 Oct 2004 12:09 am

the good points:

- turning circle!!!!!
- excellent visibility
- excellent driving position and seats
- very good dashboard: simple but everything is easy to find and to read
- the CVT is very funny to drive, I like that system and the noise of the variomatic...

Post by **foggyjames** » 22 Oct 2004 04:43 pm

That press release is dated 1986 - pre power steering. I think an answer is emerging...

cheers

James

Post by **wjp01908** » 22 Oct 2004 06:57 pm

My owners handbook from 1989 (the Volvo one that came with the car) gives 9.2m for the 1.4 and 9.35 for all other variants.

9.2 is the same as the nissan micra (yuck) which is tiny in comparison and is not far off the 25 foot (7.6m) rule for London cabs.

Of course being RWD any bit of slightly slippy surface and you can turn it a lot quicker!

Will

Post by **ivan141** » 22 Oct 2004 07:09 pm

wjp01908 wrote: Of course being RWD any bit of slightly slippy surface and you can turn it a lot quicker!

Hmmm..you should try a car equipped with lsd then. My daily driver has a turning circle of about 4-5 meters

Post by **foggyjames** » 22 Oct 2004 07:11 pm

What the hell is it - a bike?!

cheers

James

Post by **5lab** » 22 Oct 2004 07:34 pm

lsd wont stop you wheelspinning, it just makes it a tad harder