Meet Bertie!

Zoidy · Apr 20th, 2010, 16:47

Hi all,

picked up my new XC90 today and it is a stunner!

Will post my thoughts after afew days of putting it through its paces. But so far so good - apart from the garage not getting my rear view camera in time (frickin' volcanoes!).

RoyMacDonald · Apr 20th, 2010, 17:05

Lovely car.

Good excuse to drive to Sweden and get your camera ;-)

Lovley and quiet here, haven't seen the skies like this over London since I was a kid.

Zoidy · Apr 20th, 2010, 20:39

Quick update ... not done many miles at all today - going to have a major blast this weekend (not to Sweden though).

But I have never looked forward to a car so much and also had so much anxiety in equal measure before! After reading the forums and seeing issues with certain aspects I worried about the parking brake, whether I should have ordered BLIS, if the tints were a good option, whether I should have gone with auto and not manual and whether I chose the right colour! And after all that, whether the car would actually come in the spec I ordered it with and according to the brochure.

But so far, loving the car and also ...
The drive, very nice and the feeling of being very secure
The engine growl (as another forum member put it)
Two free map updates to come
The size of the boot - you could get lost in there
The tinted windows - no issue seeing out

Not so keen on the naff gear knob!
Some of the buttons are a little plasticy
The sat nav is angled a bit strange, but I guess that is to keep the sun off it so you can read it.
Sat nav functions are difficult to find without reading the manual!

And I don't have a problem with the parking brake even on the manual gearbox. Got used to it pretty quickly. Yes it makes a clunk if you release with the handle but I don't find it a problem.

lordlichfield · Apr 20th, 2010, 20:51

Congrats - looks great

The footbrake issue is a problem to start off with but once you get used to it you will see it is easier to apply than a normal handbrake.

The tints only look dark from the outside. As you have discovered the difference between the front and back windows is negligable from the inside.

Enjoy

toffee · Apr 21st, 2010, 10:18

That looks class....well done

RoyMacDonald · Apr 21st, 2010, 10:31

I didn't like the handbrake at first as I found it awkward to use but I found the engine is so powerfull you can drive off with it still on and Volvo have a warning buzzer to altert you because you can't tell if the handbrake is off or on. So now I just drive off and let it off as I pull away so I don't struggle to avoid rolling back anymore.

If you plan on going off road with the car the auto is the better choice as the auto clutch system acts as a low ratio box, but if you're just going to use it on the road the manual is fine.

All the best.

Roy

RoyMacDonald · Apr 21st, 2010, 10:42

I've just noticed they've changed the badge on the front from square to round. I like it. round badges suit the car much better as it has no straight lines on it.

I wish the club did a round members badge. I tried to put the square club bade on my XC90 but nothing on the grill is square and the only place you could make it look right was in the centre and of course Volvo have already claimed that position with their own badge. I tried it on the back as well but nothing is square there either so the badge just sits on a shelf in the garage now.

mca · Jun 20th, 2010, 18:02

I see Volvo do a replacement grill if you want the new style front emblem :

http://vccs.volvocars.se/Accessories...ent/VCC-411027

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

I've just noticed they've changed the badge on the front from square to round. I like it. round badges suit the car much better as it has no straight lines on it.

I wish the club did a round members badge. I tried to put the square club bade on my XC90 but nothing on the grill is square and the only place you could make it look right was in the centre and of course Volvo have already claimed that position with their own badge. I tried it on the back as well but nothing is square there either so the badge just sits on a shelf in the garage now.

RoyMacDonald · Jun 28th, 2010, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by mca

I see Volvo do a replacement grill if you want the new style front emblem :

http://vccs.volvocars.se/Accessories...ent/VCC-411027

Thanks for the thought. I bought and fitted it two weeks ago. Looks like Volvo's original iron mark emblem. Just need the club to do a round badge now.

wagga · Jun 28th, 2010, 23:23

This car design is truly evergreen isn't.

Since 2002~2003 when it first came out, not very much change in terms of the overall design. Yet, still look stunning and a head turner.

If you buy Japs car, it will be outdated (body design) within 1 year.

Apr 20th, 2010, 16:47	#1
Zoidy Junior Member Last Online: Dec 8th, 2015 18:54 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surrey	Meet Bertie! Hi all, picked up my new XC90 today and it is a stunner! Will post my thoughts after afew days of putting it through its paces. But so far so good - apart from the garage not getting my rear view camera in time (frickin' volcanoes!). __________________ XC90 SE Premium manual in Silver with Situla 18", Rear Camera, Winter Pack and Privacy Glass. Born April 2010.

Apr 20th, 2010, 17:05	#2
RoyMacDonald VOC Member Last Online: Feb 1st, 2023 11:27 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rye, East Sussex View Photos By: RoyMacDonald	Lovely car. Good excuse to drive to Sweden and get your camera ;-) Lovley and quiet here, haven't seen the skies like this over London since I was a kid. __________________ 1984 245 SE 1986 345 SE Auto 1991 940 TD Auto 2003 XC90 D5 SE AWD Geartronic2002 V70 D5 SE Auto 2014 V40 D2 SE Tiptronic Cross Country 2017 V40 D2 Cross Country Geartronic Pro 2015 XC60 D5 Polestar SE Lux Nav AWD Geartronic

Apr 20th, 2010, 20:39	#3
Zoidy Junior Member Last Online: Dec 8th, 2015 18:54 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surrey	Quick update ... not done many miles at all today - going to have a major blast this weekend (not to Sweden though). But I have never looked forward to a car so much and also had so much anxiety in equal measure before! After reading the forums and seeing issues with certain aspects I worried about the parking brake, whether I should have ordered BLIS, if the tints were a good option, whether I should have gone with auto and not manual and whether I chose the right colour! And after all that, whether the car would actually come in the spec I ordered it with and according to the brochure. But so far, loving the car and also ... The drive, very nice and the feeling of being very secure The engine growl (as another forum member put it) Two free map updates to come The size of the boot - you could get lost in there The tinted windows - no issue seeing out Not so keen on the naff gear knob! Some of the buttons are a little plasticy The sat nav is angled a bit strange, but I guess that is to keep the sun off it so you can read it. Sat nav functions are difficult to find without reading the manual! And I don't have a problem with the parking brake even on the manual gearbox. Got used to it pretty quickly. Yes it makes a clunk if you release with the handle but I don't find it a problem. __________________ XC90 SE Premium manual in Silver with Situla 18", Rear Camera, Winter Pack and Privacy Glass. Born April 2010.

Apr 21st, 2010, 10:31	#6
RoyMacDonald VOC Member Last Online: Feb 1st, 2023 11:27 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rye, East Sussex View Photos By: RoyMacDonald	I didn't like the handbrake at first as I found it awkward to use but I found the engine is so powerfull you can drive off with it still on and Volvo have a warning buzzer to altert you because you can't tell if the handbrake is off or on. So now I just drive off and let it off as I pull away so I don't struggle to avoid rolling back anymore. If you plan on going off road with the car the auto is the better choice as the auto clutch system acts as a low ratio box, but if you're just going to use it on the road the manual is fine. All the best. Roy __________________ 1984 245 SE 1986 345 SE Auto 1991 940 TD Auto 2003 XC90 D5 SE AWD Geartronic2002 V70 D5 SE Auto 2014 V40 D2 SE Tiptronic Cross Country 2017 V40 D2 Cross Country Geartronic Pro 2015 XC60 D5 Polestar SE Lux Nav AWD Geartronic

Apr 21st, 2010, 10:42	#7
RoyMacDonald VOC Member Last Online: Feb 1st, 2023 11:27 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rye, East Sussex View Photos By: RoyMacDonald	I've just noticed they've changed the badge on the front from square to round. I like it. round badges suit the car much better as it has no straight lines on it. I wish the club did a round members badge. I tried to put the square club bade on my XC90 but nothing on the grill is square and the only place you could make it look right was in the centre and of course Volvo have already claimed that position with their own badge. I tried it on the back as well but nothing is square there either so the badge just sits on a shelf in the garage now. __________________ 1984 245 SE 1986 345 SE Auto 1991 940 TD Auto 2003 XC90 D5 SE AWD Geartronic2002 V70 D5 SE Auto 2014 V40 D2 SE Tiptronic Cross Country 2017 V40 D2 Cross Country Geartronic Pro 2015 XC60 D5 Polestar SE Lux Nav AWD Geartronic

Apr 20th, 2010, 20:51	#4
lordlichfield Member Last Online: Aug 18th, 2017 23:22 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London	Congrats - looks great The footbrake issue is a problem to start off with but once you get used to it you will see it is easier to apply than a normal handbrake. The tints only look dark from the outside. As you have discovered the difference between the front and back windows is negligable from the inside. Enjoy

Apr 21st, 2010, 10:18	#5
toffee New Member Last Online: Mar 1st, 2011 13:19 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Liverpool	That looks class....well done

Jun 28th, 2010, 23:23	#10
wagga Member Last Online: Jan 19th, 2013 23:41 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Perth	This car design is truly evergreen isn't. Since 2002~2003 when it first came out, not very much change in terms of the overall design. Yet, still look stunning and a head turner. If you buy Japs car, it will be outdated (body design) within 1 year. __________________ 2009 XC90 AWD 3.2

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