OCD, CF and buying a used car don’t mix. However, after over two months of shopping for a used wagon, my search is over. Drum roll, please.
And the winning wagon is . . . the Volvo V70 R in Electric Silver.
Yes, I am done spending my nights looking for cars on Craigslist, Autotrader and cars.com. Thank god it’s over for now. No more going to car dealerships and dealing with salespeople who don’t say anything at all, don’t know the product they sell, or lament about the life they used to live before selling cars. No more sitting in wagons ruined by smokers, making me wonder if they destroyed the lungs of their children at the same time.
Cool thing about the Volvo I bought: No smoky smell and no ashtray (nice touch, Volvo).
I had the Volvo inspected by a third-party to make sure it was mechanically sound and the accident was minor, as claimed by the dealership and previous owner. Everything checked out with flying colors. The Volvo mechanics said it was one of the cleanest used Volvos they’d seen.
I didn’t get a great deal. I was tired of looking and the R is a rare version of the V70 with only 27 of them listed for sale in the USA. But it was the wagon I wanted and a standard V70 wouldn’t cut it after driving the V70 R.
Here’s the fun part: 300 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque and zero to 60 in 6 to 6.5 seconds depending on the information source. Yep, this wagon goes fast, especially when the high-performance turbo kicks in. The suspension is stiff and has three modes: comfort, teeth shattering, kidney bruising.
When I got it home the other night I had a mild panic attack worrying about whether or not I had bought a reliable car for my wife and daughter, if I should have negotiated a better deal, and over the money I’d spent – my wife and I don’t like to spend money (thanks, CF).
I didn’t sleep well and woke up to a major panic attack with my heart racing and missing beats. I thought I was going to have to go to the ER because I was worried I was having a heart attack. A full dose of xanax took awhile to kick in and save me from that hell, but I can’t get it out my head that maybe I did have a heart attack and now I’m damaging my heart. See how screwed up I am.
I’m feeling better about the purchase and really dig the wagon. Beats the 13-year-old SUV I’ve been driving. It’s nice to have working headlights that show the road ahead and AC that works – features I haven’t had for awhile. Ah, the little things in life.
Stay healthy.
Splendid, your motor has plenty of room to transport a cricket or footie team around in. I will buy you a West Ham sticker to put in the rear window to help you celebrate. 🙂
Oh I am so excited for you! Turbo and all! Go ahead with your bad self 😉 The money will work itself out. You got what you wanted and that, my friend, should be an excellent feeling.
Again, I am soooo excited for you. Enjoy! Now all you need are the little stickman figures representing the family on the back 🙂 much love ~j
Juli, I actually saw a Mario/Peach/Toad substitute for the stick figures. It was pretty funny. That’s the one for me. John
Headlights that work- this is a good thing.
Now if only they made CF headlights that would let us know what’s waiting for us down the road. Hm, on second thought, maybe not.
Now go drive off into the sunset with your sweet new wheels and your sweethearts, UC.
Lizi, I was excited to discover they work and they’re bi-xenon. Very bright. I’m not sure I want to know what’s coming. It might be too much to take in. John
Congrats on the awesome car choice!! Love the volvo! You made a fantastic decision all the way around… for you, your daughter and your wife. Rest easy. Plus it’s sexy. That’s just a bonus.
Liz, A Volvo sexy? Hmm, I’ll take that. If there is a sexy Volvo, this one may be it. Lots of horsepower and a front spoiler that means I have to slow down to a stop to enter the McDonald’s parking lot each morning. 🙂 John
Excellent! Hoping you enjoy many smooth miles in the silver bullet!
I always have that reaction when I buy a car — waking up in the night w/ post-purchase dissonance. Happily, it goes away. 🙂
MAL, so nice to hear from you, my mysterious friend. 🙂 The feeling is still there, but I’m keeping it at bay. The world hasn’t come to an end because I bought the car. That’s good. Now I have to figure out how to make a million dollars so I can sell it and buy a new car. Wish me luck. John