I like Costco
Why? It’s a game my wife and I play. Can we get get in and out for under $200? Never happened, but that is the challenge. We have the best intentions just to get yogurt and a few other staples, but there is always something jumping out that screams “Buy ME.” So we do and we never win. Recently, they had an awesome deal on fresh Florida strawberries and we were out of Jalsberg cheese and…well, we went over $200.
Here’s one Swede deal for those thinking about a new Volvo. For some time now we have sold cars through Costco and frankly, we did well. I suspect their shoppers are very much Volvo thinkers. In the old days, the men probably would have worn jackets with elbow patches and smoked pipes, and the ladies with cotton summer dresses and sun bonnets.
This is from Costco’s press release: “The Volvo Limited-Time Offer is not the first collaborative effort by the Costco Auto Program and Volvo. The companies came together in the winter of 2007 for a holiday promotion on all XC90 models, and have since joined forces four more times to bring exclusive offers to Costco members. However, the current promotion is the first to include Volvo’s entire lineup of new 2013 and 2014 models; vehicle selection for the previous offers included one to three models.”
Click here for more information about our Costco offer.
Just to show one of our Swedes for sale. 
dan
Posted in General | 2 Comments »3043625
3043625
dan
Good going Pascal! Yes our Seat Belt Patent. Just love Google.com search engine.
dj
Posted in General | 3 Comments »Boredom can be a creative excuse to prove a point.
745 Boredom
And don’t try this with your mom’s 850 Wagon. Tack.
dan
Posted in General | 3 Comments »So how did you dress up your Volvo this holiday season?
I’m rather slow on the up take sometimes. Missed this one completely. Send us photos of your Volvo, like Phil Turner’s PV544, and I’ll try to get them up asap.
I once had a ’58 Hillman Minx when we lived in Torrance CA. It was painted from the factory in Lime Green. In those days we could cruise Sunset Blvd. then come back down Hollywood Blvd. So we used five cans of spray snow, turned the wipers on, so it looked like what we say in the movies from your guys back East, and cruised. No way was I going to do that to my PV444.
Phil Turner – VCOA member:
Via Chuck Wilberger
Thanks Chuck. Santa's sweet Swedish sled.
And this one from Glenn Rhodes: Electric Volvo.
You all have a great Holiday Season and see you next year.
dan
Posted in General | 2 Comments »5,000 employees – 5 million volvos
What a wonderful event-5,000 proud employees put their name on the 5 millionth Volvo assembled in Ghent. I never saw so many people shooting their own name. I had the names of our pensioners to add, but between dream and reality … All, that was too ambitious.
Our first Volvo from Gent
Our 5 millionth Volvo hand crafted in Gent
Amazing, 5 million Volvo’s from Gent and very proud employees who made them for you.
dan
Posted in General | 4 Comments »Don’t you just love Spring?
Time to clean our all your winter junk, dirt, Starbucks cups and that ‘something’ rattling under your front seat. I just washed and waxed our S60, next is XC70, but she takes more time since she’s really my trash collector. First off, it’s not both of us that keep piling stuff into our cars and doing the old…I’ll clean it tomorrow routine, it’s me. So I fired up our Shop-Vac and sucked in everything that was not OEM.
Last fall, Will and Greg, long time Volvo friends, VCOA members and just two really cool guys, sent a letter, yes, a pen and ink kind of letter, meaning whatever was written was worth reading. Will used to be with Rolling Magazine (VCOA Club magazine), and with Volvo Sports America (the premier club pubs in US and Canada) and he is just one good writer. He sent over a mini-travel log for his annual Amish country road trip and with his permission, here it is below.
We’re just back from our monthly run out to Amish country in PA. Goin’ back –oi vey! – 20 + years that we’ve gone to Carlisle (dj: awesome classic car event-Google it). We always take the back roads home. Since I’m a Civil War nut, we always go through Gettysburg. The route from Carlisle to there is awesome for those of us who love to drive – hilly, winding – a great country road. Ditto from G’burg to York and Lancaster to Strasburg, where there’s a terrific railroad museum and the Red Caboose Motel, at least 50 old cabooses from every RR imaginable, each one fitted out as a “motel” room. The restaurant is a few old Pennsy RR diner cars linked together.
(dj: This railroad museum is awesome. Great place for kids. Amazing collection. a nice video of Carlisle Import show. Of course what would that weekend be like w/o rain. I’ve never been there when it didn’t rain for a couple of hours.)
Rt. 30, the old Lincoln Highway that runs across PA – indeed, one of the first East-West roads to the Left Coast – gets so congested with tourists that we explored back roads over the years. One, Rt. 10, runs North/South from 30 up to Morgantown and is another great cruise, especially, say, with a 6-speed manual (dj: Will’s way of begging us for another manual transmission Volvo).
Anyway, eventually we found a bunch of way off the beaten path Amish farms that we go to for all our meats and produce. You can’t beat the quality, and we save 30% to 50% off local supermarket prices. Of course, we ^%&& away those savings on gas, but it’s a great day out – 100 miles each way – through picturesque landscapes, rolling hills with great views of a patchwork quilt of various field crops, dotted with neat farmsteads with all their outbuildings, critters, etc.
We’ve made some great friends with a half dozen families. It’s funny, because, depending on how “orthodox” they are, they don’t have electricity in their houses, but what goes on in their barns is another matter. They might have an answering machine and computer in their barn. We call on Rachel on Wednesday, and she bakes us wonderful breads. “Zeke” – his real name’s Steve, but he’s a classical Ezekial – makes great cheeses, butter, eggs and produce in season. Amos (real name) and his family have acres of orchards producing dozens of apple varieties, plus peaches and nectarines, not to mention home made yogurts at $4.00 a quart to die for.
We’re also just back, kind of, from a wailin’ 3-week, 4,500 mile, 12-state vacation odyssey in the V70. We take our vacations in September ’cause (1) kids are back in school = fewer tourists; (2) the weather’s generally ideal; and (3) off-season room rates slide into place.
I’ve asked Greg to share some of his vacation notes and tips, so his saga will continue. If you have a favorite spring ride route and want to share with other Volvo friends, drop me an email (pics would be cool too). It would be fun to do some road time stories. Thanks John for your video link to Carlisle.
Welcome to spring!
dan
Posted in General | 2 Comments »An interview with Hans Nilsson – 60 Series Project Manager
Hans – aka Hasse – and I worked together in our Parts group, around 1982. I forgot what he did, heck, I hardly remember what I did, but his young family was here for six months and lived close to us in NJ. Amazing how quickly time passes, he’s now a grandfather and gone from Parts to the lead person for “60 cars” as he calls them.
Every New Years, I would call him or he’d call me, just to chat and to wish each other a good New Year. Funny how traditions help keep us in touch with friends and family.
So I asked Hasse if he would do a short interview with me about what he does at VCC.
1. What kind of racing background to you have? Any pics of you, your team and car? Were you successful?
The racing I have been doing for the last 20 years is together with a team of Volvo colleagues, and it is on a pure hobby level. It is an endurance racing series, with the theme maximum racing for minimum cost. The races are 6 hours long and include beside driving also tactics for refueling and change of drivers. Each driver can drive max 1.5 hour at the same stint. Technically it’s open for 4 seat standard cars. Only normal aspirated engines with 2 liters volume and 4 valves per cylinder or 2.5 liters and 2 valves per cylinder. Maximum tire width is 205 R marked but no slicks. Chassis modifications are free.
The fastest cars are using a Volvo B230 engine stroked to 2.5 liters. Used in BMW 3 series, Porsche 944, Opel Ascona, and of course Volvo 140, 240 and occasionally also a 544.
We race a Volvo 240 with a “B250″ engine with two Weber 50 carburetors. Power output last year was 242 hp. Getrag close ratio gearbox, Brembo calipers and BMW M3 rotors. Chassis changed in all dimensions.
We normally finish top 5-6, and have never won the series but finished 2nd or 3rd, at best.
It is a hobby thing, a nice way to meet the guys (all Volvo colleagues). We meet one evening per week, roll up the sleeves and do some real hands-on car development.
Team mates are:
-Olle Odsell, Tech Project leader C70
-Kent Persson, Chassis development (also run his own rally team)
-Kenneth Ekström, Chassis development. Developed chassis for S60R , V70R and the new S60
-Ola Gruvesäter, Chassis dept
-Lars-Erik Lundin, Vice president. Was up to last year active in the team
-Hans Nilsson, Product manager S60, V60, XC60
-Kenneth Garthammar, Mechanics at Powertrain dept.
2. I know racing was probably a factor in doing S60/V70 R work, but is there some technology you wanted in your race car but was able to put into our R’s?
3. You mentioned how the 60 series is now your responsibility, does that mean all the technical advances (future engines/transmissions?) and exterior/interior is another person or are you the head of the whole line? If whole like what falls under your authority?
I was the project leader and product manager for the R-cars for 10 years. In 2006, I started as product manager for S60 and V60. The product manager is responsible for the content in the car and the balancing of the attributes. To make sure that the car is delivering all its attributes and fulfilling its (task) i.e. roll and position. So I’m involved in most of the technical stuff.
4. In a few words, what do you see the 60 series doing for Volvo?
Hasse is the guy leaning into their race car.
So don’t think for a moment that our man behind XC60, S60 and V60 (yes..I know “we should bring it here so don’t post any more comments – thanks) is just a guy leading a bunch of other folks with no idea about what makes a car special.
Today, I’m in an R-frame kind of mind.
dan
Posted in 60 Series, General, Volvo Racing | Comments OffLive from Detroit International Auto Show
dan
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