Volvo 480 Club Europe

We are on holiday in Devon and this Celebration (N615 RAP) was ahead of us! Is it anyone on here and is it on your Celebration register Sylvia?

How typical that you saw it when you weren't in yours ! Thanks for thinking of it James, but I do already have it, it belongs to someone on facebook. It's 357/480. If you happen to see it again and can get the last 3 digits of the VIN it would complete the details.

I'm now working on a rare editions register - launch cars, Paris editions, two tones, and GTs so if anyone knows of any I'd be glad of details.

Have a great holiday, James !

Do I spy some Avantime Action? hope it is going ok and how ironic it was when you were not driving yours...

dragonflyjewels wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:07 pm

How typical that you saw it when you weren't in yours ! Thanks for thinking of it James, but I do already have it, it belongs to someone on facebook. It's 357/480. If you happen to see it again and can get the last 3 digits of the VIN it would complete the details.

I'm now working on a rare editions register - launch cars, Paris editions, two tones, and GTs so if anyone knows of any I'd be glad of details.

Have a great holiday, James !

That is interesting, I would like to know more about mine if I can, specifically if it is one of the first Arctic Blues. It is a MY89 car, but with the blue piped seats, and the B18E engine, a bit of an enigma

dragonflyjewels wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:07 pm

If you happen to see it again and can get the last 3 digits of the VIN it would complete the details.

Sadly the last day in Devon so won’t be seeing this again.

Thanks for the good wishes!

MisterH wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:18 pm

Do I spy some Avantime Action? hope it is going ok and how ironic it was when you were not driving yours...

Avantime had to go, I couldn’t bear its awful ride. It may have just been mine, rather than Avantimes in general, but I just didn’t love it after the novelty of a sexy Espace wore off.

The trip to Devon was the first big trip in my petrol Citroen C6, which rides superbly on its hydro-pneumatic suspension.

I should be at the meeting for some of the weekend but I’m not doing big trips in the 480 yet as it feels a bit shonky after the long hibernation at the body shop! Just a little bit of TLC required but I haven’t had the time really yet!

Ooh I didn't realise you had a C6 now, I assume you tracked down your desired spec?

MisterH wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:09 pm

Ooh I didn't realise you had a C6 now, I assume you tracked down your desired spec?

I did! Thankfully at the right place, at the right time with the right person who knew where one was coning up from a deceased estate.

jamescarruthers wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:32 pm

Avantime had to go, I couldn’t bear its awful ride. It may have just been mine, rather than Avantimes in general, but I just didn’t love it after the novelty of a sexy Espace wore off.

This very much sums up why the Avantime was a flop. Being a Matra owner at the time the Avantime came to market, I have closely watched its introduction and subsequent demise of Matra Automobile. Not only the introduction was delayed because of issued with the hinged doors, by the time it was introduced people thought it was just an expensive Mk3 Espace, albeit with stunning design. Quality was atrocious, paint peeling, leaks, electric faults, 2.0T engine turbo seizing (fixed with a recall, oil pipes were too narrow) and the 2.2 DCi munches its gearbox. Being based on an Espace, it was a very heavy car and drove accordingly. As cars in The Netherlands are taxed and insured based on their weight (full cover insurance takes value into account), they were already expensive to own without moving an inch. Maintenance is expensive, there's a lot of things that can and will go wrong. The only desirable engine is the 3.0 V6 and that one is as thirsty as a vampire in a blood bank and changing the cambelt will cost a small fortune. But it is a stunning car to see and yours was in a very rare colour.

And while a C6 (I recognised the dashboard without reading the rest of the postings ) is also not free of faults and expensive to maintain, it is a Citroën with hydropneumatic suspension which is a class of its own, and sadly no longer produced.