Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I finally replaced the curbed (thanks first owner) stock wheels with CSL reps.

_MG_8822.jpg
 
Several months ago I finally moved on from my 2009 BMW 535i xDrive nearing 170k. It’s in remarkably good cosmetic condition, especially considering it’s lived in Boston 80% its life. It was getting to the point where I was nervous about reliability given its age and in the last 6 months of driving it went from consuming hardly any oil between oil changes to getting a low oil alarm 2000 miles post-oil change driving in a blizzard.

I ultimately settled on a 2023 Volvo XC60 B6 Ultimate “Dark” (black trim and grille) other option was . I went the CPO route to save a boatload and because the B6 engine was discontinued for 2024. I did strongly consider the T8 plug-in hybrid version but had some concerns about reliability given the track record of the earlier T8 models. Given the B6 has a very new mild hybrid system plus a turbocharger and supercharger (come to find out an electric supercharger, no longer belt driven like the older T6 models), I was already a little leery about longevity. The T8 uses the same engine plus a full PHEV system- a lot to go wrong. I ended up getting Volvo’s 10yr/150k warranty that covers virtually everything except consumables.

Overall I’m quite satisfied so far. I like that it’s a premium quality car that’s not ostentatious. I love the Volvo’s styling and think the interior is one of the most innovative designs. I think their value for money is very solid. While not the sportiest handling SUV, it’s a fair balance of comfort and driving dynamics. Despite having a FWD-based AWD system, it doesn’t really feel like one- no torque steer.

It’s comfortable, has plenty of oomph, Volvo has always had amazing seats, fantastic audio system, the new Android-based infotainment IMO is so good I never use CarPlay. CarPlay doesn’t let you type out texts, this does (amazingly it’s not speed restricted… so much for Volvo safety). Google Maps and Waze work natively. “Hey Google” can transcribe my iPhone messages (and way better than Siri). Unrelated, the engine stop-stop is totally seamless- basically unnoticeable unlike most others I’ve driven.

Being the top “Ultimate” trim it has all the bells and whistles except the $3000+ B&W Audio and air suspension. I looked long and hard for the air suspension option but they are very, very rare on the XC60. Probably for the best considering it 100% will fail eventually and is very costly to fix.

I will also say I sought out the top trim in part because it includes the heads-up-display which seemed cool. After a few thousand miles I can confidently say I would never go out of my way or pay more for that specific feature alone.

The three biggest things I dislike:
1) The HVAC fan is obtrusively loud at medium-high speeds and thx God that I took that car from premium car rental service
2) When under power the engine is louder than I expected. Being a direct injected 4cyl it does not produce a beautiful engine note- it sounds a lot like a diesel. 2022.5+ models removed the insulation on the hood- I might try to get that reinstalled.
3) Mine has the 21” wheel option. Boston has some of the worst roads- potholes everywhere. I am so cautious not to curb my wheels. I’ll probably get a smaller pair for the winter.

View attachment 2411414

View attachment 2411416
(I ordered the silver roof rack cross bars but haven’t installed them yet)

View attachment 2411415

My wife has a 2013 Volvo S60 T6 AWD. I resent the fact we currently have 2 matching blue Volvos haha. I’ve tried to replace it a few times in few years but she says “why, there’s nothing wrong with it”. With the XC60 she now realizes how dated her S60 is haha.

She really likes the XC60 so I’m thinking maybe we get her a new S60 (as I have been trying for years).


——


My wife as I mentioned above also has a 2014 T6 AWD. She has a Caspian Blue over the brown leather. The T6 in these are a great engine, back when the 6 actually referred to being a 6cyl. I helped her pick this out a couple years into dating to replace her Prius (Such a terrible car besides its efficiency).

The S60 served us well over the years. I’ve always felt this early 2nd gen S60 was ruined by most of them sold being the T5 model with those tiny, awful looking base wheels.

I’m disappointed the S60 is getting discontinued (and that they never offered a B6). I think there is a 2022.5-2023 S60 Polestar T8 Hybrid ER (improved second gen T8) + updated infotainment but they are either super rare or weren’t sold in the US.
What a nice car post here and I really like it so I am trying to adjust on this forum and post my car!

Driving the F30 has been an absolute joy. Whether I’m dropping my kids off at school, heading to work, or taking the family on a weekend road trip, the car feels perfect for every occasion. The spacious back seats ensure my kids have plenty of room to stretch out, and the trunk easily holds their backpacks, sports gear, and even the occasional grocery haul.

The iDrive infotainment system has been a lifesaver on long trips. My daughter loves controlling the music from the backseat, and my son enjoys watching the GPS map display as we drive. The car’s built-in safety features, like parking sensors and lane departure warning, give me peace of mind when my family is on board.


Screenshot 2024-12-18 232909.png
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: A.Goldberg
As I had a MiTo for 8 years, a little 1.3 diesel with pretty much no horsepower, I decided to upgrade my daily driver to... another MiTo! 🤣
This time, a nearly full optional Quadrifoglio Verde, a little beaten up outside but pristine on the inside. Got it for less money than I got by selling the other one, because of a failing head gasket. I immediately tore down the engine and rebuilt it completely (easy job as I work in a tuning workshop), and now it's my little daily driver. Pretty cheap all around, doesn't use as much fuel as I thought and the performance is very good (little over 200hp with a tune). I really like it!
IMG_2824.jpeg
 
BMW 3 series 🇩🇪 E36 - 320i Convertible

Bildschirmfoto 2025-03-23 um 17.30.48.png


...as I buy this 29 y.o. personal little Dream car three years ago for a good price with an
only-per-hand openable roof (with little convertible motor defects) I can tell you that in
summer this is a cool vehicle - but in nearly 5 month of 🇩🇪 winter it's wet & cold inside,
if you don't have a garage or carport !

Technically still useable, but today there are a lot of cooler cars on our streets...
 
Last edited:
IMG_0058.jpeg

My Italian tank. 1998 Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6
The original is 202 hp but I increased it to 387 hp by installing a turbo
I put the M4 and M5 to shame on the autobahns. Enjoyable
 
New old car for my wife.

IMG_2299.jpeg


Had an even older one previously, it reached the ends of its warranty and was starting to show signs a couple issues that plague the earliest models, so we sold it in 2022. Was glad we did based on <waves hands> "current events."

But the replacement didn't work out, and because of "even more current events" used ones have plummeted in value. So we were able to sell what was supposed to be the replacement, and had enough left over after paying off the loan to buy a *MUCH* better one than our old one. (New enough to not have any of the issues.)

The long story: In early 2022, we had a BMW i3 (my car,) the older Model S (my wife's car,) and an old Ford diesel pickup. We had reservations for various EV pickups. The thought was that the EV pickup would replace both the old Ford diesel and the Model S to become my wife's daily driver. (She's a "farm gal" so likes pickups.) So when the i3 needed replacing, I wanted a newer-used i3 with a bigger battery. But this was early 2022 when used car prices were ridiculous. A brand-new Ford Mustang Mach-E cost less than a two-year old i3. So I bought the Mach-E to be "my vehicle." Later in the year, our Rivian R1T arrived, so we sold the F-250 and the Model S. Well, my wife decided that the R1T is too big for her to drive around in the city. So she started driving the Mach-E, and the R1T became my vehicle. Well, I was one of those people who disagreed with Ford calling the Mach-E a "Mustang", but after owning one for a couple years, yeah, fine. It definitely has a "sport suspension" (aka: a bit rough/harsh.) Too "sporty" suspension for my wife. After three years, and sudden decline in used Model S prices for "some reason," she decided she wanted back into a Model S. So I spent the past few months looking for a deal. Found this one halfway across the country for way cheaper than it should be, because the selling used car dealer didn't know it had certain features it has. (I had a sales guy on a FaceTime call walk through all the settings menus one at a time, to verify it had those features without giving away that's what I was looking for.) Yep, I flew halfway across the country, then drove it home.
 
Strange that this thread is so dead knowing the vast level of car folks here on MR, but figured I would add a recent change for myself.

New (old stock?) 2024 GTI 380 that I picked up with 23 miles on it (6 of those miles were my test drive). Really happy so far, but in "baby it, break in mode™ " with still under 300 miles after almost 2 weeks of ownership.

IMG_4203.jpeg
 
View attachment 2367727View attachment 2367728

2019 Golf Alltrack 6MT

Bilstein B8's
Eibach Pro Kit
Whiteline Sway Bars Front and Rear w/links
Neuspeed short shift kit
Neuspeed Power Module
18x8 Enkei EKM3 w/ 225/45/18 Goodyear Eagle Sport All-season
So the car has been down for a few months for a clutch....

It's getting towed to the shop today to get the clutch replaced, I should get it back on Monday. Once it's back I put the new IS38 turbo and FMIC, then on the 21st it'll go in for an APR tune. When it's all said and done I should have my long roof Golf R
 

Attachments

  • Tow.jpg
    Tow.jpg
    468.5 KB · Views: 11
  • Clutch.jpg
    Clutch.jpg
    261.1 KB · Views: 11
  • Turbo.jpg
    Turbo.jpg
    336.4 KB · Views: 11
Last edited:
  • Love
Reactions: pilotkid
The IS38, APR tune, and stage 3 clutch are installed. The turbo was no fun what so ever to install and the initial clutch break in made me feel like I forgot how to drive but 400 miles later it's pretty great, it's now pretty fast and I'll start shopping for brakes.
MRCar.jpg
 
Picked up this Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge to accompany my old Boxster S, which also received a new set of wheels and tyres this year! :) The XC60 really is the polar opposite of the Boxster S. Extremely comfortable, quiet, and frugal. Makes for a great combo.

Skärmavbild 2025-08-29 kl. 22.55.38.png
Skärmavbild 2025-08-30 kl. 10.18.07.png
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.