Hi,
Wondering if people would like to share modifications they have made to their P80 Volvo that they feel improved the performance, reliability, or looks of the vehicle?
Thanks for sharing!
Eric
Best modifications made to your P80 Volvo
- misha
- Posts: 4629
- Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:09 pm
- Year and Model: '97 850 2.5 20v
- Location: Serbia
- Has thanked: 73 times
- Been thanked: 188 times
I had door and front bumper trims professionally painted in matching color.
Upgraded to rear bumper and tailgate with upper LED 3rd brake light from '99-'00 v70.
Tailgate spoiler/wing (OE Volvo).
Upgraded to s,v70 instrument cluster because of broken odometer gear(s)and solved the problem permanently.
Also had tinted windows all around,but that needed to be removed because of our freshly awkward law.
Wooden trim gearshift knob from s,v70 series,thanks to Neil(scot850)to match the factory wood trim interior.
Upgraded to rear bumper and tailgate with upper LED 3rd brake light from '99-'00 v70.
Tailgate spoiler/wing (OE Volvo).
Upgraded to s,v70 instrument cluster because of broken odometer gear(s)and solved the problem permanently.
Also had tinted windows all around,but that needed to be removed because of our freshly awkward law.
Wooden trim gearshift knob from s,v70 series,thanks to Neil(scot850)to match the factory wood trim interior.

'97 850 2.5 20v / fully equipped / Motronic 4.4 from the factory / upgraded with S,V,C,XC70 instrument cluster / polar white wagon
'91 Citroen XM 2.0 SI /fully equipped/mandarine red metallic
History of Volvos in the family:
'71 144 S
'73 144 De Luxe
'78 244 DL
'78 244 DL
'79 244 GLE
'85 340 GLS
'91 Citroen XM 2.0 SI /fully equipped/mandarine red metallic
History of Volvos in the family:
'71 144 S
'73 144 De Luxe
'78 244 DL
'78 244 DL
'79 244 GLE
'85 340 GLS
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- Posts: 111
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:20 am
- Year and Model: 1999 c70 convertible
- Location: Texas
- Has thanked: 9 times
- Been thanked: 4 times
Strut tower brace. Reduced cowl shake significantly but still unacceptable.
IPD short ram intake. Love the sound of the air intake under acceleration, might have more throttle response, probably not.
Pierburg TCV in anticipation of Hilton tune.
Silicone turbo hoses.
IPD short ram intake. Love the sound of the air intake under acceleration, might have more throttle response, probably not.
Pierburg TCV in anticipation of Hilton tune.
Silicone turbo hoses.
- matthew1
- Site Admin
- Posts: 11124
- Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2002 11:03 am
- Year and Model: 850 T5, 1997
- Location: Denver, Colorado, US
- Has thanked: 768 times
- Been thanked: 334 times
For HP, by far the best cost/benefit ratio was a manual boost controller. It was peanuts for the huge jump in HP. Even more cost/benefitty if you DIY one from stuff at a hardware store, maybe $20.
Strut tower brace was a decent upgrade.
Tires however are probably the most prudent item you can upgrade. It doesn't matter what's in or on a car. 800 HP LS1 swap? Five strut braces, a nuclear reactor engine, and three beautiful blonde passengers? Doesn't matter. The tires are still and always the only thing that transmits power, turning forces, and braking forces.
Strut tower brace was a decent upgrade.
Tires however are probably the most prudent item you can upgrade. It doesn't matter what's in or on a car. 800 HP LS1 swap? Five strut braces, a nuclear reactor engine, and three beautiful blonde passengers? Doesn't matter. The tires are still and always the only thing that transmits power, turning forces, and braking forces.
Help keep MVS on the web -> click sponsors' links here on MVS when you buy from them.
Also -> Amazon link. Click that when you go to buy something on Amazon and MVS gets a kickback.
1997 850 T5, MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace [gone]
2004 V70 R [gone]

Also -> Amazon link. Click that when you go to buy something on Amazon and MVS gets a kickback.
1997 850 T5, MSD ignition coil, Hallman manual boost controller, injectors, R bumper, OMP strut brace [gone]
2004 V70 R [gone]

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- Posts: 1773
- Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:43 pm
- Year and Model: 2000 V70XC
- Location: Enid, OK
- Has thanked: 44 times
- Been thanked: 53 times
Depends on how much you wanna spend! See my signature for my list of 2000 XC mods... it is a completely different car. I would know, I did all these these mods when it had 280K!
If I could only pick a few.... a tune is probably easiest way to change the feeling of the car. IPD short intake sounds and looks great. IPD sway bars change the handling drastically in a good way.
If I could only pick a few.... a tune is probably easiest way to change the feeling of the car. IPD short intake sounds and looks great. IPD sway bars change the handling drastically in a good way.
2000 V70XC - 311,000 miles as of 16 Mar 2021
Hilton Tune, 16T Turbo, Mototec 3" downpipe, Blue injectors, IPD Short Ram Filter, Snabb Intake Piping & RIP kit, do88 Intercooler, TME Dual Exhaust, HID Projectors, R Panels, do88 Silicone Hoses
Hilton Tune, 16T Turbo, Mototec 3" downpipe, Blue injectors, IPD Short Ram Filter, Snabb Intake Piping & RIP kit, do88 Intercooler, TME Dual Exhaust, HID Projectors, R Panels, do88 Silicone Hoses
- erikv11
- Posts: 10295
- Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:03 pm
- Year and Model: 850, V70, S60R, XC70
- Location: Iowa
- Has thanked: 141 times
- Been thanked: 385 times
Love what you've done with this car Ed!ecbsykes wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:18 pm Depends on how much you wanna spend! See my signature for my list of 2000 XC mods... it is a completely different car. I would know, I did all these these mods when it had 280K!
If I could only pick a few.... a tune is probably easiest way to change the feeling of the car. IPD short intake sounds and looks great. IPD sway bars change the handling drastically in a good way.
'95 854 T5-R, Motronic 4.4, 185k
'96 855 NA, 145k
'98 S70 NA, 220k (living out west)
'98 V70, T5 tune-injectors-turbo, LPT engine, 293k
'06 S60 R, 167k
'07 XC70, 170k
'99 Camry V6
130k
gone: '96 NA 850 210k, '98 NA V70 182k
'96 855 NA, 145k
'98 S70 NA, 220k (living out west)
'98 V70, T5 tune-injectors-turbo, LPT engine, 293k
'06 S60 R, 167k
'07 XC70, 170k
'99 Camry V6

gone: '96 NA 850 210k, '98 NA V70 182k
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- Posts: 67
- Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:18 pm
- Year and Model: 2009 XC70, 97 855R
- Location: Louisiana
- Has thanked: 28 times
- Been thanked: 3 times
Still stage 0ing my 97 855R, so not much modified, RIP and Snaab intake pipe, poly upper torque mounts (don’t really mind the extra vibrations at idle). Favorite mod? $8 cassette adapter from Amazon, blasting black flag and minor threat on my commute is just plain fun.
09 XC70 3.2
97 855R
97 855R
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- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 7:16 am
- Year and Model: 1996 855 Turbo
- Location: Livermore, CA
- Been thanked: 3 times
Prancing Moose fender badges.
Current Volvos:
2002 2.9 S80 - Wife's car, the "Silver Flash"
1996 855 Turbo - Formerly daughter's ride. My toy now.
Former Volvos:
1997 855 GLT - Totalled by daughter. Now she appreciates Volvos.
1984 244 DL B23F - warped head after radiator blew
1982 245 GL B21A - My first Volvo. Sold with 400,000 km on it.
Other:
1981 VW Westfalia
2002 2.9 S80 - Wife's car, the "Silver Flash"
1996 855 Turbo - Formerly daughter's ride. My toy now.
Former Volvos:
1997 855 GLT - Totalled by daughter. Now she appreciates Volvos.

1984 244 DL B23F - warped head after radiator blew
1982 245 GL B21A - My first Volvo. Sold with 400,000 km on it.
Other:
1981 VW Westfalia
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