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2011 V50 Where to put my phone when plugged in?

Help, Advice, Owners' Discussion and DIY Tutorials devoted to the second generation C70, S40 and V50 Volvos -- awkwardly model year 2004 ½ onwards -- plus where to go for advice and discussion on Volvo's sporty C30 Coupe powered by Volvo's ubiquitous inline 5-cylinder power plant.
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canfie1d
Posts: 7
Joined: 8 February 2013
Year and Model: 2011 V50
Location: Seattle, WA

2011 V50 Where to put my phone when plugged in?

Post by canfie1d »

Hey guys and gals-
I just purchased a 2011 V50 and love being able to plug my iPhone in via usb. My question is, What do you do with it when it is plugged in? Putting it in a cup holder works well enough but its sloppy and impractical. (The opposite of the rest of the cabin) Likewise, using a cup holder phone mount is not a good solution either as it takes up a lot of real estate. It seems like this was the only thing not considered by Volvo in the design.

What do you guys do? Is there a simple solution I am missing? Further, What are the areas in the photo used for? Is there anything designed to take advantage of them?
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Thanks!

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canfie1d
Posts: 7
Joined: 8 February 2013
Year and Model: 2011 V50
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by canfie1d »

So I found out that the small area toward the front is a place for BLIS switches. It's such an awkward little hole. I wish it was not there. lol Maybe I'll have to resort to some modified version of a 12v dock.
2002 S60 → 2011 V50 → 2020 XC60

Rilkean
Posts: 5
Joined: 16 July 2013
Year and Model: 2014 S60
Location: Northampton, MA

Post by Rilkean »

I have the same year V50. Mine was ordered with the BLIS option so buttons fills that front space that your red arrow is pointing to. That second space is empty on my car as well. As far as I've been able to tell it has never been filled with anything. Even on the various European models of the V50 that were never imported Stateside.
As far as the phone question goes. I use the console box (under the armrest lid) usb port to plug my iPod classic into the car. My iPod just lives there in my console so as to always be at the ready whenever I get in car. My phone on the other hand I connect via bluetooth to the V50's system and then just rest it behind the aluminum instrument console in that little cubby back there out of the way.

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canfie1d
Posts: 7
Joined: 8 February 2013
Year and Model: 2011 V50
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by canfie1d »

I've rigged up a stand that uses the v12 socket as a base for a holder. It isn't a permanent solution but it will do for now... I wish I could use my iPod as an iPod but I stream music from Rdio so I wouldn't be able to interact with it through the stereo as well as I could if my music was directly on the iPod. I did find a company that makes custom mounts for the car but it is a modular system and would cost $150. It is incredibly over engineered for a phone/iPod mount. Here it is though (for better or worse).
2002 S60 → 2011 V50 → 2020 XC60

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packetfire
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Post by packetfire »

There are multiple high-end options, such as https://www.proclipusa.com but I found a cheap option on Temu (of all places!) which is a phone holder that clamps into the CD slot. One can position the holder where one wishes, and it allows 360-degree rotation of the phone, and does not block the vents, but does block most of the driver's view of the screen that shows the radio station and climate control settings, no big loss in my book, as climate is set to "auto", and the radio stations can be changed from the steering wheel buttons.
1982 240DL: Drove it 32 years and 1.5 million miles (sold, even still had mint leather!)
2001 v70 2.4T: The most expensive $1500 car I ever bought ("Volvo Turbo" - what an oxymoron!) (sold)
2004 v70: Far less fatally-flawed v70 - It served well (sold)
2010 v50: Smaller, slightly sportier wagon. Its got a spoiler, so I upgraded with sway bars!

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Krons
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Post by Krons »

I don’t think the P1 or P2 cars have great options. A dash mount for the phone is something to consider.

On my P2 (08 S60) I went with an aftermarket CarPlay unit plugged to the Aux, so it becomes my ‘control unit’ and my phone can stay in my pocket, in the cup holder / console or on the passenger seat.
08 S602.5T/05 XC902.5T/02 S602.4T
08 C702.5T (sold)
05 S402.4i (RIP, timing belt failure)
The non-Swedes:
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