Starbucks,s Awesome 2004 XC70 buy!

[Starbuck]

Hello! I just finished detailing and cleaning Ben's interior. I still want to take the shifter surround and middle console off to clean the gunk but I'm satisfied for now that it's not offensive. I'm just crazy like that.

Ben didn't have any floor mats when I got him so I'm looking for replacements. For now the junkyard finds will do after they dry from my pressure washing. I can't believe the quality of the stock floor mats. Really. I'm so happy I "discovered" this brand.

Next weekend I'll start on my maintenance/refresh list.

His name comes from two different sci-fi shows; The Umbrella Academy (because my mother-in-law was thought to refuse to see him) so Ben and Firefly because he's a leaf on the wind, Wash.

I ended up with the color I actually wanted and the only thing I wanted that I didn't get was the black interior.

Now then, here is Ben!

[abscate]

Absolutely gorgeous, I believe that’s Midnight Blue?

Volvo is like better built BMW driven by smart people

Has he BeenWashed yet?

Is that one of those cute Fiat 500s, too?

[Starbuck]

Thank you!

He's Ben Rinsed. ;P I bought the Forever Black trim stuff before realizing my trim was blue. Ha.

It is! Panda belongs to my brother-in-law.

[abscate]

Ha! That’s a girl car!

He needs something manly like my ......

[- Pete -]

Volvo original winter mats are by far thee best available. There are some aftermarket winter mats, “Rensi” is the manufacturer. They are alright, but definitely not as good as the original winter mats. I run Volvo winter mats all year round. The carpet mats are all hanging in my basement, clean as they were when new.

Kids, pets & an active life helped me to arrive at this conclusion.

Erie typically has them pretty reasonably (used). Sometimes you can get lucky in CL. I recently got a brand new full set of black winter mats from a guy that looked like Colonel Sanders for $35!

I’ll look at my floor mat collection when I’m back home & see what I can spare, if you’d like.

Rensi winter mat link. Inexpensive but disappointing compared to true Volvo winter mats.
https://www.ipdusa.com/products/5318/10 ... nsi-9m5025

Same with the cargo area tonneau covers. Just set up a search in CL for it and wait for one to pop up. I have paid as much as $50 for one, $35 for another, $20 for a P3 (which I resold on eBay), and as little as free for a third that was never used.

[MoVolvos]

Rensi winter mat link. Inexpensive but disappointing compared to true Volvo winter mats.
https://www.ipdusa.com/products/5318/10 ... nsi-9m5025

Bought 3 sets and return 2. Kept 08 C30 fronts returned 03 S80 T6 front and rear sets. Volvo is healthy gourmet bread vs stale white toast. Poor fit, slick plastic feel, slippery when wet, not pliable and looks cheap.

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[MoVolvos]

Even cheaper yet is Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Even Jimmy57 endorses it for A/W AT P2’s. It’s available at Walmart for around $17/gallon. I’m currently transitioning between Toyota T4 and it.

Hi Pete,

I'm always looking for the best economical product out there but had bad experience in early 2000 with high mileage car. It was Max-Life but not sure if it was full synthetic at the time. Wanted to see what Max-life looks like now.

Reviews:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Valvoline-Ma ... n/15125768

Most helpful positive review

Average Rating:(5.0) out of 5 stars

THE BEST TRANSMISSION FLUID ON THE MARKET!
i have been using this fluid for the last 15 years, and never had a transmission fail me yet! they want 10 bucks a quart at the local auto stores. i got it off walmart.com for 4.25 a quart! they dont always have it in stock so when they do buy as many as you can or you will end up waiting for more or paying threw the nose at your local auto stores.

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Most helpful negative review

Average Rating:(1.0)out of 5 stars

Does not meet OEM specifications.
Do NOT waste your money on this! Tested it on my Lexus ES300 03 which asks for Type IV, this has a lower viscosity rating at 100F. It made the car not shift right and jerk. I had to replace the fluid again with OEM. Also tried on my Subaru Outback 03 which asks for DEX III, again it has a lower viscosity rating.

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Going on 2 years full flush with car transmission pump using Havoline. 03 Odyssey (2 yrs), 03 S80 T6 (1.5 yrs), 03 GS300 (0.5 yr). So far excellent in all 3 cars. Not the cheapest though it cost only $37 for a case Nov. last year. Don't know how the specs compare with Max-Life. Have always used Chevron gas or Costco while in CA and Chevron is still number 1 compared to Costco gas.

https://www.amazon.com/HAVOLINE-2265364 ... ive&sr=1-3

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[abscate]

I’m using Valvoline max life ATF synthetic in my one p80 AT Volvo and in my BMW E83 with good performance in both.

Stick it in your shopping cart on Amazon and wait For the price to drop to $60 for three then strike like the Cobra

$72 for three is usually attainable on short notice

[E Showell]

That plastic trim will come back very nicely if scrubbed with TSP (trisodium phosphate), rinsed with water, dried, then coated with "Wipe Nu.". About $13/package which will easily do a full set of XC trim.

[Starbuck]

Haha Abscate. Your kitteh caught you a bug! How thoughtful!

I’ll look at my floor mat collection when I’m back home & see what I can spare, if you’d like.

If you've got the rubber-bottom carpet mats that match Ben's interior, I'd be happy to buy them off of you. Full on winter mats aren't really necessary here as we get snow once every seven or so years. If the news even MENTIONS snow, the whole city shuts down. As a Colorado native and former midwestern-dweller, I am terribly embarrassed. Georgia seems to have no shortage of embarrassments though.