[Paisley Pirate]

Hi Everybody,

Just 2 cents from a guy new to the forum, but long around cars.

I have one Volvo left. It is number 14 of the ones I had (I have owned 20). The 240 and 740 series Volvo has gone through the same thing the SVX is now going through. They got old, the price drops out, and the kids come in because they want something different.

I sold a 242Ti car to a kid that I taught fencing to (and I thought would take better care of it) because he needed a car, and it was a spare that was frankly a toy. It took him 2 weeks to rip the clutch out of it, and another 2 weeks after that to total it. So, yeah, I've seen the destruction path on cars that we love.

I am now buying an SVX because I think they are really nice cars, well built (Dad used to call Subaru the Japanese Volvo because of how safe they were) and I really like the looks and performance of it (I'm old enough now to not NEED 300 hp in a 2900 lb car, though it would be nice). I am sad and tired of all the Volvo foibles, and I want something that will look futuristic even 20 years from now... and I've always been impressed on how the SVX drove, even though I kept buying Volvos (hard not to when you have spares around)

I drove the FWD Volvos, was not impressed, and decided to go elsewhere for my "mid-life crisis" car (as my wife jokingly puts it...) and that's how I ended up where I am today... I plan on working on a car as needed, and as my dear Grandfather put it to me long ago, "Oil is cheap, engines are expensive..." and, having blown a couple of motors, he was correct...

I note one of the posts on here was someone who resurrected an SVX from salvage. Good job! As long as you do it right, and don't cut corners, it can be done and you end up with something you are more proud of than if you just plunked your money down... bought a 245 for $75 that was wrecked, bought a $400 parts car, and spent a month every evening putting it back together (including doing my own pulling on my friends frame rack) We drove that car for 5 years and put about 100k on it before selling it.

I guess what I am getting at is this... there are still people who are passionate about these cars out there, keeping them passionate and willing to put up with the foibles of getting hard to get (!) parts is the key... and getting the ricer kids who tear stuff up to understand just how wonderful these cars are and how to take care of them is up to all us who are already ignited with that passion.

I noted earlier about the kid who destroyed my playtoy. I talked with him at length about what he did, and what he needed to do regarding cars... I think he's driving a focus or something now... because he realized that just because you can drive something hard, doesn't mean you should, especially if you are not willing to do the maintenance on it, or make sure that you know what you are doing behind the wheel. He was very lucky he didn't kill himself or someone else when he totaled that car.

Thanks, Tom, for posting this. It reminded me why I still really am a gearhead at heart, and why something unusual is worth driving.

Edit: forgot something important: I was comparing a whole lot of cars when I finally got down to the SVX. The Porsche that I equate most closely to the SVX was NOT the 911 series cars, but rather the 928. And I looked at a couple of those, too... very expensive to maintain, and no all weather capability.