Volvo – For Beginners

We all know what Sweden’s biggest brand is right? Here is a clue, it doesn’t involve flat packed furniture and it’s not even the Tetra Pak. Volvo is a big brand globally and is now owned by Ford. Unless you have grown up in some parallel universe where there are no cars you will have no doubt seen or been a passenger in a Volvo vehicle of some description even if it was a bus.

Despite it’s successes in recent years Volvo has historically been something of a mystery to British car buyers. The Volvo estate has always been associated with antique dealers who could fit a grandfather clock in the back and also country folk seem to like the workhorse qualities of them. More recently the British motorway police have favoured the Volvo and can often be seen on TV shows writing off several £30k V70’s in order to end a high speed pursuit involving a stolen Ford Escort worth well nothing really.

My parents were very keen on Volvos and I hate to admit it but they once owned a 340GL which I believe is the most hated car of Mr Jeremy Clarkson no less. I have just watched some footage on You Tube of him triumphantly destroying one in a crusher and boy has that man aged recently. I seem to recall my parents actually had a 340 hatchback and a saloon version as well. The thing is they weren’t any trouble at all, apart from the styling which they insisted didn’t bother them the cars were very reliable and they have driven Volvos ever since.

There was a magazine advert years ago featuring a 240 GLT and a Kawasaki Z250 and the headline was “Volvo 240 GLT – fast enough to beat it on the track- big enough to fit it in the back!” For some reason this has stuck in my mind probably because it was rather a strange comparison but in order to comply with advertising standards they had duly taken the trouble to publish the top speeds of the Volvo and the bike and more surprisingly they had manhandled this Kawasaki into the back of the car to prove the claim.

A mind boggling array of models has followed since then. Including some really stylish cars, like the C80 coupe and remember the futuristic 480 with its indoor water feature and dodgy electrics! Thankfully that was sorted out but Volvo have always been prepared to experiment with new designs and technology, just remember the legendary P1800 which came out of the blue. This brings me around to the new C30 which again is a brave departure from the norm. Like Volvo’s other concepts this looks to have been very well executed and the C30 sees the return of the all-glass tailgate which was first found on the P1800. The latest Volvo range also seems to be far more consolidated than before which must be the Ford influence coming into play.

Instead of countless models to choose from there are now just three saloons; the S40/S60 and S80. Two Estates the V50 and V70 then we move to the semi off-road XC60 and XC70 before ending up with the XC90. This is the largest of the range and is very well rated as a potential off-road vehicle when compared to similar offerings from Audi and VW. The stylish C30 and C70 CC finish off things nicely. Volvo has proved that they can produce stylishly designed cars when they want to but also can offer strong safe workhorses that just keep going long after others have given up.

Jon Barlow has a brief look at Volvo and discovers their new found success – http://www.harratts.co.uk/volvo/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Barlow

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How To Find The Best Rates For Your Volvo Car Insurance

In trying to find any type of car insurance, it is always best to first call your existing broker or insurance company and then to query other companies by researching on the internet and reading related websites. The procedure is no different for Volvo car insurance.

Assuming the Volvo car owner has an established driving history and previous insurance, it should not be too difficult to obtain Volvo car insurance. And if the customer is a first time car insurance buyer, then holding a home insurance policy will help to get a small discount.

Volvos, in general, tend to be family oriented vehicles. This point will place the car in a different insurance classification than for instance sports cars or other high performance vehicles. Therefore, Volvo car insurance premiums should be lower than higher end luxury brands.

Indeed, Volvo owners have the same enthusiasm as Harley Davidson motorcycle riders. They both love their vehicles and actually join groups to talk about their purchases. This is an added advantage when shopping for Volvo car insurance because larger clubs and organizations are able to negotiate discounted pricing from insurers. Large membership numbers make attractive potential customers to the Volvo car insurance companies. By providing stated and agreed upon savings, the insurance company is able to attract more qualified inquiries.

Another way to save money on Volvo car insurance is buy a model that is a year older. For example, if the new cars are available for purchase but the dealership still has older models on the lot for the present or past year, it might be cheaper both in the purchase price of the car and the Volvo car insurance premium to buy the older version.

Security equipment such as anti-theft alarms and steering wheel locks also combine with other discounts to reduce the Volvo car insurance rate. Using the car for personal driving and non-commercial uses is less expensive than if the vehicle is a business car. And do not forget to compare deductibles when shopping around. If there is a substantial savings between five hundred and one thousand dollar deductibles, it might be wiser to take the discount, opting for the higher deductible.

One point of which a Volvo owner should be careful, especially with the station wagon model, do not make it sound like you are operating the vehicle for commercial purposes. For example, you do not want to sound like you transport cargos for your job or profit and when taking the kiddies to soccer, just because you have a large group, you are not a taxi service. Although you definitely need the right amount of coverage and personal protection in the event of an accident, at the same time, there is no reason to pay for needless coverage.

Finally, in order to continue with a premium rate for your Volvo car insurance, maintain excellent driving habits and enforce rules inside the vehicle. Do not allow children to travel without proper seat carriers, do not let pets ride unrestrained, and make sure all adults wear seat belts. Should an accident occur, aside from the most important point of keeping everyone safe, you want to protect your good driving standards and anticipate more discounts when you renew your Volvo car insurance.

About the Author:

Rudy Van Lancker is a consultant helping wealthy clients with in-depth advice on various topics including car insurance. He is also a big volvo car fan who regularly blogs about both subjects.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/how-to-find-the-best-rates-for-your-volvo-car-insurance-523431.html

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