I know that the C30 certainly does belong in this forum. It will probably never have a forum of its own for reasons stated below. Now don't get me wrong; my C-30 type 2 is a very nice car, I love the handling, performance, ride, 6 spd. gearbox and styling: it should be almost as utilitarian as my '89 740T wagon with about the same weight and comfort (for 4 only). The only real short coming is the increased turning circle (+6 ft). It is not a real Volvo because there are no mudflaps for it.

But the most helpful book I ever had for the 740 was the service shop manual wiring diagram, it showed me in pictures and plain english where everything was, what it looked like, and how it worked together. It stopped at the EC modules but showed enough inputs and control modules that one could apply common sense to their functions. With this in mind, I ordered the same manual for the C30. What a revelation! Friends, if you enjoy working on your vehicle and getting to know it, don't buy a new car. The wiring diagrams for the C 30 only confuse everything and underscore how complex automobiles have become. It is said that the day of the home mechanic is over-They are most certainly correct. Nowadays I believe the dealer gets more out of his maintenance work than from the initial sale of the vehicle. Times have changed.

If the days of the mechanics are over- the book learners have won the battle by overwhelming us with technology that defies common sense. Wonder at all the self diagnostic abilities of the newer cars? It is because it is beyond the ability of the experience and common sense of a factory trained mechanic to discover what is at fault. We have lost the battle with the book learners. The only way this is for the our own good is if the C30 turns out to be ultra reliable because of all the new gizmos and technology. It is like saying Murphy's Law has been repealed. If so it is a triumph by mankind. Personally, I don't believe it.

A conversation with the dealership owner while he showed me his new computerized shop revealed that the change over had caused half his mechanics to quit as they could not make the change. This should tell us something. No forum for the C30? It will require a server with tetra bytes of storage just for the FAQ - much less the discussions.