Sydney XC Drive Day Report - Blue Mountains mud

**PJ810** · 06-07-2009, 03:31 AM

A quick photo to kick this thread off. 232 photos were taken. Lots of mud, lots of bush and lots of fun. More later as we're on our way home having stopped for dinner...

**Matters** · 06-07-2009, 07:14 PM

Looks great! I'm in Sydney, would love to join you next time with my XC70. I'm expecting it to arrive in the next 10 days or so and figure that eventually I will have to take it off the beaten path. My only proviso is that I want it come back in once piece!!!

How did the XCs handle it? What sort of terrain did you encounter?

**sydneyv70xc** · 06-07-2009, 09:16 PM

Its an easy track and your 2009 XC will be fine. I have had a few cars and travelled on similar roads and can tell you that nothing handles like the XCs. Amazingly well composed, no rattles and just plain comfortable. Only drawback after such a great trip is the....washing up! Nothing the Karcher can't handle as you will see in these pics.
So come with us on our next trip! Cheers

**PJ810** · 06-08-2009, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by Matters

How did the XCs handle it? What sort of terrain did you encounter?

The tracks were VERY muddy. We drove very carefully of course - don't think we ever went over 60km/h on those roads, mostly stuck to around 40km/h. I experienced no slippage at any time, although SydneyV70XC reported a minor "power off" controlled slide.

The ride quality was great. Responsiveness when dodging deep puddled potholes was quite impressive too. A couple of times I yanked the wheel rather hard and it just turned without any fuss.

On these drive days we won't take the cars on any road that a 2WD sedan can't handle. It's just a lot nicer (and safer) to negotiate them with a vehicle that's so very suited to those conditions. And loads of fun.

**Hayabusa** · 06-08-2009, 04:18 AM

Looks awesome. Just in case I miss it, please PM me (if you can remember to) when the next one is on!

**PJ810** · 06-08-2009, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by Hayabusa

Looks awesome. Just in case I miss it, please PM me (if you can remember to) when the next one is on!

Why didn't you come yesterday? I'm keen to set up a solid database of Sydney/NSW-based XC owners.

Interested parties I've spoken to thus far will bump numbers up four fold already.

Between now and when I get some more photos up, I'm open to suggestions whether this should be a thrice yearly thing or quarterly. First Sunday of the month? I think it is sensible to lock in the next three or four dates and start thinking about some routes. There's so much in the Blue Mountains yet to discover, but there's many other places as well, either South Coast or between the Central Coast and Newcastle.

**Hayabusa** · 06-08-2009, 04:52 AM

Book me in Patrick. Sundays are going to be tough for me though as there's generally family stuff on... Saturdays would be ideal as I can take time off work with some notice...

Whatever suits most is best though... so let me know the dates when you got 'em!

Cheers,
Pan

**sydneyv70xc** · 06-08-2009, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by PJ810

The tracks were VERY muddy. We drove very carefully of course - don't think we ever went over 60km/h on those roads, mostly stuck to around 40km/h. I experienced no slippage at any time, although SydneyV70XC reported a minor "power off" controlled slide.

The ride quality was great. Responsiveness when dodging deep puddled potholes was quite impressive too. A couple of times I yanked the wheel rather hard and it just turned without any fuss.

On these drive days we won't take the cars on any road that a 2WD sedan can't handle. It's just a lot nicer (and safer) to negotiate them with a vehicle that's so very suited to those conditions. And loads of fun.

The "controlled slide" was xcelerator off going into the corner @ 40km/h and power out of the corner

and the effect is

**PJ810** · 06-12-2009, 04:40 AM

OK, finally some more pictures:

**sydneyv70xc** · 06-12-2009, 04:33 PM

Hi All,

Got my windows tinted today from a professional who works the weekends and come to your house/office! Renzo had done a couple of cars for me in the past and workmanship is excellent. And to top it off he is half the price as what your local Volvo dealer would charge you. Here's Renzo at work and the XC after tinting.