OK, I've been beating the bushes on this one, and THINK I'm starting to understand. It appear that - contrary to lots of info I've seen on Ebay and the 'net in general - that the XC70 grille won't fit my V70 T5. I also think that the XC70 and V70XC share the same grille, correct?

Of course, I only figured this out by actually buying one. Sigh... anyone out there need a really nice XC70 grille?

Anyway, what's my best bet for finding a grille that's nicer than the vertical bar V70 grille? Hopefully without spending big bucks...

 

XC70 and V70XC are different body styles. Through 2000, it was called the V70XC. The P2 platform was called the XC70 (and the P3 as well)

 

Thanks for the info, ES6T... the model designations are kind of a mystery to me.

On another note, I no longer need a new grille. I had concerns that the current grille might look "wrong" if it was painted, but I actually think it came out really, really nice with just a couple coats of self-etching primer and a few coats of cheap satin enamel...




And FWIW, I didn't have to pull the nose of my car off to get the grille out to paint it - I just wedged in the flared end of a cats claw (though anything that could pull out on the grille would work), then released each of the three bottom clips (which are visible). Then I just pulled the upper corner out while I poked around for the closest upper tab release. As I found each of them with a screwdriver, the grille would come out a little further. Kind of fiddly, but a whole lot quicker and easier than trying to pull the nose / bumper out to gain access.

 

Looks good to me. I've been contemplating the same scenario. I want the Volvo slash to be maintained for the integrity of the car since it's the "Face" of Volvo,,,but I think I might paint the slash black as well.

Yours looks great!

P.S.? I couldn't quite understand in your description how you got the grill out without pullling the pins and pulling out the bumper..

 

Yeah, that description was a little obtuse...

Basically, I stuck something through the bottom corner of the grille that would let me pull out (away from the car). Then I used a screwdriver to push down the visible clip nearest that corner. When I did that, the grille flexes enough to pull the grill's "hole" past the car's "clip", so that corner is no longer held in.

Then I proceeded to the bottom center clip, using the same method as above. Then to the other bottom corner. Now all three bottom clips are loose, and the grille is held in only by the top four clips (and is sticking out along the bottom, far enough to keep it from accidentally engaging the clips again).

Now the grille is held in by four similar - but harder to see - clips on top. I did know about where they were (using the XC70 grille I bought for reference... so it wasn't a total loss!). I wedged my tool through the upper right hand corner, and pulled out while sticking a screwdriver up into the area where I knew the clip is. The trick here is to not push the grille's flat tab (the one with a hole in it) up, but to push ONLY the little clip that sticks down through it. If you pull out on that corner, when you hit the right spot, that corner will pull out a little, and you then move on to the next tab, and then the next two tabs. Each time you hit the right spot, the grille will come out a little further and pretty soon - if you're careful - you'll be holding your unbroken grille in your hand without having to take off the nose or bumper.

Hope that helps. The trick is to pull out on the grille hard enough so it will disengage from each clip when you "trip" it, but not so hard that it's impossible to disengage it. You should get the feel for this when you're doing the bottom (easy) clips, then use the same "feel" when you're doing the upper (harder) clips.

Good luck...

 

New here. First post! Looks Great! I've been thinking about doing that.