Selling a dead or junk Volvo C30

A C30 that won't run, or needs more than it's worth, can go as it is. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and you can sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

What the C30 is

Wikipedia calls it a premium compact on the Volvo P1 platform, shared with the S40, the V50, the Ford Focus Mk2 and the Mazda3. Every one came from Ghent, Belgium. Its frameless glass rear hatch was styled after the P1800 ES and the 480. Production ran from 2006, stopped in December 2012, and the line ended in 2013. The IIHS gave it a Top Safety Pick.

Wikipedia lists 1.6-liter Ford Duratec and 1.8-liter Mazda petrol fours, Getrag 5- and 6-speed manuals, and Aisin 5- and 6-speed automatics. The EPA lists one US variant, the C30 FWD.

Problems by model year group

2007-2009: brakes, steering hose, a GPS

These three years hold 15 complaints. The 2008 has 8, with vehicle speed control and suspension at 2 each; the 2009's top item is the power train, at 2. Three recalls touch these cars:

• 08V101000 (2007): a soft anodized layer in the brake master cylinder can wear a rubber seal and leak brake fluid inside. The campaign's 1,114 vehicles include the C70, S40 and V50.
• 08V329000 (2008-2009): a section of the power steering return hose wasn't properly cured and may rupture. Its 1,020 vehicles are not broken out by model, so the campaign may include other Volvos.
• 10V566000 (2007-2010): batteries in the Garmin 760 portable GPS may overheat. Volvo told owners to stop using the unit. The 416 vehicles span several models.

2010-2013: the R-Design years

Wikipedia dates the C30 R-Design to 2010-2013, with a colour-matched body kit and a ride 10 mm lower. The 2013 C30 Polestar Limited Edition was a 250-car US version of the C30 T5 R-Design.

These four years hold 34 complaints, and all 15 wiper complaints sit here. The 2010 has the most crashes in the file, 2. One recall: 10V255000, a gearshift lever stud on 6-speed manual cars that may not have been tightened right. Its 536 vehicles include 2010 S40 and V50 wagons as well as 2010-2011 C30s. The 2012 and 2013 have no recall campaigns.

Complaints and recalls by model year

Fix it or sell it?

Check NHTSA's recall lookup by VIN first; a manual car may still have 10V255000 open. Then price the real problem. A slipping gearbox belongs in our bad transmission guide. If the car is simply worn out, old or high mileage helps you weigh it.

How to sell the C30 whole

1. Note the VIN, mileage and what's wrong.
2. Request an offer, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where your C30 is and if it can roll, and we'll send a fitting truck.
4. Keep the parts on, the glass hatch included. Mention anything missing.
5. Keep the C30's title and your ID handy for pickup. See after you sell for plates.

More from the P1 family: the S40, C70, or all Volvo models.