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Creature Comforts

DrHutch

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Location
Quantico, VA
Now that I have a majority of the suspension items ordered, I'm looking to replacing and adding some more comforts into the car. I'm already looking into replacing the 12v outlet but I was just looking for ideas on what everyone else has added or replaced.

Has anyone added cup holders? Or a Bluetooth receiver as a radio replacement?
 
Most aftermarket radios have Bluetooth and its pretty nice. The one I added was the first time I've used BT and its pretty reliable. For some reason, although I took good care of them, the cables always fail so Im going BT from here on.

Look around and you can find a factory cupholder armrest. The cheaper, where only cup holders slid out of the front or the more expensive option where they slide out of the front and back.

There are a lot of neat things you can add on that are factory options depending on the year and model like power heated mirrors, cruise control, heated seats, trunk popper...Im sure theres a lot.
 
Power windows, power trunk, electric mirrors, lighted window switches, fog lights, e-codes, more gauges. All of these would be OE Volvo.
 
If your radio has a screen add back up camera. 2 video outputs, then add side view cameras tied to turn signals. The newer Honda CRV has this as well as other new cars. Bought an 05 Pilot for my son. It had Navigation so I added the back up camera with obstruction alerts. Works great. I should have added the right side rear view camera. Still had another video out.
 
Has anyone installed a PKE system? The backup camera seems like a pretty good idea. It would feel weird having one in the Volvo and not on my Tundra haha.
 
I used one of these USB outlets that snaps right into the middle of an SRS plate out of an airbag car. I tied it to the cigarette lighter, and have switched 12 volts to charge phones without an adapter and it looks like it belongs there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-Car-Ch...ash=item2a96ffcbf7:g:vh8AAOSwl2haF49g&vxp=mtr

Pioneer radio with Bluetooth, that allows hands free calling and I can stream media from the phone to the car radio.

Replaced the vinyl seat covers with cloth seat covers, which took a while to find good ones.

I have a wagon, and I found a roll up cover for the cargo area and a plastic mat for the rear so I can keep the car clean when I carry dirty stuff from the junkyard.

Installed a suede covered steering wheel off of ebay. I am certain it's not a genuine Momo, and I don't care. It feels nice and it's a little smaller than the stock wheel.

I have a cupholder arm rest I bought from another Volvo guy. It didn't come with the bracket, so I welded up a little cargo pocket that I keep smaller stuff in. USB stick, lip balm, lighter, small flashlight, etc.

Put in power heated mirrors off of a 1993 car, but I don't think it was worth the effort.

Replaced all of the interior and exterior bulbs with LED bulbs.

Had the windows tinted.

E-code headlights.

A trailer hitch and wiring.

Plastic factory floor mats, or floor trays as they are called here.

I installed a constant hot 12 volt outlet in the bottom cubby where I plug in my gps so it stays on. I make a LOT of stops during the day for my work, and having the GPS stay on so I can plug in the next address without waiting for it to start is less frustrating.

I dig in the newer European cars in junkyards and grab stuff like spare tire bags, tool kits, etc. So I have a stash of tools and a pretty well stocked first aid kit in the back tucked into the spare tire.

A removable roof rack that clamps onto the roof gutters. This thing has carried longer stuff many times when I didn't want to lug the trailer around.

I pulled a cruise control system out of another 1991 car.

Lighted power window switches out of a newer car. I think it was a 740. It's been a while.

Dave Barton gauge faces, for the pretty.

I kept digging in the junkyards until I found nice parts to replace all of the loose or broken interior trim. This cut down on rattles tremendously. My exterior trim is still nice.
 
I used one of these USB outlets that snaps right into the middle of an SRS plate out of an airbag car. I tied it to the cigarette lighter, and have switched 12 volts to charge phones without an adapter and it looks like it belongs there.

I thought about doing that for phone charging.

Also have been looking for a inside/outside air temp gauge to get the reading for in the car and outside temp. I never use my cig lighter and thought I could cut a space to make it fit and look somewhat factory.
 
Cruise control and the headrest inserts.

I really like the see through Volvo headrests, but the foam is so old that there's no way they would be beneficial to my head in a crash. The padded inserts are cushier.

I also really like my cargo cover.
 
Cruise control and the headrest inserts.

I really like the see through Volvo headrests, but the foam is so old that there's no way they would be beneficial to my head in a crash. The padded inserts are cushier.

I also really like my cargo cover.

Forgot about those. I have a set of head rest inserts that I recovered with some torn cloth seat material. Now the head rest inserts have the same cloth and stitch pattern as the seats.
 
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