Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please!

Bose is a rip. Dynaudio is an industry (recording studio) standard. I have it. I love it

Fog's can be changed to HID's with a ~$100 kit.

You can probably go to any tint shop and get the tails tinted. If not, there are companies that specialize in that.

Thank you for your service! http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)

Welcome to SS. Is your car a GT or 6M?
For the grille, IIRC Heico is the only company that had the grills for the face lifted S40/V50's.

Dynaudio. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

HID's, Sharphid.com is a highly recommended company.

Some people are using a spray tint, but you should be able to find something specific for tail light tint by doing a google search for tail light tint.

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)

Does the spray look cheap?? You be the judge...

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)


I think as long as it is done right it looks great, and it really isn't that hard to do. Not the most reversible mod, but if you really messed up or got into to much trouble with the law you can buy a stock set on ebay for relatively cheap. I used VHT niteshades, like $15 a can. mine have a matte finish look to them because I never clear coated it because I have been in the works of deciding on a new paint job, and satin black is looking to be the winner. I want my tails to match.
Here is a pic, not the best but it gives you a general idea of what my tinted tails look like. It is only 3 light/medium coats on the red parts, and one or two really light coats on the clear section to give it a slightly smoked look. If you want to go the professional route and pay through the nose, there is a website that does tint jobs (basically mixing your actual paint color with a clear coat to thin it out and then sprays it on). Most paint shops can do the exact same thing, probably for much less...google jon's tinted tails or something like that. It's like $200 for the set. $15 compared to $200...

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)

Well, make it fast enough so when they try to pull you over, you can outrun them

The spray is pretty much impossible to remove without damaging the lights. I've been lurking on Ebay to find a reasonable set that I can pick up for just that occasion. I'd just swap them out, get the ticket written off, then pop my tinted ones right back on! http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)

Did you see the Heico grille? There badge is removable. I personally would keep the Heico badge.

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)


I think you can buy the Heico grill and remove / not install the Heico emblem. It's a bit expensive tho, but Heico FTW! They ship it unpainted - I don't know if it's black then.

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (mdms)

They say great minds think alike. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (mdms)


Bwahahah. I didn't see this. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

Re: (fone)

My lights dont look amazing, but works for me http://********************/smile/emthup.gif



Never seen tinted tails on a 2010!

Re: Just ordered my 1st Volvo, 2010 S40 T5 R-Design. Need advise please! (USAF 2010 T5)

Dubstop, the grille supplier a few (myself included) have bought the black grilles from seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. It seems your only good options are more $.

Check out these two recent threads for grille info if you haven't yet. I know nothing about fitment for newer model year S40s, though.
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=119278
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=119925

Here's a before and after for my car. Grille was one of the first upgrades I did (my sig's pretty much in chronological order) and it matches the black intercooler well. I want to paint my fog surrounds to match, and go xenon like you asked.
before http://i212.photobucket.com/al...e.jpg
after http://i212.photobucket.com/al...5.jpg

Finally, a bit of info about HID fogs that S40Racer pm'd me last year:
The 5000k from McCulloch will be the closest to factory from them, and the 4300k from VisionPro will be their closest match.

The bulb size is an H11. Single beam HID kit.

About the install... the bumper SHOULD be removed for the best installation, but i love cutting corners, so i just pulled the fog grilles and did it that way. there's plenty of room on the sides of the bumpers for the ballasts (there should be velcro with the kit, just clean the inside of the bumper with alcohol or something to make sure it sticks) and just wire it up...