My 19 year old daughter crashed her own last month. Fortunately I had two more, not including the fourth one I just purchased last weekend. Since the accident, Elliott, has been driving my bright red prized'94 Turbo ... although reluctantly. She's been lobbying for a big flashy SUV; proof the apple can fall far from the tree. However, after receiving a few compliments, including most recently, a young man - a complete stranger - attracted to her bright red car, stopping her in Harvard Square and waxing poetic about the virtues of the 940, I'm sensing a tiny bit of weakening in her resolve, not to be like her father.

The truth is my tall and attractive daughter looks pretty cool in the car, or is it just me living in the past. And some of her, less rich and more preppy friends, recognize it.

So, this afternoon she came to visit and we went canoeing on the Charles River in Needham, where we continued our car replacement discussion. I didn't tell her, I would like to avoid spending $20,000 right now to make her happy, but that's how I really feel. Besides, this forum has helped me develop some ability with the 940 and I think I can keep my fleet going for a long time. Problem is, if she doesn't drive one of them, I've got an extra on my hands, in addition to one she wrecked, which has become my parts car.

To my surprise she presented me with an opportunity: She said, she might consider keeping the 940, if I would consider installing speakers that would allow her to blast her ear drums into the next county. Hmmm. She said she was afraid she would end up blowing out the OEM speakers in the car at the volume she likes.

Of course this means she's been running the speakers at full blast and its still not loud enough for her. This troubles me for another reason, because with the radio that loud, she's missing important cues, such as, safety warnings, horns, squealing brakes, creaming children, etc.

Still, its an opportunity.

Any one have any experience with driving the sound system to a new level of intensity? It was always adequate for me, but my ears still function as they were intended. I jokingly said I'd get big stage speakers and install them in the way back of the wagon, but I realize this would not work. And, although I have little experience in the audio world, I do know that the speakers have to be matched, somewhat, to the power output of the radio. Presumably, Volvo, already engineer to system in the 940 for the optimum performance.

I guess what I'm looking for is that Eureka! type idea that someone might have. It makes no sense pulling out wiring and cobbling speakers into the almost pristine interior of the car, just so she can get a little more noise.

And, although I believe it is illegal, what about head phones? I imagine there are head phones available that would give her a lot of sound right at her ears and still allow for extraneous noise and danger signals to be heard.

There's my problem. Ideas anyone?


Bob Franklin

Here's something to consider:


http://www.amaryllo.com/almooj/amaryllo-flister.html

Here's a fun fact, "at least 15% of American teenagers have permanently lost some hearing. That's about the same percentage you would find among people between 45 and 65."
http://www.bsherman.net/hearingloss.htm

"Eric Clapton, known guitarist and singer also has deafness problems. He like other musicians believes that this was caused by the loud speakers used during rock concerts. The sad part is that whether it is acute, mild or severe, permanent damage has been done and there is no way to reverse the symptoms."

This page has a list; see how many you know.
http://members.fortunecity.com/nrbq1/tinnitus.html

And, if someone hit someone I was close to, because they couldn't hear due to the loud music, there'd be a problem. I hope you take my meaning.

Hi Bob-

I can relate to your situation- 2 daughters w/940s.
They grew up in an environment where many of their friends received the latest, greatest, hottest car on their 16th birthday. Those same friends had some isues in high school, then college and now are having a hard time finding jobs after graduation. If they had Volvo 940s none of this would have happened!! HA!
Seriously, your daughter is lucky to have any car after she bent up her 940. Driving is a huge responsibility- not a privilege.
I recently upgraded the stereos in both 940s with units I bought from Crutchfield. The speakers had already been upgraded. The original sound systems leave much to be desired. Spend $100 on a new head unit and a few bucks on some speakers and she will be happy. Leave the 1000w amps, pavement shaking subs and $250 speakers for the kids who get the new cars they're entitled to......

Spook.

Its nice to hear from you again and to receive your manifesto for ear protection. I'm going to pass that on. When she shows up and the radio is on full volume, I think, like you, that this cannot be a good environment to concentrate on driving.

Also, another point I have been trying to get across, maybe with an increasing degree of success, is this:

I am somewhat eccentric in my ideas and insurance tops that list. I do not believe in it, generally, and to the extent possible, self insure with minimum coverage and high deductibles. Its worked marvelously over the 40 years of my adulthood, including 30 years of active children and spouses without any health insurance. (My wife has recently gone to work, so I finally have coverage and frankly at 63, I'm grateful for it) But I've banked the premiums for the past 30 years. This applies to auto ins. in Mass, which as you know is compulsory, to a limit. The recent crash by my daughter is going to cost me about $6,000 out of pocket, so I am on the wrong side of the risk probability on that one. Still, its the overall situation that counts and there minimal coverage has been a financial benefit. Now I have to impress Elliott, how important her safe driving habits are. You've inspired me to get a little tough. Kids don't like to hear advise along the lines of "its for you're own good". But when I can tell her its for my own good, it ring through as more genuine.

A note of irony. About two weeks before the mental bending incident (I don't believe in using the word "accident", which implies a lack of fault.) I canceled my coverage with Commerce including the $100,000 property damage component and shifted to Liberty Mutual at $5,000. Just bad timing. The Honda Civic she hit is worth about $12K, thus the payment I need to make to restore the other driver. I can't ask Elliott to pay because the minimum coverage decision was mine.

I hadn't heard from you in a while and thought you might be annoyed by my sometimes long and rambling postings. I'm an apologetic lawyer and words are an occupational hazard along with the most inaccurate term in the English langauage, "Legal Brief".

STEVE: I like you're suggestion. Soon after her accident - I mean, metal bending incident - she was all fired up for a replacment car and not a 940, that's for sure. I engaged for a couple weeks in discussions and some searching at dealers to narrow down her choices. She was anxious to spend some serious money. Then, I said to her, she should do some looking around herself, speak to her friends about what cars they have and what cars they like and she should do some research. As soon as she was faced with the reality of doing some work, the urgency to get a new car abated. The somewhat calmer period that followed, has permitted her to develop some degree of attachment to the second 940 I've given her, although she remains resistant to the idea of driving a car she identifies as a "family wagon". As she becomes a little more worldly and experienced, I think she'll realize its not a mini van.

I'll look at the FAQs. Your response suggests others have sought to upgrade. But, I get into the car and that 18 year old radio sounds just fine to me.

Bob Franklin

Dear robertmfranklin,

Hope you're well. Time to introduce your daughter to Spook's Rule No. 41:
(a) It is hard to find spare parts
(b) It is hard to find competent persons, to install spare parts
(c) Spare parts rarely work as well as do original parts
(d) For some parts, there are NO spare parts.
(e) Take good care, of the parts you were issued.

Anyone, who listens to loud noise - air hammers, music, power tools, jet engines, etc. - will suffer hearing loss. This loss is irreversible. It will be very gradual.

Your daughter - like everyone else on this planet - is subject to the laws of Physics. Bombarding one's ears with noise, when that can be avoided, is willful destruction of property.

If she does not believe you (or me) she needs to do some homework and/or to speak with an ear specialist.

I wear ear protectors whenever I use power equipment, e.g., a gas-powered lawnmower. I've lost some high-end hearing with time and exposure to noise, before I knew that I needed to protect my ears.

Further, those - who play music while driving, running, etc. - betray a lack of positional awareness that is frightening. One reason we are endowed with hearing, is the better to know when to escape danger.

You should explain to your daughter, that public roads are filled with those, who do not pay attention to their surroundings. Such persons are a lethal peril. because a car (or truck) is a lethal weapon. Those, in charge of lethal weapons - who are not aware of their surroundings - put everyone else in peril of their lives. Things can go bad in a few milliseconds.

I drive 940s because they are nicely-appointed armored personnel carriers. I do this, because so many others on the road are mentally elsewhere. Your daughter should not be one of them.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

If I were you, I would hand this job over to her and say, "Good luck: figure it out on your own." That's what I did with my kids. I paid for a decent upgrade but they specced and installed it.
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