Volvo V40 T4. Good idea? Or this? update 20/8/08

[outlaw118]

I'm toying with the idea of getting shot of "old faithful" my N plate astra 1.8 16V sport estate. She's a bit rotten round the back arches, and since I used a Skoda Felicia to stop with just before Xmas, she's a bit cross eyed. And the bonnet is green on a metallic grey car.Anyhoo, I love it, but Madam doesn't. I don't want to piss any more money on the Ashtray, so I'm considering my options.The replacement must be 1) Cheap; preferably under £1500, 2) as quick or quicker than the Ashtray, and 3) Reasonable to insure/service/repair, 4) An Estate Am I looking for the impossible?Had a look at A Volvo V40 T4 on the bay; 1997 with 140k on, went for £850. Wasn't in BAD nick, or this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2001-VOLVO-V40-T4 ... dZViewItemWhat do you chaps think I should get?

[pogweasel]

Keep the car, bin the woman, save money.

[outlaw118]

Thanks Mr P, the thought had crossed my mind, but getting rid of Mrs will cost me more than a NEW Volvo....unless theres an Autoshite Assassination squad that I don't know about....

[andrew e]

Marea Weekend?

[Milford Cubicle]

Primera 2.0 wagon?

[outlaw118]

Did they make the Marea Wagon with the 5 pot lump? The mechanic at the garage II use has got a saloon (with NoS) and it sounds lovely. And obviously he'll know how to fix it if/when it goes wrong.Primera? The sensible choice, but I'm not really a fan to be honest Mr Cubicle; a bit too Ilford Minicab too....

[MrRegieRitmo]

I'm not really a fan to be honest Mr Cubicle; a bit too Ilford Minicab too....

Ilford, or Milford?

[pogweasel]

TBH, I can't think of much that ticks ALL your boxes other than that OVLOV. Not that would be wife-friendly anyway. Though I'd be hunting an E30 325i touring for that bit of extra something... oh shit, I already did.

[Milford Cubicle]

Yeah, a bit 'minicab' but they are almost unbreakable and great to drive.5-pot Marea would be ace though.

[carlo]

Read a couple of road tests of that Fiat Marea 5 pot diesel came out and they were all raving about it. Think there was a 130 HP version which was the top one. Sounded lovely apparently. Bit different as well!

[outlaw118]

Apparently they did a 2.0litre 20V turbo with 180 odd gee gees. Cant find out if it made it out of the Fiat Coop and into the weekend tho'.found this one:http://www.buyyourcar.co.uk/spec/fiat/marea/code/awb1754954.aspx Can't get the link to work, but it's a 51 with 70k and the 150bhp lump for £1495!!!

[andrew e]

70k is the belt interval, saying that you supposedly do not need to remove the lump.

[r.welfare]

Of all the early S40/V40 variants, the T4 is the only one I would consider. Having said that I would be looking out for an 850 T5...mmm...five cylinders...lovely. And damn huge in the back.Another option would be a Mondeo or Vectra V6 wagon; I'd probably side with the Vauxhall (for once!) as the V6 in the Mondeo is not the most durable of engines, nor is it particularly easy to work on. Or a 24v frogface Scorp, or 3-litre Omega? I had one of the latter - a manual - and it didn't 'arf scoot. Big in the boot, too. And comfy. Despite being group 15 insurance, it was cheap enough to insure TPFT as well.325i Tourings are lovely cars, but what if you actually want to carry anything? (sorry Pog, couldn't resist )Or how about 109landys3's 406 V6 wagon?

[pogweasel]

You can carry things, R.Welf, for instance I can fit an exceptionally large mushroom into mine

 

I'll concede it is a bit crap. When I was using it for work I had to use the back seats for stuff too.

The Focus amazingly swallows pretty much everything I normally have in my van within the bootspace if it's done in a tidy manner.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Read a couple of road tests of that Fiat Marea 5 pot diesel came out and they were all raving about it. Think there was a 130 HP version which was the top one. Sounded lovely apparently. Bit different as well!

Sorry what's the meaning of 5 Pot? :oops:And can I just clarify.....a diesel......sounding lovely......

[Torsten2001]

Volvos are smashing of course but why not a Rover 827 Hatch?

[MrRegieRitmo]

It's funny, getting a lift back in my colleague's T reg V40 1.8i this afternoon, I was just thinking to myself how well put together it was, & whether I could imagine myself swanning around in one! (I couldn't)

 

But anyway a T4 must be the top of the range, right? I believe it would be in a completely different league for you compared to the Astra! As for your bullet points, well 1) that one you've linked to is definitely not under £1500 but on the other hand it's alot newer & looks good value at the moment, considering that. 2) as quick or quicker than the Astra? - err Yes! 3) insurance? Hmmm, I would expect it to be rated fairly high, much higher than the Astra anyway. Servicing & repairs? Well those sort of jobs may well be pricier than on the Astra but the idea is that things should need doing alot less! 4) an estate? Well obviously yes, otherwise we'd be looking at an S40 wouldn't we!

Overall looks like a quality vehicle, you could do alot worse.

[Richard]

Sorry what's the meaning of 5 Pot?

Pot=cylinder.

[Rocket88]

Octavia 1.9tdi. BMW 525 tdsi [old shape] both fairly bomb proof, economical [ish] comfy, and if you buy one at the right money, keep it 2 years, and then sell on, you'll probably get your money back

[Betaphile]

I quite like the Marea Weekend, but no turbo petrol five for You-rope (or at least not UK). As far as I know the only market that got the Marea Turbo was Brazil (!) - and a fair number have been seriously breathed on for monstrous performance. Those Brazilians are mad (in a good way)! 2.0 20V 155 is still quite a nice lump though - same as the Bravo HGT, so obligatory 'W-word' (warbling) reference needed to describe engine noise. Five-pot diesel is one of the better ones around at the time too - supposedly a close second to BMW's 2.5 tds lump. Much more than 25 per cent better than the four-pot 1.9, though essentially that plus a cylinder is what it is.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

E36 BMW 318i Touring. About an N-P reg one for about £1300 and it will always have a value. Mondeo estates are for free and are good cars, Vectras are vile rubbish and utterly horrid to drive. The Volvo V40 is a good choice. They don't seem to rust, look good and probably drive okay. Passats are deadly dull but worthy enough, late Audi 80 Avants are alright as well.Avoid French/Italian/Vauxhall and you'll be alright.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Avoid French/Italian/Vauxhall and you'll be alright.

So that rules out all 3 of my cars (Ritmo, R14, 146), my g/f's car (Astra), dad's car (407), my sister's car(Nova), her b/f's car(306), leaving only....err.....mum's car (Supra)!

[AnthonyG]

If you want a Marea, check the road tax implications thoroughly - the bigger engined versions will be hit with the highest bands. Same with Mondeo/Vectra/anything else post 2001 (think it's Y reg onwards) with a petrol V6.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Sorry what's the meaning of 5 Pot?

Pot=cylinder.

Oh so does that mean they sound like the yummy Audi / VW 5 Cylinders?

[Volksy]

Fiat did the Marea Weekend with the 2.0 20v 5 pot, never did a turbo petrol version though, not that you couldn't fit from from a dead coupe though!The timing belt is a big job, Fiat quote 9hrs in the book time, and they have been known to eat there auxilary belt which then gets caught in the timing belt leading to jumped teeth and bent valves.The 5 pot Diesel is a really nice engine, grunty and does sound great for a diesel, very rare, i hardly saw any in two years at a Fiat main stealer. I'd be looking at one of these or maybe a Volvo 850 2.0 20v, My old one (now owned by Torsten) was a fantastic motor... Fast, capable, roomy, reliable...

[Spottedlaurel]

Hmmm, what would I suggest as a cheap, fast and really rather capacious estate car?.... Not sure if my suggestion would qualify on the cheap to insure/service front, though probably no worse than a 5-cyl Marea. Depends how old you are and where you live.But I like Mareas too having had one years ago, as said before I see loads locally as minicabs so they can't be that bad as an older car? I suspect most of their's are 4-cyl though. And they're scrapping quite a few now.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I think the Volvo V40 is a good choice, theyre a car i'll defo be lusting after when theyre all gone. Nice styling, good image and should be decent to drive although the chassis is nowt spesh on em. I did quite a few miles in a TD one - it was renner engined and slow enough to block your arteries.

[Simon M]

This may be common knowledge, but if you do go for a V40 get the system that keeps the lights switched on in daylight turned off! My parents have a V-reg V40 and for the first couple of years of ownership it was always having its lights replaced. Not sure whether it makes a difference safety wise, but it certainly does to the wallet!

[alfetta]

Of all the early S40/V40 variants, the T4 is the only one I would consider. Having said that I would be looking out for an 850 T5...mmm...five cylinders...lovely. And damn huge in the back.Another option would be a Mondeo or Vectra V6 wagon; I'd probably side with the Vauxhall (for once!) as the V6 in the Mondeo is not the most durable of engines, nor is it particularly easy to work on. Or a 24v frogface Scorp, or 3-litre Omega? I had one of the latter - a manual - and it didn't 'arf scoot. Big in the boot, too. And comfy. Despite being group 15 insurance, it was cheap enough to insure TPFT as well.

not sure about that, 30K cambelt change or it's fucked. both are pretty awkward to work on when transverse. Headgaskets blow. I'd take the ford V6 at a pinch.... As long as you change to a metal waterpump the ford is pretty durable - though I have heard of spun bearings if the oil level is not kept at max.

[Milford Cubicle]

This may be common knowledge, but if you do go for a V40 get the system that keeps the lights switched on in daylight turned off! My parents have a V-reg V40 and for the first couple of years of ownership it was always having its lights replaced. Not sure whether it makes a difference safety wise, but it certainly does to the wallet!

Having lights on all the time is more appealing than having to share the road with idiots driving into the night or rainstorms with no lights on at all.