Volvo V40 - Review and owner stories

[Disco Fever]

The folks had a 2.0 V40 in the late 90s which they ran into a herd of cows which had wandered into the road south of Buxton one Sunday night. They killed 3 cows, one of which landed on the roof. The folks walked away without a scratch and the car drove onto the low loader. It went Cat C write off but I believe found it's way back to the road. The folks meanwhile bought a V40 2.0t. I had a crack at both cars, really nice able motors.  

[mercedade]

My S40 was so dull it always sent m.......................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

But it was great - did everything all the time. Only irritation was a hum/vibration/booming kind of noise which happened at motorway speeds and could never, ever be tracked down.

[inconsistant]

Also, I wish I'd asked how many keys came with the car before agreeing a price... Ours only had one, and the best price  I've been quoted for an additional key (only available via Volvo dealershits) is £210quid. FFS. So we're playing 'one key roulette' and I'm avoiding parking over drains.

 

Also also, no cup holders in the front. Where do other v40 drivers put their cans of Tennants super during the morning commute?

[Sloth in a bowl]

 

Also also, no cup holders in the front. Where do other v40 drivers put their cans of Tennants super during the morning commute?

 

I suggest sticking a bit of Velcro to the flat bit of the dash above the aircon controls, then stick a bit to the base of the can and hey presto, you have unspillable beer. I can confirm that this solution works very well for my twatnav set-up since the useless sucker thing and my windscreen seem to have had a permanent falling out and refuse to stay together.

 

P.S. how you pick the can up off the Velcro without getting Tenants Super all over you is your problem, and possibly not the only one. I can only suggest a very long straw.

[Tetleysmooth]

This topic must live!!

 

I've just bought one of these. V reg (Oct '99) 2.0 petrol auto.

It's like a downsized v70, which is good.

Just a couple of minor niggles at the moment.

The bonnet release cable has apparently stretched, due the a roll of tape being left under an open bonnet, and then attempting to close said lid.

The cable still opens the bonnet, but it's detached from the pull lever inside the car. Can these cables be adjusted?

The rear wiper doesn't work. Fuse(s) are ok. So, wiper stalk on the column or the motor itself?

As said, only just got this, so common niggles are unknown to me at the moment.

Good little motor though, well happy with it.

[Minimad5]

When *the well equipped garage* had my V70 in for repair, they gave me an S40 to use.

 

It had some fancy BBS alloys (apparently from standard) with full leather, and other trinkets and toys.

Other than it being slow, i actually liked it.

Okay the steering was numb, and this one seemed to drink fuel, at quite an alarming rate, but i Would like to try a 2 litre.

[inconsistant]

I've just bought 

 

PHOTOS!!1!

[Sloth in a bowl]

This topic must live!!

 

I've just bought one of these. V reg (Oct '99) 2.0 petrol auto.

It's like a downsized v70, which is good.

Just a couple of minor niggles at the moment.

The bonnet release cable has apparently stretched, due the a roll of tape being left under an open bonnet, and then attempting to close said lid.

The cable still opens the bonnet, but it's detached from the pull lever inside the car. Can these cables be adjusted?

The rear wiper doesn't work. Fuse(s) are ok. So, wiper stalk on the column or the motor itself?

As said, only just got this, so common niggles are unknown to me at the moment.

Good little motor though, well happy with it.

 

Good purchase; more S/V40 love on here is required. Give the engine some fresh oil and check the condition of the very long life (8 year) cam and aux drive belts, they get forgotten about on these motors.

 

I'm not aware of any cable adjustment and would recommend that you change the cable soon, as if it breaks with the bonnet shut then they are somewhat of a swine to open.

Also clean and grease the underbonnet catch as they seize up over time.

 

The one other preventative thing to check is the jubilee clips on the rad to hose joins.

The lower one especially rusts through then the hose comes off and dumps your coolant mid journey. Volvo replacements are cheap and better than the originals. They are also non-standard on the width so generic ones may not fit as well.

 

Rear wiper arms bent in the sun and didn't work well over time so you are probably not missing out on much, previous owner may have disabled it on purpose. Worth doing a resistance check from fuse to switch/motor?

 

People complain about the brake calipers, mine were fine till over 130,000 miles (then 3 went in a year).

Quality of front tyres is important for traction and ABS, if your ABS is kicking in too easily on damp roads then get better boots.

 

Not sure if it uses the same autobox as the bigger motors but the 'sealed for life' trans fluid instruction is only good if you want to kill the box. Look on the net for how to do a partial fluid swap without opening up the box and get some of the old stuff out of there and replaced with new.

[mat_the_cat]

My mate has had one of these for the last 10 years. Dunno what it's up to now but it had over 100k miles on when he bought it and it's still going strong. He's not a car person, just sees it as an appliance but looks after it well and doesn't see the need to constantly upgrade to a newer model.

 

Only thing I can add to this is a tale of the time he tried to fit his windsurf board inside rather on the roof rack. It *just* fitted, or so we thought until he closed the boot. Board 1 - windscreen nil...

[Spiny Norman]

I'm currently running a scruffy old V40 and what started out as a cheap banger to do for a few weeks is going to be getting taxed tomorrow, which wasn't in the script.
Mine's the petrol 1.6, and it's a decent if predictably bland drive. I don't think of it as a Volvo, it feels very like the Mitsubishi thing it's based on, with no Volvo characteristics at all , except an appalling turning circle, Volvo really can't do FWD.
 

Being the 1.6 it offers no perceptible degree of performance whatsoever and struggles to do much better than 28mpg on average due to a combination of the small engine/large body thing, and it the likelihood that it could do with a new thermostat since it never reaches half way on the gauge unless it's sitting in traffic.
 

In addition to what's been said I'd add that they can suffer from dodgy handbrakes, weak gear selectors (Mine's been done once already and still has to be completely stationary before it'll give up reverse) and rust. The reason mine was cheap was that both front wings were through to holes and the wheelarches were pretty scabby.
Mondeo bumper repair tape has dealt with the wings and a quick bit of sanding down and Hammeriting has fixed the arches as well as they're ever going to be fixed. It's one of these cars I'm happy to park anywhere, or 'assert' my rightful road position safe in the knowledge that I don't give a flying fuck if someone wants to get up close & personal with it.
 

They're becoming quite good sub £500 bangers, but I wouldn't want to spend serious money on one, you can do better for a grand.

[kinkersaab]

Early s/v40s are the only car i have ever seen that offer the driver two options to open the drivers window, and the 1.6 is one of the few cars where you can feel the sap on power when the ac is on. Good old buses though, have sold dozens over the years, avoid the gdi rattlebastard engine. Interestingly the diesel ones use the famed renault self destructing engine, but volvo must have done something different to it, as they seem to be pretty bombproof in the 40's?

[Barry Cade]

Er, no.

 

Mate of mine sold his beautiful Manual 850 T5 Rica Turbo nutter, and thought he'd downsize...and came home with a GDi. After I pointed out the error of his ways, and laughed at how much he'd paid for it, he sold it at a huge loss and came home with a later Heavy Oil powered one...which lasted a week before lunching it's own cam belt.

 

He's got a Mondeo now.

 

 

S/V40's to me just feel baggy,worn out and tired. Got fed up seeing them up on the ramps- brake pipes,shocks,electrical issues,immobiliser issues,calipers,wheel bearings, gearboxes. Later facelift ones do seem better but Volvo's darkest hour if you ask me.

[Pillock]

They're one of the more forgettable Volvos. If I was robbing an off licence, this would be an ideal getaway car.

[inconsistant]

It's got shopping nets in the boot to stop the bottles from falling over, therefore sensible choice.

Also front passenger seat folds forward to make an in-car coffee table to enjoy your boozy haul.

[Pillock]

"Yes officer, I saw the car used. It was, erm, a Nissan? No, a Mazda perhaps. It was an estate, and blue. Could have been a Hyundai".

[bub2006]

Early s/v40s are the only car i have ever seen that offer the driver two options to open the drivers window, and the 1.6 is one of the few cars where you can feel the sap on power when the ac is on. Good old buses though, have sold dozens over the years, avoid the gdi rattlebastard engine. Interestingly the diesel ones use the famed renault self destructing engine, but volvo must have done something different to it, as they seem to be pretty bombproof in the 40's?

I often wondered why they had switches on the door and center console. Did the higher spec ones use centre console ones for rear windows? Uncle had one on a p reg. Windy rear windows but switches in console and door. I think the mitsi charisma did too. Chap I worked with had an early one with two switches.

[bub2006]

My uncles was a 1.8 estate manual too. No first gear and reverse was into fourth and sharp tug to the right. Slight selector issue I think......

[Tetleysmooth]

My one has window switches on the console and door card.

The one on the door card is a one touch..

Keep fit rears though, which I find rather odd on such a high spec motor.

 

Started giving it a polish yesterday, but too cold and gave up.

Photos coming soon.

[maxpower]

 

 Then bought Maxpowers one and that lasted about 6 months before someone clouted the back and that was written off again for about a grand.

 

I'm in mourning now   

 

 

[catsinthewelder]

For bonnet release cable bodgery try 'choc block' electrical connectors,  there are a selection of them doing sterling service of connecting at least 3 different bits of cable together on our Discos release cable.

[RichL]

There are two little plastic bushes with a small metal tube though them at either end of the gear linkage. Its a crap idea and drops to bits causing poor gear selection. Used to sell loads of them on the early cars with the M3P/M5P gearbox, different selector on later M56 'box I think.

[Sloth in a bowl]

There are two little plastic bushes with a small metal tube though them at either end of the gear linkage. Its a crap idea and drops to bits causing poor gear selection. Used to sell loads of them on the early cars with the M3P/M5P gearbox, different selector on later M56 'box I think.

 

 

The gear selection on my 02 plated V40 was pretty much as good as new at 148,000 miles when I sold it.

 

It also had electric front windows and hand wind rears as it was poverty spec.

[Tetleysmooth]

Does anyone know how to get into those orange lights that are inset in the bumpers?

Really must get myself a HJB for these.

[r.welfare]

Get yourself one of the CD ROM workshop manuals off of eBay - far cheaper and more useful than a Haynes.

[Tetleysmooth]

Cheers Richard, but that one you supplied with the Accord never did work on my pc.

Probably me being an old duffer.

[inconsistant]

Get yourself one of the CD ROM workshop manuals off of eBay - far cheaper and more useful than a Haynes.

 

Any chance of a link pls? I'm trying to avoid getting Hbol but I've got a centre console removal job to do and can't work out how.

[r.welfare]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-VADIS-1992-to-2006-WORKSHOP-MANUAL-ALL-MODELS-2-DVD-SET-/281542403054?pt=UK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET&hash=item418d3c23ee

 

I used to have a copy of VADIS but no longer do.  If I recall correctly, you enter your chassis number and it tailors the content specific to your car.

[worldofceri]

I have a osf door and a front bumper carrier cluttering up the garage if they're any use to anyone.  Removed from an X reg S40.

 

Make me a derisory offer and they're yours.  (Collect from Coventry CV6.)

 

[RichL]

Does anyone know how to get into those orange lights that are inset in the bumpers?

 

 

You can't, its a sealed unit on pre 2001 models. New lamp required if the bulbs gone.

 

Later cars had a bigger lamp in which you can change the bulb.

[Tetleysmooth]

You can't, its a sealed unit on pre 2001 models. New lamp required if the bulbs gone.

 

Later cars had a bigger lamp in which you can change the bulb.

 

Oh what joy.

They can stay dead then.