Volvo S40 - any good?

[CortinaDave]

Just spotted this for sale at the side of the road in Aberdeen - It's a 1.8 - Says "tax and test " in the advert on the window - tax is til may but dunno about the MOT or anything else about it. Sounded a bit tappity when it drove away but looks fairly decent. £300 ono - worth biting? Are they any good? Anyone else fancy it? S971 WYA

 

I know bugger all about volvos but could do with a cheapo.

 

[pogweasel]

Not a T4? Not interested.

 

Actually at £300 you can't go wrong, even if it is duller than watching beige paint dry.

[kinkersaab]

They did two 1.8 s. The GDI mitusbishi 125 bhp ones are shit, they often sound tappety and suffer from needing a de coke, and the volvo's own 122 bhp 1.8 the 00 mdl year cars are leagues ahead of the early ones.

[r.welfare]

What he said. If I am not mistaken the Mitsubishi-engined ones have a 1834cc capacity, so if it comes up with this on a check leave it alone. If it's 1731cc or 1783cc it's either a Volvo or Renner lump which are better.

 

Otherwise they are dull, dull, dull but fairly hardy.

[Volksy]

I would

 

Thats only about three or four tanks of fuel these days.

[wuvvum]

My S40 was the dullest car I've ever owned, but as a means of simply getting from A to B comfortably and efficiently it was quite acceptable. As others have said, at £300 with four months' rent you can't go far wrong.

[Shep Shepherd]

At that price, it has to be a good 'run-until-it-breaks' alternative to a scabby-arched Escort of the same age

[CreepingJesus]

I know someone who's had an S40 estate from new; it's a 51-plate with mega miles on, and runs along quite nicely. A local taxi firm had a few, and they never had much trouble with them, either. Seem like good solid if uninspiring cars.

There's a guy sells them as a sideline to his main business, in Dunfermline. The cars are 'stored' in and around Rosyth - sounds dodgy, but he's legit as far as I can tell. He's usually got plenty of Volvos, the old and cheap kind. If you email him ([email protected]), he'll email you his stock list.

[Waderider]

I've got a 1.6 V40, had it just under two years/20,000 miles and has needed nothing but regular servicing and consumables.

 

Slow, dull to drive, but comfortable. Can look smart. I'd have another.

 

Parts of the wiring loom are prone to insulator breakdown. Don't buy a car with electrical problems. From memory this is phase 1 cars only, and the damage is caused by road salt where trunking runs under the radiator. The lower radiator hose jubilee clip is prone to corrosion in the same area, failure means express coolant dump, as you can imagine.

[flat4alfa]

Can't moan for 300 notes.

 

My Missus has one like it right now as her daily: S40, 1999/V, 1.8 Volvo lump, SE so it has leather/air/wood/cruise. Bought for £600 last summer, when Glass's said £1300-ish

 

But christ is it a dullard to drive. She finds it slow and ponderous too, after her Alfa 146 TS, well you would. But note: the Alfa was tired.

 

Built in Holland side-by-side with the sister cars: Charisma and Persona*

 

 

* Ironic clues in those names.