What to look for when buying a V40?
Discussion
My housemate has changed jobs so has to hand his company car back and get something around the grand mark.
He's seen some v40's on AT so decided he's keen on getting one.
Is there anything particular to look out for when getting one of these? Any models to avoid or aim for?
Has anyone on here got one they want to off load around the £1-1.2k mark?
Cheers guys
He's seen some v40's on AT so decided he's keen on getting one.
Is there anything particular to look out for when getting one of these? Any models to avoid or aim for?
Has anyone on here got one they want to off load around the £1-1.2k mark?
Cheers guys
zcacogp said:
randlemarcus said:
Not shifting mine ...
Bu99er me, Marcus - what's your world coming to? 944 turbo, Lotus Elan SE and then a ... V40? 
Hope things are OK otherwise, and automotive sonambulism isn't indicative of doom elsewhere ...
Oli.
Cayenne for motorways.
Nera for the twisties.
Dad's C4 conv for summer potterings.
No somnambulism here
HI. my first posting,
v40....
I've owned a v40 2 LITRE XI for 7 years now, it'll be 11 year old in march, its a phase 1. (before sept 2000)
after that date they bought out a slight wider longer (about 15mm) version.
we've used the car as a family hack. now with 90k+ on the clock on its 2litre 136hp 0-60 9.2 secs.
half leather, 16" wheels, aircon, abs...all standard on a w reg car. 35mpg...with me drving it...
currently on 50mile round trips. its helped us move house, carry 4" fish tanks, holiday trips...etc
we've just bought another v40 this time a phase 2, 04 plate.(have 2 now)..last of the line before ford bought out volvo and they made the v50 and hence 2 years of electrical issues....
yeh yeh.....i'm a saddo.....
but after owning over the years...
fiesta rs, mk1 mr2, escort 1.8si, 205,306, mk2 escort+mk3,puma, mk2 golf+polo,impreza. even a rotten metro (was 17 at the time,,rust,,,,wow,,,)
the volvos the only one we've kept more than a year or 2. its been superb...
yep the bonnet catch had to be cleaned at 9 years old...it sits right at the front and get covered in road dirt and clogs up the catch...5 mins with a can of gunk and a wire brush...all sorted...
i've never spend more than 250 in a single year (that was full service, mot, cam belt)
compaired to the golf with needed 700 in repairs (suspension) and that was labour rates of 10 years ago..
theres no rust on the volvo....compaired to my sister in laws focus 55 plate...rust on one door and wheel arch....(shes owned it from new...and never getting another ford...shes also just spend 250 on a wheel bearing and 600 on a new cam, and 400 on a couple of new throttle sensors...fords naaa i'll keep my pipe and slippers volvo....
yep i get fed up with cars very quickly...i even ran to work for 2 years...(it was only 2.5miles) and sometimes in heavy traffic quicker than using a car..but change of jobs went putting the old volvo back into daily service...
mods..
the radio tape fitted as standard, has 2 handles...put them out and hey ho the radio slides out, with a loom adaptor the radio change takes 5 mins...(that includes having a drink of coffee)
ebc make brakes for the old girl. for black rear and green fronts plus grooved disks your looking at £150.
parts...spark plugs from halford are £18 but main dealer are £14, windscreen wipers etc are also cheaper at the main dealer than they are at halfords...yep really....
oppppppppps
loads of waffle....sorry...
Paul.
OH AVIOD THE 1.9D ITS A RENAULT LUMP.
AND THE LAST OF THE LINE PETROLS WHERE MADE BY MITSUBISHI the heads didn't like the unleaded petrol they are lean burn engines and tend to need head work by 80,000 one dealer i spoke to refused to stock them due to warrenty repairs....1.6 gutless, 1.8 0-60 10.5 2. litre if you can find one is ideal. mines grp 10 insurance. of course they also made the v40 t4. 200hp and v40t about 170hp....
oh sod it waffling again....
hahahaah.......
my rs turbo fiesta needed a new rear end exhaust at the time 1992 no other people apart from ford made the rear box...it cost me £200 and i had to wait for it to come from Germany....my volvo still has the 11 year old exhaust.....
....pipe and slippers on.....hmmmm lovely.....hahahaahah
oh the k+n filter works well...gives a nice BBAAAAAARRRRR over 4000 revs...piper x- more hassle to fit.
and the volvo had 2 horns...pop the bonnet, each side of the headlights are horns....beep beep to quote road runner....the ford puma i had sounded like a childs toy, and loads of owners on the club i was a member of (pumapeople) changed them...
v40....
I've owned a v40 2 LITRE XI for 7 years now, it'll be 11 year old in march, its a phase 1. (before sept 2000)
after that date they bought out a slight wider longer (about 15mm) version.
we've used the car as a family hack. now with 90k+ on the clock on its 2litre 136hp 0-60 9.2 secs.
half leather, 16" wheels, aircon, abs...all standard on a w reg car. 35mpg...with me drving it...
currently on 50mile round trips. its helped us move house, carry 4" fish tanks, holiday trips...etc
we've just bought another v40 this time a phase 2, 04 plate.(have 2 now)..last of the line before ford bought out volvo and they made the v50 and hence 2 years of electrical issues....
yeh yeh.....i'm a saddo.....
but after owning over the years...
fiesta rs, mk1 mr2, escort 1.8si, 205,306, mk2 escort+mk3,puma, mk2 golf+polo,impreza. even a rotten metro (was 17 at the time,,rust,,,,wow,,,)
the volvos the only one we've kept more than a year or 2. its been superb...
yep the bonnet catch had to be cleaned at 9 years old...it sits right at the front and get covered in road dirt and clogs up the catch...5 mins with a can of gunk and a wire brush...all sorted...
i've never spend more than 250 in a single year (that was full service, mot, cam belt)
compaired to the golf with needed 700 in repairs (suspension) and that was labour rates of 10 years ago..
theres no rust on the volvo....compaired to my sister in laws focus 55 plate...rust on one door and wheel arch....(shes owned it from new...and never getting another ford...shes also just spend 250 on a wheel bearing and 600 on a new cam, and 400 on a couple of new throttle sensors...fords naaa i'll keep my pipe and slippers volvo....
yep i get fed up with cars very quickly...i even ran to work for 2 years...(it was only 2.5miles) and sometimes in heavy traffic quicker than using a car..but change of jobs went putting the old volvo back into daily service...
mods..
the radio tape fitted as standard, has 2 handles...put them out and hey ho the radio slides out, with a loom adaptor the radio change takes 5 mins...(that includes having a drink of coffee)
ebc make brakes for the old girl. for black rear and green fronts plus grooved disks your looking at £150.
parts...spark plugs from halford are £18 but main dealer are £14, windscreen wipers etc are also cheaper at the main dealer than they are at halfords...yep really....
oppppppppps
loads of waffle....sorry...
Paul.
OH AVIOD THE 1.9D ITS A RENAULT LUMP.
AND THE LAST OF THE LINE PETROLS WHERE MADE BY MITSUBISHI the heads didn't like the unleaded petrol they are lean burn engines and tend to need head work by 80,000 one dealer i spoke to refused to stock them due to warrenty repairs....1.6 gutless, 1.8 0-60 10.5 2. litre if you can find one is ideal. mines grp 10 insurance. of course they also made the v40 t4. 200hp and v40t about 170hp....
oh sod it waffling again....
hahahaah.......
my rs turbo fiesta needed a new rear end exhaust at the time 1992 no other people apart from ford made the rear box...it cost me £200 and i had to wait for it to come from Germany....my volvo still has the 11 year old exhaust.....
....pipe and slippers on.....hmmmm lovely.....hahahaahah
oh the k+n filter works well...gives a nice BBAAAAAARRRRR over 4000 revs...piper x- more hassle to fit.
and the volvo had 2 horns...pop the bonnet, each side of the headlights are horns....beep beep to quote road runner....the ford puma i had sounded like a childs toy, and loads of owners on the club i was a member of (pumapeople) changed them...
PAUL RUN said:
...
OH AVIOD THE 1.9D ITS A RENAULT LUMP.
AND THE LAST OF THE LINE PETROLS WHERE MADE BY MITSUBISHI the heads didn't like the unleaded petrol they are lean burn engines and tend to need head work by 80,000 one dealer i spoke to refused to stock them due to warrenty repairs...
Not quite correct - OH AVIOD THE 1.9D ITS A RENAULT LUMP.
AND THE LAST OF THE LINE PETROLS WHERE MADE BY MITSUBISHI the heads didn't like the unleaded petrol they are lean burn engines and tend to need head work by 80,000 one dealer i spoke to refused to stock them due to warrenty repairs...
The later 105/115hp renault diesel is actually a pretty good unit for the V40, if a little agricultural compared with todays units.
The Mitsubishi (GDi)engine was available for most of the production run, except for the 2003 model cars. It feels as quick as the Volvo 2.0 lump, and has the slickest gearbox of them all.
Avoid a 1.8 GDi like the plague, unless you intend on regularly thrashing it or doing a reasonable amount of motorway miles. Gentle/city driving cokes the heads up, sometimes meaning that the head needs to come off every other service...
They are badges 1.8i (rather than 1.8), and don't have a lift up reverse 1.8s.
The 1.6 is very slow, 1.8 passable (but not as an automatic). 2.0 or 2.0t manuals are the ones to go for. T4s eat front tyres.
Phase II cars are much nicer to drive - circa 2000 (I think), have blue around the 'VOLVO' on the grille badge. This was when Volvo/Ford took a look at the Mitsubishi suspension settings and realised that they could do a better job of it.
The '03 model year sports look good but have a hard ride.
Seem to remember that T4s have expensive self levelling rear suspension.
Other than the GDi engine they rarely go wrong. Won an award whilst still in production as the most reliable used car you could buy.
HI.
they also did a sport option.....my wifes is a 1.8 sport model. but you could add a sport pack, that gave you stiffer suspension, and from the outside,,,white bumper lights compaired to the standard orange ones..
my phase 1 is march 2000.
from the outside the phase2, got larger bumper lights...(easiest difference from the outside)
my phase 1, also has the twin black headlights carried over to some models on the phase 2.
inside the center console is completly different
.
ok about the gdi engine. was only repeating what i was told my the site manager at the volvo dealer. isn't the other difference cosmetically between the 2 engines the front grill.
ie volvo engine...chrome rad grill. mitsh engine black grill....(just a guess)
mitsh engine was about 7hp more than the volvo lump for the 1.8 and cheaper on the road tax..
they also did a sport option.....my wifes is a 1.8 sport model. but you could add a sport pack, that gave you stiffer suspension, and from the outside,,,white bumper lights compaired to the standard orange ones..
my phase 1 is march 2000.
from the outside the phase2, got larger bumper lights...(easiest difference from the outside)
my phase 1, also has the twin black headlights carried over to some models on the phase 2.
inside the center console is completly different
.
ok about the gdi engine. was only repeating what i was told my the site manager at the volvo dealer. isn't the other difference cosmetically between the 2 engines the front grill.
ie volvo engine...chrome rad grill. mitsh engine black grill....(just a guess)
mitsh engine was about 7hp more than the volvo lump for the 1.8 and cheaper on the road tax..
PAUL RUN said:
HI.
they also did a sport option.....my wifes is a 1.8 sport model. but you could add a sport pack, that gave you stiffer suspension, and from the outside,,,white bumper lights compaired to the standard orange ones..
my phase 1 is march 2000.
from the outside the phase2, got larger bumper lights...(easiest difference from the outside)
my phase 1, also has the twin black headlights carried over to some models on the phase 2.
inside the center console is completly different
.
ok about the gdi engine. was only repeating what i was told my the site manager at the volvo dealer. isn't the other difference cosmetically between the 2 engines the front grill.
ie volvo engine...chrome rad grill. mitsh engine black grill....(just a guess)
mitsh engine was about 7hp more than the volvo lump for the 1.8 and cheaper on the road tax..
Black mesh grilles came in 2003 on all engines.they also did a sport option.....my wifes is a 1.8 sport model. but you could add a sport pack, that gave you stiffer suspension, and from the outside,,,white bumper lights compaired to the standard orange ones..
my phase 1 is march 2000.
from the outside the phase2, got larger bumper lights...(easiest difference from the outside)
my phase 1, also has the twin black headlights carried over to some models on the phase 2.
inside the center console is completly different
.
ok about the gdi engine. was only repeating what i was told my the site manager at the volvo dealer. isn't the other difference cosmetically between the 2 engines the front grill.
ie volvo engine...chrome rad grill. mitsh engine black grill....(just a guess)
mitsh engine was about 7hp more than the volvo lump for the 1.8 and cheaper on the road tax..
Black headlights designated a Sport (along with a rear spoiler, lower skirts on the bumpers and 16" alloys) until the Xenons were fitted to the 2003 cars.
All 2003 Sports had 17" alloys, stiffer suspension/strut brace and the white marker lights.
ours must be a mish mash then, its badged 1.8 sport.
on a 2004 plate with silver grill, and white leather.
gauages inside have a chrome bezels. a large rear spoiler.
most didn't...
guess its a "what have we got left...slap it on that" at the factory. 16" alloys.
my 2 litre xi phase1 had black lights and 16 wheels, half leather and boot spoiler against most models of the time with 15s as it was a t4 look alike.
bit like a volvo version of the golf gti / golf driver.
looks but no go...hahahaha
then again theres the 1.8 sport and 1.8 sport lux.
on a 2004 plate with silver grill, and white leather.
gauages inside have a chrome bezels. a large rear spoiler.
most didn't...
guess its a "what have we got left...slap it on that" at the factory. 16" alloys.
my 2 litre xi phase1 had black lights and 16 wheels, half leather and boot spoiler against most models of the time with 15s as it was a t4 look alike.
bit like a volvo version of the golf gti / golf driver.
looks but no go...hahahaha
then again theres the 1.8 sport and 1.8 sport lux.
Edited by PAUL RUN on Friday 1st October 16:08
The Mitsu engine will be a B4184SJ or SM, there should be a sticker on the timing belt cover with the engine code.
Not all 2003 Sports came with 17" alloy, only the Sport LUX which added full leather, body coloured trims and all the other SE trim.
For the money your friend has I'd be looking towards a 2.0, try go for either a sport (they did them towards the end of phase one cars, clear headlamp lenses and black bezels)
I find them rather uninspiring to drive, the S1 models are wallowy, the S2 lacks steering and brake feel. They also revised the engines, the earlier ones were B4**4S while the later became B4**4S2 (for none turbo petrol models)
Not all 2003 Sports came with 17" alloy, only the Sport LUX which added full leather, body coloured trims and all the other SE trim.
For the money your friend has I'd be looking towards a 2.0, try go for either a sport (they did them towards the end of phase one cars, clear headlamp lenses and black bezels)
I find them rather uninspiring to drive, the S1 models are wallowy, the S2 lacks steering and brake feel. They also revised the engines, the earlier ones were B4**4S while the later became B4**4S2 (for none turbo petrol models)
My wife has an R plate 2 litre auto with almost 150k miles on it, paid £800 in March with 140k on it
So far it has been absolutely mechanically fine, and at 13 years old, no rust.
The ones with the handling pack will have a small plastic trim round the front wheel arches. IMO worth having, and I wish I had taken it of my car before I scrapped it now.
For that money you should be able to get one with leather, cruise and the handling pack, and the info centre trip computer.
The alloys (on the early ones at least) seem to be made out of chocolate though - my S40 I had to replace the wheels as two of the alloys were egg-shaped, my wifes, whilst checking her tyres I find one has worn through to the cords
in one patch whilst the rest of the tyre was legal - guess what, bent wheel.
The independent volvo dealer advised not to bother with genuine volvo ones and to get something aftermarket for this reason. They had a couple like this.
I don't know whether its a common problem but I have had personal experience of it twice and the dealer said the same. I got 4 cheapo aftermarket wheels for <£200. There are two sizes of brake discs/calipers though - the same wheels wouldn't fit my wifes car so I had to buy some more
So far it has been absolutely mechanically fine, and at 13 years old, no rust.
The ones with the handling pack will have a small plastic trim round the front wheel arches. IMO worth having, and I wish I had taken it of my car before I scrapped it now.
For that money you should be able to get one with leather, cruise and the handling pack, and the info centre trip computer.
The alloys (on the early ones at least) seem to be made out of chocolate though - my S40 I had to replace the wheels as two of the alloys were egg-shaped, my wifes, whilst checking her tyres I find one has worn through to the cords
in one patch whilst the rest of the tyre was legal - guess what, bent wheel.The independent volvo dealer advised not to bother with genuine volvo ones and to get something aftermarket for this reason. They had a couple like this.
I don't know whether its a common problem but I have had personal experience of it twice and the dealer said the same. I got 4 cheapo aftermarket wheels for <£200. There are two sizes of brake discs/calipers though - the same wheels wouldn't fit my wifes car so I had to buy some more
Stick to the Volvo lumps (1.8 and 2.0) basically the B5204 from the 850/V70 with one less cylinder and distributor-less ignition and other different ancilaries. Mechanical reliability is as you'd expect from that era of Volvo - Superb. The V40s can show signs of rust on the rear end - You'll not see it without getting underneath it so have a good look. Personally, working on them everyday, they aren't as nice to work on as an 850/V70 as there is far less working space. To drive they are generic with the exception of the T4 which absolutely flies. Been reading the comments on the GDIs and would have to say they are terrible. The first one I drove was actually in a mitsubishi Carisma and I thought there was something wrong with it because it was so gutless. After a decent service it improved but they really don't come on song until above around 4000rpm and return bugger all better fuel economy than the far better Volvo sourced 1.8
I'd always favour a 850/V70 but many people prefer the less Swedish styling of the S/V40 which is fair enough
I'd always favour a 850/V70 but many people prefer the less Swedish styling of the S/V40 which is fair enough
morgrp said:
Stick to the Volvo lumps (1.8 and 2.0)
This ^Ring up any Volvo specialist (franchised or indie) and ask them what they think of the GDI - be prepared to hold the earpiece a short distance away.
A certain indie I know of has the following (red, bold) text tagged to the bottom of their service schedule spreadsheet - "If I ever see another GDI engine ever again, it will be too soon..."
Chris993C4 said:
morgrp said:
Stick to the Volvo lumps (1.8 and 2.0)
A certain indie I know of has the following (red, bold) text tagged to the bottom of their service schedule spreadsheet - "If I ever see another GDI engine ever again, it will be too soon..."I haven't really ever found the GDI to be a serious nightmare but it is a cack engine
I think the one I'd go for is the 2.0T (low pressure turbo) - They're cheap as chips, quick enough without any of the T4 histrionics and there good on the juice
morgrp said:
I haven't really ever found the GDI to be a serious nightmare but it is a cack engine
The GDI isn't an inherently cack engine, but it does coke-up very quickly if run on anything less than 98RON.Problem is, owners who are attracted to the "economy" of the GDI are exactly the kind of people who would never dream of using "expensive" petrol...
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