Shed Of The Week: Volvo V40 T4

Pretty quick, pretty cheap and pretty practical suits Shed to a T

Anyone for T? If you like Volvos, and you like going fast, then T should be your automotive beverage of choice.

Shamefully, the current V40 T4 disgraces the once-proud T name by only having 177hp. Back in 1998 though, things were different. The V40 T4 gave you nearly 200hp in a surprisingly less than heavy package.

Faster than it looks. Honest

Even with the standard output, our Shed's asking price of £690 equates to a piffling £3.50 per hp. That's assuming all 197 are still present in the stable, an unlikely state of affairs admittedly, but even if you call it four quid a horse that compares quite favourably to the £277 you'll pay for every hp in a 661hp Ferrari 488GTB. Plus of course the Ferrari wouldn't provide you with anything like the same tip-visiting potential.

You may be querying the performance comparison between a brand new Ferrari and a 19-year old Volvo estate, but perhaps you don't know just how tuneable these earlier 1.9 T4s are. Here's one struggling to put 600hp down. And here's another one bending its dash needles as the chuckling owner goes WOT with 700hp under his right diver's boot. Swedish mentalism at its best, and not bad for a car with 148,000km.

Plus it makes you think that our 155,000-mile Shed has plenty more life in it. The T4 engine is basically a T5 with a cylinder sawn off. The engine mounts do have a habit of disintegrating, but that seems to be a Volvo thing rather than a T4 thing. Shed once ran a V70 T5 that had the same problem.

V40 back springs have been known to snap unexpectedly - well, how else would they snap? - and the brake calipers seize. Again, this latter problem is far from model-unique. Lambda sensors, fuel pumps and wiring under the radiator (hmm) can all spoil your day.

How comfy does this look?

Otherwise, these stealthy old boots will give good service for a long time without too much needing to be replaced other than the usual consumables. The handling won't be as good as that of, say, an Octavia vRS, especially on these phase 1 cars, and that manual 'box is built for comfort rather than speed.

But in the world that really matters to the Shedman, 30mpg is easily attainable in normal use, the insurance is dirt cheap, and home maintenance is not difficult. The interference-type cambelt/pump/tensioner array only needs replacing every 80K or 100K depending on who you believe. Some say the pulleys have a shorter life expectation. Either way, replacement is not an expensive job.

This T4 has a nicely lived-in look about it. Bum-polishing over time just makes those pillowy soft leather sofas all the more cushy. Heat percolates through to the cabin jolly efficiently, making these great winter cars. They're pretty rust-resistant too, although the MOT history on this one indicates that the brake lines are on the slippery slope. Examine the alloys too, as they're known for being made of Jarlsberg.

Check it's not had a front-ender, keep the oil nice and fresh and move into the sleeper lane, which in your case can be enjoyed at speeds in the mid-140s. Prime your dash cam to record the reaction of that 488 owner as you whistle past.

Here's the ad, capitalised for the hard of vision.

FINISHED IN METALLIC GREEN WITH FULL BLACK LEATHER INTERIOR WITH HEATED SEATS, ELECTRIC SUNROOF WITH TILT AND SLIDE OPTION, CRUISE CONTROL, AUTO CLIMATE CONTROL, FULL ELECTRIC WINDOWS, ELECTRIC MIRRORS, FRONT AND REAR ARM REST, REAR SPOILER, FITTED WITH TOW BAR AND TWIN ELECTRICS, 16 INCH ALLOYS, MOT UNTIL NOVEMBER 2017 ALSO HAVE ALL THE OLD MOTS, HPI CERTIFICATE PROVIDED, PLEASE CALL OUR SALES LINE FOR MORE INFO.

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drgoatboy

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