Thinking of a Volvo s40 - questions

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 12:34am #1

Just wondering about a Volvo s40, about 2006 75000 miles or so 1.8 petrol

What are opinions on this car and what are people's real world city mpg figures?

Thanks folks

colm_mcm · 29-10-2012 12:41am

1.8 or 1.8F?

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 7:57am

colm_mcm wrote: »

1.8 or 1.8F?

Ill be honest and say I haven't a clue but haven't seen 1.8f mentioned at all...

It'd be pretty much a straight swap for my 1.4 focus with 63000km on it. Not with the same person obviously, unless that'd be attractive to a dealer?

Ill post a few examples when I get up for work in an hour.

clogher71 · 29-10-2012 9:02am

I find the legroom at the back very tight&the boot small if I remember correctly on them....

Mossess · 29-10-2012 9:06am

A fantastic car and a pleasure to drive. But with the price of petrol only going up Id go for the diesel.

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 9:15am

i dont do much driving, maybe 1000km a month with 15000km including some long journeys. The focus is only getting 31mpg due to the weight of the body and size of the engine (1.4) so a 1.8 petrol s40 should do a little more than that , even 33-35 would be nice.
tbh I only just thought of changing it last night and if I can do a straight swap (no cost to me) and even have the same mpg, id be perfectly happy as its a far nicer car. Ye bits are a bit more, tax is a bit higher, but its not break the bank stuff.

Really appreciate the points clogher, thats the sort of stuff I need, one little point like that might be the one that makes or breaks for me. But the legroom wont be an issue as I rarely have more than the 2 of us and parkers is saying the boot is 20 litres bigger than the focus which is massive! even if it was 20 smaller it would be fine.
But thanks for them, as I said, exactly what I need.

A few examples below, and what do people think of the 1.6? would it be the same issue with power/weight as the focus?

S40

S40

Henry Ford III · 29-10-2012 9:28am

1.8 petrol S40 in urban driving conditions will struggle to top 30mpg I reckon.

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 9:31am

Henry Ford III wrote: »

1.8 petrol S40 in urban driving conditions will struggle to top 30mpg I reckon.

and the 1.6?

Henry Ford III · 29-10-2012 9:55am

alexlyons wrote: »

and the 1.6?

Petrol or diesel?

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 9:55am

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Petrol or diesel?

Petrol. Unless I got a very good amount for the focus and a cheap nice spec'd diesel

Henry Ford III · 29-10-2012 10:20am

alexlyons wrote: »

Petrol. Unless I got a very good amount for the focus and a cheap nice spec'd diesel

Low 30's maybe.

brennarr · 29-10-2012 10:48am

Can't speak about the petrol engines but I have a 2006 2.0D engine. It's a lovely car, very nice to drive. Getting about 48 mpg on the motorway.

bazz26 · 29-10-2012 2:24pm

Mossess wrote: »

A fantastic car and a pleasure to drive. But with the price of petrol only going up Id go for the diesel.

Which will be more than offset by the lower purchase price of the petrol car over a similar diesel model.

OP, the S40 is built on the same platform as your Focus, the 1.6 litre petrol engine is from Ford and the 1.8 litre is from Mazda via Ford. However there are alot of parts that are not shared between both and these tend to be expensive to replace especially if you go the main dealer route. Rear legroom is on a par with the Focus but access to the boot is narrow making it very impractical.

1.8F is the flex fuel model which didn't appear until 2007. They run on either unleaded or ethanol (which is not sold in the Republic anymore) and are very thirsty.

S40 was aimed at the executive market and feels upmarket inside with lots of standard equipment. They are well built, very refined and a heavy car but they do suffer from common issues such as fragile suspension on Irish roads, ABS/Traction Control module failure, alternator failure on the petrol models and various electrical issues. I owned one for 2 years btw.

A2LUE42 · 29-10-2012 2:27pm

bazz26 wrote: »

Which will be more than offset by the lower purchase price of the petrol car over a similar diesel model.

OP, the S40 is built on the same platform as your Focus, the 1.6 litre petrol engine is from Ford and the 1.8 litre is from Mazda via Ford. However there are alot of parts that are not shared between both and these tend to be expensive to replace especially if you go the main dealer route. Rear legroom is on a par with the Focus but access to the boot is narrow making it very impractical.

1.8F is the flex fuel model which didn't appear until 2007. They run on either unleaded or ethanol (which is not sold in the Republic anymore) and are very thirsty.

S40 was aimed at the executive market and feels upmarket inside with lots of standard equipment. They are well built, very refined and a heavy car but they do suffer from common issues such as fragile suspension on Irish roads, ABS/Traction Control module failure, alternator failure on the petrol models and various electrical issues. I owned one for 2 years btw.

Agree with the point on the boot. It is very badly designed. Looks huge, but very tight to get a box in or out of, if at all.

alexlyons · 29-10-2012 2:43pm

A2LUE42 wrote: »

Agree with the point on the boot. It is very badly designed. Looks huge, but very tight to get a box in or out of, if at all.

From research iv heard about the boot issue, not something concerning me hugely.

I love the interior. It's a massive step up from the focus. It's an Lx model so basic enough.

The alternator and abs issues are concerning me a little, but then again every car can have issues. I just spoke to a mechanic and he said he's done a few abs units and an alternator or two and he said it really is pot luck. He said most of the ones he's done/heard of are above 100k miles and I'm looking at less than that with small mileage.

Having owned one for 2 years, what range did you get out of a tank?

And finally, what are the chances of a dealer doing a straight swap? The 1.4 focuses are selling quicker than the 1.8 s40 and for more. Would a dealer like the sight of an easier sell or want cash?

bazz26 · 29-10-2012 3:35pm

I very much doubt any dealer will do a straight swap. They have to service, valet, give a warranty on both cars and turn a profit on the deal. I'd also doubt a basic 1.4 Focus is any more desireable than a 1.8 well speced S40. There are a huge number of 1.4 Focus out there for sale so supply outways demand for them.

Poulgorm · 29-10-2012 8:36pm

I had an S40 for 3 years (bought new): yes, very well finished off inside. The chassis is shared with the Focus, but whatever Volvo have done, the suspension and handling of the S40 is much inferior to the Focus, on secondary roads. The rear suspension is much more harsh and the rear of the car is jumpy on irregular roads.

But on smooth roads it is a pleasure to drive.

Don't go near the 1.6 diesel version, though. Post 60,000 miles, it will inflict massive damage on your bank balance. My experience anyway...

Leonard Hofstadter · 30-10-2012 7:35pm

1.6 diesels will be fine if they have a full service history. The older model is a lot more reliable as long as you avoid the 1.8 GDI model.

Sobanek · 30-10-2012 8:10pm

brennarr wrote: »

Can't speak about the petrol engines but I have a 2006 2.0D engine. It's a lovely car, very nice to drive. Getting about 48 mpg on the motorway.

Got a 2006 V50 with this engine. Really good cars, I don't know how much 48mpg is, but I'm getting an average of 6.9l/100km mixed and 6.1l/100km on the motorway. I use all the goodies like Air Con and Heated Seats, so... :P

crossvilla · 30-10-2012 8:30pm

I had the old and new model S40 1.9/2 diesel, great car, poor resale, few problems. The flexifuel was a bit of a gimmick but as far as I know runs fine on petrol. The 1.6 has no poke in it for a diesel. If your only doing 12k a year get a petrol. You can get a lot of them with cream leather upholstery and a nice mahogany dash if you go for a 2007/2008. For a model that was first launched in 2004 I still think it looks great!

Capri86 · 30-10-2012 8:39pm

I have the 2007 1.6 diesel s40. It's a lovely car to drive and the miles between fill ups is great. I do nearly all motorway driving and the seats are great for it and cruise control is nice

Only issue I have is an intermittent warning about the reverse parking sensors need checking but that's only rarely.

Overall I love the car

Eoin · 30-10-2012 11:07pm

I had a 2006 Volvo V50 2.0D and was pretty underwhelmed by it. It only did about 40MPG and I found it a bit of a "twitchy" drive (can't think of a better description at the moment). I know that 40MPG isn't bad, but does seem to be at the lower end of the scale for a car that size - but without any decent performance to compensate for it. Maybe the saloon version drives differently though.

The interior was definitely a big improvement on the focus it's based on though - very comfortable indeed.

alexlyons · 30-10-2012 11:42pm

thanks folks.

I looked again at the 1.6 focus and all the interiors are absolutely awful, very basic and the same all the way through.

The v50 and any diesel s40's in my price range are all 110000+ miles so I want stear clear of them. and as stated, at 12k a year, petrol is probably best. I test drove one today a little outside my price bracket just to see if I liked them and it was gorgeous. Drove it fairly hard to get a feel for it and it still averaged 8.6l/100 so being nice it would be at least 1.5l/100 better than the focus on top of being a nicer car.

any issues with getting an imported one? I assume from the uk I just need to check

bazz26 · 31-10-2012 12:04am

I cannot see you saving any money by going to the UK for one. Exchange rate the way it is and steep VRT on petrol cars would surely cost the same as buying here?

BTW I went from a 2005 Focus Ghia 1.6 TDCi to a 2006 S40 1.6d SE and there was a fair step up in comfort and refinement but the Focus was nippier despite both having the same engine and a more sportier drive.

alexlyons · 31-10-2012 12:06am

bazz26 wrote: »

I cannot see you saving any money by going to the UK for one. Exchange rate the way it is and steep VRT on petrol cars would surely cost the same as buying here?

BTW I went from a 2005 Focus Ghia 1.6 TDCi to a 2006 S40 1.6d SE and there was a fair step up in comfort and refinement but the Focus was nippier despite both having the same engine and a more sportier drive.

It's already been imported and for sale here in euro. Reg is over 120000

bazz26 · 31-10-2012 12:22am

Just verify the service history, it is standard for a UK car to have a documented service history. If it's missing then walk away.

MrDerp · 31-10-2012 12:45am

Swapped a 1.4 mkII focus (2005) for a 1.8 petrol s40 (2007), and I couldn't be happier. I got an SE with leather interior and a bunch of toys.

I get 35-37mpg on daily commute from Dublin 5 to Dublin 15 via some city, N32, M50, N3. If you push it, the car will drink up tho.

On a run from Dublin 5 to Cork it's more like 28mpg (doing 140) to 32mpg (doing 130) but I push it hard enough on that run, and that fuel comes out of the joint account

It's nippy when you need it, and reasonably economical when you ease off. 1.8 petrol is about right for the car's weight.

You'll notice the steering difference alright, lacks feedback and is definitely not as good as focus, but you get used to it quickly. This I'd not a drivers car, nor does it pretend to me. I crave comfort and interiors, not throwing cars into corners. It's fun enough for me.

Practicalities:
- The boot opening is as noted above.
- The cup holders are the two worst placed I've seen on any car. Stick anything taller than a small coffee in there and you'll be elbowing it all day.
- storage is miserly, small area behind console, door pockets next to useless, small glove box, somewhat saved by pocket in the armrest
- easiest bulb changing I've ever had!
- very comfy seats, mine have lumbar support
- back is a little bit tighter than the focus, but I'm fairly pished if I'm being driven in my car and not even in the passenger seat so who cares?
- I've got 17" alloys. Tyres are steep at this size.

ronanphilip · 31-10-2012 2:54am

here is a fairly accurate account of fuel consumption for my 2005 s40 1.8 my fuelly

Have the car since Feb 2011, bought with somewhere around 65000 km on clock now has about 108500. My experience with car in that time is

The Good
Love the car
I like the look of them
Well finished
Well Specced
Nice To Drive

The Bad
Had to replace a rear Hub
Had to replace front wishbone rear bushings
Had to have alternator repaired (twice within around a week obviously someone messed up the repair somewhere)

Current (anyone know what issues could be ?)
The radio occasionally decides not to turn on for no apparent reason
Slight shake in steering wheel when on motorway, hopefully wheel balance/tracking ?
Front tires wearing un-evenly hopefully tracking / under inflation / result of the bad bushings just replaced ?

alexlyons · 31-10-2012 6:15pm

thanks guys, really appreciate the feedback, it's very insightful and I do like what I'm hearing. The amount of repairs is a bit off putting though, but I love them and think I'll go for one. If anything major went I seriously couldn't afford to fix it though...

MrDerp wrote: »

Swapped a 1.4 mkII focus (2005) for a 1.8 petrol s40 (2007), and I couldn't be happier. I got an SE with leather interior and a bunch of toys.

I get 35-37mpg on daily commute from Dublin 5 to Dublin 15 via some city, N32, M50, N3. If you push it, the car will drink up tho.

On a run from Dublin 5 to Cork it's more like 28mpg (doing 140) to 32mpg (doing 130) but I push it hard enough on that run, and that fuel comes out of the joint account

It's nippy when you need it, and reasonably economical when you ease off. 1.8 petrol is about right for the car's weight.

You'll notice the steering difference alright, lacks feedback and is definitely not as good as focus, but you get used to it quickly. This I'd not a drivers car, nor does it pretend to me. I crave comfort and interiors, not throwing cars into corners. It's fun enough for me.

Practicalities:
- The boot opening is as noted above.
- The cup holders are the two worst placed I've seen on any car. Stick anything taller than a small coffee in there and you'll be elbowing it all day.
- storage is miserly, small area behind console, door pockets next to useless, small glove box, somewhat saved by pocket in the armrest
- easiest bulb changing I've ever had!
- very comfy seats, mine have lumbar support
- back is a little bit tighter than the focus, but I'm fairly pished if I'm being driven in my car and not even in the passenger seat so who cares?
- I've got 17" alloys. Tyres are steep at this size.

your 35-37 mpg is nice to hear. I generally drive fairly handy.
I'm with you on the need for comfort and gadgets rather than throwing it around corners.

ronanphilip wrote: »

here is a fairly accurate account of fuel consumption for my 2005 s40 1.8 my fuelly

Have the car since Feb 2011, bought with somewhere around 65000 km on clock now has about 108500. My experience with car in that time is

The Good
Love the car
I like the look of them
Well finished
Well Specced
Nice To Drive

The Bad
Had to replace a rear Hub
Had to replace front wishbone rear bushings
Had to have alternator repaired (twice within around a week obviously someone messed up the repair somewhere)

Current (anyone know what issues could be ?)
The radio occasionally decides not to turn on for no apparent reason
Slight shake in steering wheel when on motorway, hopefully wheel balance/tracking ?
Front tires wearing un-evenly hopefully tracking / under inflation / result of the bad bushings just replaced ?

I have an app that does those calculations as well, yours are very nice to be able to see and compare to the focus.

You did a run between 27-30th july of 650km and put in 51l after, was that the tank full to empty? think its a 55l tank... and were you pushing it or being nice?

Thinking of a Volvo s40 - questions

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