Mark One Volvo S40 - Anything to Look Out For?

Kintarō Hattori

I've been milling over what to upgrade the missus to from her K11 Micra. I was having a browse of DoneDeal and the S40 below caught my eye. I know she'll have issues as she won't like the look/age of the car but it'll be a heck of an upgrade in terms of safety/comfort.

This seems like a potentially good purchase: relatively low miles, good NCT, electric everything, leather etc.

Is there anything to look out for if eyeballing one of these or are they plagued with problems? Appreciate any and all advice.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3939247

166man

IIRC, the GDI engine was a Mitsubishi lump and wasn't as good as the Volvo unit. That's as much as I know though, I'm sure others know more and will be along to help. Other than that it looks like an awful lot of car for the money.

Esel

This one is petrol though?

Take 45mpg with a large pinch of salt.

No knowledge of the S40, but that looks like a nice car. Haggle, obviously.

langdang

Not sure if the gdi was even an option in that year. 45mpg my hole I'd say. Front suspension/steering components prone to wear as I recall. Slightly odd tyre sizes, be twice the price of the Micra's anyway! underrated cars, good bangernomics IMO.

Doh! Phone browsing let's me down, pretty massive gdi on the engine would be a small clue hah? If it's tappety find something else. Some people say they will run away with the coked up tapping, but the noise would wreck my head. If I wanted a broken sounding engine I'd buy a diesel.

I was checking s40s out years ago. Half the ones I looked at were clocked. Do your homework.

If its a gdi its technically a mk 1.5 or mk2 I think. There was a subtle facelift and some other changes from the mk1. Headlights are different I think. Mk1 ran as far as 98 IIRC

Leonard Hofstadter

Don't buy that car unless you can find evidence that the engine has been decoked within the past few years. If it sounds any way tappety/clattery/rough, run a mile, as that means it's going to need to be decoked again soon. If it sounds like a normal petrol engine but with a slight diesel kind of clatter, then it's ok.

Insist on seeing the most recent NCT test, in particular look at the emissions on that printout.

Those engines are totally unsuitable for anyone that is planning on driving around town. When they're running right, 45 mpg is easily attainable on the motorway, even 50 is possible on main roads driving at 100 kph.

Kintarō Hattori

It'd be mostly used for motorway driving.

Hmnn I'm getting a little nervous now. I'm not very mechanically minded. When I got the Micra I knew they were a reasonable bet to see on my own as they are fairly mechanically simple. This though of course, is a lot more complicated.

What to do, what to do?!?!

Kintarō Hattori

Sigh, it's off the cards as being 'too old'. She's insistent that when we come to get another car that we get something much newer. She's obsessed with the idea of a Mark II Focus.

Annoys me to be honest as she knows little about cars and needed to 'trust me' when getting the Micra. I'm gonna get no faith this time around as it's all about the feckin Focus.

colm_mcm

Won't get a mk2 focus or a grand though, what's the budget?

Hellrazer

The 1.8 gave problems with Throttle Bodies in the Gdi.They also got gunked up with carbon--typical Gdi problem in all fairness.
The only other thing I sell for them is heater resistors--not a huge issue and cheap enough to fix.


Other than that theyre a decent car.If it was me Id try get a 1.6 instead of the 1.8 as its a bit more reliable in that they dont give problems with the throttle housing.

Hope this helps.

Kintarō Hattori

colm_mcm wrote: »

Won't get a mk2 focus or a grand though, what's the budget?

Oh I know. The plan was to get a Mk II Focus next year for around 5-6k. In the meantime I thought this would be a nice step-up from the K11.

Bigus

She's right,

So

Why not get a focus 1 now , better to drive than the later one as well as being cheaper.

Leonard Hofstadter

Hellrazer wrote: »

The 1.8 gave problems with Throttle Bodies in the Gdi.They also got gunked up with carbon--typical Gdi problem in all fairness.
The only other thing I sell for them is heater resistors--not a huge issue and cheap enough to fix.


Other than that theyre a decent car.If it was me Id try get a 1.6 instead of the 1.8 as its a bit more reliable in that they dont give problems with the throttle housing.

Hope this helps.

I disagree, if the OP gets the 1.8 with the Volvo engine he/she won't have any problems. You'll know OP if it's a Volvo engined 1.8 because the tax disc for the GDI will tell you that the engine is 1834 cc, the Volvo engined ones are 1783 or 1731 or something like that (either way it will be 17xx cc for a Volvo engined model). The GDIs were only available in SE spec, so if it doesn't have leather, fake wood, climate control etc then you'll know it's a regular 1.8 (although the regular 1.8s were available with SE spec too, but it is rare for an Irish car to have that), the GDIs are badged '1.8 i', the regular 1.8s are simply badged '1.8'.

The S40 is certainly no ball of fire with a 1.8, so I dread to think how underpowered they are with a 1.6. Even in Ireland, most S40s are 1.8 anyway.

colm_mcm

captainspeed wrote: »

I disagree, if the OP gets the 1.8 with the Volvo engine he/she won't have any problems. You'll know OP if it's a Volvo engined 1.8 because the tax disc for the GDI will tell you that the engine is 1834 cc, the Volvo engined ones are 1783 or 1731 or something like that (either way it will be 17xx cc for a Volvo engined model). The GDIs were only available in SE spec, so if it doesn't have leather, fake wood, climate control etc then you'll know it's a regular 1.8 (although the regular 1.8s were available with SE spec too, but it is rare for an Irish car to have that), the GDIs are badged '1.8 i', the regular 1.8s are simply badged '1.8'.

The S40 is certainly no ball of fire with a 1.8, so I dread to think how underpowered they are with a 1.6. Even in Ireland, most S40s are 1.8 anyway.

There's not that much in it, 109 vs 115hp, half a second in the 0-60

Kintarō Hattori

Well I've had to knock it on the head. The fecker has a thing with wanting a newer car so no matter how great a car it would have been I'll have to shelf the idea.

Roll on next year and hopefully buying something newer then. I'll call back and ask for your advice. The jury is out on what we'll get but in the running are: Mk II Focus, Mk II S40, E60 5 Series and a 7th generation Accord.

Leonard Hofstadter

colm_mcm wrote: »

There's not that much in it, 109 vs 115hp, half a second in the 0-60

1.8s have 122 from 2000 onwards. Even the 122 bhp model isn't up to much in the performance department.

Esel

I hope the fecker is not reading this thread.... :eek:

Kintarō Hattori

Esel wrote: »

I hope the fecker is not reading this thread.... :eek:

It's all meant in good spirit. She is a fecker for not knowing what's good for her!

Dr_Colossus

Although off the cards due to it's age how about a slightly newer version? Should be able to get a 2001-2003 for not a whole lot more than that advertised. They offer seriously good value for money given all the extras included such as full leather, electrics, air con, cruise control etc.

I've a 2001 Volvo S40 1.8i GDI engined car for the past 2 1/2 years and in my experience it's been very reliable, comfortable and sturdy on the road and offers decent mileage (I get an average of 38mpg on a 50/50 mix of urban/rural driving with a moderately heavy foot). I've 130k miles (208k kms) on the clock now and it flew through the two NCTs I've put it through. Although my first car I think it's well designed and offers good passenger and luggage space, the newer Volvos based on the Ford chassis are alot smaller.

As others have pointed out the GDI engines are a concern with coking and build up of carbon but that's due to the poorer quality of petrol here than the cleaner, more refined version in Japan. Mine had an erratic idle and rough acceleration when I got it but I removed the throttle valve and idle control valve myself and gave them a thorough cleaning along with as much of the inlet manifold as I could reach and it's been running well since. It also helps the drive the car hard every so often to burn off the excess carbon build up around the engine valves.

Kintarō Hattori

Well my badgering looks like it may pay off. She's come around from flat out refusing an S40 to entertaining the thought of it. She will at least give it a test drive which is a positive step. However this'll only happen if the mileage from it is reasonable.

I have to confess that as I don't drive myself and I'm rarely there when she fills it up, I have no idea what MPG she's getting from her 1999 Micra. A new S40 popped up on the bangernomics thread and if the MPG isn't too awful she'll go to see the car. What are your thoughts on the below?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3973910

Irrespective of MPG I really want an S40 and that looks lovely. A 2002 model so it's not quite as old, hopefully had any kinks ironed out and according to the advert it has an NCT until 05/2013.

Also should I be concerned that the advert has been up for 24 days at this stage?

Bigus

According to fuelly .com real world mpg the Volvo will use exactly twice as much fuel as a 99 micro as I thought.

I'd say ad is up 24 days cos its quite poor advert and nobody's buying 1.8 and 2.0 ltr cars at that level.

She's still right on the focus.

If you're insisting on s 40 get the latest old model one for similar money by haggling hard , they are very hard to sell


Asking 3 offer 1500 worth a try
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4003401

Kintarō Hattori

Bigus wrote: »

She's still right on the focus.

Many thanks for the post Bigus. Why though do you think the Focus Mk II would be a better car?

Hellrazer

Bigus wrote: »

If you're insisting on s 40 get the latest old model one for similar money by haggling hard , they are very hard to sell


Asking 3 offer 1500 worth a try
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4003401

I wouldnt touch the new model.Reliability is crap.Alternators,Abs modules.If you buy a diesel Dpfs.Ignition switches.Now boot door looms are giving problems.

The older model is far more reliable.

Btw that link is still the same model as a 1998 albeit the facelifted version.Same engine etc.The newer model cam in in late 2004 onwards.

langdang

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Many thanks for the post Bigus. Why though do you think the Focus Mk II would be a better car?

TBH, if your budget is tight I'd try to get the best condition Mk1 Focus as possible and keep a few squids for repairs (they're pretty cheap to run/fix in fairness), rather than stretching yourself to the limit to get a Mk2.
That's just based on my gut feeling that there is better value in late model Mk1's than early Mk2's. If it's much of a muchness, tear away with the Mk2.

Kintarō Hattori

I can save and spend €5-6k next year on a Mk II but when I see that a nice car can be had around the €1k mark I'd just like to get her out of the Micra. If it proved to be an alright car she'd probably put off changing to a newer car for a while.

H3llR4iser

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I can save and spend €5-6k next year on a Mk II but when I see that a nice car can be had around the €1k mark I'd just like to get her out of the Micra. If it proved to be an alright car she'd probably put off changing to a newer car for a while.

Can I ask why are you so dead set about getting her "out of the Micra"? I wouldn't drive one myself but it is a perfect car for somebody that knows absolutely nothing about them. You know, it goes and uses little petrol

As for the S40 (which is now sold BTW) I wouldn't insist; If she judges by the cover and is obsessed with the Focus, wait until you find one and get it - she'll hate anything else.

Bigus

^^^^^ for safety I'd say and it might prove cheaper than waiting

Listen to her ,,,, or at least pretend to. :eek: because if you don't at the first sign of bother , it's all your fault.

I'd say Mark one focus all the way for your budget
Why
Cheap to buy
Economical on juice
safe, not tooooooo much bigger than the micra for parking
Cheap as chips to fix by any mechanic anywhere,
great to drive (better than mark 2 by a long shot)

Secondhand focus is bought by a lot of motoring journos as their car even clarkson had one for the train station.
Very plentiful and this is the ONLY reason why they are cheap, but you'll have to look at loads to get a bargain, be prepared to jump on donedeal ones in first hour, to get a good result.
Estates go for nothing and saloons cheaper than hatchbacks .
If I was on a budget id go for a later high mileage rather than earlier low mileage for the same money depending on condition and previous use.
I drove one with 200k miles from the midlands and it felt ready for another 100 k miles at least.
Happy hunting, but if you come across an S40 real cheap it's a good choice but it needs to be real,cheap say 04 for 1500 .

gibbon75

Hellrazer wrote: »

I wouldnt touch the new model.Reliability is crap.Alternators,Abs modules.If you buy a diesel Dpfs.Ignition switches.Now boot door looms are giving problems.

Not to mention the mass movement sensors,alarm sirens,front door looms,throttle body issues and inlet flap solenoids...