340 running costs
 

Hi peeps,
Looking for a cheap car to run as well as my 240. What are the 1.4 340's like on fuel? wouldn't mind an auto or a manual.
Cheers

very economic to run they dont go wrong , fuel about 28 - 35 mpg ... autos avoid ! i bet there arent ANY still around that work properly now ...

oh i do hope you are wrong clan we are just in the process of buying one .,auto that is.

lynda & ron.:animal-smiley-027::animal-smiley-037:

oops , they can be very thirsty when the auto isnt working properly , when you get up to 35 mph ease off the throttle and the revs should die away as it goes up into overdrive gear .... if you want any help later let me know . still a great car the 340 though and easy to convert to 5 speed manual ..

thankyou clan, the car belong's to pete farrel so hoping i don't get too many problem's i will be in touch though if i do. we have owned a few 340's 1400, and 1700 manual, being ex yorkshire lad ie tight git (old habit's die hard) we could squeese about 45 mpg on a long run i assume that the auto's are a little more thirsty,:beer_yum::beer_yum:

lynda & ron.:animal-smiley-027::animal-smiley-037:

Fairly certain Pete's Vario was running spot on and changing as it should

From experiance with both 1.7 340's and carbed 360's they are costing me around £10 per 100 miles on LPG. The 240's are about £12 per 100

thankyou i have no doubt what so ever about pete's car it look's a beauty just can't wait to take care of it, we have been looking for a good one for a long time so this one will be well pampered and taken care of.thank's pete :thumbs_up:

lynda & ron.:animal-smiley-027::animal-smiley-037:

Caveat emptor!
 

340's are excellent, economical (for what they are) and sensible.

Servicing is a joy. especially the 1.4, loads of room in the engine bay. Ours runs on LPG, an easy conversion that pays itself off in about 10 months normal driving. Added benefits are that the oil simply doesn't get fouled. You drain out almost clear oil after about 10,000 miles.

But be warned, spares are dwindling. You might just find that your pride and joy is laid low indefinitely with something silly like a burst radiator hose.

We have built up a stock of ebay items which have proved useful. (Brake discs, radiator [now used], alternators etc.)

Second warning. Not everybody selling things on ebay is clued up or scrupulous. (Shock, horror!) A 340 starter motor might not work when you come to use it. Chances are by this time, it's too late to send it back.

Third warning. Rust. It is subject to tinworm around the rear wheel arches. Don't miss directing a jet of clean water right up under the arches to flush out the accumulated soil and salt that will have your car for breakfast. Keep it clean and it will last.

I would steer clear of the auto. we had one for a short while, but try shimming the gearbox, or even changing the belts. Lots of mangled knuckles!

All round, if the spares were more easy to get, I would say go for a 340 for a beautiful runaround car. As it is, be prepared to have it laid up for days on end whilst you trawl the internet.

Luckily there are a lot of companies reproducing parts now (well... I say a lot, most important things for running are obtainable) There are lots of parts, the aforementioned hoses in particular, that can be sourced elsewhere, a fair chunk of mine is now Samco style silicon.

I do 15ish,000 a year, I can't afford for the car to be laid up ;)