V40: Hoping to buy a V40, anything i should know 1st

[Burnout21]

Hey guys,

Just graduated from uni, and looks like a few jobs have come up and I would like to replace my aged 440 1.8, as the running gear and body work are starting to let the old girl down (rust, rubber mounts fecked, etc)

Anyway this got me thinking about a replacement car and the V40 popped into my head.

It would seem a T4 is the most interesting, and can be had on autotrader currently for £2,400 or they abouts, and sometimes cheaper. However the possibility that its been trashed makes me sick the bottom of my stomach and could soon turn into a money pit which i want to avoid at all costs!

So budget of about £2,500, which V40 should i be looking at? Don't want anything slower than my 440 1.8, it might be falling to bits but it still flies faster than my parents focus 1.8 zetec crap.

Just a little info, i buy cars to run into the ground, and by that i mean keep them going for years and years. The current 440, has been owned in the family since it was on 45K miles, and i've been driving it since 2005/6 and clocked it to 400 miles short of its 150K birthday, we've owned it since 2000, so 10 years isn't bad for a £1250 purchase.

Also my daily drive is looking like its going to be a 130 mile round trip, so economy is a big plus here, which might rule a T4 out, and force me to look at a diesel... Deep dark Norfolk to Cambridge North.

[littlehomer]

Hi there,

I would say that £2,500 would see you into some very nice S40 or V40 cars of all types on a relatively young plate.

T4's can be had for anything from £600 to over your budget depending on age in my limited experience. They need looking after, but the rewards are huge.

Given you commute the T4 is a bit of a guzzler and why most of the T4 owners sadly part with their cars.

I would say that a diesel is your best bet, try to get into the 02 plate as the car was coming to the end of its cycle and Volvo began to throw every extra at them to shift them before the V50 arrived.

I've seen the 115BHP variety, (same as I drive) with leather, all the gear on an 02 plate with modest mileage in your budget. A good remap and the car will pull and drive well. Tax is low, same as a 1.2L VW polo! I'm getting 46mpg out of mine with an engine that needs some TLC.

I'm sure there is a list on here of what to look for when buying as well.

Many Thanks,

Daniel.

[Burnout21]

Originally Posted by littlehomer

Hi there,

I would say that £2,500 would see you into some very nice S40 or V40 cars of all types on a relatively young plate.

T4's can be had for anything from £600 to over your budget depending on age in my limited experience. They need looking after, but the rewards are huge.

Given you commute the T4 is a bit of a guzzler and why most of the T4 owners sadly part with their cars.

I would say that a diesel is your best bet, try to get into the 02 plate as the car was coming to the end of its cycle and Volvo began to throw every extra at them to shift them before the V50 arrived.

I've seen the 115BHP variety, (same as I drive) with leather, all the gear on an 02 plate with modest mileage in your budget. A good remap and the car will pull and drive well. Tax is low, same as a 1.2L VW polo! I'm getting 46mpg out of mine with an engine that needs some TLC.

I'm sure there is a list on here of what to look for when buying as well.

Many Thanks,

Daniel.

The 115hp, which engine is that? 1.9 TD, or a 1.8 non turbo petrol?

Seems like a lot chassis to pull with 115hp, my rust bucket is very light with 90hp, but being an 8v the torque produced in the low end really helps pull like a train.

So later MK1 model V40, no later than an 02 plate should see me a decent car, with all the extra's. Air Con and leather seem VERY tempting over having a T4


EDIT

Indeed your on about the diesel, 115hp diesel should pull like my current car, plenty of lovely torque!


Am i right in saying that the S40/V40 are based on the same chassis platform as the Mitsubishi Carisma, which in turn was is the same as the Evo. I've seen a few mk1 and mk2 evo's donating parts like running gear and engines into these volvo's but very limited information on the topic.

[DWM]

Yes you're right about the Carisma platform-sharing.

For fun, see this brilliant and extraordinary thread.

With £2,500 you can get a really nice one. I would say, though, that there is no need to spend as much as that. Very well looked after, well-equipped, older cars can be had for half that, and if looked after they do by all accounts go on and on. And then you could spend the rest on beer or women or whatever...

[jez v40]

the 115bhp diesel engine is a renault based engine. (i have one 02 plate), and yes the s/v40 were developeped and built along side the charisma, and they do share some of the same runnig gear etc. and of course there is the 18gdi engine. any way back to 1.9 diesel, mines got 184 k on clock and goes like stink. also i went on a 190 mile round trip 2 weeks ago and averaged 57 to gallon. nomally get abuot 38 around town

[Burnout21]

Originally Posted by DWM

Yes you're right about the Carisma platform-sharing.

For fun, see this brilliant and extraordinary thread.

With £2,500 you can get a really nice one. I would say, though, that there is no need to spend as much as that. Very well looked after, well-equipped, older cars can be had for half that, and if looked after they do by all accounts go on and on. And then you could spend the rest on beer or women or whatever...

I remember Firebolts thread from a few months back, but it seems to have died.

This S40 seems to be going well, and i have been following it for a while now

Originally Posted by jez v40

the 115bhp diesel engine is a renault based engine. (i have one 02 plate), and yes the s/v40 were developeped and built along side the charisma, and they do share some of the same runnig gear etc. and of course there is the 18gdi engine. any way back to 1.9 diesel, mines got 184 k on clock and goes like stink. also i went on a 190 mile round trip 2 weeks ago and averaged 57 to gallon. nomally get abuot 38 around town

I think the smoker sounds like a winner, need to get out and test drive a few i think. Dream of the T4, but let the wallet buy a Diesel, at only £125 year for tax, and serious economy trade off. booo, no fun! lol!

[jez v40]

n ot exactly no fun. but get a later one phase2, with all the bits and they look th e biz, look at photos of btsams, mines not mint i know but with alloys spoilers etc still think looks top. and as i say when your batting down outside lane and still getting high 40s to gallon it don't matter.

[andy_d]

£2400 on a s/v40 will get you a Minter, easy. me , id not touch a tractor engine, even with tha moderatly sized commute you have, the 1.8 / 1.8i(gdi), 2, engines for petrol , or the 2 LPT would be where im looking.
the few pennies savings on fuel/tax Stacked against the clattery rattle smelly engine ,naw no tractors thankies.
Last time i had a tractor (company car) i had a 306 estate 1.9td unit, used to cost the same for a week as the 306 1.6 AUTO estate i replaced it with, same trips same traffic etc Same £ into the tank per week. Even though the auto was a smaller engine it was far nicer to drive and despite being a small engined auto far more responsive as well.

unless you Really need/like the estate, id suggest looking at the saloon one, there usually a few hundred cheaper for the same age/miles/etc.

[Burnout21]

Originally Posted by andy_d

£2400 on a s/v40 will get you a Minter, easy. me , id not touch a tractor engine, even with tha moderatly sized commute you have, the 1.8 / 1.8i(gdi), 2, engines for petrol , or the 2 LPT would be where im looking.
the few pennies savings on fuel/tax Stacked against the clattery rattle smelly engine ,naw no tractors thankies.
Last time i had a tractor (company car) i had a 306 estate 1.9td unit, used to cost the same for a week as the 306 1.6 AUTO estate i replaced it with, same trips same traffic etc Same £ into the tank per week. Even though the auto was a smaller engine it was far nicer to drive and despite being a small engined auto far more responsive as well.

unless you Really need/like the estate, id suggest looking at the saloon one, there usually a few hundred cheaper for the same age/miles/etc.

'I really want an estate', and yes that really did hurt to say. The way i see it, i need to lug crap around for the next few years to come. Also my girlfriend has said she would prefer a V40 so there is room to easily throw a pram in the back for are future plans...

I actually hate the look of the back end of the S40, its like they just gave up when designing it.

The return of 46 mpg is defiantly very very interesting. Anyone run on of these smokers on veggy oil?