Volvo 480 buying tips.

[s.hammond]

Hi all,
I've recently got into synthwave/outrun/retrowave music genre and have been hankering for a car to suit, then a light bulb went on whilst viewing videos of the Dodge Daytona, so I'm now looking into buying a 480 because A, it's a Volvo and B, it has the perfect look for what I'm looking for!

what buying tips/advice can be given?

I have searched the forum but to no avail?

Cheers.

[doingitsideways]

Run away.

[doingitsideways]

Lol, sorry couldn't resist!

Seriously though, get a bad one and it'll be nothing but heartache, a good one and it'll never fail to put a smile on your face.
They were the car that Volvo couldn't wait to disassociate themselves with, as soon as their 10 year commitment to honour parts after production ceases was up, ALL parts disappeared off the systems. They had so much headache with them over the years.

Anyway...

All Dutch-built in Born - Holland.

Suspension, supposedly designed with Lotus, is quite tight when all the bushes are playing ball, wallowy and clunky when not. Steering is quick, but numb.

Brakes, ABS as standard (I think), vented fronts on the Turbo, solids on N/A.
Parts like the accumulator on early ABS are made of unobtainium now though. Much like most 400 series parts, consumables slightly less in pattern form.

Engines, all Renault sourced units.
1.7 N/A, bulletproof but pretty slow and gruff. 102(?)bhp
2.0 N/A, strong and will cover big mileages, a little more refined and torquier than the 1.7. 110bhp.
1.7 Turbo, turbo.system designed by Porsche @ around 170-180bhp, then detuned by Volvo to 120bhp, essentially a modified version of the 1.7 N/A, but electronics a bit more fussy.

Electrics, big achilles heal, info centres play up, various daft little electrical gremlins make you pull your hair out.

Body, RUST!!
Rear arches and boot floor the worst offenders, rear lights leak, filling boot with water.
Lights themselves become brittle with age, reproductions available at the moment, but not cheap.


That said, onve they're under your skin, that's it. I can't bring myself to get rid of mine.

Head over to 480 club forums and have a good look around


GOOD LUCK!!

[s.hammond]

Originally Posted by doingitsideways

Lol, sorry couldn't resist!

Seriously though, get a bad one and it'll be nothing but heartache, a good one and it'll never fail to put a smile on your face.
They were the car that Volvo couldn't wait to disassociate themselves with, as soon as their 10 year commitment to honour parts after production ceases was up, ALL parts disappeared off the systems. They had so much headache with them over the years.

Anyway...

All Dutch-built in Born - Holland.

Suspension, supposedly designed with Lotus, is quite tight when all the bushes are playing ball, wallowy and clunky when not. Steering is quick, but numb.

Brakes, ABS as standard (I think), vented fronts on the Turbo, solids on N/A.
Parts like the accumulator on early ABS are made of unobtainium now though. Much like most 400 series parts, consumables slightly less in pattern form.

Engines, all Renault sourced units.
1.7 N/A, bulletproof but pretty slow and gruff. 102(?)bhp
2.0 N/A, strong and will cover big mileages, a little more refined and torquier than the 1.7. 110bhp.
1.7 Turbo, turbo.system designed by Porsche @ around 170-180bhp, then detuned by Volvo to 120bhp, essentially a modified version of the 1.7 N/A, but electronics a bit more fussy.

Electrics, big achilles heal, info centres play up, various daft little electrical gremlins make you pull your hair out.

Body, RUST!!
Rear arches and boot floor the worst offenders, rear lights leak, filling boot with water.
Lights themselves become brittle with age, reproductions available at the moment, but not cheap.


That said, onve they're under your skin, that's it. I can't bring myself to get rid of mine.

Head over to 480 club forums and have a good look around


GOOD LUCK!!

I thought you was on about the Tom Selleck movie lol

I like the 1.7's gruffness! Would prefer a turbo in black with red striping but on doing a search they are few and far between, however there is a 1.7 es near me for £495 with rust patches! Any structural rust to watch out for?

I will bear your advice in mind, thanks.

[doingitsideways]

Yes.

Rear arch rust ends up in the cills.
Boot rust ends up finding it's way to the seatbelt and suspension mounting points.
It all meets together tbf!

Front subframe mounting points too.

Forgot to say, another thing to look for is a knackered rear engine mount.
This causes the engine to sit further back than it should. Difficulty engaging first gear is a giveaway as they use link rods rather than cables like modern stuff.

Clutch cables are pretty much unavailable now also.


They are great fun to drive though, even the 1.7, feeling much quicker than they actually are as you're sat on the floor.

[s.hammond]

Originally Posted by doingitsideways

Yes.

Rear arch rust ends up in the sills.
Boot rust ends up finding it's way to the seatbelt and suspension mounting points.
It all meets together tbf!

Front subframe mounting points too.

Forgot to say, another thing to look for is a knackered rear engine mount.
This causes the engine to sit further back than it should. Difficulty engaging first gear is a giveaway as they use link rods rather than cables like modern stuff.

Clutch cables are pretty much unavailable now also.


They are great fun to drive though, even the 1.7, feeling much quicker than they actually are as you're sat on the floor.

Okay, great advice! So a rust free 480 is what to lookout for then.

Anyone looked into Renault clutch cables? Older Clio's were notorious for snapping clutch cables due to they're routing. Just a thought.

I've had the fortune of riding in a turbo back in 2000 when I worked at Shiplake motors near Henley on Thames, loved the sound of the buzzy 1.7l reminds me of those 80's American Chrysler 4 cylinder turbo's they made.

Thanks again, watch this space!

[Anadinolin]

You are better off getting a Renault Laguna, circa 2004 with hydraulic clutch and taking the bits from that. There's one at my local scrappy hehe

[volvoid]

or get a cable maker to make one up for you. If get a spare at the same time youll not need it, otherwise....

[Anadinolin]

Also, speedo, on the 480 they are electric? But worth checking those.

The 449/460 have cable driven speedos. Can you find replacements? No. They look like ford escort cables, but ill have to check. But a few of us are starting to have problems with speedos etc.

[heckflosse]

Originally Posted by s.hammond

Hi all,
I've recently got into synthwave/outrun/retrowave music genre and have been hankering for a car to suit, then a light bulb went on whilst viewing videos of the Dodge Daytona, so I'm now looking into buying a 480 because A, it's a Volvo and B, it has the perfect look for what I'm looking for!

what buying tips/advice can be given?

I have searched the forum but to no avail?

Cheers.

When they were new; Don't. A truly shocking car for Volvo customers used to Swedish quality.
Two day rectification programmes under warranty plus more bulletins than ever seen before in the network covering waterleaks/speedo wobbles/waterleaks/sunroof noises/waterleaks/running problems / high B20F oil consumption/ flapping headlights. It went on..

Now;
beware rust, crumbly plastic trim, leaks and not much else.
They look distinctive, and if Allegros can become cool surely this Dutch sports coupe with a big dose of Renault mechanicals can.
Good luck finding one though.