Hi folks. I live in NZ, and have never owned or even so much as touched a Volvo car before. My wife's Mitsubishi Galant with the infamous 1.8 litre GDI motor has started giving us headaches, so I searched through an online sales site we have here, and found this 2003 year V40 with a (claimed) 97,000? kms on the clock. The car looks good in the pics, and appeals to my sense of wanting to get away from the Japanese cars that most everyone drives here. It's VIN number is xxxxx29xxxxxxxxxx , which I believe means it has the B4204T3 engine, coupled to a 5 speed auto trans. I have checked out a whole bunch of car reviews on this model, and most were fairly positive. One however, was quite scathing in it's report on the reliability of older V40's, and even went so far as to warn against buying anything with more than 100,000kms on the clock. So, with this in mind, I thought I might ask the early V40 drivers out there, what they think of the reliability of their cars, especially those who have clocked up a good number of miles in one. Thanks, and look forward to hearing a few stories.

 

I have owned 3 Volvos and the reviews seem pretty accurate. Most of the cars within a model range do well but there seems to be that occasional lemon. I owned a 1998 V70 and a 2002 S40 that was reliable but would have minor annoying issues (head rest clips not installed right, bad fan motor drive transistor). The minor annoyances were compounded by the Volvo service (which did get better). I did swear I'd never buy another Volvo; that is until the S40 got totaled.

I as stopped in traffic and someone rear-ended me going 45+ mph. The whiplash protection worked flawlessly as did the crumple zone. The back of the car was obliterated, left rear wheel and suspension ripped off the car. I walked away without even a backache. I bought another Volvo, a 2005 V50 T5 and now have 193K miles and love it.

My son just bought a 2001 S40 with just 60K miles. It was a victim of neglect but we are getting it in shape (brakes, exhaust and corroded electrical connections) but I a confident that it will be a good solid car.

Bottom line, and I think this is true for most European makes, Volvos are a mixed bag. Generally they are very reliable, some may have been built after a party weekend and have assembly errors, many will have minor annoying issues. They are not as trouble free as Toyota or Honda but they are safer and have better personalities.

 

Thanks for that AutoNaut. Interesting how you mention that Volvo is like so many Euro makes in the way they can be a little something of a mixed bag, but are mostly reliable and have more 'personality' than most Japanese cars. The Mitsubishi my wife (and I, sometimes) drive, is SOoo devoid of character, it makes me fall asleep just looking at the thing. And on top of that, the thing has really started to get under my skin with this engine design issue they have. Anyways, I guess that's my main complaint with Japanese cars. The things are just so damned boring. OK, maybe that's a slightly harsh generalization, but you get my drift...
So, I'm thinking then that provided this V40 wasn't thrown together after a long boozy weekend, and provided it hasn't been 'clocked', and provided the previous owner kept up with the maintenance (can we think of anything else), then I might (just might) have myself a car that I will actually enjoy owning AND driving. It sure looks better than a Mitsubishi, so at least I wont find myself falling asleep every time I look at the thing sitting in the driveway.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

The earlier generation of S40/V40 (1996-2004) were actually a joint venture between Volvo and Mitsubishi. The Mitsubishi Charisma was its sister car. They were both built at the NEDCAR facility in Born Netherlands. Suspensions share many components but I don't think much else.

Sorry to burst your bubble. Don't feel bad though because the follow-on generation S40/V50/C30/C70 was a conglomeration of Volvo, Ford and Mazda. The Ford Focus and Mazda 3 share many components with the S40/V50.

I think the main thing that I didn't like about my 2002 S40 was that it was a sedan (salon). I much prefer wagons and hatchbacks and probably would have been happier with the V40.
Stan

 

Have you owned a V50? What do you think of the early gen 2's (say around 2005)? The ones they call the V50, with the 5 banger engine of 2.4 liters. I see one of those (2005 model year) for sale at only a grand more than the 2003 V40 with the B4204T3 engine, that I liked the look of. When I read up on the engine stats, the engine in the V50 appears to have a handful more horses, but about the same fuel economy.

SO many things to consider for a guy who has never touched a Volvo before. And to further confuse matters, most all the Volvos from that early to mid 2000's era seem to have been imported into NZ as used cars from Japan, usually when they are about 3 to 5 years old in Japan. Why is this a problem you might ask? Because the Japanese used car dealers have a well documented history of clocking their product. So that 2003 V40 I liked the look of with the (claimed) 97,000km (60,000 miles) on the clock, could actually have 160,000 miles on it. Aaaaahhhh.... What the heck. Why don't I just go buy the thing and be done with it. Can't be any worse than the Mitsubishi we have right now!

 

I own a 2005 V50 T5 (2.5 turbo) that I bought used in 2008 with 28K miles. I now have 193K miles and really like this car. I have just done a bunch of work to the front suspension that has it riding like new again. The engine and transmission seem very solid. After owning a 2002 S40, then the 2005 V50 and then driving my son's 2001 S40; it is hands down my V50 in pretty much every way. That is not to say that the previous generation was not good but the design is almost 10 years older.

The only down side that I see with the later generation is that everything is tied to computer modules. The Infotainment Control Center controls the climate control, certain vehicle functions and the stereo. Upgrading the stereo (if you are in to that) is very limited and nearly impossible. Fortunately the Premium sound system is really good sounding. However, it doesn't play MP3 and no iPod/iPhone interface. Those features came in 2008 and later.

 

Sounds like those V50's are pretty solid cars. You've probably figured by now that due to the experiences I am having with this Mitsubishi I (my wife) is driving, I've gotten pretty damned paranoid about engine issues. So, model of car that is known to have issues would be right off my radar screen. Seems to me though, that so much of what folks report about their cars can be BS, based on personal perception, or one bad experience, and oftentimes I think bad experiences with many cars can be attributed to poor maintenance or plain outright neglect. The 1.8 litre GDI motor in the MMC Lancers and some of the early S/ V40'S on the other hand, has a well documented design flaw, mostly to do with the way the direct injection works. It causes them to foul their intake valves with carbon. On account of the way volvo seem to have stuck with the tried and true port injection system up until about 2014, this issue would never be a problem in a Volvo. So, provided a guy has a car which hasn't been abused or neglected, and the basic engine design is strong, then (in theory), there shouldn't be too many major engine issues. I like strong motors and trans in my cars. Things like bad sound systems, squeaky seat mechanisms, rattly exhausts, a little rust etc, can all be repaired by a back-yard mechanic like me, but when an engine or auto trans goes bad, that spells TROUBLE in my books...

A good example of this is the old '99 Ford Falcon sedan that I still have sitting in my drive waiting for a buyer. It's an Australian built car with a meaty 4 litre inline 6 that has done 190,000 miles and never once missed a beat. Same with the 4 speed auto in the thing. Never once a problem, no oil leaks, no oil burning, nothing. It's got rust now, and only the driver's electric window still works, but things like that don't worry me in a car. I just want something that will keep on going, so long as I maintain it correctly (which I'm happy to do).

Hey, a little off topic for a moment. I might be displaying my ignorance here, but is MD Maryland? LONG way from my part of the world, so a big HI from NZ.

 

Fortunately in the US the S40/V40 used the 1.9T (2.0T) Volvo motors which are pretty bullet proof.

Interesting tidbit of info; the Ford Focus RS that was sold in Europe originally used the Volvo 2.5 turbo motor that was used in the S40/V50/C30/C70 except Ford used a larger turbo and re-tuned for more power.

 

I have seen that very V40 advertised on the Trade me site myself and particularly noted the low mileage and seemingly good condition.
The vehicle is the exact same model and spec'd version that I myself own right down to the colour.
Mine is a 2002 model which was imported from Japan by a car dealer. I bought it at 85,000km and she currently sits on around 114,500kms.
I have had very little trouble with mine barring having to get the front brake hoses replaced soon after purchase, and the typical Volvo headlining droop problem that is appearing.
Back in March this year I also had to replace the alternator and its associated clutch pulley that had failed resulting in the battery draining flat. That occurred on a trip to Hastings so I had to get it fixed on the spot at an AA service garage in Woodville.
Overall I consider mine to be reliable, given it's age and price and they are quite comfortable to drive. One feels they are driving something that is solid and robust as opposed to many makes of cars of year 2000 onwards.
The price they want for that 2003 seems reasonable if it is indeed mechanically okay but I think you would be justified in trying to get it for a maybe few hundred less.
Most V40's in NZ now have much higher kilometers and go for a lesser price. When the average values are lower it is harder to get the top dollar value even for a good one here in NZ.
If you like it get either an AA or VTNZ prepurchase check to be better informed.
Good Luck.

 

Thanks difflock. Those early 2000's V40's are one of the better looking wagon variants on the road in my view. Compared to most of the Jap models from that era, they are a good looking car. I've always had a thing about styling, and just can't stand some of the boxes on wheels that have become popular in recent years. And I'm over seeing grey cars. What's with the love affair people seem to have with grey these days? Give me that fire engine red Volvo any day. So long as it checks out mechanically, it's probably a good car right. Sure can't be much worse than the (GREY) 1.8 GDI Lancer my wife and I drive right now. And maybe something happens when a guy puts his foot on the gas. The Mitsi is so unresponsive, I sometimes wonder whether I've put my foot on the brake pedal rather than the throttle. Thanks again...

 

No wonder the Focus gained a reputation as a racer. That's a small car to be packing over 200 horses.

 

From Car and Driver: "Focus RS500’s 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine has been juiced up some 45 hp and 14 lb-ft of torque from its appearance in the Focus RS; here it makes 345 hp and 339 lb-ft"

 

345 HP in a small front wheel drive car that probably weighs about 1,200 pounds. Good luck keeping the rubber on the road. My heart goes out to all the parents (like me) with teenagers who are about to start driving for the first time. The most powerful car I have ever driven is the '99 Ford Falcon sedan with a 4 litre (245 cube) inline 6 and rear wheel drive. It's rated by ford at 174kW which I think is about 250 HP in real language, and it probably weighs 500 pounds more than the Focus. That car has about enough power for me, although I do admit to stepping on the gas a couple times, and wishing I had just a few more horses under the hood. That said, it would leap out of the blocks and sit on 100 mph like it was out for a Sunday drive. A little Ford Focus with 100 HP more again would have to be an accident waiting to happen, don't you think? Might be fun to see what it could do though, just the same...