Hey guys. New to the site and new to volvos in general. I'm thinking about purchasing a Volvo S40. It's a 2000 with 146k miles for $1,500. I haven't seen it in person yet but it looks good and am probably going to check it out and purchase it next week. So what I'm trying to ask is what are some things I should ask the current owner? Anything major I should know about with the s40's? And how much are we looking at annually for maintenance and repairs? First time car buyer and first time volvo (potentially) owner. What do you guys think? Worth it at $1,500?

 

Sorry just saw the FAQ's.

 

Generally the S40s like the 850s have a small set of common problem areas. If you are a DIY type, then you should be ok as the S40 board is fairly active with contributors. The common complaint areas on the board are 1) the variable valve timing 2) rear brakes 3) AC compressor clutches 4) exhaust flex pipes 5) electrical bits - sensors, switches, CEMs but almost all replacement parts are available online or in a yard. The only thing unique about the 2000s vs the 2001-2004s are the front struts/mounts. They got redesigned after 4/00 (check the build date in the driver's door jamb) so if you plan on doing the struts, you may want to go to the new design. Key for these cars is maintenance history - if the oil was changed regularly the VVT gear lasts... For $1500 you should do the check list on what is working or not and judge the repairs costs.

 

Awesome! Thank you so much for the info!