8-year follow-up from 2007 post
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8-year follow-up from 2007 post
https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...0-blues-12319/
Link above this line to reference my posts form 2007. I am datastreamcom...
It's been 8 years since the work performed by the dealer under warranty was completed. I still own and drive the car almost daily.
2005 1/2 S40 T5 6sp
Gray fabric/Aluminum accents
Silver with body color wheels
I think my last post was at 75,000 miles. I'm running 203,000 now.
Ok, the Goods:
From then till about 145,000, the car ran fine. The normal wear and tear repairs not withstanding. I was doing about 33k a year on the clock, several half-country drives - did great in Missouri in '09 on the ice and snow - and then required the requisite attention tires, rotors, pads, etc.
PLENTY of power to get you in to trouble (requires human governance and oversight), but also packing some of the best brakes you can get from a factory.
The sound system...one of the best in the biz bar none. And I have some car stereo experience. Even when the driver door speakers went mute (@130,000), it still kicks ***.
The ergonomics are great. Hand-to-gear shift-to radio...it's a complex curve and everything lines up when you get the seat positioned right. The seat and back cushion contours match my form (6' 200#). The pockets on the front of passenger and driver seat is perfect.
I've packed 3 kids (2 pre-madonnas and a rambo) and their luggage into the trunk. And still had room for a 160# Labrador and ALL his love.
The floating stack bit is still cool, and I dont care who you are.
I like how you can vary the amount of airflow over the drivers (my) neck by regulating the height of 2 windows.
The traction control is curiously smart. It handled "Snow'pocolypes" in Atl last year with out a problem. I didn't meander far, but never had any trouble. Learned alot about how it uses engine and brakes to keep the car going straight and pointed business-end forward. To wit, the way it applies engine and brakes laterally was especially entertaining.
If you could dump 1k a year into a car for maintenance, this car would be a killer run about for 4, for the next 20 years.
All told, it really is a special place to be.
The Bads:
The Syntec seat fabric should be called Synforever...because my seats are showing the stains from the grandfather of the guy who sewed them together. Geez Louise. I swear I never spilled that.
The bits of trim directly below each window on the exterior are metal strips with rubber coating. The coating has dry rotted and crumbled off the metal strip. It's not a such an eyesore on a silver car, but other colors will look like poop with faded surrounds (i.e, the metal sheen showing through).
The transmission is a bit tricky to modulate, at least mine is, for fast shifts. Much better to play clutch till you're rolling.
I lived on a dirt road for about 3 years and when it rains, there was 3" of muck on top of hard pack. The car could idle through it (no foot on gas) in third gear without trouble. I never blasted through it, forcing the grit into high tolerance areas, but the dirt grit had an impact on parts im sure. I need two tie rod ends now, and I bet that wear started in the mud.
I've run over a rotted tree at 60mph. It had fallen across the road one rainy night when I might have been driving spiritedly. I came around the corner, saw it across the road, and only had time to aim for the smaller end of it. It was about 10" thick where I hit it. Apart from broken engine undertray bolts and fog light mounts, everything was fine. :/
Again, not the cars fault. Later found out that the radiator mount tab had broken. But, not a single radiator or intercooler leak or puncture. There's always a silver lining. lol
I've hit an animal that was larger than I preferred at a speed higher than I would have preferred. Still, the car was fine.
The windshield needs replacing. Mostly dur to the wiper scratches. I got 88kmi out of OEM wipers before replacing. They seemed fine at the time, but I think their age, coupled with dust from dirt road, lead to the scratches.
The Uglys:
The biggest thing resulted from not having the timing gear maintained properly. The belts are to be changed at 120,000 miles, and possibly the tensioners too.
But I pushed the timing belt replacement by about 25kmi (@145,000), and a tensioner broke. This in turn bent valve stems. Long story short, a 'new' engine was cheaper @ $2500 parts/labor. But because I trusted my mechanic more than I should have, the damage from his labor led to a turbo replacement @ $1250, from another mech. Also in that repair session, new rotors/pads, front struts/bearings, a bolt here, a fastener there, a fitting in the other place @ $1500.
20kmi later (@ about 165,000), the clutch pedal went the floor and stayed there one cold December night. I was getting a low brake fluid light on my dash for a couple days before. This is important as the clutch draws from the brake fluid reservoir to function. I didn't know that at the time.
The problem turned out to be a part that is inline with the clutch
fluid path - it was leaking fluid into the pressure plate area. Made of plastic but evidently not internal to the transmissions inner workings, the fix is simple and not too costly (about$250 @ repair shop, assuming pressure plate does get any of the fluid on its surface). But also in that repair session, there were another few replacements @$2100.
But Since that session, the car is flawless till about 201,000 miles.
At 203,000-ish now, I'm looking at major transmission clearance in the throw out bearing and a few of the sincros; and, I would rate my driving style at 95/5 - 95% normal, 5% above-average spirited - so I'm not abusing the equipment.
At any rate, at 200kmi, this is normal wear, and not to be unexpected. However it still looks like another 3k for transmission overhaul.
At some point I might call it quits, but in the time I've had the car, I can honesty say it is a great bit of kit.
Anyway, just thought I'd try to bring this full circle. My S40 has been great overall.
Link above this line to reference my posts form 2007. I am datastreamcom...
It's been 8 years since the work performed by the dealer under warranty was completed. I still own and drive the car almost daily.
2005 1/2 S40 T5 6sp
Gray fabric/Aluminum accents
Silver with body color wheels
I think my last post was at 75,000 miles. I'm running 203,000 now.
Ok, the Goods:
From then till about 145,000, the car ran fine. The normal wear and tear repairs not withstanding. I was doing about 33k a year on the clock, several half-country drives - did great in Missouri in '09 on the ice and snow - and then required the requisite attention tires, rotors, pads, etc.
PLENTY of power to get you in to trouble (requires human governance and oversight), but also packing some of the best brakes you can get from a factory.
The sound system...one of the best in the biz bar none. And I have some car stereo experience. Even when the driver door speakers went mute (@130,000), it still kicks ***.
The ergonomics are great. Hand-to-gear shift-to radio...it's a complex curve and everything lines up when you get the seat positioned right. The seat and back cushion contours match my form (6' 200#). The pockets on the front of passenger and driver seat is perfect.
I've packed 3 kids (2 pre-madonnas and a rambo) and their luggage into the trunk. And still had room for a 160# Labrador and ALL his love.
The floating stack bit is still cool, and I dont care who you are.
I like how you can vary the amount of airflow over the drivers (my) neck by regulating the height of 2 windows.
The traction control is curiously smart. It handled "Snow'pocolypes" in Atl last year with out a problem. I didn't meander far, but never had any trouble. Learned alot about how it uses engine and brakes to keep the car going straight and pointed business-end forward. To wit, the way it applies engine and brakes laterally was especially entertaining.
If you could dump 1k a year into a car for maintenance, this car would be a killer run about for 4, for the next 20 years.
All told, it really is a special place to be.
The Bads:
The Syntec seat fabric should be called Synforever...because my seats are showing the stains from the grandfather of the guy who sewed them together. Geez Louise. I swear I never spilled that.
The bits of trim directly below each window on the exterior are metal strips with rubber coating. The coating has dry rotted and crumbled off the metal strip. It's not a such an eyesore on a silver car, but other colors will look like poop with faded surrounds (i.e, the metal sheen showing through).
The transmission is a bit tricky to modulate, at least mine is, for fast shifts. Much better to play clutch till you're rolling.
I lived on a dirt road for about 3 years and when it rains, there was 3" of muck on top of hard pack. The car could idle through it (no foot on gas) in third gear without trouble. I never blasted through it, forcing the grit into high tolerance areas, but the dirt grit had an impact on parts im sure. I need two tie rod ends now, and I bet that wear started in the mud.
I've run over a rotted tree at 60mph. It had fallen across the road one rainy night when I might have been driving spiritedly. I came around the corner, saw it across the road, and only had time to aim for the smaller end of it. It was about 10" thick where I hit it. Apart from broken engine undertray bolts and fog light mounts, everything was fine. :/
Again, not the cars fault. Later found out that the radiator mount tab had broken. But, not a single radiator or intercooler leak or puncture. There's always a silver lining. lol
I've hit an animal that was larger than I preferred at a speed higher than I would have preferred. Still, the car was fine.
The windshield needs replacing. Mostly dur to the wiper scratches. I got 88kmi out of OEM wipers before replacing. They seemed fine at the time, but I think their age, coupled with dust from dirt road, lead to the scratches.
The Uglys:
The biggest thing resulted from not having the timing gear maintained properly. The belts are to be changed at 120,000 miles, and possibly the tensioners too.
But I pushed the timing belt replacement by about 25kmi (@145,000), and a tensioner broke. This in turn bent valve stems. Long story short, a 'new' engine was cheaper @ $2500 parts/labor. But because I trusted my mechanic more than I should have, the damage from his labor led to a turbo replacement @ $1250, from another mech. Also in that repair session, new rotors/pads, front struts/bearings, a bolt here, a fastener there, a fitting in the other place @ $1500.
20kmi later (@ about 165,000), the clutch pedal went the floor and stayed there one cold December night. I was getting a low brake fluid light on my dash for a couple days before. This is important as the clutch draws from the brake fluid reservoir to function. I didn't know that at the time.
The problem turned out to be a part that is inline with the clutch
fluid path - it was leaking fluid into the pressure plate area. Made of plastic but evidently not internal to the transmissions inner workings, the fix is simple and not too costly (about$250 @ repair shop, assuming pressure plate does get any of the fluid on its surface). But also in that repair session, there were another few replacements @$2100.
But Since that session, the car is flawless till about 201,000 miles.
At 203,000-ish now, I'm looking at major transmission clearance in the throw out bearing and a few of the sincros; and, I would rate my driving style at 95/5 - 95% normal, 5% above-average spirited - so I'm not abusing the equipment.
At any rate, at 200kmi, this is normal wear, and not to be unexpected. However it still looks like another 3k for transmission overhaul.
At some point I might call it quits, but in the time I've had the car, I can honesty say it is a great bit of kit.
Anyway, just thought I'd try to bring this full circle. My S40 has been great overall.
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