Hi thanks for accepting me.
The truth is a lot of information in this forum to learn.

I need help to make a decision.
I am looking at a 1999 Volvo s40 t4.
The imported engine has 80 thousand km, since volvo uruguay took care of a problem that generated the breakage of the original.
I mean, official service always attended, fairly new engine.
Flawless wherever you look, extra full.

I have a 2007 honda civic 1.8 manual.
Change for this s40?
I would like you to tell me a little about your experience.
Remember that in my country it is not possible to have a last generation Volvo car.

The use I give it is the daily, going to school, work, training, and when you can have a joy with your foot thoroughly.

What do they tell me? change the car? I can't have both.




Thanks
Rafael

 

I used to have the S40 T (not the T4) which was a lower power version , great car I never had a single problem , but changed to the 2nd gen S40 T5 in 2006 , in my opinion the first gen was better built. (from the picture I think yours is also the T and not the T4)
In your case you are changing a reliable family car for an old high performance one (if its the T4) where everything will need fixing soon , hoses, turbo, brakes ,dampers, electrics etc
As you cant afford both then no

 

He tells me the owner is a t4. I already have another car that is driven by the law of the house.
The one that says yes or no at home ...... jjajajajj
It is a 308 1.6t.
I can't have two cars for my own, that's why I have to see whether to change or not.

add interior picture


Thanks

 

I love Volvos, and they are quite reliable. But nothing is more reliable than a Honda. Also, that turbo will add a new level of complexity, and may well need to be replaced (they regularly wear out - anything over 100,000 miles / 160,000km is borrowed time).

But the Volvo is much, much cooler than the Honda (the thing that keeps me in "interesting cars" that normal people are scared to buy). ;-)

 

Swap your Honda for a 22 year old Volvo that's 8 years older than your Honda? I used to make a lot of money on those POS not really volvo cars - all sorts of stuff constantly breaks!

Not a wise choice.

 

Yep choosing a daily driver for someone who's not an auto-repair hobbyist, the easy choice is the Honda. That said, the T4 never came to the US so if you were to bring the car here, it would be quite rare which would add value.

 

Thanks This Saturday I'm going to see it and try it

 

Hmm, I don't know which one is better maintained. Mine belonged to an older lady with money, she was given zero cuts. If mechanically I never fail, but I have been spending on details. According to the representatives who have the guide of the Volvo, the full service is always done, the minimum that appears was changed. I'll go see him on Saturday Thanks

 

Here are some of these. According to the representative about 100 units of this version arrived. They say that less those who never gave much cut to maintenance, did not give big problems. This one especially has even the turbo changed 40 thousand km ago. I'll see it on Saturday to see how.
Thanks

 

Volvos use the Mitsubishi T4 turbo so they are not a typical wear item. I've run up to 250K miles w/o any turbo issues. The typical maintenance issues are 1) servicing the timing belt is scheduled somewhere around 80K miles or 7 years (need to check on this in the owners manual as Volvo upped the interval in 2000 or so. You'd want to do the tensioner as well as the belt. 2) PCV system needs to be serviced from time to time (generally after 100K miles). The ports and oil separator can clog over time and this creates too much crank case pressure which can push out seals. 3) you didn't mention if the car is an automatic or manual. Automatic transmissions are solid but the shifter's PNP switch often get corroded contacts and may need to be replaced 4) S40 springs and strut mounts are common fail points. I've replaced 3 of 4 coil springs on our 2000 S40 as well as the strut mounts. You can upgrade to the 2001+ design but that requires new front shocks/springs/mounts. 5) fuel pressure regulator - prone to failure as well, part is expensive $200 US and takes 15 minutes to replace! 6) exhaust flex pipe - the downpipe after the turbo has a flex pipe section that are prone to fail with age. The replacement part is expensive but a muffler shop can weld in a new flex pipe for less. 7) Rear brakes tend to wear unevenly and need to have the calipers maintained or replaced. 8) motor mounts should be inspected, particuarly the one at the nose. 9) brake vacuum pump. If the pedal is hard after sitting all night, the pump, booster or vacuum line check valves are faulty. The T4 makes about 200 HP - 40 more than the 1.9T which came to the US and that will stress the mounts. Not sure if the factory used heavy duty mounts.

So my coaching here is to be aware of these issues when doing your inspection - look at the springs, its the last 3 inches that break off. Listen to the exhaust for any sounds of a leak. Look at the rear brake rotors for any corrosion. If you can, bring a latex glove, remove the oil fill cap, start the engine to see if it inflates like a balloon. As an alternative, listen for any whistling noises at idle. Pull the dipstick to see if the sound changes. Look for signs of past coolant leaks around the overflow reservoir and upper radiator hose where the overflow line taps off and along the radiator seams. Pop the engine cover off and inspect the wire harness to the coils etc.

 

Thanks for this message.

The engine of the car has 90 thousand km it was changed by volvo uruguay, since the original in a service did not adjust a hose well, but they were responsible.
It is manual.
Call Volvo and talk to the workshop manager, he told me that the car is like new, wherever you look at it, always full service and the owner always bought everything that needs to be changed.
It seemed strange to him that he sold it, he told me.
On Saturday I'm going to see him and I'll bring more photos.

 

Hi there. Just came across your post and wanted to share my thoughts. Hope you guys are OK with updating the thread. As for your Honda Civic, it's always hard to let go of a trusted companion. However, if you're looking for a change and want to experience something different, the s40 could be a fun choice. It's perfect for your daily needs and even offers some excitement when you want to hit the gas pedal. Ultimately, the decision is yours, but sometimes it helps to flip a coin on FlipSimuand see how you feel about the result. Let us know what decision you made eventually.