Dear all, after discovering the hard way the space limitations inside my Vectra hatchback I have decided I need to get an estate car. I will have about £2k to spend (I know!) and I rather like the look of the Volvo V40 - I've seen a fair few 97 and 98 models around at that price mark. Most of them have between 90k and 150k on the clock but I'm not too worried about that as I know most of these should be good for 200k of looked after.
My question is does anybody have any advice regarding what to look for on this car, particularly one around this age and price. If I get one with a FVSH, I'm guessing I should not run into too many expensive problems.
What is the cost of servicing/parts like? How about MPG and what are the best engines to look for?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, anybody want to but a hatchback Vectra (very well looked after, you know I am a member of the backroom after all!!)
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A quick search of this forum (see the Forum Search option, not the Site search) will reveal that this question has arisen before. See also the Car-by-Car breakdown from the link on the left hand panel.
My own opinion is that the V40 is a small 'lifestyle' estate and not a workhorse. Little bigger inside than an Escort, it is unlikely to be much more practical - if at all - than your Vectra. Also avoid the diesels (woeful compared to the best of the competition) and the Mitusbishi GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine unless you are damned sure it has been run on low sulphur fuel throughout its life. I also find the 2.0 non turbo engines to be gutless boom boxes and seemingly lacking the ponies they are supposed to have.
Having tried pretty well all available engines at some point over the years in rental cars (I work in Sweden where they are commonly used as such), my favourite engine in the S40/V40 is the 2.0T; torquey, smooth, refined, economical, and quick without overtaxing the chassis.
Depending how far your budget can stretch, in the Volvo fold the V70 through its various incarnations and even the older 850 is a much better estate car bet. They are all nicely styled, too.
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Thanks SjB, I've just been reading the Car-by-car breakdown and it seems the general opinion is that the 2.0T is the best engine, diesels are to be avoided. I may look at the V70 or 850 also - in the meantime are there any other V40 owners who have experience to pass on?
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What about a Vectra estate, very practical, though bear in mind that with most estates you can actually get less under the luggage cover (i.e. hidden from view) than the hatch equivalent, it is only when you use the full height that an estate comes into it's own.
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What about a Vectra estate, very practical,
Swallow the image (which counts for nothing of real value anyway) and I'd second that, having had a P reg SRi Estate and W reg GSi Estate, both from choice and both for three years. Great cars, and hugely practical with loads of really neat design features. Neither of these V6 engined cars had any of the Vectra reliability woes that others speak of, either. One minus point for the SRi was that as with other Vectras of this generation, the front seats were ho-hum average at best for comfort and support. (The Recaros in the GSi were terrific)
Bro had two 1.8LX auto Vectra Estates too, and he also had no reliability problems or unscheduled expence
Another plus is that - along with the practical Mondeo Estate come to think of it - any foibles are well known by now, and they can be fixed and maintained by any mechanic in the land.
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BIL has Vectra estate of that year. After 35k miles (!) he has had endless electrical problems which Vauxhall delaers appear incompetent to deal with except by replacing old with new and experimenting over 12 months and around £1,500 until semi fixed.
Bargepole .
madf
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So it appears the Volvo is not favoured. I must admit I had considered a Vectra estate but to be honest I've had the Vectra for 3 years and I'm a bit bored of the styling. Maybe a V6 would take the edge of it though...
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I was thinking at one stage of getting a V40. The only thing that I could offer is that if you are after a 1.8 there are 2 different versions. Off the top of my head there was a 115bhp and a revised 125bhp. I think that the latter is the same unit as the Mitsubishi GDI but could be wrong. It is more fuel efficient as well as being more powerful than the 115bhp unit.
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Think about a Nissan Primera 2.0i estate. Dead reliable, roomy, very good engine and tidy handling. A trader friend of mine recently sold a '99T for about £2200 - it was a tidy car, about 70k miles IIRC.
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If you get a Vectra, make sure it was made in Germany, not the UK, you can tel by the VIN code, I'm sure google will find a site that tells you the letters for which factory. The ones made in Germany are the ones people love, the ones made in the UK are the ones people hate as tehy're made by grumbling union members who hate Vauxhall.
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I've had my '99 V40 from new and have done over 100,000 miles now. It's the 200BHP T4 version, and I really like it. The car's still as tight as a drum and Volvo interiors wear much better than most others. I would agree with what's been said already about the size - they are not that big really.
Mechanically they are sound too. I had to replace the fuel pump (£200) at about 80,000 miles, and an engine mount (£80) around the same time, but apart from that nothing. Listen for a metallic clonk as you pull away in 1st - any noise is likely to be the engine mounts. Front antiroll bar bushes are also a weak area - any noise over bumps could indicate these need replacing which is a big job involving lowering the subframe!
Also check the heater controls all work. Another known problem is with the servo motor that controls the recirculation. If you hear a steady clicking then this has gone and the dash has to be partly removed to get at the part. The rear suspension can go weak too - have a look at how deep the rear wheel sinks into the arch - it should be much less than the front.
Hope this helps....
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If you get a Vectra, make sure it was made in Germany, not the UK, you can tel by the VIN code, I'm sure google will find a site that tells you the letters for which factory. The ones made in Germany are the ones people love, the ones made in the UK are the ones people hate as tehy're made by grumbling union members who hate Vauxhall.
What a load of twaddle. All Vectras are assembled from the same set of parts - the parts are/where shipped from 'wherever' (UK, France, Germany, Australia!) to Russelsheim in Germany where they are then sorted into 'kits' to make the cars. Luton received these kits from Germany.
I have worked on many a Vectra and the problems are mainly down to component failure - few of the components are made in UK. The most common fault to stop the car was failure of the (Siemens) crank and/or cam sensors. More recent GM cars have suffered with problems due to failure of electrical components made in GM's new plants in Eastern Europe. I have visited two of these plants and seen, first hand, some of the quality problems they are having.
As most of you will know, German unions are much stronger than UK unions, as are German labour laws. One reason why Vectras are no longer made at Luton......
I really do get sick of the sort of bigotted 'anti-British' sentiment expressed in the post above. Have worked extensively over many years in the UK and European motor industry I can tell you that the UK assembly workforce is one of the hardest working, most flexible and lowest paid in Europe. Sadly the UK motor industry suffered for many years with 'old boys' club' management, poor investment & training and political interference.
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Will I get shot if I recommend a Mondeo Estate? IMHO, £2k will buy you no better Estate - its spacious, well equipped, very reliable, and you can get a Ghia or Ghia X which will come with all the toys.
Unlike the V40 it isn't based on a Carisma, and unlike the Vectra it doesn't handle like somebody has replaced it's main suspension components with a sponge pudding.
Hmm, I probably will get shot ;)
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Will I get shot if I recommend a Mondeo Estate?
MichaelR recommending a Mondeo - surely not?
;o)
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Will I get shot if I recommend a Mondeo Estate? ... Hmm, I probably will get shot ;)
Read my second post!
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Despite all of the above posts, I have actually been running a V40 1.8XS for 4 years and 70000 miles. Its the 1.8 122bhp version so not the GDi engine which has problems from 60k miles is not looked after.
No problems yet, interior trim seems to be lasting OK, dont recommend the red though...fading a little now. Not a huge boot space even when seats down, but adequate for a family plus camping stuff.
Not a flat out racer, but economy has been OK, 35-38 on long trips, 30-32 commuting around Oxfordshire.
Only niggle so far, has been a rattle from the drivers seat that Volvo have been unable to locate and a MAF sensor which indicated a fault but when away with a connector being cleaned and has never returned.
StarGazer
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A colleague bought (through a private sale) an S40 2.0 on an S plate last weekend. Yesterday morning it wouldn't start and cost him £180 on 'stuff' to get it fixed, which probably says more about his car buying skills than the car, but neverteless they're not unbreakable.
Personally I have to agree that the V40 is an expensive and impractical way to go if you need a cheap estate car, although it's not a dreadful choice if having an even slightly prestigious badge matters to you. If not, you could do better wtih a Mondeo, 406 or Omega (for sheer size) for the same money.
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I've been following this thread with interest as I've always liked the S40 and V40 range, but then I've been guilty of owning a couple of dutch built Volvos. I notice from various guides that the 1.9 diesel fitted to the last models can do an impressive 50mpg. The engine seems to be available in both 102 and 115bhp variants. Anyone got any experience of driving either of these? Is it a Renault engine?
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