"Frosted" (frostedbuns)
02/24/2014 at 13:56 • Filed to: None
2
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"Frosted" (frostedbuns)
02/24/2014 at 13:56 • Filed to: None | 2
| 15 |
The Volvo s/v40 was a joint venture between Volvo and Mitsubishi and there was a bit of part sharing. So it's like an Evo wagon, right? RIGHT? Wellllll no. It was a more entry level Volvo and mine had a sports package that added a spoiler and a winter package that added a button that could break the transmission!
(Disclosure: Volvo didn't care if I drove a v40. They were happy to sell one to me instead of sending it to a scrap yard though.)
Exterior: 6/10
The styling is very different from what we're used to from Volvo, ditching the brick shape for a more rounded, sleek styling. Some would call it European styling, even. It loses points for cheap NEDcar paint that rusts, fades, chips, scratches very easily. My particular model had acid stains from bird poo. It loses more points for having a black plastic piece between the taillights that, one lighter colored models, looks really cheap and bad.
Interior: 7/10
It's not covered in LEDs and flashing lights or brushed aluminum. It's nothing fancy but it is a nice place to sit. Volvo didn't cheap out on the leather seats as they are as comfortable as your living room couch. The steering wheel is small and thin and feels sporty in your hands. Touch points are nice to...touch...with no cheap texturing to make them look cool. They do what they need to do without feeling like they're going to break. You can have this car with black plastic trim which looks cheap or with woodgrain trim pieces which feel and look a bit more luxurious. My previous owner put a 160 dollar woodgrain sticker kit over the stock black plastic. I swapped the entire center console, including shifter, for 125 bucks.
Acceleration: 5/10
The turbocharged 1.9 litre engine made 160bhp when it was new. It puts power down through the front wheels. It's quick off the line, with the turbo spooling up at very low RPMs (I noticed it spooling as low as 1500RPM). If you need to pass on the highway though, don't expect anything great, once you hit 65 or 70 MPH it really struggles to accelerate any quicker.
Braking: 3/10
These cars are notorious for having ABS modules go bad and when that happens, they don't stop as well as you'd like. Easing into the brake pedal is the only way to keep the wheels from really locking up on you. I can't really give this car a fair braking score because my ABS stopped working pretty early after purchase and I just got used to not having ABS.
Handling: 6.5/10
It's not as heavy as some Volvo wagons tend to be and with the small steering wheel, it does handle surprisingly good. There is a bit of understeer but it's not unmanageable. One thing I would recommend though is lowering the car on some decent suspension components. I used lowering springs and there was immediately less body roll because these cars sit like monster trucks at stock height and roll around like a land barge would.
Gearbox: 2/10
You can only have this car with an automatic transmission. There is no manual. And in the 2000 model, that was a 4 speed automatic. It's got some fairly long gearing for highway driving but it seems to take forever for gears to change. The sport mode button makes the whole car shudder, whine and sound like it's about to break. Winter mode makes the car lurch forward as it engages 2nd gear.
Audio/toys: 5/10
There are a few options for this car that make it more comfortable and practical like cargo nets, built in car seats for kids, a cargo cover. They also come with a subwoofer in the trunk. Mine wasn't working of course but I swapped it with an equally powerful subwoofer. The premium sound package sounds better than standard but it's still not great. Power everything which is common on Euro luxury cars from this time period.
Reliability: 1/10
These cars can be found for less than 5 grand now. They could be a great first car for a high school kid. But they're junk. Mine broke daily. I spent nearly 1000 dollars fixing stuff and still never reached Stage 0. When the ABS module went and the repair quote was 1200 bucks, the car had to go. It gets one point because, despite everything electrical breaking, a headliner that sank down to my head and absurdly expensive replacement parts, the engine itself never quit and left me stranded. It would always start, no matter what.
Fuel Economy: 4/10
This car average 20 MPG for me with it's tiny 4 cylinder engine. My current Volvo averages 20 MPG with a 5 cylinder engine, extra 1000lbs, bigger turbo and AWD system. Despite the small engine that would be economical in any other car, it's just not an economy car in the v40.
Value: 7/10
No, I don't think this is a good car. But you can find them for pennies and junkyards have plenty of them. They often have a few nice factory options as well to sweeten the deal a bit. If you want a cheap car that you can thrash around and completely beat on but still get you home at the end of the day, you can do worse than this. It's no Civic and keeping up with maintenance is a must. Just don't be surprised when a window motor gives out and the glass slides down in a rain storm on the way home.
Total: 45.5/100
Pro: Good looks, nice options for low prices
Con: Electronic nightmare
404usernotfound
> Frosted
02/24/2014 at 15:10 |
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I used to have a 2001 S40, and I feel much the same as you, except for the gearbox. Mine had a 5 speed auto, and was really a good box. It didn't have a sport setting, but winter mode was smooth and not jerky. On the other hand, the electronics were never quite right. I had to jury rig a fix for the headlights when one stopped working, Even though the switch to turn them off was broken. It was still a good car though.
Hoccy
> Frosted
02/24/2014 at 15:21 |
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Probably the cheapest Volvo you can get right now. Nice, late model examples could be good buys, but as you said they have rust and electrical issues. Most of the issues were solved after the facelift, and that version still looks quite sharp if well maintained. Not bad for a 20 year old design.
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Frosted
> 404usernotfound
02/24/2014 at 21:54 |
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That's one of the big differences between the 00 model and 01-04, the 00 had a lousy 4 speed gearbox. My sport and winter mode might've been broken somehow and not worked properly, dunno, never will know. I would maybe recommend an 01-04 model depending on condition but the 2000 is just pure junk.
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Frosted
> Hoccy
02/24/2014 at 21:56 |
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Indeed it is, people are even selling the real old 240s for 2 grand now. The s/v40 is pretty undesirable in the Volvo crows. When I bought mine, the dealer had an 04 in almost mint condition that they wanted 9k for which is absurd. The new s40 and brand new v40 are very nice vehicles, though the v40 is now more of a hatch than a wagon sadly.
exizeo - still loving fourza
> Frosted
02/25/2014 at 00:26 |
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97 850 glt here
4sp box is alright, to be honest. It's not perfect, but it's alright. Sport mode is eh, winter mode does jack shit (actually helps a bit? and more so on my dad's xc90).
I love the car, though.
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Hoccy
> Frosted
02/25/2014 at 01:30 |
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Ha, I know what you mean. Even the old 340 models have started to rise in price here now. The new S60/V60 is the modern equivalent of the S40/V40, at least when you look at size. Like it or not, but the new V40 is selling like hot cakes for Volvo. Even if it's just a hatch, thats a car Volvo needs to have.
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Frosted
> Hoccy
02/25/2014 at 11:18 |
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I like the new v40 a lot and wish they'd bring it to the US already since they discontinued the c30 (which was fairly popular here). I like the v60 a lot as well but I really would rather have the v70 back, the 60 is just too small. Hell my 40 was too small when it came to needing to carry a lot of stuff.
SwedishMachine
> Frosted
02/26/2014 at 21:07 |
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I've driven many of these V40/S40s at work and I agree they are among the worst Volvos made. They feel very flimsy and it just doesn't have the tank like feel of a Volvo.
I didn't know you were an Oppo contributor Ryan! This is a great review and you really hit the nail on the head for the V40.
I'm slightly biased in my Volvo choices. It's all about the 850 for me!
You'll recognize my car and know who I am lol.
Biased_Waffles
> SwedishMachine
02/26/2014 at 21:47 |
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That motorsport sticker looks good, where did you get it?
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Frosted
> SwedishMachine
02/26/2014 at 21:49 |
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Hiya Cor! I just joined Oppo a couple weeks ago after playing some video games with other Oppo guys but I'm trying to contribute some decent content. The low price on these is attractive but I guess you get what you pay for.
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SwedishMachine
> Frosted
02/26/2014 at 22:16 |
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Good for you man! Glad to see you on here. I'd contribute more if I wasn't so damn busy at Volvo.
Yes you do get what you pay for as the saying goes. All the good Volvos from the 70s-90s are staring to go up in value and thus the $1000 240 and 850 are becoming things of the past. These NEDcars sell so cheap that they're fast becoming the go to for the people slumming it for cheap Volvos on craigslist.
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SwedishMachine
> Biased_Waffles
02/26/2014 at 22:18 |
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Swedespeed group buy, bro!
I'll dig up the thread and link you on FB and maybe they can still get them made or they have restarted the group buy.
bob and john
> Frosted
02/27/2014 at 12:18 |
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he, my mom had a 2001 for the longest timw. it wasnt the best car, but we never had much of an issue with it.
it one point, the check engine light went on. we tried i think 7 different things to get it fixxed. nothing worked. in the end we just left it alone.
at 200k km the head gasket said bye-bye. at that point, we got rid of it and got my mom an is250.
but man,...i had some memories in that car...i still miss it.
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Frosted
> bob and john
02/27/2014 at 12:27 |
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The 01-04 models were improved tenfold over the 2000 model which is why they sell for a bit more.
dogisbadob
> Frosted
02/11/2015 at 17:30 |
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cool color