S40 seeks loving home and tlc - £500
 

Hello All

Please read this post fully if the title has caught your attention - I don't want anyone feeling misled!

My mum has decided to give up driving, which means she has asked me to sell her car for her. It is a 2005 S40 2.4i geartronic, base model.

The car is ruby red pearlescent, has done 90,000 miles, and is a shiny clean example. Base spec nonetheless includes electric windows all round, cruise control, ECC, steering-wheel controls for radio etc. The car also has the winter pack (heated seats and headlamp washers) and a sunroof. Fabric interior in a light colour scheme.

So far so good...

Life, unfortunately, has not been kind to this car - even before mum had it. It has a fair number of minor dings, scuffs and scratches, and the N/S rear door has a shallow dent in it, with corresponding minor denting to the rear wheel arch. Inside is generally in good condition except the N/S front door card, which looks as if something with sharp claws has attacked it.

During the 3 years she has owned it, mum (fairly gently!!) backed the car into a wall denting the rear bumper. Then, in a final insult, a freak hailstorm hit, and the flat surfaces of the car have dents in them.

I have maintained the car for her during this time - services, plus new brakes, wishbones, headlight etc. It has an MOT until May 2017, which it passed with no advisories. Excellent condition tyres - the rears are virtually brand new.

However, it is now due another service and needs a cam-belt change.

I have sourced a replacement rear bumper (in black) and bonnet and boot-lid (in pale blue) which simply need a re-spray and can then replace the damaged panels. I have been quoted around £500 for the paint job. The door dent can probably just be pulled out by one of those "remove a dent" services for relatively little cost. Even with a garage doing it, a cam-belt service ought to be under £500.

At present life is too busy and I am not particularly well. If I did the necessary cam-belt service and got the panels sorted, this car would be a much better sale prospect I know, and I think it would be worth around £1,500. In time, I may well do all this. However, if someone else is willing to take it, I believe this S40 would serve them well. I am driving it on occasion to keep it ticking over and it runs and handles very nicely; it has lots of life left in it yet.

Hence the car is on offer, as it stands, for £500. That price includes the replacement bumper, boot-lid and bonnet, of course.

Happy to answer any questions, provide more photos etc, as necessary.

Thanks for looking!

David

im very very tempted to take this off your hands but would i be tempting fate taking some of my old car parts back lol

Ha - the boot-lid's still got your number plate on it!! Obviously that'll be coming off before it goes anywhere...

Please do feel tempted! I've been as honest as I can be and I have seen your skills and abilities at work. This car could really use them!

Hope you're keeping well!

David

Hi, how overdue is the cam belt change and where in York are you from?

Hi

I believe the cam-belt interval on these is 8 years or 96,000 miles. In the three years or so mum has had it the mileage will have increased by only 1000 miles or so.

Accordingly (and I know you shouldn't) I took a calculated gamble on leaving it, always intending to do it this summer - it's over on time but under (just) on mileage. I certainly wouldn't leave it long if you started using the car a bit more than mum has done!

As for location, I am north of York in Alne on the A19. Happy to arrange to meet part way if that helped you? Unfortunately I have just bought the car down from mum's in Toft Hill near Bishop Auckland which would have been closer for you!

David

The V40 I had was over on time (had been changed once already on time) but under on miles and on a couple of occasions was taken up to illegal MPH and only the HG failed. I am interested in this its just a matter of when or how I can come to have a nose around it.

Happy to meet you at York station with the car if that helps you? As for when I can be pretty flexible over the next few days (I work for myself from home)...

David

Very kind of you, by no means hold on to it for me as I'm waiting to see what my pay is like from my new job and just done an insurance quote on it (over £900 fully comp £600 TPFT) its a lot of car for little money, obviously timing belt needs doing as you say and I'll get a quote for that off a local garage, it is a good offer though! PM me a contact number please, I'll give it some thought and if I decide on buying it I'll call or text you!

Thanks for so honestly explaining your position - and ouch, that's a lot of money for insurance!

It is a lot of car for little money, but obviously that is to reflect the various issues with its condition. At present I have only advertised it on here because I don't want the tyre-kickers who'll look and then mumble and haggle over the scratches and dents that the likes of ebay might bring...I have tried to be open and honest and have faith in the people on here appreciating the situation properly!

I'll PM you details, no worries. The offer to collect from York station stands, for you or anyone else as appropriate.

All the best

David

I'm not going to bid here but I wanted to say the Cambelt on the 5-Cylinder engines appears to fall into the "very unlikely to fail" category. I'm sure it was member Clan on here who's in the trade and reported never seeing one fail.

Thanks! I wouldn't want to push my luck too far, but that's reassuring to hear...

David

You don't know how much I want this so I can drive another Volvo but it's not practical to have 3 cars right now and I'm looking at a new Volvo for later in the year. Best of luck with the sale though, I hope it goes soon otherwise I'll be forced to call you and buy it!!!

No, I can't do it :(

Yeah why not :)

No!!!! I must resist ;)

Thanks!

"not practical to have 3 cars right now" is exactly why I'm not looking to hang onto it! If I could justify keeping it I'd just give mum £500 and run it myself, but I really have no need or excuse...

Let me know if you give in to temptation!

David

I'm trying not to!! Am waiting on a quote for an MY17 V40 right now so will try not to give in in the meantime. It's just this Audi is so dull I worry I'll fall asleep and crash it ;)

Hands off Sasha :angry_smile::tounge_smile: I may not have purchased it but I feel this could very well be the car to cure my Volvo itch, I was too busy to call the garage and get a quote on cam belt as there was some issues at work but my heart is saying YES buy it, my mind is saying wait just a minute kid be sensible lol

I'm having to refrain myself from texting David right now and saying I'll have it :car-smiley-003::animal-smiley-040:

Oh also didn't know these were 5 cylinders so that's a nice surprise lol

Haha, if it wasn't perfect for you I'd be more tempted to go for it, tbh I couldn't say if I'd repair and sell on or break it and I'd rather see a solid car stay on the road and I couldn't promise I'd keep it running, I'm only interested in profit now I've made my decision to buy a new Volvo shortly.

They're a very solid engine the 2.4 straight 5, very few issues and the auto box is perfect for my bad back ;) Maybe I could use it to replace the 206...

It's a long way to York though so it's an easy one to let go even though I am craving another Volvo already and it's only been a few weeks. Dreadfully boring this Audi and I just can't stop browsing for Volvo's. It's and illness!!!

Well its not sold til money has changed hands so its up for grabs lol the dents etc don't put me off I've never owned an auto before but have driven them and it could be handy for my tendinitis (I'm like an old person sometimes, probably why I'm suited to a Volvo lol) just hope the timing belt is reasonably priced to change if it is I'll happily hand over £500 for it!

Looking around and people (including in this thread) do say the timing belts are pretty strong on these cars, but its typical of my bad luck with cars it would fail epically in the worst place if I risked it lol

Cruise control has pretty much got me sold though, oh whats the average MPG on these? Are they thirsty?

Mid 20's to low 30's as an all round average. Sort of middle of the road for a 2.4 petrol with 170bhp, not amazing but not half bad for what it is :) Our second car is a 2.0 HDi 206sw which I swear to God runs on thin air, it smashes 60 MPG with ease and it's been the cheapest all round car we've ever had so I'm loathe to get rid of it tbh. Bearing that in mind I couldn't replace it with this S40 but I do hope someone buys it soon if not just to stop me!!

Wow! I thought I'd just get met with a deafening silence when I started this thread - how wrong can you be?:wink_smile:

Sasha - it is a long way to come to cure yourself of an Audi when a brand new Volvo is in the pipeline, but I can understand the attraction...

NaughtyV40 - yes, it is the well tried and tested Volvo 5 cylinder, and it runs smoothly and quietly. It's reassuring what others have said about the cambelt - I wouldn't risk it for too long but hopefully it is fine for the moment.

No trip computer in this one being the base model, but official fuel figures were 21.4 urban, 42.2 extra-urban, 31 combined. Not a complete gas guzzler but not that frugal either...does still have just under half a tank of fuel to get a new owner started off though.

I was sorting out the paperwork earlier - have lots of receipts for work/service going way back, and all MOTs. Mum bought in in June 2013 (3rd owner) and it's only done approx 1,800 miles since then. Certainly not been worked hard in any way at all - only decent runs have been occasions I have been behind the wheel.

Managed to fit the bonnet/bumper/boot-lid all carefully into the car today - so she's ready to go when someone wants her!

David

Unfortunately I've had unexpected issues again so this car is still up for grabs! It is well worth the asking price in my opinion and hopefully it will go to a loving home.

I have PM'd David to explain the situation.

Hi I think the MOT centre has done the incorrect mileage on an MOT check it states last mileage reading 895,966 miles.......... might need to get it sorted :)
I was just looking at past mot history and noticed this good luck with sale

Bother!!!

Thanks for flagging this up! I'll have to look into it. If the car really had done over 800,000 miles I say it was in exceptionally good nick!

Anyone looking should rest assured that mileage recorded on MOT has gained an extra "6" on the end....

Regards

David

Still available...anyone?

Been checking the service sheets and it appears that the timing belt interval on the 5 cylinder engines is actually 10 years/108,000 miles - so it's not as far out as I thought it was.

David

S40 - bumper photos
 

Following a request I have tried to take some more detailed photos of the damaged rear bumper.

Not the best in failing light - on top of the bumper the paint had split and cracked up; I have trimmed it back so it looks tidier without raised edges and easier to wash without adding to the damage - I guess that part could be filled and painted for a temporary cheap repair?

That said, please bear in mind that the car comes complete with a replacement bumper in black that, whilst the paint is scuffed, is undamaged and will only need a re-spray.

David

Sale on temporary hold
 

Sale on hold for the moment due to personal issues...

Please watch this space!

David

Hi David,

Hope you sort the issues out,

Could you please PM me if you decide to put the car back for sale, i'd happily take it for £500. Would make a good little winter project to improve my bodywork skills!

Thanks

Jim

Update
 

Thanks everyone for your patience!

Thought an update on this thread was due given the interest it has generated, which I appreciate.

After certain wobbles about what she was or was not going to do Mum decided to sell the car on to me, so at least now it's mine to do with as I wish.

I will probably sell it on, but wife now back to university and might need a car, and if she does then - although this S40 is not ideal - I will stick with a car I know pretty well rather than try a complete unknown at a bargain price. If I do keep it for any time at all then I will service it and do the cam-belt change.

If I sell it on after doing that the price will be £500 plus cost, to me, of service/cam-belt change - it's something a new owner would need to do anyway, and I will remain, as before, as not being after making any sort of profit on this car (I gave Mum £500 for it).

I should also add that there are two people who have expressed serious interest who would have first refusal in order they came on the scene - I have PM'd them to alert them to this update.

So sale still on hold at present but situation resolving itself - I'll keep everyone posted!

David