C30 build quality of later models
 

I've read many times on this forum that the build quality/materials of the later run of S40/V50/C30 is worse than when they first appeared in 2004.

Where are people getting this opinion from?

We've just bought a 2012 C30 R-Design and it feels no worse than the two 2005 S40's that I've owned, infact these facelift models seem a lot nicer around the center console section.

Just wondering if people can give any examples of this?

I can only speak from my own interest but it seems the early S40's were 'better' in some respects. I think maybe Ford's penny-pinching took some time to fully roll out to these models and certainly the early S40/V50's didn't suffer wheel bearing failures and the a/c condensers were better than the 2007+ cars.

Not sure on interior build quality but ALL manufacturers seem to have compromised on interior quality, I believe this to be some European thing about restricting the use of oil-based products like Plastic and Rubber, or at least using a Plastic that's more eco-friendly....you know, with once-only fixings :(

Paint quality is another issue with new cars with oil based paints being replaced with other types there's definitely a reduction in paint finish quality.

That said it normally doesn't take long for innovation to catch up and even make better what we had in the past.

I for one much prefer the current R-Design V50 I have over the 55-plate 2.0D in terms of fit and finish, but my D5 is an '09 plate and for what examples of facelift cars I've seen, they seem to have 'nailed it' in terms of interior niggles - though one thing does wind me up and that is the position of the hand brake...
More so when you have a larger thighed passenger!

well for my tuppence, the FORD based cars are not as good as the 'old Volvo' (even my 480s, which were built at the DAF plant )

this is probably as the bean counters (FORD) figured out how to make the parts only last for the 3 years / 30000 mile warranty period ? ? !

This is an interesting point about the handbrake. On my P1 S60, the handbrake is on the drivers side, but interestingly it means I can't reach anything in the passengers footwell without the handbrake jabbing me in the ribs.

Whereas on the C30/S40/V50/V40, it's a bit easier to reach over.

Personally though, I prefer the attention to detail of swapping over the bits for RHD models.