What are the top 10 problems with the 440/460 models?

[andy100]

I have had my 1993 2.0i for 3.5 years.
Apart from one set of tyres and two sections of exhaust it has had 2 new parts. they are....

1) cambelt.
2) water pump.

Ive taken it from 105,000 to 122,200

plus ive changed the oil and spark plugs 4 times. Airfilter twice. 2 wiper blades. 1 rear number plate, 3 bulbs.

its never broken down or failed to start.

The only thing that could do with fixing is a slight drive shaft seal oil leak.

I will MOT it again in April and see where we go from there.

I like it, it's done me fine. The reason mine is so reliable is it had fsh and a little old lady owned it for 10 years before I bought it.
I inherited a very well maintained car.

[andy100]

.....and a set of front brake pads.

[ex911driver]

i owned a 440 turbo about ten years ago,it was an amazing car very quick and not bad on fuel . all i ever done was cambelt and front shocks . had it for over a year and it never failed on me . It got thrashed all the time even done Colchester to Loddon in 35 mins (70 miles ) work that out!!

[JeremyGregg]

As a new 440 owner, this is a handy thread - thanks all!

However I'd heard overheating was an issue on these cars - did I hear wrong???

Cheers,

Jeremy

[andy100]

Originally Posted by JeremyGregg

As a new 440 owner, this is a handy thread - thanks all!
However I'd heard overheating was an issue on these cars - did I hear wrong???
Cheers,
Jeremy

well i think its
a case of the temp gauges can be innacurate.
mine rises to the halfway mark in a mild traffic jam, but everything is mellow under the bonnet. There seems to be an electronic issue behind it.

[ericgardener9]

I see we now have some plankton who have appeared and they have remarked that their volvo 440 has done 10000000 miles without costing anything and it does 800000 miles to the gallon. And it's faster than any other car ever made.

without any faults whatsoever .

well if ever there was bullsh*t masquerading as truth there it is. These cars are shyte, ill conceived, built shyte, and totally trounced by anything made west of margate.

Let us not deceive ourselves people - these cars are slow - yes even the mega fast turbo is slow, the gearboxes are cr*p the electronics are dire and the have more faults than Jordan. I have had enough of my festering heap and it will be sold as soon as I am back from holiday.

I hope to buy a japanese car which will work have decent acceleration and actually go round corners without one weeks notice.

[ahal]

Originally Posted by ericgardener9

I see we now have some plankton who have appeared and they have remarked that their volvo 440 has done 10000000 miles without costing anything and it does 800000 miles to the gallon. And it's faster than any other car ever made.

without any faults whatsoever .

Must've missed that post ...

Originally Posted by ericgardener9

well if ever there was bullsh*t masquerading as truth there it is. These cars are shyte, ill conceived, built shyte, and totally trounced by anything made west of margate.

I've been drivng mine since February 2001, a few electrical gremlins (mainly alternator) but that's it really ...

Originally Posted by ericgardener9

the gearboxes are cr*p the electronics are dire and the have more faults than Jordan.

Gearbox is fine on mine, gets a bit niggly on 2nd. now and then but after 160k. I'd forgive it that. If you really want electronic faults, try V.W. Jordan is without fault btw.

Originally Posted by ericgardener9

I hope to buy a japanese car which will work have decent acceleration and actually go round corners without one weeks notice.

Better hope there's nothing coming the other way on your side. I somehow doubt any of the Japanese stuff would fare this well:
http://www.volvocars.com/us/top/comm...s/default.aspx

[triumphtoledo]

When discussing these smaller Volvos, some kind of perspective has to be introduced, because they are judged rather unfairly.

I remember when they were new; my dad ran several mk1 versions as company cars – he was the MD of a Volvo dealership at the time. The 440/460 was priced keenly to compete with the likes of Ford Escorts (with the possible exception of the early 460s, which were a bit overpriced). I even remember an advert being run by Volvo UK along the lines of “A Volvo for Escort money.” To compare the build quality of the Dutch cars with that of the vastly more expensive 700/800/900 series (and cars that were dearer to buy new) is both not right or fair.

When viewed in comparison with the Mk5-7 Escort, the 4xx models fare pretty well. Dealers were pretty excited by the new compact Volvo in the early 1990s, because the company was hardly renowned for introducing new models regularly; it simply could not afford it, unlike Ford or GM.

The overhaul needed to the factory in Holland was not cheap or easy for the small Swedish company and yes, some quality glitches crept through on the early cars but these were attended to.

Like every other Volvo though, the 4xx series was built to a specific budget and the “non exec” market was (and remains) more competitive, compared to the more “executive” type that Volvo was used to in the early 1990s.

The 4xx also introduced the company to FWD and permitted it to grow its presence in an essential market segment. The model does have faults mechanically but it was a sales success. Although the current C30 is unlikely to have appeared without the 480, the 440/460 had to carry Volvo’s repute for strong and safe small cars through the late 80s to the late ‘90s, a job that it did well. Without it, would the later models have fared as well as they did?

Now, even the latest 4xxs are simply “old cars” and **some** people expect a 4xx to run without fault (or servicing) simply because it wears a Volvo badge and, when it either breaks down or fails an MoT Test, they think it right to chastise the thing, when perhaps the owner is to blame for allowing the car’s condition to deteriorate to such an extent.

One day, the model will become appreciated, which is why I am looking for either a good Mk1 440 Turbo (or GLT Injection) or a 460 Turbo/CD (or GLE Injection) for my personal car collection, now I have bought the land to house it in…

R

[ahal]

Originally Posted by triumphtoledo

I even remember an advert being run by Volvo UK along the lines of “A Volvo for Escort money.”

You brought back a memory there ... though I think the particular ad. I remember was for the 340. We have the two cars side by side ... under the Ford, "A Ford". Under the Volvo, "Affordable"

Originally Posted by triumphtoledo

Now, even the latest 4xxs are simply “old cars” and **some** people expect a 4xx to run without fault (or servicing) simply because it wears a Volvo badge

That's an interesting perspective. I've heard it said that Volvo are a car you should treat with caution second - hand not because they are bad, but because they are good! Previous owners sometimes think that they don't need fluid changes either because of the badge!

[ex911driver]

all i can say is you must have bought a bad one, true the handling isnt brilliant,styling was outdated when new , had some electrial problems ,but what car doesn`t.
As for Japanese cars they are just copies of european cars,plasticky interiors ,no character and only good for Taxi`s