S40: now to change to...

[andyg_prs]

Sorry to state the obvious but you do know that chipping the car is going to have a significant effect on your insurance? Also bear in mind that it is more expensive to insure a car when you first buy it due to the stats on when people are most likely to total them? For that reason I'm only planning on chipping mine in January after I have had the car for a year.....

I paid £6000! But that was back in Jan and I did confirm with this forum. I got mine pristine with full history and 69k. Also cos I got it through a Volvo dealer I got delivery, the 72k service thrown in for free and when it turned out the tyres were in bad shape got a £500 set of 4 x Toyo Proxes plus Optiline thrown in for free. Still doesn't change the fact that even with this I effectively paid 5k and you can get great examples now for only 2k!

Look in the 'Wants' section, coopsleeds has one for £1,695 and Al115 has a nicely modified one for £2,200, has turned down an offer at £1,800 recently....

I feel a little better that I needed the V40.....but considering I could probably only get maybe 3k on mine now I have lost loads of money!

Cheers,
Andy

[Rodders]

Sorry Andy, you wont like this...

My X Reg V40 T4 with 69000 miles I bought privately last month for £3200. It has a full history and the last service (2 months ago) included the cambelt change and it has a winter pack and it has a tow bar. The latter is not to be sniffed at when (because of type appoval) it costs almost £400 for one!

Unfortunately I can't remember who I bought the soundproofing kit from, it was almost 20 years ago! It was all cut to size, with self adhesive backing and took about 30 minutes to fit, but made such a difference...

[andyg_prs]

Hi Rodders,

Actually it's quite a relief to hear of a privately sold V40 acheiving over 3k! I can live with the depreciation so long as I can sort the noise issues.

Soundproofing - I'm still trying to figure out how to get the door cards off. I think I have the details for the main door card but the little black plastic window covers in the corners.....no idea how to remove those? I really don't want to break any clips....would be ironic to introduce noisy rattles whilst trying to soundproof!

69k sounds early for a cambelt change?

Re the under bonnet sound proofing....is that because the noise is supposed to get through the bonnet and then through the windscreen? I think this should be quite a nice and easy area to soundproof. The firewall or whatever they call the vertical separation between the dash and the engine bay....I'd like to soundproof there but access? Even if I did it from the engine side, the Volvo tech claimed there was a hollow area behind that where the wiper motors etc sit.....so road noise could still get in to an uninsulated area adjacent to the dashboard and hence the inner cabin.....complicated business!

Cheers,
Andy

[t4rob]

I've got a '98 S40 T4. I find that it willl return 28-30 mpg on local trips and I have had it up as high as 37mpg on motorway trips (60-70mph). Insurance costs me £280 third party fire and theft through More Than at 25 with 5 years no claims (protected).
Overall I would say that it is a great car and one I would recommend esspecially the engine which is torquey like a turbo diesel at low revs and very very quick over 3000 rpm as the turbo boosts up.
As for tyres I've got Dunlop sports on the front and would say that they grip very well both in the wet and the dry, appear to be lasting well and are quiet.

For note I paid £1350 for mine in April and it is the CD model with full leather etc had done 77k and had full history, metallic paint and good bodywork (although wheels could do with a refurb). However, it was due a cambelt change which I did myself (cost me £100 for the parts as I changed the water pump and coolant at the same time)

[scottrtq]

www.parkers.co.uk is a great website to find out about insurance groups and current as well as future road tax costs. Just go into "motoring advice" and then "insurance" and pick manufacturer and model from the drop down menus.

I found it usefull just to be able to compare the insurance groups of the different spec models.

[Ricco]

I am almost sold on this car just need to find one now I guess... maybe I should go to a local meeting to see the cars to know what to look for etc.

Like andyg_prs I would want to make the car as quiet as I can within reason and cost if they are noisey.

To help me limit my search what models are the best to look for on the S40 (I dont mind getting an estate model)? I would want a CD changer or MP3 player, cruise control, air con & elec mirrors as minimum.

TIA

[Baffler]

Originally Posted by scottrtq

www.parkers.co.uk
I found it usefull just to be able to compare the insurance groups of the different spec models.

Good God...I just discovered mine is 17

[t4rob]

Mines a CD model has: full leather, climate control incl air con, electric sunroof, electric windows all round, electric heated door mirrors, cruise control, electric driver seat adjustment, traction/stability control, abs, heated seats, front fog lights, radio/casette and 5 disc CD and onboard computer (instant mpg, overall mpg, average speed, range to 0 miles, distance, engine temp and exterior temperature).
And the nice thing is being a Volvo it all still works 10 years on. Not sure what year the CD model was available to though, think it might be upto the facelift.

[andyg_prs]

Mine's the SE. I think it pretty much is the same as yours except no sunroof, heated wing mirrors or 5 x CD changer....

Oh but have bi-xenons....

Not sure about the engine temp - or maybe I don't know how to access it?

Andy

[Ricco]

Hmmm.. this seems strange.

When I changed from my toyota carina to my V reg S40 1.8 XS volvo my insurance went up... which I expected as they were charging a premium to change the cover to the volvo etc.

My renewal quote just came through and its £452 with a new insurer for the year as opposed to the £511 with the current insurer. (Broker: quotelinedirect)

When I ran a gocompare check they were all coming back much cheaper which is great and I even phoned them to check the details! Privilege (direct line)have a price of £295.05 which comes with 'Join today & enjoy 0% interest on monthly payments'
The cover includes:
Legal Assistance,
Courtesy Car,
Windscreen Cover,
Personal Accident,
Protected NCB
with an excess of £250.

Does this sound right to you all?