440/460/480 pics anyone???

[Daniel M]

Originally Posted by andrewgh

ow and how much lowered is ur 480?

It's lowered 40mm but the springs have bedded in a bit...i think it's more 50mm on the rear now. It has become slightly impratical now-i used a car park last weekend that i hadn't used for a good 6 months, and the centre pipe scraped at the top of the slopes-quite badly too! I may get some more springs, 30mm's then let them bed in. Alternatively, i could get a pair of Koni Adjustables for the rear...

I know what you mean regarding selling the 440. I had the same dilemma. I had just got the bodykit bumper primed and ready to spray, when it dawned on me: it had a full years MOT, loads of tax, it was running *perfectly*-i knew i wanted a 480 Turbo so i just bit the bullet! I was really really sad to see it go, especially when i saw how it was 'modified' by the next owner... Oh well!

Just don't rush in to buying a Turbo-they can be very problematic-if it doesn't seem right, walk away. I looked at 4 Turbo's before i got mine-i waited 3 months, which was painful when you use a car everyday-but it was worth it. And as the old expression goes, you get what you pay for!

[andrewgh]

so what problems can i look for in the turbo. my mate had a h reg 440 turbo with god nos how many miles and it still drove really nice, i jus dont wanna spend more money on the 440 cos i know ill struggle to sell it! even though it looks good and has yrs mot!

[AKelly1989]

Originally Posted by tomfoolery

looks better now good to see you can weld ...ill have to catch up with you later wink wink dont tell any one

haha id be glad to help you if you need any welding done...

[Daniel M]

Originally Posted by andrewgh

so what problems can i look for in the turbo. my mate had a h reg 440 turbo with god nos how many miles and it still drove really nice, i jus dont wanna spend more money on the 440 cos i know ill struggle to sell it! even though it looks good and has yrs mot!

Where do you start?? Infocentres go, Pop-ups are a pig to change, they let in water from anything with a rubberseal, the electric windows are weak, the dash plastic is crap and usually cracks along the top left corner, on Turbo's they can idle badly, they hate the cold damp weather in the mornings...shall i go on? Ok! The rear lights fade really badly and are still ridiculously priced from Volvo, the rear lights crack along the top, the later fixed foglights are flimsy and easily smashed (complete unit replacement as opposed just glass...grrr), the long range lights usually mist up, the nosecones are usually splattered with stone chips, front spoilers are usually broken or missing, rear arches might as well have been painted with salt-waterer based paints as the rust is terrible and Volvo don't do replacement arches specifically for the 480 (although 440 ones will fit but not perfect)...er sunroof mechanism can be weak, ariel masts have a tendancy to knacker up... Scuttle panels vibrate on most if doing anything over 60/70mph. And alot of Turbo's have been abused. Headlinings also tend to sag in the rear. You want to find one with a good service history-one service a year isn't a proper FSH, a Turbo could do with being done every 6k. And only use genuine Volvo oil filters too, they are far superior to aftermarket ones, and surprisingly, they aren't that expensive!

But they are common things-a 480 won't necessarily have all those, but expect maybe half! I think most owners have at least had to change a window mech at some point!

However, you hold out for a good one and they are well worth it. I paid alot for mine, but i was paying for piece of mind. It had running problems from day one, but they are all sorted. I've had all those things above happen in the last 3 years, but parts on the 480 club aren't difficult to get hold of, due to so many being broken for spares (alot of members have spares cars for these reasons).

I don't care what anybody says with regards to paying too much-they can stick it in their pipes and smoke it as far as i'm concerened-you get what you pay for with a 480 Turbo. You will get plenty hiding behind a large price tag that aren't really worth it, but hold on and a decent one will turn up. I will say however, you will have to be prepared to travel for one. The numbers are thinning rapidly, and various Renault's (Clio's, R5's) seem to be buying alot of late and sticking the engines in their cars. Seek and ye shall find! Just don't be tempted to rush in the first one you see!

[andrewgh]

probably be happy with an old 440 turbo too as my mate had one to be honest i prefer the older model even tho i had the facelifted version. also considered the s40 turbo but ummm dont have the same apeal to me than the400 series

[Volvo Dave]

Here are some pic's of my 460 2.0i se. The car was to have been finished in btcc colours hence the red wing mirrors. TWR logos were done by my brother in law who is a signwriter. The car is fitted with a billsten lowering kit( aprox40mm) and rides on 15" stylauto aloys. The dash is in the process of being modded. The radio has been moved to the centre console and the space has been filled with the heater control panel from my wifes now scrap 440. The panel will have the holes enlarged to fit aux gauges. When i've sorted out the bodywork and removed the tow bar im thinking of a respray possably in T5R yellow.

[Daniel M]

Looks very nice, i like it! There's something very, dare i say, sexy about a dropped 460. It's got a nice chunky arse and looks really cool just driving along. Shame there isn't more depth on the facelift front bumpers!

Unless it's a necessity, i'd lose the towbar though-spoils the smoothness of the rear. And i'd look for the reflective panel that goes around the number plate (like this).
Nice looking though. Interesting dash set up too. Any closer and bigger pics of the stereo re-postion and the panel thats been put in it's place too?

Cool car. Would look nice all colour-coded too...

::EDIT:: Just read you're removing the towbar!

[Volvo Dave]

Thanks for the comments. Moving the radio was easy when you have the dash out! The stereo is a 905 volvo unit out of my old 850 estate. The wiring was a pain to work out all the conections(if you see the amount of cables on the back of the stereo you no what i mean!) but was worth it cos it's loud! Another good point with the 460 is the factory fit speakers in the parcel shelf aint that bad compared to the crappy ones in a 440! The radio was a perfect fit in the console,the shelf in the middle even has the locating lugs underneath! The panel at the top of the dash is a spare heater control panel. This will be sprayed black then aux gauges will be fitted behind it. Photobucket is off line at the moment so will upload a better pic later. Talking of pic's must find the pic's of my 480,scan them then upload. My 480 had a modded front end. A grill was fitted into the nose and the light clusters were removed and replaced with seperate light units behind a clear polycarb panels!

[AKelly1989]

just finished making my own meshed grill down my cold air feed but ill show that another time...

[exonn]

looks realy good...
can you post some instructions on making somthing like this?