Review V40 to Vectra estate

[Slackey]

Originally Posted by Slackey

Skyship is right......there are going to be a lot of disgruntled Diesel owners this year

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...iculate-filter

Originally Posted by SonyVaio

@ Skyship,

I find your post doesn't really have a lot of merit due to the fact that DPF's are such a modern addition in recent years. Think of all the diesels out there that have no DPF and are of older generation diesel kicking out absolute buckets of black smoke.

Modern diesels are so much cleaner by design and even with the removal of the DPF the amount of muck kicked out the back will be far less than the older gen diesels?

@ Dog_Book

You've brought the Vectra nicely up to scratch and you're almost there with just a couple of niggles to sort out. Although you have got a car with the switchable TC it is a little more by luck than standard if not fitted for originally? On Vectras/Signums that did not have the switch fitted as standard you could buy the switch and plug it in but you were just lucky if it worked, some did some didn't.

What is nice is having the colour of the lights changed that sit behind the buttons & clocks etc... You need a little soldering skills though.

As a more perm fix for swirl flaps, I'm sure you'll know all about the kits and fixes anyway from www.Vectra-C.com, link to info on one of the kits: - LINKY!

Nice job you've made of the Vectra and it is looking good - enjoy.

Which ever way you look at it, without a DPF (as was fitted when manufactured) Dogs car is not going to pass an MoT after February. Have you read the link I posted above?

[kieran40]

They make that mot harder and harder each year that goes by,it should only be safety things and road worthyness,obviously if you have a car like uncle bucks that belches out black or blue smoke at idle I can see why it should fail,like a lot of things with the eu regs there's no common sense in it,

[Dog_Book]

Originally Posted by skyship007

It would make more sense to compare a newer estate car with a V50. Also the gutted DPF is an MOT failure point as they have now included it in all EU country checks. It's an anti social thing to do if you drive in towns or cities anyway, as no one apart from Vauxhaul owners will want to breath in your fine Carbon particles.

How can i compare my new car with a new V50 when i never had one?
It won't fail the MOT, the test is just visual and mine looks standard.

Originally Posted by SonyVaio

@ Skyship,

You've brought the Vectra nicely up to scratch and you're almost there with just a couple of niggles to sort out. Although you have got a car with the switchable TC it is a little more by luck than standard if not fitted for originally? On Vectras/Signums that did not have the switch fitted as standard you could buy the switch and plug it in but you were just lucky if it worked, some did some didn't.

What is nice is having the colour of the lights changed that sit behind the buttons & clocks etc... You need a little soldering skills though.

As a more perm fix for swirl flaps, I'm sure you'll know all about the kits and fixes anyway from www.Vectra-C.com, link to info on one of the kits: - LINKY!

Nice job you've made of the Vectra and it is looking good - enjoy.

The back lighting is being changed to blue soon

Switchable TC was done by this, new ABS pump with correct module, TS switch fitted in dash (had wiring behind for it), added a custom loom to the ABS module and to a connector plug inside the car. Lastly Tech 2 turned it all on The only luck bit was i had the connector behind the dash for the switch or it would have been permanent. Thats what i mean seems alot of things can be easily retro fitted.

The inlet manifold is brand new updated part. I toyed with the idea of blanking them out but after seeing the state of the original manifold at the garage im glad its been swapped. It was so full of soot and gunk it was unreal, the blanked EGR now protects all of this new stuff

As well as all the info on the first post i forgot to add the surprisingly long list of parts that have already been changed on the car which also proves my old V40 was a tough cookie. I cant remember the mileage but it was all done around 65000-76000 miles in the last year orso.

• 2 rear brake pipes
• 4 new road springs
• Clutch kit
• DMF

[v40alex]

Originally Posted by kieran40

They make that mot harder and harder each year that goes by,it should only be safety things and road worthyness,obviously if you have a car like uncle bucks that belches out black or blue smoke at idle I can see why it should fail,like a lot of things with the eu regs there's no common sense in it,

This is what happens when you vote for the Green Party - blame the Germans

[liberate]

sorry about this post in advance, vectra is a very ugly car......right i'm running off and hiding!

[tt82]

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

Ok so a few of you know after the demise of my V40's gearbox and the repairs needed for the next MOT i ended up buying a Vectra estate SRi cdti XP Navi

The findings would in my opinion lead me to say that the Vectra would be the best overall car but that's maybe because its newer and has a lot more power and features. Both cars have good and bad points.

Heres what ive found over the last few months good and bad about the Vectra and ill briefly explain how the V40 fared in comparison.

Vectra looks a lot more modern and of course is massive inside.
Upgrading the Vectra is so easy and in some cases needs some programming to activate stuff.
Before and after mapping which is cheap the car goes like hell lol
Vectra has a lot more modern features that are user programmable like all windows going up on locking.
Things like factory 19" wheels and sports seats and front and rear parking sensors.
Easier to take apart for mods.
Factory things like tinted windows and body kit that Volvo never did and don't to well even now.

I can understand your reasoning here. The true test of which is the better car will only come when both cars have reached the same age/mileage. Then you can do a direct comparison. The other thing is that with the rate technology is advancing, I'm sure that in a few years the Vectra will be seriously outdated by modern competitors. I look at the new Volvo's coming out and what kit they have and I sometimes feel like mine is getting a bit outdated already.

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

Mods so far

• Switchable traction control Got Volvo DSTC
• Mapped more power and torque Now at the 185 D5 power levels, the newer twin-turbo units are at 215bhp. MTE Remap will take a 185bhp/400Nm to 225bhp/480Nm.
• DPF gutted and mapped out Now an MOT fail.
• EGR blanked and mapped out Would like to know how this has affected your car, ie emissions.
• Tailgate edge light ? Can you explain this.
• Front and rear load guard mounting points with load guard, currently behind the rear seats I've got the Volvo Dog/Load Guard and the V70 has 4 floor mounting points and 4 on the side under the window
• Front and rear footwell lights Would love to see a pic of the rear footwell lights. Not something the V70 has.
• Passenger courtesy light Standard on V70
• Bigger brakes 314mm front and rear vented 292 inc calipers My D5 has 316mm ventilated front and 302 solid rears. I believe there is a 330mm front disc but need to look into it.
• Alpine HU replaced the VX Navi unit You did say you wanted to keep the Alpine unit. As you say, with current Volvo's you have no choice but there intergrated head unit.
• Front courtesy light with map lights and extra switches and glasses holder All standard bar the glasses holder on V70's.
• Rear electric windows Standard on all V70's.
• Sunstrip That's what the sun visors are for!
• Roof rails (to be fitted) Standard on V70's.
• Center console rear vents B-Pillar ventilation standard on V70's.

Some of the things ive added i allways though would be standard like rear passenger light and footwell lights but its easy enough for me to install these.
Thats where the V40 scores, it has so many standard features ive had to and am still adding to the Vectra.

I've gone through the things you've added, stating the difference with the current V70 series. As you say, Volvo's come unbelivably high specced. I was watching a car programme on TV the other day, IWTC, and there were having to highlight A/C to the buyers. A feature that is standard on all Volvo's and these were 2010 cars as well.

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

I bought both cars with similar mileage and the Volvo was actually about 3 years older. They are or were both lovely cars in their own right, the V40 felt sharper to sling around corners but remember i had modded the V40. The Vectra is easier to remove bits and put them back compared to the Volvo and like i said a lot more scope for altering things and retro fitting.
The Volvo wins hands down on quality of parts, its quite scary when i think of what has gone wrong and still needs replacing at this time in its life compared to the V40.

Interesting that their similar mileage. I fully understand the comment about handling. The V70 is terrible compared to the V40 in this aspect as I said on my showroom thread. With an Evo chassis and relatively lightweight (Had the V40 at 1,350kg on a weighbridge were the V70 is 1,860kg) meant it was a fantastic base to start with before modifications.

I'm glad the Vectra is easier to work on. When installing my camera I wanted to run it off the 12V socket. Reading the Haynes manual, it actually said it was easier to remove the centre console if you remove the front seats. In the end I gave up trying to remove it all and piggy backed off a live feed to the stereo.

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

The Volvo never had anything you wouldn't expect to wear out other than the AC pipe that the power steering pump pipe wore though last summer.
I got the Vectra cheap but at 6 years old and 82000 miles it needed

• Inlet manifold common swirl flaps failure
• Alternator
• 2 rear shocks
• Front down pipe
• Inner CV boot
• AC re-gassed see bellow lol

Still a couple of things outstanding

• AC rad has leak needs replacing, means another AC regas ;/
• Intercooler has suspected leak as car smokes under boost, maps been tested and it still does it under original ecu map.

I think Volvo build quality has gone down since the V40 range. So far I've had the following replaced -

• N/S/F Wishbone
• Track Rod End
• Front Strut Mounts

I still need to replace the Rear Suspension Bushes as well.

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

See the Vectra is amazing and for someone like me who like to mess with cars is easy to fiddle with and upgrade the Volvo just kept going. I think if i could have found a 03-04 V40 in perfect condition then i still would have enjoyed it. But that was the other odd thing for the money the newer V40's cost alot compared to a 2 year younger and higher spec'd Vauxhall.

Like i said before if the new Volvo's are still as well made as the ones on here then a V50 would have been great if they didn't have old flat seats and a stereo you cant do anything with. But not even the Sport V50's have proper sports seats and apart from the D5's all you read is trouble a bit like the Vectras lol I glad i didn't waste even more money on a flat 2.0T Audi sport line estate though with similar mileage and very few toys.

I'm glad you like the Vectra mate. Like yourself, if I could have got a late version V40 that had a Diesel engine and Autobox I would have definately gone for it. It's just a pity that Geartronic was never an option on the Renault diesel engines.

IMO, really on any V50/V70 you need the Sport/R-Design trim as the standard items are very bland and understated. However I do like the simple elegance of the interior.

I think with the amount of work you have done on the Vectra, you will have it for a few years now. I hope it repays all your hard work with some decent reliability. I know and understand your reasons for not going for the V70, but that won't stop me fighting it's corner. I think you would have been happy in one.

[Dog_Book]

Yeah its so annoying how many things on the Volvos are standard compared to even expensive Audi's!
Just a shame that the Sport R seats arnt even sporty lol.

I think if i had seen V70's with low mileage for a good price i would have got one. They do look lovely but still look a little dated for the price, its just even for alot of money id be getting one with very high miles and that's the new shape ones which do look amazing.

The upside to all this was the Vectra would give me something to tinker with as i sold my bike and need something to fiddle with lol

[tt82]

Yeah, the equipment level is fantastic in places. Has a lot of standard items that most Makes charge for. Though their your comparing middle of the road or budget cars against a "premium" sector maker.

The 3rd generation V70 is a fantastic looking car. Much better than the 2nd generation. I can't really complain about the lack of sport seats though! Being generously proportioned, I find that the big bolsters on Sports seats just tend to dig into my Kidneys and make me uncomfortable. Besides the V70 doesn't corner well enough to really warrant them anyway LOL!

Hmm, my rear lights automatically come on when the Tailgate is open. I suppose they serve the same purpose. One feature I absolutely do love is that when in Reverse, if I press one of the mirror buttons, then that mirror automatically drops so you can see the rear wheel and not kerb your alloys.

[Dog_Book]

Yeah when i unlock the car for the tailgate the rear number plate lights come on

Ive mentioned it before my mates 08 8k Passat with everything on it has had alot of work last year. He was only saved as he got it from VW with one of their warranties. Had a new turbo and some other engine stuff late last year would have been a £1200 bill normally. Yup nothing modern seems to be built well nowadays i was even put off by alot of people buying a V50 2.0D

Thats why it took me so long to replace the V40 i just wanted to keep it lol

[liberate]

this vauxhall is a sheer british classic[IMG][/IMG]