Buying S40\V40 trade or private

[theblues]

Hello, been doing loads of research on these cars and I'm going for it, if one comes up that looks good.

I've only got £1700 to spend, now I've been looking through Autotrader and there seems to be alot of them on sale from traders that are in good nick and o.k millage ect ect what do you guys think?. Is it a good move or should I avoid. Some are cheaper than private adds.

Any thought on this.

Thanks. Jon and thanks for all the info you lot have given me in my other posts.

[spaceace]

my (recent) experience from buying from traders is that they buy cheap from auctions and normally have the means to hide/bodge any faults cheap enough to get the thing shifted....with profit!

Private sellers generally have less chance/knowledge/tools to shift a dodgy car

In either case, I guess the key thing to insist on is a complete service history.

Just my opinion

[theblues]

Thanks Spaceace, that makes total sense, I have seen a couple with full service history at decent prices IF I do go trade I will insist that I get it checked by a pro I saw an add on the Autotrader web site where you can drive the car to one of there garages and for 100 pound thay give it a good going over (forget the name)or just say I'm getting a full AA thingy done that should sort any dodge salesman trying to sell me a heap of junk.

Annother chap suggested I phone round the main Volvo dealers on the of chance they just had a trade in thats taking up space and they want shifting fast.

Cheers.

[DavidMarron]

I bought a silver phase 2 v40 2001 1.8i SE 48k fsh from a Network Q dealer (they had it due to a trade in) and although I had major hassle with it would still buy from a dealer.

I'm not particularly into cars (more a bike man) and knew I'd have come-back. I only ever had one car before - bought from my brother

My 1.8 needed a decoke and the Vaxhaul dealer paid a Volvo dealer £2.2K to do the work. ( i paid for the cambelt while it was in bits) The lady who owned it did the school run.

I ended up having to pay for new injectors but I still like the car and wil keep it for longer as I know what's been done.

My "tame" mechanic looked at it before I bought but didn't notice the coking which took nigh on one year to manifest itself.
I was bloody lucky!!

I don't think many main dealers will have V40's due to the age - my one said it was too old for them. Independany specialists might be the best bet? Too much to loose selling a crap car and enough knowledge so that they will give a good stock?

Best of Luck!!!

[theblues]

Tahnks for reply, the 1.8i I have researched and will not buy due to what you mentioned.

The reason I ask about mean dealers was simple because they might have one thats just be traded in and will, by no means be put out on sale but will be send to an indiepentend and maybe if I get in there first before they pass it on I might find something good.

I guess what ever I do, I should get it checked out probley before buying.

Cheers. Jon

[spaceace]

good luck with your search....fingers crossed you wont need to make 17 inspections @ £100 a pop

[spaceace]

sorry, I'm in cynical mode today..can you tell

[theblues]

Damm right lol would be a lough though. where do you stop but even it the tests shows up some small faults and can live with that other wise I'll end up buying a bmx bike.

[crosser]

i brought my v40 t4 2001 model with service history for 1750 and im chuffed to bits.. only had to buy a new battery... i brought mine from a private advertiser... i really think its luck more than anything as you never no what could happen..

[theblues]

wow thants a good price indeed lucky you. Yer it is luck also.