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- Volvo S40 SE
- Parris1972's review
| Performance | 8.6/10  |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 8.8/10 |
| Reliability | 9/10 |
| Value for Money | 9.2/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 9/10 |
| Overall Rating | 9.3/10  |
By Parris1972
on 18th Apr 2006
| Year Manufactured | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Length of ownership | 3mths |
| Doors | 4 saloon |
| Performance | 5/10 |
| Practicality | 6/10 |
| Reliability | 6/10 |
| Value for money | 6/10 |
| Overall value | 5/10 |
 Parris1972's recommendation | |
Nicely styled car
4 star EEC safety rating
Fairly economical (dependant on age & size)
Bags of extras to ponder
Easy to drive
Pre 2000 models have build quality issues
Electrics can be a little troublesome
They go through brake pads like nobody's business
Paint & plastic trimmings prone to fade in sunlight
Pre 2000 models had several recalls!
Keep a plentiful supply of replacement bulbs and fuses to had - this car eats them.
Let's start with the bad points as they are really the bit you are interested in.
The first thing to note is that the Volvo S40 series has been on the road from 1994 onwards and there are a plethora of different models. Prior to May 2000 Volvo produced the S40 model outside Sweden. In fact the S40 was the very first car to be built outside of the country and ultimately fell foul to a number of production problems.
Produced in the same factory as Mitsubishi, the S40 has a Mitsubishi engine & transmission. Although in most instances Japanese engines are incredibly reliable, there were a few minor tweaks to the engine (thanks Volvo) and this has caused several issues.
For one thing Volvo suggested that the S40 be run on RON 95 unleaded fuel, when in actual fact the Mitubishi engine in question was designed to run on RON 97 or RON 99 fuel. This has lead to many S40's having engine issues, such as dirty injections or higher emissions. The lifespan of the engine is greatly increased by having it decarbed (or as de-coked as it is also called). The cost is prohibitive at £600-£1000, but at one time Volvo did this for free under warranty.
You can purchase engine cleaning fluids and change the fuel type, but seek professional advice prior to doing so as I do not want to be responsible for piles of S40's coughing and spluttering their way into the breakers yards! What I have discovered is that switching to RON 97 does clean the engine, but will take 5 tanks of fuel prior to any noticeable change, but it won't necessarily descale the engine a great deal.
Electrics are also considered an issue by most S40 owners. The main problems being related to the fact that most cars came bundled (especially the SE and Winter Pack edition) with electrical gadgets galore!
You have electric windows (sometimes front AND rear), electric & heated rear view mirrors, electric key entry, electric security dash lock, sunroof, electric aerial, on board engine computer, electric heated seats and depending on the model the list went on and on! Absolutely brilliant at the price point, amazing when brand new, but a nightmare when the car is older and needs a little more TLC.
It is known for instance that the Volvo S40 pre 2000 editions chomp through bulbs quickly, although I have no idea how quick as I've not had it that long. I have however replaced 3 bulbs because I bought the car with some minor electrical issues (which turned into major ones).
The alternator is good for 80-90k and then needs replaced, there is a service light which won't go off on most S40's even when Volvo reset it!
Wiper motors are often misdiagnosed as faulty as position 1 (first sweep of wiper blades) staggers. This is caused on the whole by the switch attached to the control lever being dirty. It's a pig to dismantle, but far cheaper for £1.50 worth of switch cleaner than £50 of motor!
The complex keyless entry and chipping in the keys can be prone to failure in older versions. Volvo can however reset the system and provide new keyfobs & codes, but hunt down bargains on the highstreet for keycutters who can deal with immobiliser keys and save £££'s!
If you live in the UK, then Timpson's (on most highstreets) can cut you keys for roughly £25 each and I can vouch for the fact that they work! It depends on the branch whether they have the correct key programming systems they own however.
The fobs you will definately get on eBay, but will have to be programmed by Volvo at roughly £38 each. Still, I was quoted £480 by Volvo for the lot - not a hope Volvo!
Under the car, the ball joints have a tendancy to give and the calipers gave me loads of problems.
Lastly, on the bad points, the red paint is prone to fading, so avoid this colour. The rest appear to be ok. All the plastics start to fade however, but I discovered any plethora of plastic restorers from Halfords and the like will make a huge difference.
Now for the good points.
Sitting in the drivers seat is like driving on a sofa, it is incredibly comfortable. It's obviously nowhere near as plush as an executive model of any other brand, yet for Volvo owners it is instantly likeable. Some of Volvo's other cars have felt like you were sitting on a threadbare sprung mattress. By comparison it's luxurious!
You can also adjust everything like mad. The steering column moves up & down, so even the shorter of us can feel at ease and not peering over the dash. Every control function (SE editions and up) are at hand. Although I have considered the electrics a down side, I also think that when you get a good working model, then you benefit from the plethora of options at your finger tips.
The onboard computer displays, at the flick of a pole switch the engine temp, outside temp, mile per gallon average, the fuel reserve (how far you can get on what is left - very useful) and other information. When things start to get too high or two low, the indicator bar shifts from black to red and you either stop, top up or remain in your car and not freeze!
I discovered that if you fiddle with the electrics you can blow a fuse in the engine that wipes out your onboard information, including how far you have travelled on a particular tank of petrol, so one word of warning is find out where that fuse is, but to be on the safe side also un-hook the negative side of the battery before doing anything electrical.
The gear lever is comfortable and the left for reverse type. Nothing to say apart from it is a smooth gear stick that gives a satisfying 'clicking' noise when you select gear (a bit Fast & Furious like!)
Steering wheel is equipped on all models with an airbag, but remember if the car is more than 10yrs old then you will probably need to replace the entire mechanism as it expires and Volvo are NOT responsible for replacement - how costly? Don't know as I have 1 yr to go!
On some models you also have SIPS side impact airbags and a further airbag on the passenger side.
As with all Volvo's the attention to safety is crucial. I decided (as a family man) on Volvo when reading through european safety information. The S40 (in most models) has incredible safety, brilliant track record and great reliability safety wise). If I were to be in an accident, I would choose to be in a Volvo any time. The doors are equipped with steel pillars front and back to stop side impact entering the cabin. There is a roll cage and all the usual Volvo features which led the S40 to be classed as 4 & 5 star safety. Less fortunate are the pedestrians as it dropped to 3 stars due to leg injuries. Moral of the story, drive carefully, don't hit anyone and be assured that if you need to smack into a galloping Elk, it will come off worse than you 9 out of 10 times!
The S40 drives very comfortably too, perhaps a little touch heavy at times and less luxurious than a BMW or an Audi. You are fairly low in the seat so some may feel a little claustraphobic. There's also a great deal of plastic between you and the windscreen, so you can feel a bit distant and taking junctions you do have to peer past the pillar (a major blind spot in this car).
I'm just about to exchange my normal Volvo wheels for a set of Volvo alloys which were given to me as part of the package. I have heard that alloys make a difference to the overall feel of the car and give better braking distances etc. Why this is necessary I don't know as the brakes (as long as the pads aren't worn - and they do wear quickly) are great! You can stop quicker in this car than if you threw a pile of anchors attached by chains to the bumper! It's face lurchingly quick. Another excellent safety feature.
Everything has the air of quality, but at a good price point.
My recommendations for purchasing this car are:
If you aren't a mechanic, then take someone with you. This isn't the type of car to take chances on!
Look out for alternator issues (take a voltage meter), caliper problems, have a good look to make sure that the brake fluid resevoir isn't leaking, check every single electrical device in the car, yep even down to testing the CD or radio. If they don't have one then apply a 11.5v supply to the aerial supply and test that it rises and drops. A replacement from Volvo is £100, a universal one is approx. £40, but you'll need to test the wiring.
Check the tred of the tyres to make sure the ball joints aren't going.
In fact, spend £25+ on RAC or AA or a local mechanic before parting with any cash!
Do NOT buy an S40 with an incomplete service history (obviously), any issues with the electrics, missing key fobs, or if the engine coughs slightly in low revs (I discovered this was the alternator not supplying the injectors with sufficient fuel!)
Do as much homework as possible prior to purchasing the S40 (like any other car) and check out: honestjohn.co.uk, type in Volvo, S40 and year for issues relating to specific models.
There is also a Volvo group in the UK and Volvo forum (based in US, but good none the less).
I love the S40, it is definately a great car, it looks superb, it drives really comfortably and IF I had done my homework and found a car that didn't have the issues I have raised (and subsequently discovered many other S40 owners knew of) then I think I'd be singing this cars praises to the hilt. As it is, I err on the side of caution.
This is a car to check over thoroughly from top to bottom and don't be afraid to just walk away and hunt down another one!
I have been informed that post May 2000 models, predominatly 2001 cars marked the turning point in the manufacturing of this car and this was the end of the major issues relating to quality.
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