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Volvo V40 - Information & Experiences
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Ford's overall reputation for quality and reliability is quite good. For example, Ford has virtually all of the police and limo market in the US. Reason? They make the best product for their needs that is both durable and relatively inexpensive to repair.
have not experienced one problem. For the money, I
think it was a great buy - nice power and
handling. For those refering to a 1998 review and
slamming performance....I agree, given the old
engine, performance would have been lacking.
Slapping in a Turbo for the American 2000
introduction was a great move. Don't compare apples
and oranges. Overall, a tremendous value for the
money and I would advise anyone to buy one.
and I like the car, but I have two questions?
First, can you open the rear hatch without the key in the lock (ie just by pushing
the button) or does the key have to be in the lock? (Dealer swears key needs to be
in the lock to open hatch, does that mean the trunk button on the key fob is
useless?)
Second, is there any option for a CD changer (not fm modulator) that doesn't cost
$700?
Any thoughts or opinions appreciated...I can't believe you can't open the hatch without the key, and if you can, how in the heck to I get the dealer to fix it. They are sticking to the party line that all is fine even though the lock works sketchy at best!
If you look to the left side of this page, you'll notice a new feature: Additional Resources. Keep a look out for new articles, features, and other related discussions soon be posted in that area. Hope this is helpful.
Thanks for your participation. ;-)
Pocahontas
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Happy Motoring. ;-)
Pocahontas
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Well, if you have suggestions, please feel free to respond.
Thanks,
Matthias
Revka
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Revka
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Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards
At that time I was told I would soon need to replace my rear brake pads, $135, with only 11,500 miles on the car. Outraged, I called Volvo of America and they admitted to brake replacement at about 15,000 miles on this model. They cited superior braking ability and engineer-chosen material. Otherwise they evade any consumer satisfaction, quality control, cost effectiveness, comparisons with other autos. I was alotted a mere 15% discount on the brake bill. Warranty did not cover any brake repairs.
The dealer admits to no knowledge of this markedly unsatisfactory feature; service departments reap the replacement fees.
So now I have a new car that will require costly brake pad replacement at a frequency of four times what other autos require.
The maintenance manual 'suggests' to check brakes every 15,000 miles;it never indicates replacment at designated mileage.
This devalues the car, makes it an unlikely resale item and make me a very unhappy owner.
One other flaw is the tail gate panel that wraps midway around the gate. Ours cracked and oxidized from black to gray.
I am finding other owners with the same brake pad experience and would like to hear from others.
Silver V40
- Metallic Paint
- Sports Premium Package
- $27,365
Nautic Blue V40 (test drove)
- Metallic Paint
- Premium Plus Package
- $28,852
Black V40 (Showroom)
- Metallic Paint
- Premium Package
- $26,395
Obviously those are all MSRP. I've asked the dealer to send me a quote via email, and he hasn't done so yet. What's the best deal anyone has gotten recently?
thanks!!!
uneven brake wear?
I've got 30,000 kms on my v40, but I've only had it for 1 month and have put on about 6500 kms.
Any feedback appreciated.
Thanks
jasonross99@hotmail.com
From 1996 till 2003 with pictures.
http://users.pandora.be/volvo40
Cargo space is fine with me, I don't carry sheets of plywoods, just the regular stuff for 2 kids and I don't go crazy about it. Being in volvosville (Boston), there are plenty of good independent volvo mechanics I can go to for maintenance. And the rear seat comfort part I do not know. Anyone has any suggestions?
thanks
Nelson
As for your question about the rear seat, I tried it and I'm a bit over 6' tall, and my knees didn't touch the front seats(maybe about 2" away).
And the back seat feels quite comfortable. Although, the whole car seems cramped to me, because I'm used to my car, the LHS, which is huge.
I've driven the V40 a few times now, and I actually started enjoying it. At first it seemed too stiff and sensitive to me, but after a while I adjusted to the feel, and I like the road feel of the steering. The big surprise I got, was how FAST this car is. It's turbo charged and it's light, so it zooms and wants to keep going, but fortunately, it also has the BEST brakes I have ever seen. This car stops on a dime. And because of this, the brake pads are designed softer than usual, and they tend to wear faster than expected, which need replacing every 15-20k miles. And the complaint I have so far, is the mess of brake dust on the wheels. It's unbelievable how much dust accumulates on there. I guess it's the price to pay in order to have really Excellent Brakes.
On a final note, I think the price you quoted doesn't include any packages, which would be impossible to find (I think). You might have to add $1000-$3000 for a Sports Package or Premium Package with possibly a Climate Package.
Good Luck!
btw, this car will be for my wife too. Unlike you, I'll be taking over her current car - corolla.
I am a Honda owner, so my first instinct is Honda. It's a shame Honda doesn't make a wagon in the US. I think in the long run, it would be more practical to have a wagon. I like the Passat a lot, even though it's too pricy, and I'm concerned with reliability and premium fuel. The 2003 Volvo V40 I like a lot. I drove a new silver metallic V40 for a month here in Europe last Summer, and I loved it. My only concern is that in the US, all that is offered is Automatic transmission, whereas I drove a MT, and enjoyed that much more. The Passat GLS has the option of V6 (I like the extra power) and MT, but the Accord doesn't in V6. Still have to test drive the Passat and the Accord.
As you can see, I am very confused... Amidst all this, what I really value is longevity in a quality car (I've had my Honda for almost 9 years, and no problems). I also value performance, comfort, and safety. My only problem with AT is less control to enjoy.
Question: how is the Volvo maintenance services in the US??
HELP
As for Service, it really depends on the dealers. And most dealers for any brand car, don't seem to care enough, I think.
Good Luck.
I also agree with you, that dealers don't seem to care much about customers after the "buy". My experience has been long long waits, just for oil changes, for instance, even after you make an appointment.
Since you own a V40, what are your overall experiences with it (hopefully you haven't had the problems you have read about), how long have you had it, and what is the response of the 4-cylinder engine with an automatic transmission? Did you get any of the options, like climate and premium packages??
Sorry about all the questions. I'm just trying to get the most information in order to make a decision.
Thank you.
I'm surprised you don't see many V40s in the States. Here they are abundant.
The V40 is not a luxury car, it's kind of noisy (road noise more than engine noise, but maybe the tires have something to do with it), and you definitely feel the road, not too cushioned. But that's exactly what this little car was designed to drive and feel like.
So far, I have'nt experienced any of the problems that I read about, and hopefully it will stay that way. I'm pretty confident that by now, Volvo has worked out most of the bugs on this model, it's been around for quite a few years now.
Hope this helps, and by the way, where are you that you see so many V40s.
Somebody was telling me about the overseas delivery program from the US: pick up the car in Gothenburg, Sweden, then drive it to one of the 21 drop-off points, like Paris or Madrid (that would be closer for me), and ship it to the US, and all this with trips paid, no shipping costs, and cost of the car amounts to 10% less than buying it the US. I don't know. I guess it's something to ponder.
I don't remember too much road noise when I drove one last summer. What kind, and what brand of tires did they sell with your V40??
As for the program picking up the car overseas. A friend of mine just picked up a BMW 330xi from Germany on a similar program, where he ordered the car here in the U.S., then picked it up overseas and drove it around in Germany for about a week to add a few miles to the odometer, and that's how you save by shipping it Used instead of Brand New.
Regards.
To nwng & mbfjack - Glad to see you're getting some good feedback here. For additional feedback/ideas, you may also want to check out our Help me select a Wagon! discussion. Good luck, and please keep us posted on your decision. ;-)
To bb_lhs_2k- Congrats on your new V40, and thanks sharing the details. We appreciate your help/feedback here... and look forward to your future posts. Happy motoring!
Revka
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Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
I got a lot of help on these boards, so it's only appropriate for me to help, if I can :-)
I find these boards extremely helpful. Even though I still haven't decided nor made a purchase, it's refreshing to read information with all types of opinion. It helps a great deal to find out people's dilemmas, problems and solutions.
I like it alot and really can't find anything wrong.
(Well...I don't like the old style door handles...that's about it)
How long will the $4000 off incentive last?
Never mind... I just checked... it says 4/30...
Does anyone know if a new V40 will be introduced by then?
Is the V50 a replacement or different?
Here's the spy pics of the V50:
http://w1.313.telia.com/~u31303214/V50.jpg
Revka
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Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
Dealer 1: Among the European auto makers, only Volvo requires only regular 87 grade gas. All the others require premium gas. He told me what was shown on the internet, such as Edmunds, was not correct.
Dealer 2: Although the owner's manual specifies premium gas, you can comfortably use the regular one from any established gas vendor. He himself had been using the regular one and there was no problem. He also said if the regular one did not work, then just went up one notch.
So the question remains that if the regular one is fine, why does Volvo even specify the premium in their manual to begin with?
design flaw, although minor, that could have been worked out over the course of the V40's history.
Thanks for the input.