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Volvo S40

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Comments

  • bowlingalbowlingal Member Posts: 9
    RE: comparing the S40 to the BMW3

    The BMW 3 automatic is an absolute dog going up gradual long highway hills. It flat out did not perform. Less features for more money--BUT the maintenance is a year longer.

    I didn't like it as much. Thought I did, but on a redrive, it wasn't so great. Even though *every* website seems to love it and rave about it etc.. etc.. I found 2 out of 2 dealerships to be really well, almost snobby. I don't want association with the brand, I guess...
  • cbrown038cbrown038 Member Posts: 5
    Bowlingal -
    My experience with BMW is the same as yours. I'm no expert, but I thought the Volvo S40 T5 was the better car for the money anyways.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    The cars are pretty different. BMW's you can fling into a corner and controlled drift it through, etc. The manual tranny is ultra-precise, you can drive full speed over train tracks, etc.

    But if you're not the sort of person who drives like that, it can be a waste of money. And the 325i with automatic is not very potent.

    I'm still kind of torn between waiting for the new 3 and getting something more "practical" ( like the s40 ).

    Can i pop a chip in the s40 and get more hp? ;)

    dave
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    "Can i pop a chip in the s40 and get more hp?"

    you can pop a chip in just about any car(wrx sti and evo have their engines pushed hard already) with a turbo and see a signifigant increase in hp and i'm thinking it could be around 100+hp for the S40 since most enthusiast reviews i've read say that the T5 engine was electronically toned down substantially....my question is, will doing something like this cancel your warranty?....and how much will this effect the ammount of wear the engine goes through?.....i definately don't want to lose my warranty or beat the crap out of my engine, but 300hp sounds awfully tempting...
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    I mean, i know in theory of course you could re program the engine for more boost--saab's 2.0T can be "chipped" for 250hp and 280lb-ft, so i'm sure volvo's 2.5L can put out a few more horses than 218; after all it's much the same engine as in the 300hp s60R.

    I was just wondering if i can buy such a chip, as i'm not going to re program the car's computer myself. There's also the issue of the tranny handling the extra power, etc. I'm sure we destroyed the tranny, volvo might point to the chip. ;)

    dave
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    You can chip an S40, but not to R levels.
    The R engine has an entirely different block and internals. As well as a different turbocharger.
    Also, you have to send you ecu to the tuner to be flashed. There are no chips available that you can install yourself.
  • rllndwnrdeorllndwnrdeo Member Posts: 3
    When did the '05 S40 come out and when are the 2006's expected?
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    I have been looking at the Mazda3 and the S40 lately. They are both very good vehicles.

    To be honest though, I do not see what makes the S40 cost thousands more?? In comparing the 3s to the 2.4 what justifies the price difference?

    I am no way trying to start anything. I was just wondering what everyone else thinks.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Did you actually test drive both? Or just reading up so far?

    In any case, i just searched this thread for "mazda" and got 4 pages of hits. plenty of discussion about the exact topic you are interested in. good luck with your decision. Let us know how it goes.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • lev_berkovichlev_berkovich Member Posts: 858
    The safety cage design, the engine, the suspension, the array of different active and passive safety devices, the whiplash protective seats, the AWD, the traction and stability control - all this and more makes an S40 a better, more expensive vehicle.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    05's came out in August 04.
    06's are due this August.
  • bonsbons Member Posts: 45
    Most European premium brands (Mbz,BMW,Volvo,Saab) have higher standards for performance and safety. There is absolutely no compromise for it.

    However value brands like (Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, etc) compromise performance and safety for the sake of economics and reliability rating.

    Example, the most common maintenance/repair in any cars is the braking system. For European brands the brake pads and rotors are replaced more frequently (due to higher standards of performance and safety) all rotors in these cars cannot be resurfaced/machined. And in some car such as Saab you might have to replace the pads and rotors every 30K (cost about $500 - $750)

    For cars produced by Toyota/Honda/Hyundai..etc you can change your pads every 30K, resurface your rotors at 60K, and in some cases you can resurface it again at 120K. So at the extreme end you'll need to replace the rotors in your Saab 6 times before you replace the rotors for the average cars. Very economical, small bills, and may lead some consumers to say "WOW" this car is reliable. In fact it just mean less maintenance, more economical while compromising performance and safety.
    Folks, Toyota/Honda/Hyundai learn and study reliability rating surveys and perceptions very well. They design their cars for their intended consumers

    Furthermore, when comparing the TSX vs. S40 one result that clearly illustrate that Volvo does not compromise performance and safey for any reason is the braking distance stat. As some have mentioned in previous posts the S-40 beats the TSX braking distance by a whopping 30 feet. Let's repeat it 30 FEET. That's a difference between going off the cliff on your ski trip in your TSX and staying alive in your Volvo, killing a woman and her kids in your TSX or stop safely in time in your S40. 30 Feet is a world of difference on the roads in case of an emergency.

    Folks, it's not the tires, it's not the wheel, it's Acura compromising performance and safety for economics and reliability perceptions, and Volvo doesn't
    Another stat that point to superior engineering and handling of the S40 is the turning Circle 34.9 ft. for S40, and a dismal 40 ft. for TSX
  • pierolapierola Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2005 s40 t5 and the same happened to me twice in the last couple of weeks.....!
    when that happened to me, I just turned the system off and when I turn it on, the problem it's gone. I thought it was part of my imagination...... or a computer glitch....!
    (I didn't take it to the dealer yet)
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    Ok, dusty Euro brake pads (& hence dirty wheels) could mean maximum braking power, but the 2001 Lexus demo event showed that the IS can still out brake the 3-series. So the 330i had to force the minimum rim size to be at least 17" for accommodating a super-sized rotors in order to leap frog the IS. Why did CR rate the IS #1 in safety? It's the combination of crash test & accident-avoidance ability.

    To me, the main reason I crossed out the S40 from my list is due to the dangerously-narrow rear glass width for the lack of instant lane-change info. That's also why I avoid hatches & wagons. Otherwise, the S40's beautiful driving position is the only one that allows my left finger to be in the "ready position" all the time for signaling. That's even more effective for safety than the new 3-series' brake caliper that clings closer to the rotor in the "ready position" when the driver immediately lifts off the gas.

    Volvo's previous history was poor when comes to accident prevention. The ABS was available kind of late compare to German cars, so our '86 top-of-the-line Volvo (760 turbo) didn't have it & slipped into the intersection on a wet day when trying to stop on a yellow light. I almost had a head on when trying to read the stereo indicator lights that require ducking down. & eventually my sister rear ended someone when trying to look over the shoulder while changing lane to the right on the FWY due to the lack of right convex mirror, which wasn't available until the '88 model year!
  • divewreckdivewreck Member Posts: 50
    With some negative comments with reduced visibility from the rear window (I didn't notice when I did a test drive), would adding a spoiler further decrease visibility?
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    assuming you mean the stock spoiler, no, i test drove one with a spoiler and i could not see it...the main hindrance are the back seat head rests. they blocked the spoiler from view. i believe, and if a current owner can confirm or deny this it would be helpful, the back seat head rests can be tilted down, or taken out completely. i know this is the case with my mom's 2004 S60, i'm assuming it is also the case with the S40.
  • creakid1creakid1 Member Posts: 2,032
    when going reverse.

    But if the trunk height is already too high to begin with, then it'll cut into the view of your inside rear-view mirror.

    I was complaining about the width of the rear-view visibility on many new sedans including the new S40, Mazda3, G35, Passat, & G35. I think it's the auto companies' conspiracy to keep sedans' excellent rear visibility width nearly as narrow as the wagons/SUVs. So sedan owners will be willing to "upgrade" to the expensive SUVs next time w/o such complain. Ditto the size of the compact cars' turning circle getting bigger these days. What happened to the 32.2-ft turning circle of my 760 turbo & '90 Protege? I remember the Chevette's turning circle was 30.2-ft. & no, FWD is not an excuse, the '82 Sentra had a small turning circle, too.
  • carbertcarbert Member Posts: 23
    The back seat head rests can be removed, and it makes a huge difference in visibility. If you don't normally transport people in your back seat, then I'd really recommend stashing them in the trunk or something.
  • rideride Member Posts: 4
    Signed a contract in Dec 04 with Volvo direct in Sontong, Korea near Osan Air Base. Not a dealer but a direct rep of Volvo in Sweden. The only real discount was on the base price of the car which was about 2.5K less than the states, got the full up packages and the cost of the packages was the same, he did cut me another 1K off the car so I'm saving about 4K over the price in the states...30K for a full up T5 FWD all the whissles, stereo, premium interior and dynamic sport pack. Come Oct though 30K will be common for my type of equipped car. But if you want it equipped exactly as you need and the colors you want, direct is the way to go. As far the taxes, don't know about Belgum but I still have to pay whatever state I title it in the US - apprx another 2K, yippee. Although I signed a contract in Dec 04, my direct dealer is allowing me to push my contract delivery back to Oct 05 when I return to the states. And I have the option of rolling my 1K deposit and signing a contract on an 06 if I want, provided my car is not made yet. Full payment is due to Volvo 45 days prior to delivery and the direct dealers do not provide financing from Volvo or any other, we have to acquire on our own. If you canx the contract without cause, they keep your 1K. Hope this helps.
  • mazda6smazda6s Member Posts: 1,901
    One difference that was immediately obvious to me when I drove them is that the S40 is WAY more quiet than the Mazda3.
  • reallyreally Member Posts: 1
    I recently test drove the automatic S40 and the proximity of the gas and brake pedals didn't really bother me (shoe size 8.5-9), but I have read that it did bother others.
  • divewreckdivewreck Member Posts: 50
    It didn't bother me either, but I believe it was between the brake & clutch pedals
  • tobersevenstobersevens Member Posts: 5
    Heico offers an ECU upgrade but this a hardware upgrade requiring an individual to soder the chip. I know of a company (TME) that specializes in ECU upgrades utilizing software application. As far as voiding warranties there's a law that specifically addresses these type of issues. If you replace a factory part with aftermarket your warranty should only be void for that specific item. If there were a warranty repair issue and the dealer claims that your aftermarket item voids the warranty; they have to prove that your aftermarket item directly caused the problem. This is my laymen's understanding of the law and ecu upgrades. The law i'm refering to is the "Magnuson Moss Warranty Act"

    Any thoughts? :confuse:
  • lev_berkovichlev_berkovich Member Posts: 858
    your understanding of law is correct, but ECU is related to so many functions in the modern car, so unless you had some true mechanical failure somewhere totally unrelated to the drivetrain, you can claim that it was unrelated to your upgrade. I will be very cautious. Now, if anything, actually anything happens with the drivetrain - engine, transmission, ball joints, AWD guts, etc, etc. Volvo will claim that it was stressed beyond of the designed parameters, and you will have a burden of proof that it was otherwise.
    For all practical purposes, I would say that the manufacturer's warranty for the most vital units will be gone, once you upgrade the ECU.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Both TME and Evolve(powerchip) re-flash your existing ECU.
    It is the safest way to go. Soldering a chip to a Volvo ECU is just asking for trouble.
  • lev_berkovichlev_berkovich Member Posts: 858
    Max,
    Just out of curiosity - do you personally know any incidents when there was a transmission failure on a car with the upgraded ("soft" flashed) ECU and Volvo did not revoke the warranty?
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    I don't personally know of ANY failure of a car w/ a flashed ECU.

    If such a failure did occur, Volvo would certainly disallow the warranty claim.
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    i get my S40 in about a month from now and since i've never bought a new car before, i have a couple of questions for those who have...

    1. my car is comming from the factory...i know the cars are put through performance and handling tests overseas before they are shipped so i'm assuming the car should arrive with somewhere between 4-6 miles on it. is that about right? and if not, how many miles should i expect to be on it when it arrives? how much compensation should i ask for if the car has more miles on it then it should?

    2. my father tells me it's not good to push a car too hard in the begining of its road life. however, he can't tell me how long to go easy on it and he's never had a turbocharged car. how long(or how many miles) should i drive my new T5 before i open it up?
  • lev_berkovichlev_berkovich Member Posts: 858
    Anything less than 25-30 miles should not matter. It may include some driving at the port terminal.

    The rule of thumb is - do not exceed 4500 rpm for a first 1000 miles.
  • greggorgreggor Member Posts: 11
    Yea, I've heard pretty much the same thing that lev said. under 4500 RPM for the first 500-1000 miles.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,233
    Also, don't drive at a constant speed for an extended time, like take a trip and use the cruise control. No flooring it, or panic stops unless unavoidable.
  • the_barnaclethe_barnacle Member Posts: 3
    So what happens to my car if I did take it over 4500RPM or go on a trip? No one at the dealership told me anything about a break in period.
  • lev_berkovichlev_berkovich Member Posts: 858
    Actually, I have to disagree with the "trip" limitation - driving at 3000 - 3500 RPM is good for the engine - constant low load, good lubrication, no impacts.

    The 4500 RPM limit means that you might have an excessive friction and overheating of the internal parts due to the tighter initial internal clearances, that might cause unproportionally high wear, galling and, some times, internal cracking.

    All of this, though is rather unlikely, but possible.

    Plus remember 4500 equates to 90 - 100 MPH @ 5th gear. You can restrain yourself from it for the first 1000 miles, can't you. Why take chances?
  • autoeduautoedu Member Posts: 47
    Can someone comment on the Volvo turbo and non-turbo engine.
    I know turbo has more hp and faster with more torque. What about reliability
    Is turbo-engine less reliable and more maintenance than non-turbo engine?
    Saab has the most refined turbo-engine in the industry (they're the first to introduce turbo engine), can I expect the same refinement from the Swede sibling?
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    In my opinion, there is no difference in reliability these days, if properly taken care of.

    By the way, your comment prompted me to do some research:

    The Chevrolet Corvair Monza and the Oldsmobile Jetfire were the first turbo-powered passenger cars, and made their debut on the US market in 1962/63.

    Interesting.

    If you want to read more, this site seemed to be chock full of info:
    http://www.turbodriven.com/en/turbofacts/index.asp

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • autoeduautoedu Member Posts: 47
    The link you provided has great info, but I believe some info are not accurate.

    According to GM document
    http://www.gm.com/automotive/gmpowertrain/tech/pdf/charging_tech.pdf
    Saab introduced industry-first turbo engine in 1977
    (If Chevy or Olds were first I think GM would have mentioned it)

    Whether Saab is first or not, I believe its turbo engine is among the best if not the best
    I heard that turbo lag in Volvo is noticeable compare to Saab
  • greggorgreggor Member Posts: 11
    For those of you who own a S40 or V50: IPOD integration for "MOST" audio systems (the fiber sound system found in the s40 and v50) is coming soon from DensionUSA

    I found this after a lot of searching and help from other forums :D

    I know allwheeldriv3 will be happy...so am I!
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    good info guys. the last thing i want to do is taint my engine in the first month and a half of owning the thing...i've also heard that it is good to prematurely change the oil at the end of the 1000 mile grace period to rid the engine of tiny metal shards that chip off as the moving parts break-in. is this also true?
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    awesome!!! good find dude!
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    That is really interesting they would say that. I've searched the web and found many instances of '62 Turbo Chevy Corvairs. Even NADA lists such a car.

    As far as lag is concerned, it really depends. There is just no getting around it when you are running high boost in a small displacement engine (unless you go with a twin-scroll setup, which I hear can help greatly). But, for the setups we are talking about here, the general rule is 'the higher the boost, the greater the lag.' I think you might find lag to be very similar between an S40 T5 and 9-3 aero (that's the faster one, right?). The Saab is pushing about 105 hp/liter while the Volvo is a bit under 100. so, really, the volvo may be a bit less lag, but who knows if you'd be able to tell. Only way is to try them and find out.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • tobersevenstobersevens Member Posts: 5
    From my understanding when it comes to new cars: manufacturers usually put a specially treated engine oil that's more viscous (sp?) than normal. from what i've been told there's really no reason to change it earlier because it's formulated to treat/prep the engine etc in some manner: but the first oil change should be done thoroughly.

    Turbo: i have to agree that for the most part turbo these days are more reliable than before and most new cars are watercooled rather than oil cooled: therefore turbo timers aren't needed; but i suppose it's always good to idle the engine after driving so that the water can circulate

    IPOD: anyone have any idea as to the possible street price for the ipod connectivity? I've read about it before and heard that it's due out in june (i didn't visit the link)

    Evolvecars.com has an ecu flash that's due out soon boosting from t5's 218 to around 250hp...good stuff seems like

    Anyone know where i can get tailight housing with the rear foglight for passenger side connected? from what i've been told; even though there's a socket for the rear foglight on the passenger side: it's not wired.

    awheeldriv3: to follow up on the "buyer's remorse" post that i put on the other string: i appreciate your feedback: but i do feel better about it now. i found out that the resist-all coating was 2500 and that the original purchaser basically returned the vehicle (friends with gm) because she didn't like the appearance of the coating. so i feel better about the price that i paid....but perhaps i could've squeezed another 500-1000
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    good to hear you feel better about your purchace now....it sucks to spend $20,000+ and not feel good about it...

    i also want to know the street price of the optical ipod hookup and the evolve ecu flash for that matter. did you happen to read about the performance gains from the new firmware? i know it adds about 40hp, but i want to know how much that will cut off the 0-60 time. evolve's site doesn't say much about it.

    how does the coating change the apperance of the car?
  • tobersevenstobersevens Member Posts: 5
    it's kind of sneaky how to get the specs for the ecu flash

    you have to pull up a S60 for example and click on the ecm upgrade and it will bring you to a separate site. the torque will also increase to about 280 lb-ft.

    i'm thinking that it will prob cut the 0-60 about 1-2 sec; i think that the biggest differenc will come in a quarter mile and reallife driving environment

    the coating is a thin 3m film that's applied on like a wax....you can't notice it in any way except for where the coating ends...there's obviously the tiniest of drop off edge and that's what the previous owner didn't like. but the coating itself can be waxed and polished just like the regular paint

    so the coating goes over the front end of the car as well as the door edges etc. and rocks etc can't penetrate it and any bug guts or tree saps come right off

    btw...i think the price for the upgrade is 990...basically you take out your ecu and send it to evolve and they flash it for you and send it back...takes about a week and a half i think...well maybe not...depending on how you have it delivered...i guess you can get it done in about 4 days
  • paulsazpaulsaz Member Posts: 39
    I traded my 2001 S40 for a new base model S40 2.4i. The sound system on the new car sounds kind of tinny. I have adjusted the treble and base, but no luck getting it to sound better. Does anyone have any ideas? My old S40 sounded much better. Neither car has an upgraded sound system.
  • greggorgreggor Member Posts: 11
    I think I remember seeing the icelink hookup for the s40 and v50 on densions european site set around 215 EUR i have no clue if that will stick to the US dollar conversion...I guess we're all going to have to wait a month or so 'til it comes out in the US. :surprise:
  • harbachjharbachj Member Posts: 51
    I actually owned a 1965 Corvair turbo! Bought it my senior year in college (1968) and owned if for three years. Mine was called a Corsa but the earlier ones were called Spyders. A neat car - I wish I hadn't sold it. All turbos will have some lag, it's inhererent in the technology. Things like the turbo size, waste gate settings, low pressure vs.high pressure, etc. all affect how much you have. A small, low pressure turbo programmed to primarily increase lower RPM torque will have less lag than a larger high pressure turbo programmed to increase maximum high RPM power. It's all a tradeoff. You can't have it all.
  • ivvmanivvman Member Posts: 1
    We simply love our S40! Wife used to race and this car is hers. Recently, in our cool South Calif weather, the car will turn over, try to start, then stop. The only way to start it when "cold" is to depress the gas pedal slightly. After 10 seconds, the car will idle properly. Any clues as to the problem? Car has 35K miles and runs great otherwise.
  • allwheeldriv3allwheeldriv3 Member Posts: 35
    i'm no mechanic, but since you said giving it a little gas helps, it sounds to me like you need to go out and get some fuel injector cleaner and add it to your next tank of gas. you might even feel a slight performance increase from it as well.
  • mapinmapin Member Posts: 27
    i saw the dension link for ipod integration, it says on their website that they are considering developing it for new volvos including the s40 if there's enough demand, and they suggest you add your name to their wait list to give them a sense of the demand for it.

    So if you're an ipod owner, please add your email to their wait list ! I'd love to have a real ipod connection rather than the fm transmitter that volvo will offer in June.

    Here's the link:
    http://densionusa.com/merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DU&Product_Code=F_Volvo- _9488925&Category_Code=IA_VOLVO

    if that doesn't work try:
    http://www.densionusa.com/merchant/merchant.mvc
  • bonsbons Member Posts: 45
    It's impressive that Volvo goes to great length to ensure that their cars meet the highest standard in safety, quality and environment.

    For example, selecting materials for its interior is one of many commending endeavors that Volvo undertake to make sure that Volvo drivers/passengers will not be allergic to the new-car smell
    http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Volvo_News/article_482.html

    And the world take notice as the Volvo S40 came in second for the World Car of the Year Award (Audi A6 first, Volvo S40/V50 second, Porsche 911 third)
    http://www.wcoty.com/html/winners.html
This discussion has been closed.