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Volvo S40
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Comments
Wish I had
I am planning to buy a second car. I test drove a 2001 Volvo S40 and liked it. I thought it was a bit smoother than the Accord which I have( no doubt that the Accord is an excellent car). I am a bit confused as to which car I should buy. I have 3 options, The Volvo S40/Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T/ 2001 Toyota RAV4.
Can anyone suggest me as to which of this three would be a best buy?
Thanks in advance
Kindly help.
THanks
We have had more than our share of troubles I would say.
All cherrfully fixed by our dealer in Ohio. But you have to take the time to bring the car in . . . . .
- The most severe was a power brake malfunction. Pretty odd for a brand that prides itself on safety. Powerbrakes would not work for the first 10 minutes of operation of the car.
- the radio / cd has at times refused to play or fades all the way out. It seems the volume knob stopped working. Took it to the dealer and they could not find the problem. :-(
- several problems solved by new / updated computer codes - check engine light, etc.
- air conditioner thermostat giving out
- door seal coming unglued from the metal
- cupholder in the rear not working right
Of course I am interested in any solutions owners and dealers have run across for these problems.
I also wonder if the 2001 models are any less troublesome? The S60 and V40 have sort of caught my eye as replacements for my 1992 Prelude. But if this experience is typical of Volvos I am not sure that the cars are worth the trouble.
Hondas may be bland -- but at least they are less troublesome for the same or less money.
I've always owned a Japanese car and is looking for something a little more solid and safer. That's why I was looking for a Volvo. In fact, I'm still debating either the S40 or a 2dr Accord V6.
Does anybody have any suggestions or comments on what I should do?
I bought a 2000 s40 in 12/00: 9K miles (had been dealer loaner) w leather/sunroof pkg for $20.6K. Perhaps could have paid $20K if I was a hard core negotiator. But, I was happy to get the interest rate benefits - 8% from dealer, less than my bank would give on a used - of a new car and to avoid some of the usual new care charges - no destination, advertising, registration, etc.
I've only added about 1K miles but have not yet experienced any of the problems reported above.
First impressions: pleased -- though for mostly superficial reasons.
1) I like the styling if only because it's not a Jetta. LA is overrun with the Volkswagons, and they're attractive, but I enjoy the meager amount of individuality the s40 provides.
2) The driving experience is pretty good. I am a commuter rather than a sophisticated driver, but it has pep (it's easy to pass), handles on the sporty side of average, has excellent brakes, a good climate control system and the seats are comfy. Negatives here include a mediocre radio, poor blind spot visibility and limited rear seat leg room (but I'm short, so that'll help riders).
3) Safety is a priority for me. Without having to do extensive homework, the Volvo name suggests that reasonable care has been exercised in designing the car. It's small, but has front and side air bags (would have liked the head bags issued in '01) and I'm placing faith in Volvo that the cage and other structural elements are decent.
4) The 4yr/48K mile warrantee is better than VW, Accord and some other competitors.
All in all, I prefer the image to the Accords and VW's I was also considering. I recognize that it might be hard to justify its higher price, but those cars aren't cheap either when you add leather (which I love) and a sunroof (which I could care less about).
In terms of comparing it to low end Audi's and BMW's, I think its hard a strech to put it in the same class as those cars. On the other hand, it's cheaper and safety is probably equal.
Here's my question, I read in the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the 2003 version of the S40 will share a platform with the Ford Focus. Has anyone else heard this nonsense? In my opinion, that would be a disaster for the S40.
IMO, using the Focus and Mondeo platforms on lower-end Volvos and Jags is a great idea. These platforms have a great reputation, so it's a good way for Ford to save money without there being any detriment to the consumer. Just because they're using the base platform of a cheaper Ford doesn't mean that the luxury features normally found on these cars will disappear, and they may in fact improve since less of the cost of the car will go toward recovering platform development costs.
You've got some valid points but I just don't trust Ford. I've always felt that if you want to lease a car it's ok to go domestic. If you want to buy a car and keep it for an extended period you are much better served to go Japanese. Being built on the same platform won't stop me from test driving the S40 again.
I'm going to be leasing a new car later this year after my current lease expires, and I'm debating between an S40 and a larger car with fewer safety features, such as a Crown Victoria. I've always wanted to buy a Volvo because of their devotion to safety, but until the S40 came to the U.S., I haven't been able to afford one.
My main concern with the S40, at least in terms of safety, is the overall size of the car. It weighs only 2,800 pounds compared to a Crown Vic which weighs 4,000 pounds. The CV only has dual front airbags for safety (no side airbags, no head airbags, no WHIPS system) and ABS is an option. What seems to make the CV so safe is its enormous size. I wonder in a head-on collision between a CV and an S40, which driver would be more severely injured?
Other than the size issue, I like the S40 much better. It has FWD (better in the snow), much better gas mileage, better handling, easier to park and maneuver, more comfortable seats, more attractive styling. It's just that most safety experts say that bigger is always better. If a 4,000 pound object collides with a 2,800 pound object, the 4,000 pound object will likely come away with less damage...so they say anyway.
I know that the S40 got very good ratings from the government agencies that test car safety in Europe, but does anyone know when or if NHTSA (here in the U.S.) is going to crash test an S40?
Like I said, everything except the overall size of the S40 is telling me to buy it over the Crown Vic. Thanks a lot for any advice you guys might have.
I really like the styling of the S40 over the Crown Vic, but my biggest concern these days is safety, so I may end up choosing a bigger car than the S40.
I agree about those SUV's though. Those things should be classified as "light trucks" and anyone who buys one should have to go through some sort of advanced training so that they know how to handle them in all driving conditions. I see way too many SUV's out there being driven as though they were Porsche 911's or something...total morons if you ask me.
Thanks again for your input...cheers.
I really like the looks of the S40 over the CV or GM (both interior and exterior), and I'm only 38, so I definitely don't fall into the CV/GM demographic group. But the overall size of the CV makes me think it would do better in a serious crash over the S40.
Anyway, this is a Volvo forum and not a CV/GM forum, so I better shut up before I wear out my welcome here!
I'd like to second the comments about renting a Grand Marquis. I rented a one a while back, and for what I used it for (highway cruising) it was the most comfortable car I'd driven up to that point. It did have leather...I'm not sure if it had the handling package, but it did have traction control. I wouldn't call it a sports sedan by any means, but its size belies its handling prowess. I wouldn't buy one, either-- I'm 26-- but I've never rented a nicer car.
Now, back on topic: I like the S40 a lot, but I really can't justify spending the same money as a Passat for such a small, cramped car. I'd look at a Passat, too; it's VERY safe, particularly the 2001.5 models, which now have side curtain airbags, but bigger than the S40, but not so bulky as the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis.
I was wondering why nobody picked up on my cross-shopping a Crown Vic and an S40 until now. I thought I was going to get some serious laughs, considering there are some major differences between the two cars and who their target market is.
I guess the bottom line for me is safety and comfort. I live in the Wash, DC metro area, and our traffic is ranked second worst in the country (LA is #1). We also have way too many aggressive and/or stupid drivers around here, so the probability of a serious accident is somewhat high (at least in my opinion).
Perhaps another option would be to look at a used S60 or S80?
Anyway, thanks for the advice. I'm heading over to the Passat section now...see ya.
Nice Looking Volvo S40
Swedespeed
Rear brakes needed at 20M miles. It surprised me that rears were needed before front. Dealer said this is typical performance that they are seeing. Front brakes needed at 30M miles.
Other than that, minor program updates that caused the warning lights to go on for no reason have been required. No other significant problems have been experienced. I'm counting on this car lasting 300M miles. I'll keep in touch!
Jason
I have since purchased a Volkswagen Jetta GLS with a 150hp 1.8L turbocharged four (the Audi A4 powerplant) and can't BELIEVE how much nicer this car is for $7,500 less !!!! Quieter, more responsive, less turbo lag, and more standard features. I would DEFINITELY recommend anyone considering the S40 drive the Jetta, the Passat, and the Audi A4. ALL three of these cars are superior to the S40 and you can spend anywhere from $8,000 less (the Jetta) to about $2,000 more (loaded A4). Face it, everybody's got the same safety features as Volvo these days and the other cars outclass them in all other areas. Hope that others can learn from my costly mistake.
i like the S40 too - but it really was not any better than my loaded (leather, auto, roof) Jetta GLS VR6. And the Jetta was about $23k, MSRP. More power, almost the same safety, and no premium fuel needed!!
That said, the S40 is nice. I do think that the V40 actually looks sportier from behind though. Does anyone else agree that the V40 looks better than the S40?
I feel like they're making up on the sale with exorbitant repair costs.
Chris
Any comments?
Peddler
The BMW 3 series still too costly (the base model is stripped of most luxury items). Wish me well...
It's funny, I am thinking of going the opposite way as some of the people who have posted here... buying an S40 to escape an awful VW experience. I live in PA, and in this part of the country I am seeing more and more S40s on the road. In the past few months I have stopped to ask about 5 random S40 owners about their experiences with the car (at gas stations and such). The response I have gotten has been overwhelmingly positive. Until reading some of these posts, I was almost sure I had decided on the S40...now I guess I have to give it more thought. It still seems like a great car, though.
anyway, here is the deal i received (i'm financing)... sticker on the car is $27,002.. buying for $22,351... $23,922 with tax, tags, etc... i think that is a great deal... i didn't want alot of options... silver car (metallic paint), black leather (looks nicer than the cloth), cold weather package (traction control) and a power driver's seat (didn't need it)...
NOW FOR THE QUESTION: my car doesn't have a CD but it is pre-wired to the trunk... does anyone know what kind of CD Changer i can buy aftermarket?? i've heard it is ALPINE and that i'll need an adapter...
any input??
Thanks in advance.
Does anybody out there own the special edition? Besides the interior/exterior appearance, what are the differences? The sticker was a little over 28K, does anybody know the true market value? Thanks
2. Hold the trip button down.
3. Then turn the key to the third position.
4. Light will begin to flash and about the third time, release the trip button.
5. Start the car to make sure the light is off.
This info would found on www.volvospy.com.