Used Volvo S40 I: body iron from VAZ and calipers from Gazelle. The "first" sedan Volvo S40 Undercarriage Volvo S40

A re-styled version of the second generation of the well-known Volvo S40 sedan (2008-2012) appeared in 2004. Before that, the model was produced for 4 years, and this version was on the assembly line for 5 years. The model was shown to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show and has not changed very much, but we'll figure it out later.

The manufacturer used the P1 platform, which is also used on the Mazda 3 and. The challenge was to create a simple small sedan for city driving, which would have a slightly aggressive exterior.

Exterior

The car got really good looks for that time. The smooth shape of the bonnet and the narrow lanterns look really stylish. The lights are halogen on the filling, lenses are present, and xenon can be installed for an additional fee. In the middle is a small radiator grille with chrome surround and company logo. The massive bumper at the bottom of the car received a rectangular air intake and deeply installed fog lights.

Looking at the car from the side, you understand that the line running from the front arch to the rear optics is quite stylishly designed. The wheel arch extensions are impressive, but the rear ones are much larger. The threshold has a slightly embossed shape, and in the middle there is a molding, which is painted in the body color. The rear-view mirrors are quite large, and there is another turn signal on them, by the way, they are made of chrome. In general, the body shape itself is quite dynamic.

The rear of the Volvo C40 car also looks sporty, it has stylish optics, which are made in the classic style of the brand and at the same time it is elegantly fitted to the body shape. The boot lid is oversized and has a spoiler that adds aggression. The bumper has received a massive size, and in its lower part there are many relief shapes, there are also reflectors there. The exhaust pipes, although they are under the bumper, look beautiful.

Dimensions:

• length - 4476 mm;
• width - 1770 mm;
• height - 1454 mm;
• wheelbase - 2640 mm;
• ground clearance - 135 mm.

Salon

The branded moderately strict interior of the car is quite good in terms of build quality and ergonomics. Many details of the interior decoration are sheathed with high-quality leather, unfortunately this will not be in every configuration.

As always, we start our discussion of the interior with the seats, as we believe that this is an extremely important part. In front, there are quite comfortable leather seats, with weak lateral support. Behind a simple sofa for three people with a folding armrest in the back. There is not so much free space, but in principle it is enough, the back is slightly not enough.

As you know, the manufacturer pays a lot of attention to safety. 6 pillows were installed, and in the later years of production it was possible to find a blind spot monitoring system. For an adult audience, this level of security is very attractive.

The shape of the driver's steering column for Volvo S40 (2008-2012) has been thought out in terms of ergonomics. There are no hints of sports, the task is to make the driver as comfortable as possible. The steering wheel received 10 keys, the main part is for multimedia, some for cruise control, if available. On the one hand, the dashboard is very simple, but after that you notice that readability and convenience were really thought out. In fact, these are simple large analog speedometer and tachometer gauges and two on-board computers, but they are really convenient.

The center console has the same architecture, but the material may differ depending on the configuration. The panel can be:

• Plastic;
• Aluminum;
• Wooden.

The console has a small monitor, 4 washers and vertically positioned buttons. Everything is designed to control music and air conditioning. The selected settings are displayed on the monitor located above. On the dashboard at the top there is a small folding display responsible for the navigation system.

The tunnel separates the front passenger and the driver, also partially made of wood, plastic or aluminum. It houses a large gear selector, behind which is a couple of buttons and a cigarette lighter. To the left is a small mechanical handbrake. The end part greets us with an opening box with cup holders and a small niche for small items.

The trunk of 404 liters is quite enough, and the volume is honest, the lid hinges do not interfere with the use of the compartment. The rear backrests fold down to carry more cargo, the volume is 883 liters.

Characteristics Volvo C40

Type of	Volume	Power	Torque	Overclocking	Maximum speed	Number of cylinders
Petrol	1.6 l	100 h.p.	150 H * m	11.9 sec.	185 km / h	4
Petrol	2.0 l	145 h.p.	185 H * m	9.5 sec.	210 km / h	4
Petrol	2.4 l	170 h.p.	230 H * m	8.2 sec.	220 km / h	5
Petrol	2.5 l	230 h.p.	320 H * m	7.1 sec.	230 km / h	5

This car in our country was sold with 4 units in the line. They are all gasoline, but their power is not that high, since the car is designed for simple city driving. Let's discuss them in more detail.

1. The most popular and weakest is the L I4 gasoline engine, familiar to Focus owners. This is a borrowed 1.6-liter unit. The atmospheric engine has 100 horses and 150 torque, this is not enough, so the owners often spin it up to high revs. He spends about 9 liters in the city and lives long enough - 300 thousand kilometers. Attachments often begin to require replacement after 100 thousand.
2. The two-liter 145-horsepower engine is also borrowed from the American manufacturer. The motor is the same, its volume is larger and more powerful. The dynamics here are as simple as possible - 10 seconds to a hundred. He needs a lot of fuel by modern standards - a large 10 liters. The problems are the same, that is, minor.
3. The inline 5-cylinder engine in the Volvo S40 line (2008-2012) has few problems, but they are "chronic", ventilation and cooling system often fail. The engine produces 170 horsepower and 230 H * m of torque. It is not worth buying it, since acceleration becomes better by only one second, consumption is more than 13 liters and more problems.
4. The 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbocharged in-line is often not purchased due to expensive maintenance. There are few problems with it, but their solutions are expensive. 230 horses and 320 torque units allowed the sedan to accelerate to a hundred in 7 seconds and have a maximum speed of 230 km / h. In terms of consumption, it is not particularly demanding, about the same as the previous one.

There are a huge number of gearboxes, depending on the engine, 5 or 6-speed mechanics were installed. A 5-speed automatic and a 6-speed robot are also offered. The drive is front and full. There are no particular problems with boxes if they are serviced on time.

The suspension of the model does not have any particular problems, but this is only at the front. Macpherson after a while requires replacement of ball and silent blocks. The rear multi-link suspension is cheap to repair, but quickly breaks down again, but in a different unit. It is recommended to spend a lot of money once on repairing the entire rear suspension and drive quietly for several years. The brake system lives for a long time, problems only happened with the parking brake.

Volvo S40 price

This car was discontinued in 2012, but now it can be bought on the secondary market without any problems. On average, a sedan is sold for 450,000 rubles which is not that expensive as the car is good. There were many configurations offered, so you should check them out, because the base had only:

• fabric sheathing;
• heated seats;
• radio tape recorder;
• air conditioning;
• fog optics;
• full power accessories;
• 4 airbags;

The most expensive equipment was replenished with the following:

• leather sheathing;
• multimedia;
• electrically adjustable seats;
• climate control;
• Cruise control;
• xenon optics.

This is a great family sedan that is still not out of date and can be bought now and enjoyed the ride. In principle, you can take the model to a young guy, because the design is quite aggressive and there is potential for tuning. We highly recommend the C40 model.

Video

Good afternoon everyone!

The first personal car. It was purchased at a car dealership on May 4, with a mileage of a little over 58tkm. Engine 2.4, 140 hp, automatic. The salon is light.

Initially, the acquisition budget was aimed at 450, but later this amount was increased and amounted to 530 rubles. Honda Civic, Foltz Jetta, Ford Focus, Mazda 3 were considered as competitors. Of the more expensive ones, I looked at the BMW 3 Series in the back of E46 (it was a priority, but finances changed the alignment) and Audi A4 (the same).

The main selection criteria:

Automatic (main operation - Moscow and Moscow region)

Attractive design (a matter of taste)

I almost bought a three-door Ford Focus with a 2.0 engine and an automatic machine, which was cheaper by 100 thousand at that time, but in the end I opted for the Volvo S40. I did not do any deep analysis, I did not analyze all the pros and cons ... I came, saw and bought =)

The range of motors is wide enough. These are Ford petrol 1.6; 1.8; 2.0 (for some time Ford was the owner of the Volvo company, as a result - the compatibility of some nodes). And Volvo 2.4 engines in two versions - 140 hp. and 170 hp. + more diesel versions. And there is a turbo, if memory serves. 2.5 liters with 230 hp Correct if I'm wrong.

My version is a 2.4 engine (5 cylinders). It produces only 140 horsepower, but the torque is fine. The locomotive acceleration is not sharp, but continuous, without failures, from the very bottom to the top. But it is precisely this modification that does not dispose to sharp accelerations. On the Internet, you can find proposals to increase the power of this engine to 180 hp. A year and a half ago it cost about 30 tr. How much it costs now - I don't know.

My average consumption was less than 13 liters, although I drove a lot on empty roads. The automatic machine for this car is reliable. There is a possibility of manual switching. And in general, the safety margin of the car is decent. The ride is good. The steering is adequate, everything is predictable. But if you want to race - take another car, preferably with a welded frame, and go to the race track.

Calm auto design. The traffic police does not arouse attention. Generally. The assembly of the cabin is of high quality, there were no extraneous sounds. The finishing material is pleasant, there was no cheap plastic anywhere. The only problem is the driver's seat. It was wiped off for me ... And not only for me, judging by the pictures on the Internet. Excellent sound insulation. Really great. A friend in the 8th generation chord seems to have more noise. The seats in the cabin ... well, it is, I drove in the front, the passengers did not show any complaints. An interesting design solution is the front console.

There were no problems with reliability, but the service life was less than a year. During this time, I managed to make a large TO60, replace the brake discs and pads, which I will write about separately in the relevant magazines. Not serviced by a dealer. Profile services do just as well. Then why pay more?)

In general, I have a positive impression of the car. Would you buy it again on the way back? Yes! And who knows, maybe I'll buy it too. And it is interesting to try a station wagon with a turbo engine.

Volvo cars have always been associated with intelligence, calmness and consistency. As well as concern for safety and extreme reliability. "Volvo S40" outwardly borrows certain features of the flagship C80, but retains the appearance of a family sedan - quite affordable and reliable. An overview of the C40 is further in our article.

Model history

The Volvo C40 car was first introduced back in 1995, but at that time it bore the C4 index. It changed very soon, as almost at the same time the Audi company started production of a similar model with the same name.

The first generation of the C40 was built on the same platform as the Mitsubishi Charisma, but the expected popularity was not at that time. Station wagon models received the V40 index. The C40 model received its first restyling in 2004, the station wagon was renamed V50, and the car itself became soplatform with the well-known Ford Focus models of the second generation and Mazda 3 - the first. As a result, 60% of their parts are interchangeable. Many also call this model an expensive version of the Ford Focus. Indeed, outwardly they are a bit similar in size, motors and consumer qualities.

2007 restyling

In 2007, Volvo carried out the second restyling of the C40 model, after which the car became really popular. At that time, the entire line of models of the company was updated, which were brought to a single corporate style. They all became similar in appearance, but each with its own recognizable differences. On II, many elements were modernized. These are updated bumpers, headlights. At the rear, the exhaust pipes have been modified, and the lights have received LED elements.

In the interior, the car also received many changes - the original high-tech design was to the liking of many buyers. That was only a flat tape of the center console! Other elements have also undergone modernization. So, in the active safety system, control over in and adaptive headlights were added. Among the innovations in passive safety in the car, a reinforced interior frame was used, which better protects passengers from injury. In this form, the model existed on the assembly line until 2012, after which it was replaced by the V40.

Base engine

The main unit of the Volvo C40 is the 1.6 four-cylinder engine, which was also installed on the Ford Focus 2. This is a fairly old, proven engine. Its resource with timely and proper maintenance can reach 500 thousand kilometers. The timing drive on this engine is belt-driven, and it must be changed every 80 thousand kilometers. Attachments begin to wear out and fail by about 100 thousand. The problem of equipment failure and the frequent reduction in the service life of the engine is as follows: the car itself is quite heavy, and in order to maintain an acceptable pace of movement, it is necessary to spin the engine more, respectively, it must be subjected to heavy loads.

The rest of the line

Engines with a volume of 1.8 and 2 liters (140 and 150 hp, respectively) are the next in order. These motors are also installed on Fords and Mazda. The unit is very durable and unpretentious. The power reserve is quite enough for dynamic driving.

It has a chain drive and is practically eternal. Unfortunately, cars with such settings are quite rare. Older engines are in-line five-cylinder. The unit with a volume of 2.4 liters has a capacity of 170 liters. with. Due to its unusual design, this engine is quite expensive to maintain and has congenital diseases. The owners' comments point to the rapidly failing ignition system and crankcase ventilation. The oldest Volvo C40 engine is a 2.5-liter turbocharged 220 horsepower. This power unit is also not popular in Russia due to the complexity and high cost of maintenance. Such cars were produced with a front and

Since 2007, the Volvo S40, which has been impressively restyled, received a Flexifuel version of the engine that could run on a mixture of bioethanol and gasoline. Officially, such a motor was not supplied to Russia. Also, Volvo C40 was produced with diesel engines, but they are not popular in Russia due to the sensitivity of the fuel system to the quality of domestic diesel fuel. In addition, the diesel "Volvo" and without it is quite expensive to maintain. It is not popular in the secondary market.

Transmission "Volvo S40"

The engines were equipped with mechanical and automatic transmissions. Units for 1.6 and 1.8 liters are equipped only with "mechanics", and they were different in design. The version for the 125-horsepower engine was reinforced.

Mechanical boxes are reliable enough, and there are no complaints about them. This is noted by the reviews of the owners. Automatic transmissions are also quite reliable and have proven themselves well on other Volvo models. Their resource reaches 300 thousand kilometers, subject to regular oil changes every 60 thousand kilometers. Otherwise, the clutches overheat and the valve body fails - the most expensive and complex element of any automatic transmission.

Chassis

Structurally, it is traditional for this class. Body - load-bearing, with front and rear subframe, front suspension - McPherson struts. At the back is a multi-link design. The system structurally repeats that of the Ford Focus 2, and their parts are unified. According to the owners, serious investments in such a unit with careful driving will be required only after one hundred thousand kilometers. Stabilizer struts and hinges, arm silent blocks, wheel bearings are subject to replacement. The Volvo S40 was equipped with a hydro or one that may require intervention after the first 200 thousand kilometers.

Body

The Volvo company does not betray itself in traditions. The body parts of her cars are extremely durable. Corrosion simply does not take this metal. The reason is simple: Sweden is a country with a harsh climate and weather resistance is essential.

The only exception is the emergency vehicle. The presence of rust indicates that he was in an accident and was not restored very well.

Volvo C40 in the aftermarket

Cars of this brand have always been in demand both in the secondary market and among new units. The reason for this is the legendary components: reliability, durability, safety, comfort. All these components in any Volvo car are brought to perfection. However, these advantages had to be paid for, and significantly. You can name the common disadvantages of all models of this brand: the high cost of spare parts and maintenance, low liquidity of the car in the secondary market. Having a Volvo S40 repaired with high mileage can be a huge financial disaster.

Prices for car and spare parts

Volvo S40 prices will fall faster than comparable cars in the same class. On average, a 2008 car with a 1.6 engine (the most popular) and with a manual transmission will cost from 430 to 660 thousand rubles.

"Volvo" 2012 with a 2-liter engine and automatic transmission will cost 650-750 thousand rubles. Spare parts (Volvo C40), like other foreign cars, are original and non-original. However, both are not distinguished by a low price. So, shock absorbers cost 5-6 thousand rubles, brake discs and pads - 3-5 thousand, windshield - from 5.5 to 23 thousand rubles. However, as already indicated, serious repairs and investments will be required after a run of 100 thousand km.

The small Volvo 300 and 400 series were considered desirable but problematic cars. It just so happened that cooperation with Renault in terms of engines and manual gearboxes, while the French electrician and Dutch assembly did not provide the traditional Swedish quality. But the first S40 tried very hard to turn the tide.

The motors were now mostly their own, plus one from Mitsubishi. They tried to raise the quality of the car - in particular, the galvanizing of the body was supposed to solve most of the issues with corrosion resistance. But in practice, the set goals were not fully achieved.

The car was able to get much better, but it was precisely the quality problems that did not work out to the end. Corrosion, manual gearboxes, suspensions and electrics were troublesome even on fresh cars. Fortunately, restyling helped with the rejection of total unification with Carisma.

This step, for example, made it possible to make the suspension more comfortable and reliable, the anti-corrosion treatment of the body was improved, and the paint stopped peeling off. As a result, the body began to corrode slowly and not so noticeably. And the MKP was replaced with its own, getting rid of the problem brainchild of Renault.

It is not known what the next generation of the model could become, but the issue was solved simply. Ford Motor Company bought Volvo, got rid of the unprofitable plant, and the next generation S40 was built on a global platform and with Ford components. The production of the model was moved to Ghent, in Belgium, and the quality problems were forgotten, the small Volvo became as reliable as the large, if not better. Anyway, in that.

What is it worth buying for?

The first generation Volvo S40 is still attractive today. Excellent Scandinavian design, a very high-quality interior, and even on the move, the cars retain their nobility, despite the years passed. The level of comfort is incomparable with the soplatform Mitsubishi, and it is simply impossible to guess about the relationship.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "1996-2000

And in terms of safety, Volvo has a lot to offer: a reinforced body structure is required for all cars of the brand, airbags are standard, all proprietary protection systems are also available. In general, the car remains relevant. And at a price of less than 200 thousand rubles, or even less than 150, this is a very attractive option for poor and, moreover, demanding drivers. But she also has a lot of "pitfalls" in store. Let's talk about them.

Body

If you are told that the Volvo S40 is galvanized - believe me, it is. Just don’t believe it if they say that it doesn’t rust. Unfortunately, zinc plating is not able to permanently protect the body metal, especially if the paintwork is weak and the body panels have many points where dirt can collect. In addition, the soil on galvanized metal holds worse than on ordinary steel.

It was the painting that became the main problem for pre-styling cars, and after restyling, despite the change in the technical process, there were difficulties with poor ventilation of the area under the plastic door sills and with the tightness of the seams of the rear arch and other seals.

Front bumper

price for original

34 978 rubles

It is easy to see what these shortcomings lead to: it is enough to inspect a car that costs less than 100 thousand rubles. Rotten sills and peeling and rusting arches will almost certainly not be hidden. On cars after restyling, damage is usually less, and the general condition of the panels is better, but the list of the main problem points, where corrosion is at least already present, remains. These are sills, especially in the front, rear and front wheel arches, a roof over the windshield, amplifiers for the front and rear bumpers, a front panel in the lower part and at the central partition, a rear panel under the boot lid seal and a "shelf" under the rear window, where adjoins the trunk lid, especially the drains on the sides, and "sandblasting" places on the bottom and arches. The trunk lid and bottom of the doors also suffer in the first place, but how the attachment parts are repaired and changed is much easier.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "2002-04

Do not forget about the salon inspection. Wet floors almost certainly lead to the appearance of foci of corrosion at all seams, and a wet trunk can also lead to rotting out of the side niches and seams of the side members under the soundproofing mats.

There are no problems with the repair of thresholds, there are repair kits numbered 9008011 (left) and 9008012 (right). If the price seems too big, then the pieces of iron from the VAZ-2109 are good (do not forget that we are talking about ultra-budget cars). The threshold itself and the floor connector from the "chisel" need to be lengthened by about 1 cm. Repair kits for arches are also available, and they can also be picked up from domestic cars if you are confused by the prices of Chinese parts. Rumor has it that they fit from the Chevrolet Niva with minimal revision.

Thanks to galvanizing: there are practically no cars with serious corrosion in the area of ​​the engine shield and damaged suspension cups, with a rotted bottom and struts, but restoring neglected copies usually does not make sense. It is always easier to find a relatively complete body, and if you do not shy away from working with your hands, it is better to change the manual gearbox or engine than invest in the body.

When buying, you should be meticulous and not be fooled by the external shine. A lift or overpass is required, and the thresholds should be tapped - often there is simply no metal there. In advanced cases, the amplifier of the threshold also decays, which greatly increases the cost of repairs, but for most cars it is enough to replace the outer part and clean-anti-anticore the insides with checking the work of the body drains.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "1996-2000

The outer plastic sill protects little against sandblasting, but is poorly located. She is responsible for most of the problems with sills and adjacent areas of the body. In winter, it collects dirt and snow, and its attachment points are natural catalysts for corrosion.

Front wing

price for original

13 088 rubles

The design of the lockers at both the front and the back is also one of the causes of the problems. Weak fastening of the edge at the junction with the wing leads to damage to the paintwork at the clips, and the profile of the front locker corny collects moisture in this area. In addition, they do not seal the arch well enough, and it is constantly damp there. The parts are not that expensive, but if the body of your car is still intact, then you should pay close attention to the condition of the plastic and its attachments. Arch expanders, which are supposed to protect the edge from "sandblasting", in practice collect dirt and lead to the destruction of the paintwork under them, during inspection it is imperative to remove them and check whether the metal is preserved inside.

The underbody is generally in acceptable condition. Slight corrosion on the brackets and in places where the anti-corrosion coating is damaged is bound to occur, but severe and extensive corrosion is relatively rare. Pay attention to the condition of the aluminum heat-shielding casings, they protect the central part of the body from corrosion, and if they are removed, or they do not come into contact with metal, then you need to check the bottom with partiality.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "2000-02

Against the background of corrosive problems, all the rest look like a trifle - the usual troubles of old cars. The optics are usually worn out, and the glass headlight caps also lose their transparency. Weak fastenings of decorative elements and a radiator grille, cracked foglights, breakdowns of gear motor headlight cleaners, breakdowns of an electrified antenna - these are all characteristic troubles, but they cannot be called serious. Unless all together these troubles will pull a decent amount.

But the breakdown of the windshield wipers trapezoid is already expensive. Over time, the bushings of the leash axle sour, and the bushing turns in the mounting bracket. Of course, the work of the wiper further proceeds with a huge backlash, and it does not clean the glass. Any tapping from the drive side is a reason to look under the "frill" for the purpose of revision. Breakdown is solved either by installing repair parts, or by light "collective farm", and the latter is more effective if performed at the proper level.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "2002-04

A new part with an installed bronze bushing or even a ball bearing turns out to be many times more reliable than factory plastic with a bushing, it is not afraid of attempts to clean the glass covered with snow or with frozen wipers. Such parts can be purchased ready-made through the owner's clubs, and at a price they will not be more expensive than the original.

In frosts, the locks of the car tend to freeze, as a result, the "central lock" stops working. But you can usually get into it with a key, so do not forget about the larvae in the door.

Salon

The interior is made as it should be for a premium car. Reliable, solid and with good materials. Age has a very weak effect with minimal maintenance: both leather and fabric after a good dry cleaning are able to please with an almost pristine appearance. Moreover, the skin can be synthetic, this usually does not affect the condition. Obviously visible wear is either the mileage above 300 thousand, or the frankly swinish handling of the car.

In the photo: Torpedo Volvo S40 "2000-02

There are few exceptions. The manual transmission lever cover, the driver's door handle and the leather steering wheel may lose their presentation earlier, but again, this is most likely a consequence of poor care. There is little damage to the interior equipment.

Pay attention only to the power window control panel and their drives, as well as to the operation of automatic climate control. By the way, here it is hardly distinguishable at first glance from manual adjustment, since it does not have displays fashionable in the late 90s, but take a closer look, the temperature adjustment knob is marked in degrees on the driver's side. Therefore, this is precisely automatic climate control. If there are no numbers, and the temperature is on the passenger side, then manual. The only drawback of such a system is that the temperature markings for cars with the imperial system of measures look extremely unusual.

In machines with high mileage, wear of the fan bearings is observed, but they are quite successfully replaced. Even in cars with climate control, the MJ802 transistor in the fan control system may fail, and it will stand up. It is not difficult to find a replacement, but the reason for the departure of the transistor is usually the wedging of the notorious fan bearings, and the work must be carried out in combination.

Photo: Interior Volvo S40 "2002-04

A loose rocker of the manual transmission lever on cars before restyling is usually not only a result of wear of the stage bushings, but also the general looseness of the switching mechanism of an unsuccessful renochnical manual gearbox. The bushings can be replaced, and the mechanism can be adjusted, but in any case this is a typical problem and is solved expensively, difficult and not for long. For cars after restyling, there is only one reason for looseness - wear of the curtain ball.

Electrical and electronics

The main electrical problems are associated with wet floors, failures of the relay box and passenger compartment fuses. The rest of the electronics is doing well, especially in cars after restyling.

The reliability of the generator is decent, it will easily pass its 250-300 thousand, only an overrunning clutch, which relied on turbocharged versions of motors, can fail before. Electromechanical breakdowns are not uncommon, take into account the age of the machine. Fans and geared motors do not last forever, so their performance should be checked carefully. New parts can cost very low budget, and old ones in a "live" state are hard to find.

Brakes, suspension and steering

The braking system of the Volvo S40 is quite simple, and there are few problems. The first step is to pay attention to the condition of the brake lines of the body, especially in the rear. The tubes rot along with the body, and many cars have already been replaced. Brake pipes require mandatory fixation on the struts, in the "free" state, they will certainly rub against the wheel. They are made with a fair amount of length, and you should not leave them hanging out.

With disc brakes, the main problem is the reliability of the caliper pin. It is prone to wear and tear with runs of more than 150-200 thousand kilometers and sometimes even breaks off under increased load. Do not bring it to a strong knock, especially since the original parts are inexpensive, and the part fits from the Gazelle, although the resource will be many times worse than the original. Breakdowns of the ABS unit are mainly related to itself, inside it tears off the conductors with age, and the wiring to the speed sensors is quite reliable and is a minimum of hassle, like the sensors themselves.

Bushing, rear trailing arm

price for original

1,335 rubles

The suspension of cars before restyling coincides with that of Carisma almost completely, but then conclusions were made on its reliability, and the suspension was significantly redesigned, changing the design of the front levers, supports and stabilizer struts and revising the design of the rear suspension silent blocks.

It is clear that for a car with more than 200 thousand mileage, the suspension resource rather depends on the quality of the components used, and not on the construct. But even with original parts, pre-styling suspensions rarely cover more than 30-50 thousand kilometers without knocking, but on restyling, the suspension is both more resourceful and silent. In fact, it is better in everything, there is only one exception: the supports of the front struts after restyling are made with an open bearing in a plastic cage, and it very badly tolerates movement on country roads and dirt.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "2000-02

The suspension springs for a heavy car turned out to be a little weak, they sag significantly, and the chances of their breakage are increased. It is useless to buy used, the problem is present even in cars that were operated only in Europe. Those who want to save money have their own ways: for example, many silent blocks can be picked up from Zhiguli or old Mitsubishi. The silent blocks of the subframe are often replaced with the shock absorber support of the Zhiguli front suspension, and in the rear suspension, rubber bands from the "Japanese" are pressed into the levers, and they are sometimes used to restore engine mounts.

The steering is reliable enough. On pre-styling cars, there are thin Mitsubishi steering rods, they have a smaller resource. After restyling, the rail was changed, and the steering rod is already its own, more resourceful and durable. The very same rake remained the same, moderately resourceful and not prone to knocking.

In the photo: Volvo S40 "2002-04

Basically, the racks are afraid of wear and tear on the power steering pump and contamination of the fluid, after which they begin to leak. They are repaired quite easily, and for the power steering pump there is a repair kit from a stator and a rotor, which greatly reduces the cost of restoring the system as a whole. The tubing is completely reliable and only occasionally damaged by corrosion. The system as a whole works reliably, unless it is recommended to change the fluid in the system more often.

***

As you can see, things are not so bad for a frankly cheap and rather old car. With the proper skill, it is possible to find a sane copy, especially if you have at least 200 thousand and ask the price for restyling. And what about the boxes and motors? Let's find out.

The Volvo S40 / V40 tempts not only with its attractive figure and Scandinavian style, but above all with its price. The cheapest copies on the go cost about 100-120 thousand rubles, and the most expensive 250-300 thousand rubles. However, do not think that this is a true Swedish car. Only the logo is unique here. As for the rest, it is a "hodgepodge".

Teamwork

The platform and suspension are the result of an effective partnership with Mitsubishi. The Japanese also shared one gasoline engine - 1.8 GDI with direct injection. Diesel engines came from Renault.

To optimize production costs, the assembly was organized on the same line with Mitsubishi Carisma at the Dutch NedCar plant. It was built from scratch in conjunction with a Japanese partner specifically for this purpose. In accordance with the concept, the cars were not competitors. The S40 aimed at the premium segment, while Karisma aimed at the more popular segment.

Body and interior

The silhouette of the 40th Volvo is hard to deny the elegance and individuality of style. The interior also evokes positive feelings. Good ergonomics, pleasant materials. The only pity is that the build quality was poor.

In the oldest examples, paint is erased from the front panel. Of course, you can find the S40 of the first years of production with the interior in good condition. But this is not the merit of Volvo, but the special attention of the former owner.

Fortunately, quality has improved over the years. The body was updated, the interior was refined and the suspension modified. As a result, a fairly large number of various improvements turned out. Since April 1997, noise insulation has improved, and in 1998, side airbags appeared.

Those interested in buying should remember that the first facelift was carried out in 1999 (the headlights and the center console were changed), and the second in 2002. It was then that the car received characteristic headlights with dark inserts, and the location of the indicators on the instrument panel changed. In addition, the bumpers and grille have been updated.

In the first models, door hinges often suffered.

Undercarriage

The Volvo S40 cannot boast of good handling. Until 1999, the suspension was stiff, noisy, and short-lived. Over the years, the shape, design and attachment points of suspension elements have changed. Therefore, be careful when ordering parts online. So, in 2000, the wheel track increased by 16 mm, and the wheelbase - by 12 mm.

Surprisingly, the durability of the stabilizer struts outperforms many competitors.

The front axle has McPherson struts, lower wishbones and anti-roll bars. Unfortunately, the ball joints are firmly fixed, therefore, in case of wear, you will have to replace the lever assembly (from 2,000 rubles). However, the design of some analogs allows you to change the ball separately (from 400 rubles per support).

At the rear, a multi-link circuit is used, which Volvo has named Multi-Link. Average service life is more than 100,000 km. But when something wears out, you have to spend a lot.

Front wheel hub bearings also do not differ in durability - from 2,000 rubles.

Restoring leverage is inconsistent with the plant's recommendations, and few people know how to do it correctly. Although the spare parts kit is closely intertwined with the Mitsubishi Carisma range, few chassis elements are interchangeable. Only those who have dealt with both cars and know what fits what will be able to pick up analogs.

The rear levers create the most problems (from 1200 rubles per lever).

Engines

The range of Volvo C 40 engines is very wide. All of them are equipped with a belt-type timing drive with a replacement interval of 60,000 km.

The most durable are aspirated gasoline. They are able to cover more than 400,000 km without interruption. With proper care, turbo engines will last as much. Only the coils, air flow meter, starter and generator have to be changed. Gasoline units have a specific design, and therefore it is better to service them in specialized services.

But be careful. The "black sheep" is the 1.8i (125 and 121 hp) with direct injection, which is borrowed from Karisma. It is this unit that creates problems during operation and does not allow the installation of HBO, which for many potential buyers is a serious disadvantage. It's all about the capricious fuel system.

It should be borne in mind that hydraulic valve clearance compensators were used only in old gasoline units. In the samples of the last years of production, pushers of a fixed size were installed, so possible changes in the gap will not be automatically compensated. Adjustment required. When using HBO, the procedure will be needed every 20-30 thousand km, which will cost 2000-3000 rubles.

With diesel engines, the situation is not so rosy. They all hail from Renault and are operated according to French standards. A typical ailment is numerous oil leaks for the first 100,000 km.

Diesel engines suffer from oil leaks that are expensive to fix.

There were three versions of the 1.9-liter turbodiesel to choose from. The 90-horsepower has a conventional distributed injection. It is not very fast, shows average efficiency and is sensitive to loads at high speeds. Quite often punches the head gasket. The head itself can burst.

The 95-horsepower has received direct injection and represents a reasonable compromise between price, performance and economy. The weak point is the high pressure fuel pump.

Versions with a recoil of 102-115 hp. differ in the Common Rail injection system. They are the most modern and quietest in the diesel range, have higher potential, but are quite expensive to repair. Vulnerable elements: turbocharger and fuel injectors.

Typical problems and malfunctions

Given the age of the model, you will inevitably have to deal with numerous minor malfunctions. Owners complain about unreliable turn signal and light switches, instrument panel illumination malfunctions, and problems with the bonnet opening mechanism. Over time, the immobilizer and central locking refuse to obey, the lamps of the rear lights regularly burn out.

Transmissions also cause certain troubles: there are problems with shifting.

The body is very well protected against corrosion. However, in the very first copies, traces of corrosion are observed on the trunk lid and hood. Outside door handles sometimes burst from severe frost.

Over time, the parking brake mechanism jams.

Conclusion

The Volvo S40 / V40 is one of those cars bought with heart, not common sense. Yes, it is thoroughly protected against corrosion, practical, functional and well equipped. But in terms of quality and spare parts, it does not compare with more popular competitors. Volvo can only be recommended to those looking for an original car at an affordable price. It is better to pay attention to the youngest specimens collected after restyling in 2002.

Specifications Volvo S40 / V40 (1995-2004)

Petrol versions

Version
Engine				direct injection
Working volume
Location cylinders / valves
Power
Maximum torque
Performance
Maximum speed
Acceleration 0-100 km / h
Average consumption, l / 100 km

Diesel versions