Looking for a bangernomics car, and these seem to be incredibly cheap- £400 for a car with 12months mot, some tax, mid 90's and lots of toys. Any downsides?
TIA,
Alex.
--
Dr Alex Mears
MG BGT 1971
If you are in a hole stop digging...unless
you are a miner.
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I owned one and it gave fantastic service, mine being a 460 1.8i 1993. The main thing to look for, IF you can find it, is full service history by someone who knows the cars. Mine had full Volvo history for all of its 12 years and it meant I took on a brilliant car.
Neglect will make them unreliable, so finding a cosseted one is the key. Mine had just 29k on it in 2005 when I bought it, so they do exist and are worth seeking out as a high mileage userviced car will cost far more to fix than a good car will be to buy.
Driving wise, solid and steady with suprisingly good economy ( 45 mpg from my 1.8i ), good on motorway, handling safe rather than sharp. Boot on the saloon is huge and the heated seats are a great thing to have. Its one of those cars that doesnt set your world on fire, but it grows on you - I was heartbroken when it was rear-ended and I had to get rid of it. I still hanker after another to this day.
Look out for cars which hunt at idle - its a sign of neglect as correct servicing will avoid this problem, common on the old knackers ( though it is fixable ). Always check electrical bits and if you can cope with a basic spec, go for it as theres less to go wrong.
Also check for rust everywhere, although a good car will have been looked after in this respect.
Avoid the earliest cars and try either the last of the pre-facelift ones or the facelift model, say 1992 onwards.
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Use the forum search on this site to search for author "SjB" and message details "440" to find the detail of what I've said over time, but in essence, my mother has owned her 440 1.7 GLi from new in 1989 and jettisoning it's coolant aside when brand new (loose bottom hose "Jubilee" clip) it has been totally reliable and trouble free. Often going several years between Mobil 1 oil changes, the Renault engine still burns not a drop and belying its looks, on the original more sports orientated suspension than some that followed, it handles like a go-kart and runs my wife's superb handling 306 pretty close (though the 306 rides better). Only downsides are a dreadfully creaky interior, plastic buttons with UV degradation, and slowowowowowow leccy windows that sound how I've just described them despite me cleaning and lubing the runners.
On the hunting idle comment, Mum's has always hunted when the mixture is set correctly for MOT. Thankfully, there is a simple trim pot that can be adjusted with a screwdriver until the idle becomes steady. This has applied from Day One and has never changed over time. The engine also sounds like a demented cow at startup - cambelt, I suspect - though this appears common too and has also applied to Mum's from Day One all those years ago.
Mum's has a small amount of rust at the edges of the lower sills where they join the rear wheel arches, but other than that iappears sound. Certainly it has historically passed its MOTs without advisory notices.
Now Dad has retired, only one car is needed so Mum's 440 has been SORNed for the past year. It will depart for its new owner soon; this likely being a friend of Dad's who is going to drive it to Prague (coincidental, given my Czech wife!) in an impending banger rally. It needs some minor attention to get it back on the road after a year sitting idle, but nothing major that I'm aware of. I would have no qualms about undertaking this trek; the old 440 will breeze through it.
Good luck with your hunt, and sorry you are too late to perhaps take on this one!
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These were the DAFF volvos which are built in a factory in Holland. They are not as good as the Swedish ones. They tend to rust more but if you find one in great condition they are usualy reliable. I have no idea if they are any better than the horrible 340 to drive though.
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Avoid the ones without power steering, they are very, very heavy - I speak from experience having driven one for a number of months!!
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I had one for a year, 8 years ago. It was a solid, dependable car. Not the most exciting, but capable of being reasonably brisk, and felt like it had so much more quality than the equivalent fords, vauxhalls et al which were available to me at the time.
I paid £2500 for one in excellent nick at the time, so I'm not surprised how cheap they are now.
Sold it because I decided that, at the age of 20, I should be driving something more exciting.
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Oh - should have said - I was considering a Volvo again this year before I decided to go with the GTA, so at the very least the 440 didn't put me off the marque!
And to confirm what was said above, I had a 440 with PAS, my mum had a 460 without, and the difference in steering weight was immense.
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