V-40 platform?

[ron.dame]

It's about time to retire my Passat, and I am considering a V40 ( well
a V70 too, but my questions are on the V40)

What platform is the V40 built on? Is it pure Volvo, or joint venture
with Ford and/or Mazda, and if so, which Ford/Mazda models share it?
Whose engine? What are the overall opinions of this car in driving and
reliability/longevity?

Thanks!

 

[Bev A. Kupf]

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 08:49:44 -0400,

It's about time to retire my Passat, and I am considering a V40 ( well
a V70 too, but my questions are on the V40)

Volvo no longer makes a V40. They used to, together with Mitsubishi
at the old DAF factory in the Netherlands. The Mitsubishi built on
this platform was the Carisma, but they didn't use the same engine
or transmission.

What platform is the V40 built on? Is it pure Volvo, or joint venture
with Ford and/or Mazda, and if so, which Ford/Mazda models share it?

The V50 (and new S40) share a common platform with the European Focus
and Mazda 3. The V50 and S40 are made in Belgium.

Whose engine? What are the overall opinions of this car in driving and
reliability/longevity?

Volvo engine. The engine design dates back to 1991, and is generally
considered reliable. It's a 5-cyl, designed in Porsche's Weissbach
center. The same basic design has been used in the 850, S70, V70, S60,
V50, S40 and now S80. The old V40/S40 had a 4-cyl variant of the same
basic design.

Beverly

 

[ron.dame]

Thanks for helping me avoid a mistake. I've nver owned a more
unreliable and outright dangerous car than a Mitsu...I'm glad there is
a V50 out now, I was looking mor at used cars, but a V50 may be a
better bet. I'll still look at V70's but unlike most Americans ( or so
it seems) I've always prefered a smaller car.

 

[Bev A. Kupf]

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 11:30:08 -0400,

Thanks for helping me avoid a mistake. I've nver owned a more
unreliable and outright dangerous car than a Mitsu...I'm glad there is
a V50 out now, I was looking mor at used cars, but a V50 may be a
better bet. I'll still look at V70's but unlike most Americans ( or so
it seems) I've always prefered a smaller car.

Why don't you consider a used BMW 3-series or 5-series wagon. They're
both really nice cars, and unlike Volvo wagons, BMW wagons don't hold
their value (from what I've seen).

For example, here's a two year-old BMW 325iT wagon
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/325i...4570492682QQcategoryZ6007QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It looks to be in great shape, and based on what I've seen over the
last month, I'll be surprised if it goes for over $15K.

Beverly

 

[ron.dame]

maybe....the BMW service places here have as bad an attitude as the
local VW dealer, and that's not good.

I'm really tempted to find a good 122 wagon and make a few upgrades.
The ES will be great play-car when I have it finished, but being
lowered, it won't be so good on some of the ragged gravel roads I
travel for work.

 

[Randy G.]

For example, here's a two year-old BMW 325iT wagon
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/325i...4570492682QQcategoryZ6007QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It looks to be in great shape, and based on what I've seen over the
last month, I'll be surprised if it goes for over $15K.

Not bad- The same price as four _really_ nice 240's, or about 2 very
nice 960's. ;-)


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate
"Shelby" & "Kate"

 

[rndthought]

Maybe you'd be interested in contacting the person who wrote this
message (see below)
His current state of mind may allow you to pick it up for
cheap...<grin>

On a side note:
What the hell are people going to do when gas hits $5+ a gallon in the
US????
(It will.)
Last summer I spent over $80us filling up a Ford Focus wagon in
Italy!!!

***********************

3. David Kaplan Aug 24, 6:11 pm show options

Newsgroups: alt.autos.volvo
From: "David Kaplan" <[email protected]> - Find messages by this
author
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 15:11:30 -0700
Local: Wed, Aug 24 2005 6:11 pm
Subject: 940 Turbo Gas Mileage - I'm done! This PIG is FOR SALE!



Too bad! I thought I had a nice car that could be the family
campmobile and
get decent gas mileage. It just seems odd that a four cyl 2 litre
automobile
uses 40% more gas than a full-sized chrysler minivan with a 3.3 litre
engine
(I used to get 28 mpg at 80 miles per hour in the old Grand Caravan
that I
replaced). To me, however, if the Volvo wagon gets the same mileage as
a
HUMVEE, I may as well have the room. I didn't buy it for speed, but I
guess
that is how it was optimized at design.

I am terribly dissapointed. I am just happy that I didn't invest $35K
for a
new one.

THIS PIG IS FOR SALE!

Dave

This car is going on the market

 

[Benjamin Smith]

It's about time to retire my Passat, and I am considering a V40 ( well
a V70 too, but my questions are on the V40)

What platform is the V40 built on? Is it pure Volvo, or joint venture
with Ford and/or Mazda, and if so, which Ford/Mazda models share it?
Whose engine? What are the overall opinions of this car in driving and
reliability/longevity?

My wife and I test drove an s40, the wagon version is the v50. We are
getting it. Way, way, better than the previous Mitsubishi-based v40. I
don't care who it shares a platform with, it feels like a Volvo. The
doors thunk, the car feels solidly glued to the ground, the suspension
tuning and calibration feel like an updated 850 or sportier and more
precise s60, the interior materials are all Volvo. The Mazda 3 shares
the same platform and feels quite different. Very Japanese. Much
lighter. It's amazing how Volvo has kept its DNA in the new s40/v50. At
least test drive a v50, and really test drive one. Preferably a t5
(though I didn't try the sports suspension).

Ben

 

[Peter K L Milnes]

Ford Focus is the platform, which has rapidly come to the fore as a very
good platform.

All the best, Peter.