Please find me everything about Volvo cars. We buy a used Volvo

Axiom: There are no cheap Volvos

When you get tired of endlessly delving into your Zhiguli, and the mechanics at the car service know you by name, an insight comes: shouldn’t you buy a decent used foreign car? The idea is correct and patriotism has nothing to do with it.

So the choice.
We will talk about used Volvo and foreign cars in general. The number of them offered at car markets in Moscow and St. Petersburg is amazing. No less of them are sold through newspapers, so the potential inmark owner is faced with a choice - what to buy? First of all, you need to consider finances. Let's start with them.

It is a misconception that you can buy a good foreign car for 2-3 thousand dollars. Something decent that will last for many years and will not present any surprises can be purchased starting from 3.5-4 thousand dollars. Since the article was written before the introduction of high duties on used foreign cars, we will start from prices in the spring of 2002. So, cars can be divided into several classes: for everyone, for the middle class, for people with good incomes (simply wealthy people buy new cars). Cars “for everyone” are, first of all, Volkswagen Golf 2, Opel Vectra, Volvo 4th series, Audi 80 and others, similar in age and class. These are good working cars that provide

They offer high reliability, good maneuverability, low gasoline consumption, low cost of spare parts and... unfortunately, a minimum of comfort and prestige. Nevertheless, the cars are quite decent, technically standing head and shoulders above Zhiguli.
If a similar car is offered for 2-3 thousand dollars, then it has problems, namely: high mileage, wear of the suspension, clutch, corrosion of the muffler system, corrosion of the body. The engines of most foreign cars of this class have a quite decent resource of 200-250 thousand kilometers, and the used cars offered usually have a mileage of up to 230 thousand. It follows from this that if you buy such a car, in the near future you will have to replace the piston, or even the entire engine (the latter is sometimes cheaper). Repairing the suspension will “reduce the weight” of your wallet by 150-400 dollars. The exterior and interior are usually in good condition, but do not forget that the car may be painted or have corrosion on the bottom and wheel arches, despite the galvanized body. For the most part, this applies to Opel cars.
Now about the Volvo 4 series. For that kind of money, the most you can count on is a car with a mileage of about 200-250 thousand kilometers, until 1990. Of course, this will be the four of the old modification. For 2800-3000 dollars you will get a front-wheel drive Swedish car, in a fairly well-conditioned condition with a number of problems that will need to be fixed immediately. Electrical accessories and air conditioning will remain in your dreams.

As a standard, you should check the suspension, condition of the boots, clutch, body, and muffler in these cars. The rest is up to your luck. Since the car is quite old, the price of spare parts is slightly higher than on the 7th and 9th series, but it is quite possible to bring such a car to normal condition if you are ready to spend about 400 American rubles immediately after purchase. Initially, the standard equipment of the fours was quite poor, so miracles of electrics and air cooling are quite rare and increase the cost of the car by several hundred dollars. However, the car is reliable and comfortable, with pretty good dynamics. Model 460 - sedan, 440 - hatchback, 480 - coupe. It’s up to you to choose, but I don’t recommend the last option, since the car is quite rare even in St. Petersburg, although it is the ancestor of the entire 4th series. Body repairs on the 480 can cost you a fortune and wasted time, while the 440 and 460 series are always available for disassembly and there are no problems with body panels, as well as with spare parts. A good price for a 10-13 year old 4 in decent condition is about 3000-3500 dollars. They also offer 7s for $2800-3000, but believe me, these are cars that have practically exhausted their service life, although they will serve you for another three years, after which you can only throw them away, or invest $1000-2000 in restoration. It’s not worth buying such Volvos, but it’s better to save up money for a newer one.

The next price category is cars for the middle class. There is a lot of choice here. Starting with Golf 3, ending with Toyotas and other wonders of Japanese and German technology. It's quite difficult to decide. The largest number of offers is Audi 100 (A6). The car is decent, has rich equipment, good dynamics and is quite reliable. The average price for an Audi of this modification from 1992-1994 is from $6,000. With an increase in the amount of additional equipment and a decrease in age, the price grows very quickly and a decent car “with all the stuffing” from 95-96 costs 10,000-11,000. The same applies to the Golf 3. The average price of a 92-95 car is from $4,500 for a basic modification and up to $10,000 for a GTI with “full stuffing”.
The Japanese are represented mainly by the Nissan Premiere model. Almost all cars are 91-92 years old. The equipment is usually manual transmission, power accessories, ABS, Airbag. There are a lot of cars with automatic transmission. The average price is $4,500. A little more expensive is the Nissan Maxima with a very rich configuration. In the price category starting from $6,000 are the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes 124 Series. A criminally clean car in good condition costs about $9,000-15,000. The most popular car is the old Volkswagen Passat. The price of a decent car starts from $4,500. It's a good car, but the suspension is a bit weak, just like the rest of Audi's.
Volvo is represented by models of the 4th, 7th, 8th and 9th series. 4 after restyling, but there are very few of them. The equipment is quite rich - power accessories, ABS, air conditioning. Price from 4500 dollars.
The 7th series is also quite sparse. Mostly cars from 88-92. Since 1990, a light restyling of the 7 Series was carried out, which consisted of installing different wings, hood, bumpers, headlights and side lights. Also, 7s of different years of production have different shapes of the dashboard and door trim. The engines are mostly B230, but you can also find B200, which provides some savings in fuel consumption and tax reduction. The equipment is usually basic. On 7s of the last years this includes power accessories and air conditioning. The price of such cars with a mileage of up to 250 thousand kilometers starts from $4,500. They offer cheaper ones either diesel, or older than 1988, or “killed” (although “killing” a 7 is very difficult). The body is of course galvanized.
The 9th series is represented much more widely, but the cars are all like selections from 92-93. Younger ones are rare and cost much more. Almost all cars have a B230 engine and are equipped with ABS, SRS, air conditioning, and power accessories. Transmissions vary depending on the year of manufacture. Three mechanical options - a standard gearbox with a reverse gear lever and a “direct” fifth gear, the same thing, but fifth gear is activated with a button on the rocker, and a completely “fresh” gearbox with a gearbox where all gears are engaged without levers and buttons. There are many cars with leather interiors. The price of the 940 model produced in 1992 starts from $6,000.
The 960 modification is well represented in Moscow and is practically absent in St. Petersburg. The engines are usually three-liter turbocharged, leather interior, full electrical package, automatic transmission. The car was the ancestor of the S90, which is still considered one of the most comfortable Volvo models. Price from 6000 dollars.
A note on episode 9. For $6,000 you can buy a very well-kept car that requires an immediate investment of at least $600-800. The mileage of "cheap" nines is about 250-300 thousand kilometers, although the engine life is about 400 thousand. Remember that you will drive these 100-150 thousand in a couple of years and you will be faced with the problem of major engine repairs, since it will be almost impossible to get rid of a car with such mileage.
The 8 Series is represented very widely on the market. The average price for cars from 92-95 is from $6,500. Axiom number two: a Volvo 850 in good condition cannot cost less than $8,000. The mechanics at the car service center told me that there were cases when 8s were bought for $5,000, but subsequent investments in repairs ranged from $1,500 to $4,000. The Volvo 850 is still one of the most advanced models of the Swedish brand, but as a result it is structurally complex and spare parts are much more expensive than for the 7 and 9 series. If replacing all the rubber bands, balls and silent blocks on a Volvo 940 (960, 740) costs $200-300 including spare parts, then a similar repair of the 8's suspension will cost $1,200. This is provided that the repair is done at a branded station and not an official dealer. The latter's prices will be about 300 dollars more.
Finally cars for wealthy people. There is basically nothing to say here. The lineup is quite boring: Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Lexus, Americans. The price for such machines starts from $15,000. Audi, Volkswagen, Opel are represented mainly by almost new models, which is why the price is so high, and the rest are expensive by definition. The 4th Golf with “full stuffing”, two or three years old, costs from $12,000, a three-year-old Passat from $14,000. The price of the “pop-eyed” one is from 18,000-20,000 dollars. A BMW 5 in a new body no older than 5 years costs from $15,000, but a really good car costs $22,000-25,000.

It makes sense to just buy a new car, less “noticeable”. For $25,000 you can even buy a “pure boys” Mercedes 140 in very well-conditioned condition. Volvo is represented by the S40, S60, S70, S80, S90 models.

The cheapest is 40. Price from 12,000 dollars. For 15,000 dollars you can find an S70 and even an older V70. The S90 is still found in dealerships and is quite expensive, as it is a truly luxurious car. Used ones are almost never found. A three-year-old S80 starts at $21,000. Almost 100 percent of these cars are sold through the trade-in system through Volvo dealers. These models are almost never represented on the market.

For $18,000 you can buy a new S40. The S60 is virtually unknown among used cars, as is the V70 Cross Country.

Where can I buy?
It’s a bad idea to order it from a distiller. Firstly, Volvo is considered a prestigious and very reliable car all over the world. They won't sell it to you cheap. For 4000 Euros they offer 9s with a mileage of 200 thousand kilometers or more with a “shabby” interior and an engine that has never been washed. The only thing is that the suspension will be in good condition, since it is almost impossible to “buy” a maintenance ticket abroad, and a car with play in the arms will be immediately damaged. In addition, owners use service books, which basically record everything that happened to the car and the absence of one is a bad sign right away. Thus, they can drive you either a very good car, which will cost you around $10,000, or a 4 for the price of a 9. As the drivers themselves told me, almost all the really good cars have already been exported to Poland, the Baltic states, Belarus and Russia, and therefore it is very difficult to find a decent option, especially Volvo.

Of course, you can go the proven way and step on a rake, namely through the newspaper. I spent more than 3 months searching for the last 9-series car. More than 10 cars were revised. Such a search takes a lot of time, a lot of gasoline is spent on endless inspections, and money is spent on diagnosing other people’s cars. Unfortunately, the mechanics' diagnosis is the same from car to car - the entire suspension, muffler, handbrake, seals.

A more advanced way is via the Internet. The most suitable resource for this is www.usedcars.ru. Applying for an inspection is practically useless. The best way is to send a letter to the administrator with a request to select a specific machine. In my case, a week later they called me and offered to look at several cars that met my requirements. However, this week I was able to purchase a car and refused. The previous more than 30 requests for inspection within a month remained unanswered. The fact is that UsedCars sells cars that are put up for sale in stores, which means that you can look at it at a time convenient for you, and not for the seller. Stores will also not accept blatant junk for sale.

And finally, the most correct way is to buy a car from a dealer. There are the following advantages - firstly, most of the used cars put up for sale by dealers are accepted by trade-in, and the dealer will not take a “bucket” to his detriment; secondly, most of these cars have service books and are well known to the dealer, since they were sold new by them and were serviced by him in the service department, in others there are more guarantees that the car does not have criminal roots, and lastly, you can ask the sellers for free to take the car to the service station on a lift and inspect it, and if major problems are discovered after the purchase (for example, a dead piston with an anti-smoke additive poured into the oil) try to “run into” the dealer using the consumer protection law, which in relation to private sellers is simple
impossible using legal means. In addition, the dealer service probably knows your car, which is very useful when carrying out maintenance. Actually, I purchased my last car from a Volvo dealer. It was a '96 940, low mileage, "crazy" American music on board, black in color and with all the bells and whistles inside. The necessary repairs consisted only of replacing the front suspension rubber bands and cost $230. The craftsmen who made the car just clicked their tongues and said, “Yes, it’s rare to come across cars in such good condition!” The total cost of the car, including the necessary repairs, re-registration, touch-up of a couple of chips and anti-gravel treatment of the sills with plastic was $8,900.

What and where to watch?
Buying a Volvo without diagnostics at a service station is a game of Russian roulette. If you buy a Volvo after owning handicrafts from the Russian auto industry, then this is Russian roulette with 4 cartridges in the drum. In a Volvo, even with a dead suspension, the cabin will be quite quiet, and the blows will ONLY be heard on the “washboard”. Even when driving along our broken small streets, the Volvo may not make a single extraneous noise when, on gravel, it produces a complete clatter of silent blocks, balls and racks. A clean engine on top can hide oil leaks through the crankshaft silent block, both front and rear, and oil leaks from the gearbox shank oil seal and rear axle. Struts and shock absorbers for some modifications of the 9 Series can cost up to $300 apiece.
So the conclusion is: all cars should be looked at at a service station. It is not necessary to go to the service center at the dealer. There are many specialized Volvo service stations that are not official service stations. Their repairs are much cheaper, the quality is acceptable, spare parts are either branded or Scan-tech at the customer’s request. So, a suspension inspection costs about 150 rubles (in St. Petersburg), engine diagnostics are more expensive.
You need to know the standard "rakes". At about 150 thousand, the oil seals begin to leak, the timing belt lasts up to 60 thousand, then it just breaks, and you end up having to repair the cylinder head. The clutch on the 7th and 4th series is less durable, but 180 thousand passes easily. It is standard for the 7.9 series to leak oil through the gearbox shank seals and crankshaft. Replacement costs around $50. Pay attention to the wear of the brake discs. On a number of models they change along with the hub. Disc costs from $40 plus replacement. Large Volvos are quite heavy, so the discs wear out quite quickly.
The lambda probe can be a source of high gasoline consumption and unstable engine operation. The muffler itself is quite expensive, so you should also pay attention to its condition.

And finally the electronics. A standard Volvo disease is a non-functioning fuel sensor. The rest is trivial. In winter, contacts often oxidize, which leads to interruptions in the operation of electrical equipment. Therefore, you should also pay attention to the condition of the wiring, fuse and relay box (in the center console). The most expensive part in on-board electronics is the injector control unit. Its failure will empty your wallet by 700-800 dollars. Therefore, you can buy a car with a block that is obviously out of order if you are aware of how much repairs will cost you.
Corrosion. It sounds strange in relation to Volvo, but galvanizing does not always save. As a standard, paint on Volvos peels off, and it is quite difficult to fix new paint on zinc. There are very “shabby” cars, which may have no corrosion at all, and the metal shines where the chips were, but if the zinc coating is damaged, then you will get all the “delights” of fighting rust. Corrosion typically appears around the edges of the wheel arches and on the lower edges of the doors. The most unpleasant corrosion is in the area of ​​the suspension arm brackets - it is simply dangerous. Old cars have corrosion in the sill area. This is explained by the fact that use on our roads causes the zinc to gradually wear away with sand, stones, and salt. After buying a car, it is useful to do a banal anti-corrosion treatment - the car will be more intact.

Which model should you choose?
It's up to you. The four are smaller, more economical, faster, but the seven is more comfortable, more prestigious, more reliable, and this applies to a greater extent to the nine. The 7.9 series front suspension design provides a turning radius of 9 meters. This indicator is one of the best. Let me remind you that Lada cars have the same figure in the region of 13 meters, with smaller dimensions. The dynamics of episodes 7 and 9 are quite good. Even the naturally aspirated B200 allows the 7 to compete with “chisels” on the street; the turbocharged B230 provides much more powerful acceleration. The seven is tougher than the nine, so I would recommend the nine for those who love comfort. For lovers of sporty driving, and simply dynamic driving, the eight is suitable. And the V8 in the station wagon modification is a real family car, in addition, it is one of the most beautiful Volvo cars.
The fuel consumption of large Volvos in the city is about 12-15 liters, on the highway 10. Old sevens with automatic transmissions consume up to 17 liters. The consumption of the 8 is about 10-11 liters in the city and 8-9 on the highway. When purchasing a three-liter 960, remember about fuel consumption and the horsepower tax, and when purchasing an eight, remember about expensive repairs.
The best option is 940 with manual transmission, 2.3 liters. The best option is 740/940 station wagon. The latter has a cabin size rivaling that of minivans. Let me also remind you that in the rear back of the Volvo seats there is a hatch for long items. The maximum load I put into my Volvo 740 (sedan) was 4 people, 4 pairs of skis, 4 pairs of ski boots, a snowboard, a bag with things. At the same time, the skis stuck out between the seats as long as the armrest, and no one felt cramped. The download also did not cause any problems. You can also put a windsurfing board in the station wagon. Try doing this in Zhiguli!

In conclusion...Volvo is such a good car that they sell it very reluctantly. The machine is very reliable and durable. Its maintenance is rare and relatively inexpensive. If you decide to become a Volvo owner, remember this, because in a few months you will love it and will not want to change it for something else. When choosing a car, expect that it will be in your hands for many years. It’s better to immediately buy a Volvo in good condition than to clean up a broken bucket. A good Volvo car will break down very rarely and will provide you with comfortable and safe driving.

Swedish Volvo S40, V50, C30 and C70 cars were produced from 2003 to 2013, the same class as the Ford Focus or Mazda 3. They even use the same platform. We will now find out how much more reliable Volvo cars are than other competitors. S40 is a sedan, V50 is a station wagon, C30 and C70 are coupes. Volvo's body is clearly more reliable than its competitors with the same platform. The hood is made of aluminum and is not susceptible to corrosion, and in general, the body is galvanized on both sides, so it is well preserved even on the oldest cars. The paintwork does not become cloudy, peel off or rub off, like in a Mazda 3 or Ford Focus. Now on the market you can find cars that are 10 years old and have a mileage of over 200,000 km, but in good condition for reasonable money. On such cars the body is usually always in good condition.

There are also a lot of body electronics in the car; they can suffer from dampness. The console's buttons may stop working after 12 years of use. To make the buttons work, sometimes just cleaning the contacts is enough.

The interior looks quite good even after many years of use. The plastic looks good, the leather also looks tolerable for a long time. Creaks appear only after 10 years of operation. It happens that over time the immobilizer does not recognize the key, and the ignition switch may also wear out and the starter will not always turn. A new ignition switch will cost about 170 euros. There are also cases when the power windows begin to twitch, and the electric seat drives may malfunction.

The power window control unit, which is located inside the doors, is afraid of dampness. Electromechanical door lock modules can also fail on older vehicles manufactured before 2007. The hatch drainage may become clogged, and then it will not be particularly pleasant, because the upholstery will deteriorate, and there may be problems with the wiring, so you need to keep an eye on this.

If the headlights, instrument panel or interior lighting suddenly start to malfunction, this means that you need to check the condition of the CEM unit board; sometimes it is enough to simply clean it and seal it from moisture. But it’s better not to hesitate and correct the situation immediately, because the entire car may turn off. A new CEM unit costs about 800 euros.

In general, there are many different minor problems, in most cases it all depends on who owned the car. It happens that the wiring harness for the electric drive of the lock breaks, and it also happens that the trunk stops closing. There are cases that after 100,000 km. mileage, the Bosch fuel pump, which is installed in the gas tank, fails. To change the fuel pump you will have to remove the tank, and a new pump costs about 250 euros. But recently craftsmen have learned to install cheap VAZ fuel pumps in Volvos. You also need to keep an eye on the radiator fan, because if moisture or salt gets on it, it will quickly fail.

Engines

The basic configuration comes with a 1.6-liter engine, this is the B 4164 S3 engine (Duratec 1.6), the timing belt in it must be changed periodically. The same engine was developed back in 1998 for the 1st generation Ford Focus. For the Volvo S40, this engine comes without phase shifters, so it is considered very reliable. But he also has some minor problems. It happens that ignition modules or some sensors fail. It is also necessary once every 120,000 km. manually adjust valve clearances. But in general, if the engine is not specifically tortured, then it can serve its 300,000 km. very easy.

There are also engines with a chain - these are engines with a volume of 1.8 and 2.0 liters, running on gasoline. These motors are installed on approximately 15 and 17% of cars, respectively, made by Mazda, they have the same design, the chain can withstand about 220,000 km. mileage These engines can last even longer than the 1.6 engine. Mileage 350,000 km. - not the limit. But it also happens that minor problems arise with motors.

For example, the belt roller bearings of mounted units are quite weak; it often happens that they already require replacement after 80,000 km. And to 100,000 km. mileage, the thermostat may fail, so it is advisable to monitor the coolant temperature while driving. A new thermostat costs about 35 euros.
It happens that the engine begins to float at idle, jerks when driving or starts poorly, this means that it is time to replace the ignition coils, and the ignition wires can also be changed. It also happens that after 120,000 km. mileage due to wear on the right hydraulic mount, the engine begins to tremble. A new hydraulic support of this type costs about 100 euros.

It also happens that the throttle body becomes dirty, so it is advisable to clean it every 50,000 km. Because a new unit like this costs 250 euros. The fact that it’s time to do cleaning will be indicated by floating engine speeds, and if you really start this thing, then the throttle may generally jam. If suddenly after 3000 rpm the traction starts to disappear and the check engine light comes on, this means that the intake manifold flap control valve needs to be replaced, which costs about 80 euros.

After replacing the spark plugs, it is advisable to check whether there is oil in the spark plug wells; if there is, it means the valve cover is loose, it needs to be tightened, and if this does not help, then the gasket needs to be changed. But the most popular engines are the Swedish B 5244 engines with a volume of 2.4 liters; they are installed on 40% of cars. These engines consume a lot of gasoline - about 13 liters per 100 km. run around the city. But these motors last a long time thanks to their proven design. 500,000 km. mileage is not the limit for these engines. But to change the spark plugs in such an engine, you need to remove the intake manifold. There are also turbocharged engines, there are few of them - about 2%, the volume is 2.5 liters, they last 350,000 km.

Sometimes there are cases when approximately 100,000 km. mileage, a whistle appears from under the hood, then this is not yet a reason to panic, you need to check what’s wrong here - unscrew the oil filler cap or pull out the oil dipstick. If the noise disappears, then the rubber membrane in the crankcase ventilation system has leaked. Changing the entire assembly will cost quite a lot - 150 euros, but now many craftsmen can already change just the membrane separately.

And on turbocharged engines with a 2.5-liter engine, the thin tubes of the crankcase ventilation system easily become clogged, so it is better not to delay the oil change and change it every 7-10 thousand km.
Over time, the vacuum pump may also make noise because the control valve has failed. A new vacuum pump costs 350 euros, and a control valve complete with pipes costs 100 euros. It also happens that the phase shifter clutches begin to leak after 90,000 km, but this must be corrected immediately, because the oil will immediately fall on the timing belt, and it will quickly wear out. Therefore, if traces of oil appear on the casing, you must immediately sound the alarm so that you do not have to overhaul the engine ahead of time.
It is also advisable during maintenance, every 15,000 km. change the drive belts of mounted units.

Diesel engines are rarely found in the Volvo S40, because officially there were no cars with diesel engines. If they brought a car from Europe, then they may have a diesel engine.
Diesels come in D 416 with a volume of 1.6 liters and 2-liter D 4204, they are quite reliable, made by the PSA Peugeot Citroen concern. There is also Sweden's own 5-cylinder D 5244 T, it was developed by Volvo and was first installed in the S80 in 2001. But this engine requires clean diesel fuel, and once every 50,000 km. requires cleaning the swirl flap block. You should also periodically clean the crankcase ventilation system. From city driving, the particulate filter begins to clog at about 100,000 km. and an exhaust gas recirculation system. The electric drive of the boost pressure regulator is also weak; replacing it will require 150 euros.

Automatic transmissions were installed on cars produced before 2008 with Swedish engines. This five-speed Aisin-Warner ¬AW55-51SN 2000 gearbox was not particularly reliable in the Volvo XC90 and Volvo S60. And in the Volvo S40, V50, C30 and C70 a modernized version of this box was installed. In 2004, it was modified and a more reliable hydraulic unit was installed. On S40 cars, this box lasts quite a long time, if you don’t kill it - about 250,000 km. And after this run, it’s enough to simply change worn oil seals, clutches, solenoids and bushings.

In 2010, a newer 6-speed automatic transmission Aisin-Warner TF-80SD appeared. This box was first created in 2003, but by 2010, this box had upgraded hydraulics. Once every 70,000 km. The transmission oil in these boxes needs to be changed, then they will serve for a long time without shocks when changing gears.

There is also a 6-speed preselective - Ford's Getrag 6DCT450, it began to be installed on post-restyling Volvo S40 and V50 in 2007, these cars have a 2-liter gasoline engine. At first, the automatic transmission electronic control units were replaced under warranty. The oil and filter must be changed more often - once every 45,000 km. It can be done earlier so that the valves of the solenoids and valve body do not become clogged; if they become clogged, the robotic box will begin to twitch and wear out faster. And already by 150,000 km. will fail.

There are also manual transmissions M65 and M66 from Getrag, they also come complete with 5-cylinder engines from Volvo. Mechanical gearboxes are also very reliable, the clutch only needs to be changed once every 160,000 km, so that the dual-mass flywheel of the engine does not fail, because it is quite expensive - 1000 euros.

The 1.6 engine from Ford comes with a French iB5 5-speed manual transmission from Bordeaux Transmission. This is a rather old and not particularly successful gearbox; it was also installed in the Ford Fiesta. Already after 70,000 km. Drive seals begin to leak, and on cars produced after 2011, the seals were modified and these seals began to last 2 times longer. But if you constantly load the box, the pinion axis in the differential may not be able to withstand it. Repairs will cost a lot of money - more than 1000 euros. After 100,000 km. There may be noise from the input shaft bearing, so that it does not jam - it needs to be changed.

There is also a German five-speed MTX75 gearbox from GFT. This box goes to engines from Mazda (1.8 and 2.0). In this box, you also need to monitor the condition of the oil seals so that the oil level is always normal, because if there is not enough of it, the shafts and gear teeth will begin to wear out faster. After 60,000 km. mileage, the release bearing usually fails, which must be replaced together with the clutch cylinder. To replace the clutch you will have to remove the box.

Suspension

In terms of reliability, the suspension is the same as on Fords and Mazdas, it is not particularly durable, but it does not break quickly either. Spare parts for Volvo are a little more expensive than for Mazda or Ford. The rear shock absorbers are equipped with an automatic body leveling system. They serve approximately 100,000 km. But when the time comes for replacement, you will have to pay 400 euros for each shock absorber. Therefore, very often, many owners, in order to save money, simply install conventional shock absorbers, which cost 100 euros; you can also find an analogue for 50 euros. Front shock absorbers cost about the same.

After approximately 70,000 km. In the front suspension it is necessary to change the stabilizer struts and wheel bearings. Racks cost 30 euros for a branded part, and a non-original one can be purchased for 15 euros. To change the wheel bearings, you have to change the entire hub assembly for 200 euros. To save money, you can take a hub from Ford or Mazda, they are 3 times cheaper, and the design is not different at all. You also need to remember that the bearing is very well protected from dirt, so if possible it is better to avoid deep puddles.

Approximately 80,000 km. The front levers serve, usually silent blocks fail earlier, each lever assembled with a ball joint costs 150 euros. But in general, the rear multi-link suspension is reliable and lasts a long time; repairs should be made to it no earlier than after 140,000 km. A complete overhaul of the rear suspension will cost about 600 euros. Silent blocks are usually replaced as an assembly with levers, but now many services can simply press a new silent block into the old levers.

Steering

Steering rods and ends last at least 150,000 km. And on cars with a 1.6 petrol engine there is a hydraulic booster, it can come out of a standing position and so can the rack itself. A new rack costs 1000 euros, but you can get a rack from Ford for 650 euros.

In general, the Volvo S40 has many of the same problems as the Ford Focus or Mazda 3. But the Volvo is still a more interesting car, with a stronger body and better interior trim. But the main advantage of Volvo over its competitors is the 5-cylinder Swedish engine, which is really very reliable and lasts a long time. A Volvo with a 2-liter engine will cost more than a Ford or Mazda with a similar configuration by about 60,000 rubles.

Driving a Volvo S40

If we consider the Volvo S40 with a 2.4-liter engine and a power of ¬170 hp. s., then the car turned out to be quite playful; if you wish, you can go into a skid. The Aisin-Warner 5-speed automatic transmission shifts quickly and clearly, making a pleasant impression. The brakes are also good, the pedal is informative, the ABS kicks in early, if you need to slow down in a turn on a slippery road, the electronics will clearly distribute the braking forces and the car will not deviate from the trajectory.

Aspirated engines with 5 cylinders and a volume of 2.4 liters come in different powers - 140 and 170 hp. With. The only differences are in the software, but the design itself is the same. Both engines equally do not like overheating. Therefore, it is advisable to clean radiators every 3 years. Be sure to remember to change the timing belt according to the regulations - once every 120,000 km, because its breakage will then cost a lot of money during the repair of the cylinder head. For preventive maintenance, it is also necessary to change the oil separator of the oil crankcase ventilation system.

After 100,000 km. You need to prepare to repair the generator, starter and air conditioning compressor. A high-quality non-original compressor will cost 26,000 rubles. For an automatic transmission to serve for a long time, you just need to change the oil every 60,000 km. It will require 12 liters. Sometimes it makes sense to buy cheaper parts from Ford and Mazda from the same platform. But not always, sometimes it happens that original spare parts, on the contrary, are more expensive.

As you know, in connection with the fall in the ruble exchange rate... I won’t continue, everything is already clear and very sad, so I’ll get straight to the point. A new price list for 2015 has appeared on the official Volvo Cars website. It’s interesting to see how prices for Volvo models have changed compared to 2014. Unfortunately, I did not find a price list for 2014, but anticipating a significant change in prices, I, as a person who follows Volvo, in November 2014 took screenshots of the site indicating the starting price of the model (see under the cut).
So, we got the following table. The 2015 price is taken from the price list, this is the most affordable entry-level configuration. The price is 2014, this is the price from the website - also the starting price. I’m not sure that I did everything correctly, it is possible that the configurations are different, perhaps additional options appeared in 2015, etc., but it seems that nothing fundamentally changed in the cars - there were no restylings (XC90 is already a new model). Let's see what happened
special thanks to the attentive reader bakuntzzz , which found errors in the table (now this is a corrected version)

The price for the XC90 has changed the least. Despite everything, the new model should launch successfully. Too much money has been poured into it. In pursuit of market share, the Swedes (Chinese?) are ready to sacrifice profitability. The beloved “Swedish tractor” XC70 has also risen in price very moderately - only 13%, and note that the ruble has fallen against the euro by 60%. The price for other models has increased approximately the same. In general, a fairly modest price increase, very gentle. It would be great to compare with other automakers in the same format, but I’m not ready for such feats - it’s too much and tedious work.
That’s all, let’s see how this affects sales volumes and how Volvo will perform in 2015 in general. But we have a difficult year ahead, and you don’t even need to have the talent of a predictor to understand this.
I’ll just repeat - we’ll see. I will keep an eye on events and prices; it is possible that this is not the last price list we will see in 2015.

Volvo prices in November 2014.

And this is the new price list for 2015.

03/11/01, Rynn
The most beautiful and comfortable car is a Volvo suitcase. It would be a shame if such cars disappeared from our roads.

10/07/02, Frida
Well done Swedes!!! They invented the best car in the world! I respect them for their ingenuity.

12/05/04, Karelin
There are definitely two things that Swedes can do well. 1 is to write music. 2nd - make cars. Volvo is my lifelong dream. Life is short, it's time to speed up.

10/06/04, Border
This is the best car in the world! Moreover, all the cars of this brand are the best!

10/06/04, Rex
They have a good metal body. And in general I adore all Volvs

02/10/04, wapprostir
I, too, am a Volveshnik, I want to remember once I was driving to Kyiv 120 and then out of nowhere, a Volveshnik S40 seemed to overtake and disappear over the horizon, I figured the speed was more than 200 km per hour and in general all the bandits drive Volveshniks, I want it too!

08/08/06, Nubarron
What topic is about what brand! As always, the Scandinavian brothers know how to do everything efficiently. Volvo is perhaps the most reliable, comfortable and outwardly beautiful of European cars. The first Volvo heroically stayed with us for many years (about 7 years), after which it was sold. More than once we drove it from St. Petersburg to Moscow, to Nizhny Novgorod and, of course, back. There were all sorts of roads, and, as you understand, the suspension had to be changed. And then the shock absorbers. And then they considered it necessary to get rid of it altogether and buy a new one... And my goal is to save up for the latest model of this wonderful brand, something like the S60.

19/04/08, marinella
Six months ago I bought myself a Volvo S40 and I don’t regret the choice I made. It’s a wonderful car! Reliable, comfortable, stylish.

12/02/10, chetnik
Personally, I really like Volvo cars from the late 1998-2001 period and the very latest ones. And those in between I don’t like at all. This is due to the fact that Volvo then hired a new Anglican designer. So he sculpted such a thing in his time that many fans of the brand turned away from it. But the latest versions of some models are nothing at all. For example, I like the v70 and XC70 very much. But I wouldn’t take the C30 even for free, because... It's infuriating.

26/03/11, WinnieSuperPuff
You can safely write in both columns, since with Volvo, where there are pros, there are also cons... Pros: comfort, handling, style, status of the car, good build quality... Cons: overpaying for the brand, automatic transmission, which is not pulls on 4.4l engines on the XC90, does not allow towing and constantly strives to get drunk!! and one more minus - the insatiable desire of the Swedes to shove a turbine everywhere, the resource of which is 100 thousand km, and then you can safely throw it into the abyss and install a new one (120 thousand rubles)... but it’s still a Volvo, so I’m writing in the left column ...

The biggest problem with the S60 turned out to be with the transmission, or more precisely, with the gearboxes. The transmission itself is well designed, has a large margin of safety, and the Haldex clutch in the rear axle drive only requires regular oil changes every 30-60 thousand. Otherwise, keep an eye on the CV joint covers, the cardan shaft and the oil level in the gearboxes. There won't be any big worries.

In principle, up to 150 thousand kilometers they often do not do any manipulations at all, and nothing breaks. But the car wasn't very lucky with the boxes. Modern premium cars are offered only with automatic transmission, and the Volvo S 60 is no exception. Mechanics can only be found with the lowest-power 1.6 petrol engines, and sometimes with diesel engines.

The luckiest ones are the multi-cylinder engines of the modular series, gasoline and diesel. With engines B5204T8, B5204T9, B5254T12, B6304T4, D5204T3, D5244T15 - with the well-deserved in-line "fives" and "sixes" of Volvo's design, they installed the already "battle-tested" automatic Aisin TF 80SC / TF 80D, the only problem of which after 2010 is too harsh a thermal regime and the associated resource life of the gas turbine engine blocking linings and contamination of the valve body. This allows us to consider it very resourceful, but capricious in terms of operating conditions. By the way, the thermal regime can be easily improved by installing a large external radiator and an external filter (for example from), which was often done on machines when the first signs of problems appeared or even immediately after purchase.

Of course, a six-speed gearbox is not at all cheap to repair if it comes down to it, but in most cases the matter ends with cleaning and easy repair of the valve body, replacing the gas turbine lining and oil. The only downside is its relative lack of intelligence - diagnosing this box with a scanner will not show everything. It rather requires knowledge of the design and ingenuity. And also an understanding of the intricacies of hydraulics.

Occasionally, in addition to overheating, the machine is at risk of leaking antifreeze into the ATF. Unfortunately, this problem is still relevant. In case of corrosion of the aluminum heat exchanger or destruction of the fittings as a result of mechanical impact, troubles are possible, so when purchasing, check the connection area of ​​the box heat exchanger for leaks, this is a sure sign of impending large expenses. Indeed, in this case, all clutches will have to be replaced and the valve body will be extensively cleaned, which is tantamount to a major overhaul of the automatic transmission.

A typical service life with a standard cooling system before the first repairs is about 150 thousand kilometers. This usually requires replacing two line pressure solenoids and the automatic transmission lock solenoid. Now they are on sale separately from the valve body plate, which reduces the cost of repairing such a fault several times. If the gas turbine linings are not worn to the limit, then you can expect another hundred or even more thousand mileage before serious intervention with replacing the seals due to a drop in operating pressure. And with frequent oil changes and more gentle thermal conditions, the gearbox can go even further, which is clearly seen in the example of European cars with mileages of more than 400 thousand.

The box is also very sensitive to wear of the Teflon sealing rings and gaskets. Before diagnosing the valve body, it is imperative to check the actual operating pressure in the system: if, with the linear solenoids fully open, the pressure is below normal, then usually what is required is not replacing the oil pump (it is relatively reliable here), but rebuilding all the packages and replacing the seals.

Aisin TF 80SC is relatively well mastered in repair; serious problems with it are solved quite successfully, although not one hundred percent. But you can forget about budget repairs, the average price for a complete repair does not yet fall below 150 thousand rubles, this box is one of the favorite “cash cows” of automatic transmission specialists, along with ZF 5HP and 6HP, as well as AW TF 60.

The situation is much worse with the “robot” Getrag 6DCT 450. This box was installed on all variants of four-cylinder engines, even the most powerful 300-horsepower ones. Volvo did not install the “younger” version with dry clutches, the 6DCT 450 has oil bath clutches, and the engine has a simple and reliable flywheel.

Like all pre-selectives, this gearbox provides excellent efficiency and switching speed. But there are several nuances. Like the Volkswagen “robot” DQ 250, the valve body, mechanics and clutch unit have a common oil bath, which significantly increases the requirements for oil purity and increases its dependence on driving style.

And alas, as was the case with Volkswagen DSGs, Getrags have a somewhat unfinished design. An additional factor that greatly affects the operation of this particular automatic transmission is the gear ratio of the first gear is too small, which means that it is poorly suited to low-speed modes on engines with insufficient traction at low speeds.

Owners of the S 60 usually experience jerks when switching or loss of traction due to automatic transmission errors. The latter is usually associated with emergency overheating. What's going on with this box? In the vast majority of cases, high temperature and oil contamination with friction wear products are to blame.

The main supplier of dirt into the oil at the initial stage is the clutch kit. It works with slipping when starting the car and when driving at low speed. Also, a small slip is used for smooth gear changes, but it is insignificant if the car does not drive 402 meters every day. Dirt from the oil must be filtered by two filters: an internal coarse filter, with magnets, and an external fine filter. The second is a replaceable element and does not require disassembling the box for replacement. The oil is not completely filtered; abrasive particles are constantly present in it, but if you change it on time, there are relatively few of them, and wear of the remaining elements occurs slowly.

Over time, and especially as the degree of oil contamination increases, other components of the box begin to wear out. First of all, two line pressure solenoids. By the way, they are the same as on the Volkswagen DQ 250 gearbox. Sometimes washing helps, but usually the wear of the rods requires serious repairs or replacement. Next, the gear forks suffer; first, the brass sliding inserts on them wear out, and then the magnet of the fork itself may wear out. Of course, wear products from clutches, solenoids and forks enter the oil pump, which also wears out and supplies wear products to the system. If the coarse filter becomes clogged, the operation of the box is even more disrupted. In advanced cases, there is not enough pressure, the valve body fails, and large wear products enter the system, which can damage the gear pairs and differential.

Wear noticeably accelerates as the operating temperature of the automatic transmission increases. The standard cooling system works well only in the absence and absence of heavy loads. And the “native” thermostat, although designed for a gentle 90 degrees, often malfunctions. Lowering the operating temperature to 60-70 degrees usually does not do much harm, and in some cases it is even useful. But exceeding temperatures up to 105-120 degrees already leads to rapid oil wear and leaks.

In addition to the wear of solenoids and seals and all the plastic of the automatic transmission, the oil itself simply begins to “burn” in the clutches, where temperatures can be noticeably higher than that of the oil in the crankcase. And the peak oil temperatures in the crankcase go beyond 150 degrees, the oil becomes more fluid. The emerging slippage of the clutches, in turn, leads to even greater wear and even greater heating, finishing off the box quickly and with a guarantee.

Natural or not very wear of clutches and gears greatly accelerates the destruction of the damper springs of the torsional vibration compensator. In this case, the gearbox may produce extraneous noise at low speeds, and all its mechanics will work with increased wear. In short, you already understand that the oil needs to be changed more often, and don’t forget about the filter.

In principle, the resource of the clutch set is quite large. With careful handling of the gas pedal, similar to working with a manual transmission, and the absence of “racing” during operation, they are “almost eternal” - there are cars with the original kit and mileage for 300 thousand, and in taxis the mileage of cars with diesel engines exceeds half a million.

The key to success is not only changing the oil, but also the serviceability of the electronics and speed sensors; they need to be changed sometimes. This is how it happens in Europe, but here everything is noticeably worse. In Russia, they suffer from cold starts, when the clutches slip more and grip unevenly due to viscous oil. Another catalyst for the wear and tear of the robot is traffic jams, in which drivers behave as with a “classic” automatic transmission. Well, you can finally finish off the box by driving on highways at a speed of 150 and above.

For the average driver, with a mileage of 150-200 thousand kilometers, the main clutch will already require replacement. If the oil was changed at least once every 45 thousand kilometers, and the filter every 15 thousand (that is, at each maintenance), and the box with new solenoids, then most likely it will not have noticeable wear. But if the oil was not changed, or the filter was changed along with the oil, only at 60 and 120 thousand mileage, then the wear will be very significant.

The description of the problems, unfortunately, does not give a complete picture of what is happening. The new box design turned out to be poorly compatible with our services. They act at random, without understanding the processes occurring in the box and knowing the design features. This only increases the number of problems. Even a “branded” service often cannot solve the simplest problems associated with the initial stage of wear, damage to linear pressure solenoids, failures of speed sensors and progressive contamination of the coarse filter.

The “large-scale” work being undertaken is more like a banal robbery of the client. Against this background, the few specialized services also do not strive to reduce the average cost of repairs and their volume, although the likelihood of successful “treatment” in them is noticeably higher. The average repair of “everything” for this box is also within 150 thousand rubles. But a large number of repair attempts without much success creates a problematic image of the unit.

Motors

The latest generations of Volvo cars are often called “Fords” by connoisseurs of the brand. And not at all for the platform, it just doesn’t catch the eye. But the replacement of the “classic” engines of the modular series and Si 6 with Ford Ecoboost units and the new VEA (V olvo Engine Architecture) series offends experts. With all the advantages of the new engines, the old ones had a much greater margin of safety and their own “special” character. And history should be valued. In the second generation Volvo S 60, “real” engines were used mainly until 2015, when the most powerful versions of four-cylinder engines appeared. Moreover, under the hood one could find both the beloved five-cylinder engines and in-line sixes in gasoline and diesel versions.

First of all, I will mention the peculiarity of the engine cooling system. All S 60 II engines have a front-mounted intercooler, and the main radiator and air conditioning condenser are assembled into a tight “sandwich”. One of the advantages of this solution is that the intercooler is quite cold during city driving, even in traffic jams. But the attempt to make the radiators more compact and space them apart from the intercooler makes the system very sensitive to contamination. The “sandwich” becomes heavily clogged, and the intercooler itself is located low, which is why its honeycombs not only become dirty, but are often also damaged by stones. It is necessary to install a mesh in the bumper. Well, you need to flush the radiators regularly, otherwise they will become tightly clogged and only flushing and removal will help, which is usually very inexpensive.

Radiator

price for original

18,036 rubles

Specialized Volvo services usually ask for 10 to 15 thousand rubles per operation, the rest can be persuaded for 5-10 thousand, because according to standard hours this is not such an expensive undertaking. Specialized compounds for cleaning aluminum and a good stream of compressed air help very well in skillful hands and with the bumper removed. The bulk of the dirt is not visible, a layer of dirt gets stuck between the condenser and the main radiator, the distance between them is about 1 cm, and often this centimeter is tightly clogged with dirt, and there is a decent layer of dirt behind the intercooler. You can just wet the outside, but it won't help much. Contamination of the radiator package often becomes the starting point for damage to the automatic transmission and engine. Wash them at least once a year.

The Volvo Modular Engine series of engines dates back to 1990, and the latest versions were installed on the S 60 II until 2016. These reliable and original camshaft belt driven engines have earned the right to be called one of the best in the world. Yes, the latest versions with a lightweight piston group and turbocharging can no longer boast of that unlimited boost reserve and service life, but nevertheless they can easily take care of their 300+ with normal maintenance.

Yes, there is a belt and it needs to be changed. And besides, there are no hydraulic compensators, and instead of camshaft bed covers, there is a top cylinder head cover, which will not allow you to carry out the procedure for checking clearances “in the field.” The crankcase ventilation system is quite capricious and... actually, there’s almost nothing to complain about. Of course, turbocharging requires the ideal operation of many engine systems. The engine does not like overheating: it can easily drive the cylinder head, the rings fit with a guarantee, and weak valve guides require regular checking of the seals.

Turbocharger for 2.0 B4204T7

price for non-original

BorgWarner 69,933 rubles

The turbocharged in-line sixes of the Si 6 series are somewhat newer than the modulars, but all the warm words can be applied to them. Unless the timing chain on turbo engines is not pleasing with a predictable resource. But there is more than enough power, the engine life is excellent, and there are tuning opportunities.

But the in-line “fours” of Ford origin here produce an ambivalent impression. On the one hand, these are excellent motors, simple and cheap, with a very successful design. On the other hand, they clearly cannot withstand the degree of forcing that is inherent in their latest versions. Hence numerous problems with scuffing of the last cylinders, burnout of pistons, scuffing of liners and the early appearance of ring wear. The recommendation for the use of low-viscosity SAE 20 oils of Ford specification also does not contribute to the longevity of engines.

1.6 liter engines will seem vaguely familiar to all owners. Volvo has a slightly “brutalized” version of them, with power from 150 to 180 hp. Of course, with supercharging, direct injection and phase shifters. In addition, the engine also has a variable-displacement vane oil pump, which is very capricious in terms of the degree of oil contamination.

Both engine options are extremely sensitive to overheating and loss of oil pressure. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the radiators, change the oil noticeably more often than prescribed during active use, and it is advisable to use at least SAE 30 oil, and in the summer, at high temperatures, SAE 40. The slightest malfunction in the operation of the fuel equipment, overheating, bad oil... and now they burn out pistons and lifts the crankshaft. In the worst cases, the block is sent for disposal.

And there can be a lot of reasons. A low-pressure fuel pump may not provide this same pressure, filters may become dirty, the injection pump may also create pulsations or not provide enough pressure, radiators regularly become dirty, and simply “annealing” after a plug can lead to disastrous results. In general, the motors are not bad, but they require caution when operating.

The one and a half liter engine is completely different, it has a chain drive of camshafts, it has less hassle with phase shifter clutches and a stronger cylinder block, it is less prone to overheating. But otherwise the problems are the same, and they are also associated with a very high degree of forcing. Nominally it belongs to the new VEA series, but in reality it is an almost unchanged Ford engine, which can be found under the hood of half of European Fords.

Timing chain 2.0

price for original

2,853 rubles

2.0 liter engines are positioned as Volvo's own development. But if you look closely, the VEA or E-drive architecture is very similar to the Ford Ecoboost Mi 4 engines, in any case, the cylinder block is almost exactly the same, and the cylinder head is subtly reminiscent. And even the bearings for the latest B4204T7 fit perfectly from Mazda, and the crankshaft can be taken from them. So this is still exactly Ford’s heritage, no matter how much the company boasts of “independence” and its developments.

In general, the Mazda L cylinder block can withstand power above 300 hp quite well, so there is nothing strange in the appearance of factory versions with such boost. But a fan-favorite Mazda 6 MPS is one thing, and rather heavy and massive Volvo cars are quite another. Moreover, on low-viscosity oil, with clogged radiators and plugs.

As a result, engines with a boost level of 200-245 hp. turned out to be not reliable enough for everyday use. If it weren’t for the difficulties that plagued them with valve coking after hundreds of thousands of miles and an unsuccessful control program with detonation on 95 gasoline, they could well have proven themselves well. At normal temperatures, frequent oil changes and regular “cleaning” of the valves by supplying detergent to the inlet, they behave well. And with operation on 98-octane gasoline and high-quality oils with a viscosity above SAE 30, they can still show a very decent service life of the piston group. In general, the design is quite successful, but very demanding on maintenance after 100-150 thousand mileage and requires a high level of operation.

Much more interesting are the engine options with 306 and 367 hp. In this case, a supercharger was added to help the turbocharger, the supercharging system was complicated, and the unit was further strengthened. The result turned out to be quite extraordinary: on E85 fuel or good 98-octane gasoline, the engine even has a good service life, and the complex system works reliably.

But if the tank is 95, one good press on the gas may be enough to burn out the pistons. Newer firmware for this motor has solved the “one-click” problem, but the design is in any case very extreme, and an older car with such a motor will clearly not be easy to maintain.

Surprisingly, the problems of the original Mazda L engines have not gone away. Here are the same features with cooling system leaks, heat-oil exchanger leaks, weak seals, poor design of the thermostat and crankcase ventilation system. But so far all these troubles are in their infancy due to relatively short mileage and the presence of much more serious troubles.

Diesel engines are represented mainly by variants of the “classic” five-cylinder engine D5204, which has proven itself well and has no special problems, except for the classic “diesel” ones with fuel equipment.

Summing up

New technologies are not always beneficial. This is especially noticeable in the example of the Volvo S 60 II. In the version with a 2.5 inline “five” or a 2.4 diesel engine and a classic Aisin automatic transmission, this car is quite unpretentious, you just have to keep an eye on the cooling system. And even the price of service will be less than that of the German premium.

But as soon as you chase fuel economy a little, the chances of falling into the tenacious clutches of scammers involved in the “restoration” of automatic transmissions and “masters” in rebuilding Ford engines grow to quite probable. In general, choose proven solutions, use them wisely, and you will be happy.

Would you take a Volvo S60 II?