Will you forgive me, I've bought another car...

[rapport25]

Welly what is your review on the VOLVO?

Mjb what is your review on the coupe?

[mjb]

Mjb what is your review on the coupe?

You'll remember I did a huge review of the saloon when I got it, but that was in good condition. I need to get the coupe up to scratch before I can review it. I can live with a few things, but it's unfair to review a car that effectively running with pushbike tyres at the back and limited engine capacity due to the clutch slippage and stretched throttle cable...

[Welly]

Sorry rappy, I meant to post something before now.

Erm, well it's a lot different to the 406 and I'm still missing that laid back wafty drive but the Volvo is better in more ways really.

The seats are fantastic, not rock-hard but well shaped with loads of adjustment (remind me of Saab type seats I suppose) it's a comfortable and very quiet car but also has a firm ride and really sharp handling! it doesn't soak up the bumps like the 6 and I even find myself trying to avoid stuff in the road to stop it jarring (I understand all newish cars ride like this now) overall I would say the car handles like a sports model (it has uprated dampers and thicker anti-roll bars as standard). The electric power steering has a nice meaty fell to it.

The engine is brilliant, it has the feel of a much larger unit, makes a nice noise, and has masses of low down torque starting from 1500 rpm - 4000 rpm it's not a revver but I like that - in fact you drive it very much like a Diesel! it has constantly variable valve timing which changes depending on what you're up to, cruising will drop the valve lift/fueling right down for economy but flooring it will give high lift etc etc.

The 6-speed box is good with nice close ratios and low final drive, in 6th gear you're doing under 2000rpm at 60mph overtaking rarely requires a gear change.

Economy wise - it was showing 35mpg on the way to Portsmouth but daily to and from work gives a steady 26mpg (which I'm ok with really) in real terms the fuel is costing me an extra £10.00 per week over the 406 HDi.

The stereo is amazing, somehow it has extra info about what your listening to on the radio about what's coming up, the phone-in tel no. etc (maybe all new radios do this?) it kinda scrolls across the screen. There's 6 x CD's which all load through a single slot in the dash and the sound through the speakers is the best I've ever heard one good thing is if you turn the volume down to zero it 'pauses' the CD for you until you turn it back up

There's nifty little features accessible through the car's own menu (bit like a mini I-Drive thing) you can tell it to self lock the doors, only unlock the drivers door first, etc. you can even decide how long you want the lighting on for etc. (home safe/approach lighting).

Nice things:
Dual climate is good but I suspect it will stay on equal temps on either side mostly.
Auto-dimming mirror is standard.
Rain sensing wipers standard.
Arm rest standard.
Cruise is standard.
Multi-function wheel standard.
SIPS/WHIPS system.
Inflatable Curtain both sides
Dual Air Bags and Seat Airbags standard.
Mega strong car, feels really well planted and secure.
Ignition key goes in the dash to the left of the wheel (keeps you knee safe in an accident).
Kinda quirky looks but verging on cool as it looks the same as the C30 at the front.

Mini-gripes:
There's no foot rest for the clutch
There's no heated seats but for some reason I don't mind (they're extra btw)
There's no rear sublind (that's extra)
The rain sensing wipers are 'adjustable' so they sense rain but you've got to decide how sensitive you want it - this is really weird as by the time you've cracked it you're back home on your drive
The ride/low profile 17" wheels are a tad firm (probably me getting old).
The 'Day Running Lights' are a PITA - you can turn them 'off' but that only takes you down to side lights - but then there's no 'lights on' warning when you leave this has caught me a few times already on sunny days (guess I'll just have to keep a load of spare H7's and leave them on all the time).

Overall it should turn out to be fairly easy to own - it's only done 25,000 miles so just basic servicing really, the cambelt comes up at 100,000 miles or 10 years so that'll never need doing for me. The bodywork is well protected in fact there's not a mark on it - not even a 'ding' it's nice to wash it and find it's pretty much like a brand new car!

Sorry for the long story

Welly

[eoin27]

Very nice welly. I had the pleasure of driving a new Alfa 159 for 3 days and a lot of what you said differed in the 406 and the volvo made sense.

Newer cars have firmer seats, suspension and steering and are generally better to drive.

TBH, the 406 felt really weird when i got back into it. When i lifted the clutch i felt like it was broken until it finally kicked in. The steering felt light and vague and i felt like i was dragging the titanic behind me. But after a while, i got really comfortable in the 6 again and realised that although there are many boring points, its a perfect (and i stress 'perfect') car for motorway cruising. A brand new alfa can't match it for that.

[Welly]

I did drive the 406 (well, had to move it around a bit) the other day and it did feel a bit loose and wobbly but it is 10 years old I suppose.

I think generally because the 406 is based around the D8 from 1996 then cars have move on quite a bit since and drive quite differently - the Volvo certainly forgives (or interupts) any poor driving with it's stability programme whatnot whereas the 406 would slap you in the face in other words any old numpty can drive a modern car and appear quite skilled at it

[eoin27]

Now that you mention it, a few months ago, i saw a woman coming around the corner quite fast in an S40 like yours (probably a 1., it looked like very cool driving as there was no body roll or understeer.

[SimonTNUK]

When I told my mates on a Truckers site I moderate on, that I'd bought a 406, the first thing I was told was .............."It's an OLD mans car"
When I told them it was a diesel 90, they said it was a "slow, old mans car"
When I blew one of these mates into the weeds, he was in an Abarth at the time, they thought maybe it wasn't such a slow or old mans car after all

As a biker, my prejudices are different.
Volvo's are generally driven by old men who are very safe inside there, so don't care what's going on outside it. . Perfectly illustrated by that rolled bus video.

I did the best thing ever, for a Volvo, using a Daf truck, about 8 years ago.
I wrote it off with a very gentle touch .

I was driving a French left hand drive Daf truck, on the M25 heading anti-clock, to the M27, Newhaven and the Dieppe ferry.
I was knackered, not 100% on the ball but having to keep going to get that ferry. (I could sleep when I got there).
Older foggey in his brand new Volvo S90 (I think it was) had been in my blind spot, halfway past my passenger door, for ages.
I forgot he was there and couldn't see him through the windscreen or my mirrors.
I indicated a few times while looking in my mirrors and started to pull out to overtake.
The front edge of my front wheel nudged the rear of his car out of line slightly, he put full right lock on to counter the 'skid'.
I quickly realised what was happening and pulled back left.
He wasn't as quick to get full right lock off.
Result ? Car - head first into the central reserve barrier.
Bits of car flew in ALL directions.

Now THAT was a result, for a biker

I picked up his rear bumper, there was a 2" diameter black spot on it, where my tyre had rubbed for a moment.

P.S. The old foggey was totally undamaged, not a bruise, or scratch, or whiplash. Nothing what so ever.
Apart from the look.

[rapport25]

Sorry rappy, I meant to post something before now.

Erm, well it's a lot different to the 406 and I'm still missing that laid back wafty drive but the Volvo is better in more ways really.

The seats are fantastic, not rock-hard but well shaped with loads of adjustment (remind me of Saab type seats I suppose) it's a comfortable and very quiet car but also has a firm ride and really sharp handling! it doesn't soak up the bumps like the 6 and I even find myself trying to avoid stuff in the road to stop it jarring (I understand all newish cars ride like this now) overall I would say the car handles like a sports model (it has uprated dampers and thicker anti-roll bars as standard). The electric power steering has a nice meaty fell to it.

The engine is brilliant, it has the feel of a much larger unit, makes a nice noise, and has masses of low down torque starting from 1500 rpm - 4000 rpm it's not a revver but I like that - in fact you drive it very much like a Diesel! it has constantly variable valve timing which changes depending on what you're up to, cruising will drop the valve lift/fueling right down for economy but flooring it will give high lift etc etc.

The 6-speed box is good with nice close ratios and low final drive, in 6th gear you're doing under 2000rpm at 60mph overtaking rarely requires a gear change.

Economy wise - it was showing 35mpg on the way to Portsmouth but daily to and from work gives a steady 26mpg (which I'm ok with really) in real terms the fuel is costing me an extra £10.00 per week over the 406 HDi.

The stereo is amazing, somehow it has extra info about what your listening to on the radio about what's coming up, the phone-in tel no. etc (maybe all new radios do this?) it kinda scrolls across the screen. There's 6 x CD's which all load through a single slot in the dash and the sound through the speakers is the best I've ever heard one good thing is if you turn the volume down to zero it 'pauses' the CD for you until you turn it back up

There's nifty little features accessible through the car's own menu (bit like a mini I-Drive thing) you can tell it to self lock the doors, only unlock the drivers door first, etc. you can even decide how long you want the lighting on for etc. (home safe/approach lighting).

Nice things:
Dual climate is good but I suspect it will stay on equal temps on either side mostly.
Auto-dimming mirror is standard.
Rain sensing wipers standard.
Arm rest standard.
Cruise is standard.
Multi-function wheel standard.
SIPS/WHIPS system.
Inflatable Curtain both sides
Dual Air Bags and Seat Airbags standard.
Mega strong car, feels really well planted and secure.
Ignition key goes in the dash to the left of the wheel (keeps you knee safe in an accident).
Kinda quirky looks but verging on cool as it looks the same as the C30 at the front.

Mini-gripes:
There's no foot rest for the clutch
There's no heated seats but for some reason I don't mind (they're extra btw)
There's no rear sublind (that's extra)
The rain sensing wipers are 'adjustable' so they sense rain but you've got to decide how sensitive you want it - this is really weird as by the time you've cracked it you're back home on your drive
The ride/low profile 17" wheels are a tad firm (probably me getting old).
The 'Day Running Lights' are a PITA - you can turn them 'off' but that only takes you down to side lights - but then there's no 'lights on' warning when you leave this has caught me a few times already on sunny days (guess I'll just have to keep a load of spare H7's and leave them on all the time).

Overall it should turn out to be fairly easy to own - it's only done 25,000 miles so just basic servicing really, the cambelt comes up at 100,000 miles or 10 years so that'll never need doing for me. The bodywork is well protected in fact there's not a mark on it - not even a 'ding' it's nice to wash it and find it's pretty much like a brand new car!

Sorry for the long story

Welly

Hi Welly sounds like you have a cracking car . I did ask

Im still unsure what to buy. I still like the Alfa 159 and also the new new shape Honda accord.

You will always compare back to your 406 thats life I guess.

I love the idea of a turbo car. But i think I will still go for diesel. I want decent fuel economy. Have driven the alfa very nice. But price is a bit expensive at the mo. I would buy the Ti version and have to compare between the 1.9 and the 2.4 diesel unit. When I have the cash that is around £15k so it wont be soon

Watch this space................

[eoin27]

The 1.9 alfa JTD is very quick. 150hp i think

[steve_earwig]

Shame they go wrong so much and the parts are more expensive than Pug's (159 SWs are cool). Oh yes, a cam belt change on a 5 cylinder is an engine out job too.

[Captain Jack]

...also the new new shape Honda accord.

No, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooo! Don't even think about it. It's a bag of bolts. Absolutely amazing diesel engines but the reliability is crap. I had a clutch replaced at 88k, cracked exhaust manifold at 95k, master clutch cylinder kept creaking, which would cost £200 to replace but mine was still under warranty. Oh and the turbo went at 108k.... a day before I crashed it at 5mph and written it off. Good! What a crap car....

[rapport25]

...also the new new shape Honda accord.

No, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooo! Don't even think about it. It's a bag of bolts. Absolutely amazing diesel engines but the reliability is crap. I had a clutch replaced at 88k, cracked exhaust manifold at 95k, master clutch cylinder kept creaking, which would cost £200 to replace but mine was still under warranty. Oh and the turbo went at 108k.... a day before I crashed it at 5mph and written it off. Good! What a crap car....

I have a friend who has a sporty civic diesel I think its a type S He has covered 150,000 with his and no problems at all. Same engine i think as the accord.

I like the look of them but i think i will hold out for an alfa

[eoin27]

There seems to be a pattern emerging here.......We all go for extraordinarily good looking cars. 406 was better looking than a mondeo, vectra or avensis of the time and the 159 and accords are the best looking alternatives out at the mo.

[rapport25]

Shame they go wrong so much and the parts are more expensive than Pug's (159 SWs are cool). Oh yes, a cam belt change on a 5 cylinder is an engine out job too.

I was surprised to read the diesel engine is used in vauxhall and sabb the 1.9 that is.

[steve_earwig]

At least they get a spare tyre Just reading the Honest John, the waterpumps still sieze at as little as 40k miles - stripped cam belt, new engine please... I was very interested in a 156 SW a few years back, then I read on the owner's klub what goes wrong with them (MAF sensor as a consumable,more wishbones than Bernard Matthews), the final straw was the cost of the parts.