Faults:

I bought an S40 with 155,000 miles on it, and it runs great. I have had absolutely no issues.

The paint is great, along with the gas mileage. My previous car was a 2001 Audi A6 2.7t, and the torque converter went out, along with a bunch of other problems.

I would definitely purchase another Volvo, and would recommend it to people.

General Comments:

Handles great, and is very quick.

Faults:

Front axle revision. There was shaking when accelerating. One of the front axles was loose. Repaired.

Steering power was noisy, repaired.

Cooling fan was not working properly. Actually there is 2 steps for working. First one is for normal heating, second for over heating. In my car the first was not working.

Steering wheel leather is badly worn, I will change it.

Front light wiper engine (left) is not working. It costs like 200 euros here. So I just unplugged it.

Interior door coatings are not stable, I glued them back.

Looks like my car did not receive much attention from the previous owner. Up to now I spent 1/4 more money than the price I bought it for. I am feeling everything is okay now, we will see...

General Comments:

Looks nice, cheap buying price, good reputation.

Faults:

Car stalling hard when accelerating or when giving it gas.

Headlight electrical problems.

Bad paint job (white).

General Comments:

But, so far the car is still running and hasn't died yet.

Faults:

A lot of things have gone wrong. One sensor after the next with these cars. And even the sensors that get fixed, may go out again a year later with no help from the dealership.

The car vibrates at low speeds and will drive you insane.

Honestly, my dash looks like a Christmas tree with all the lights illuminated.

Faults:

Suspension degraded severely after 70000 miles.

Dirty crankshaft sensor after ~57500 mile. Required roadside assistance, corrected without replacement parts.

Alternator failed at 80000 miles.

General Comments:

Solid, stable motorway cruiser. Good ergonomics and comfortable seats make it an easy car to drive for long distances.

Prone to body roll in corners, increasingly so as the car ages (see note about suspension above).

Can't fault the car for reliability.

Trim is generally rock solid with a satisfying absence of creaks. (Varies with temperature - in real cold the trim contracts!)

Interior trim and other cosmetic details such as clear headlights on the 2000 - 2004 models look much more modern than the earlier models to my eye.

No rusting evident anywhere on the car.

'Peacock green' paint scheme still looks excellent, despite a cavalier attitude to car care.

Faults:

I bought my 2001 S40 brand new, thinking I wouldn't have to buy another car for decades, as long as I took care of it.

Having said that, I took my car in to the Volvo dealership every time the check engine and brake light came on, oil changes, tire rotation, replacing the tires. You name it, I have taken my car into the Volvo dealership.

Every time I took the car in, I could pretty much planned to spend at least $300. If I took it in for an oil change, they found something else that needed to be adjusted. If I took it in because of the serivce light, I was told I needed a diagnostic test to determine the problem, for a small fee of $150 of course.

I've pretty much replaced the brakes every year since I've had the care.

I've replaced the gasket twice!!!

I have to replace the headlights just about every fall.

The cupholder broke the first year I bought it.

Yesterday was the first day of fall, and the temperature was drastically low. In perfect, S40 2001 Volvo fashion, the car is now smoking whenever I pump the brakes or accelerate.

I will be getting rid of this car as soon as possible!

General Comments:

I will never buy another Volvo. Before I bought this car, I had a Toyota Celica for 10 years. I replaced the brakes once!!!