Faults:

The only thing I've noticed so far is the light for the A/C button; very minor and I'm not bothered by it.

General Comments:

I could not be more pleased with it. It's everything I've ever wanted in a car, particularly the in-car entertainment. It's a joy to drive - power steering and the reversing sensor make parking far easier than the Fiesta. All in all, I am delighted with it. I only wish Jersey had a higher speed limit, so I could really test it!

Faults:

Front suspension bushes had to be replaced, the condition of the road where I live could well have a bearing on this however.

General Comments:

This car is very comfortable.

Interior on non SE examples in my opinion is bland and slightly uninspiring.

This car has subtle looks which hide a manic power range from 2nd gear on-wards.

Faults:

Both front and back fog-lamps had already blown.

The interior (original) is tacky, nothing to look at; but I am not fussed.

The front end of the car gives the impression (and sound!) of scraping bottom when driving over speed bumps; I was told this is a common problem, and nothing actually touches the ground.

The engine revolutions rises and drops at random when the car is idle or very slow (I suppose due to increased and decreased engine loads) ; this can be rather disconcerting when doing a tricky reverse maneuver into a tight parking spot as there would a slight jerk, requiring careful braking to avoid smashing into something. I was told nothing could be done about this (!).

The engine vibrates when the car is stopped, with the gear engaged. I was told this is a usual problem with the car, due to a defective engine mounting. This was corroborated when I checked with the local Volvo dealer and found that the engine mounting is one of the most common parts replaced in the S40.

The air-conditioning is not good enough for a tropical climate. Again, I was told nothing can be done about this.

The fan is so damned loud when it comes on! Very irritating.

General Comments:

First, be warned that I am a Volvophile.

That said, I found the car to be a reasonable performer. Its acceleration and speed are nothing spectacular compared to high-end performance cars, obviously, but are nonetheless satisfactory; the engine is powerful enough to have some fun with. However, when joyriding, I cannot help, but wish there was much, much more power. This is definitely not (and is probably not meant to be) a sexy car.

The car feels safe at all times (psychological only, because it is a Volvo?), and handles well enough even in difficult corners and bad (and wet) road conditions. The Dynamic Stability Assistance is a boon.

So far, maintenance costs have been reasonable, and from the recorded maintenance history of the car, I have not found anything extraordinarily mind-boggling. Based on the maintenance schedule, and the way the car is presently behaving, I do not anticipate any major cost item to arise in the near future.

I am satisfied with my purchase, which I regard as a stepping stone toward my ultimate aim of owning the S60R!

Faults:

Fan belt tensioner bearings @ 81,000 miles (£100 / approx $150)

Anti-roll bar mounting kit needed replacing at 87,000 miles (£35 / approx $50)

General Comments:

I've owned my S40 from 69,000 miles when it was under 2 years old, and since then only two very minor faults, which for its age and mileage (now 90,200 and 4 years old) I think is excellent.

The interior, whilst never exactly cutting-edge in design, is still in good condition, and those great seats are showing no signs of deterioration.

The body-work is still pretty much perfect, and more importantly, the whole car feels as solid and well put together as it did when I first drove it, which I'm glad to say is as good as the brand new S40 I test drove recently.

To sum up, I think its going to be going strong at 150,000 miles and beyond - built like the old 240's and 340's that you still see here in the UK today, twenty years or more after they were built.