Has anyone had one?

I'm looking for ideas, on that front, as my Almera GTi is slightly too small to get bikes and windsurfing gear inside, so I'm looking to get something slightly larger.

A Scooby wagon would be exactly the right size in fact, since I've had one (A GL ), but I'm not quite in the right position for a turbo, and the Sport's too slow... -puts flame suit on-

Looking at the spec, the T4 shows 6-7 seconds 0-60, which seems good enough for now, and they're nice enough otherwise. Only thing being the image I'm only 24, and a Volvo estate doesn't seem like the right thing just yet If that really matters.

Any other thoughts?

Probably in the 3-4k bracket, assuming I either sell or p/x the GTi

 

Fast car for a pensioner

Bags of turbo torque, but HUGE amounts of torque steer. Basically the power is only really for A-roads and Motorways - great for overtaking but the the soggy chassis just can't cope with the power at lower speeds. Lifeless numb steering doesn't add to the confidence.

My old man had one for a while - I scared myself silly overtaking in the wet - put my foot down and it swapped lanes without any steering input!

Compared to recent Fords it's a mess as a driver's car, although the old Focus Estate is a bit of a minger compared to the hatch and the Modeo might be too big (cheap v6 though).

Why not look at at a 6 cylinder 3 series touring? Should be able to pick up a 328i on a R or S plate for 4k.

 

I had one for 3 years (hence my username) and Ian Watson's just about spot on.

Very comfy, great car for long distances. Handling is quite tidy and safe and roadholding good .... UNTIL you boot it, then it torque-steers like a bugger.

But they are very quick in a straight line, and VERY quick in the gears when rolling. As standard they have a bit of lag but mine had a minor mod, a £25 bleed t-piece from Kalmar Union (a specialist Volvo tuner) which simply went in the wastegate acuator line, cut the lag, giving quick throttle response.

I really enjoyed owning it and it had Q-car appeal. But it isn't a driver's car.

Also, they are quite small inside -- I'd suggest looking at a VW Passat 1.8T estate, or an 850 or early V70 estate as they are much, much bigger for carrying gear.

 

Sounds like my Saab !

 

Had one as a company car for about a year. Thrashed it within an inch of its life, and never let me down. Apart from kicking out tyres in no time due to torque steer. I put a dawes on mine as well which dramatically increased the performance. It was a real street sleeper. The dawes was maxing out the turbo, and yet driven hard every day from cold and never missed a beat in a year. I am very sympathetic to cars unless the are a company car

Very comfortable and great build qualilty. I will probably get another one for the wife one day. They get my thumbs up.

 

Quick.
I have driven alot of them.
Not a great car - Older V40 have nylon bushes - which always go so the gearboxes get very sloppy. Stearing racks often also go in Volvos. These are also a design fault. Especialy on V70s (driven more of these than I care to remember usualy T5). Driver feel and handling not good on standard Volvos - apart from the new ones (which are fords)
Verdict - Not great cars stay clear
The T5-T4 engines are superb though.

Interestingly the pick of the bunch for reliabilty is the old 940 range. Have driven one of these with over 300,000 on the clock and it still felt ok.

Hope this helps
Steve

 

Thanks for that

I'm getting an idea - fast, but not too fun around the corners.....
Right about the q-car aspect though, which is always nice
I did consider a T5 in fact, but they seem a bit on the big side, if that should really matter....

I hadn't thought about a 328i tbh - always put off by the slightly dubious image, but I have no doubt that they're a good car. I'll have a look at them as well

Don't think I could face a 940 though My Dad's had 3 of them. Good cars, but they're massive. The 3.0 V6 V90 looks the part though, not that I'll be getting one

I did wonder about an Audi S2 estate, which I'm sure is in a different league altogether, but I'd need to spend more to get a goodun, and the running costs could be steep also.

Time to track down a T4 for a drive I think

 

Ditto the above.

I had one as a company car, great in a straight line, like a pig on castors round the bends. Mrs K has an auto presently and she loves it but on her own admission, she's not a discerning driver.

I wouldn't get another one.

Cheers
Kav

 

The other option is the V40 2.0T light-pressure turbo. Quite a bit cheaper than the T4, 165bhp and 170lb-ft from 1800 to 4800rpm.

I used to get one as a courtesy car when the T4 was being serviced. Sure it was slower when really hooning but in the real world it was still much quicker than the usual mid-size family fodder.

Thing is they have the same truck-size intercooler and intake pipery as the T4 so they are very safe to tune.

The other reliability thing is that the 40-series have watercooled turbos which makes the turbos very reliable, and less prone to the usual turbo abuse. So if you see ANY blue exhaust smoke at all, walk away.

My T4 had nearly 60K up when I got rid, and it used no oil and gave no smoke.

 

I did have a think about the 2.0 turbo as well, although that's as far as it went, as I've not had the time to go and find one for comparison......

Didn't know it was a water cooled turbo either. Thanks for that I'll track a few down than.
I do still like the idea I think, although they're perhaps not the best of drivers cars...

Need a go in one now

 

Not suggesting you get a 940
But you have to respect the old bricks for sheer reliability over 100,000s of miles.
As you say test drive the thing - each to their own.
As people say a great sleeper in a straight line. Perhaps make sure there are no badges on it and really old foggie it up - dog stickers, nat trust sticker, cushion on back shelf etc - for ultimate sleeper effect. Perhaps even buy a hat to wear whilst destroying that tiresome rep/boy racer thats been following you 2inches off your bumper

 

loads of folf seem to have had them as company cars, me too. Loved it in a straight line...

Illstration: had a schlep with a lowered and obviously modded (aka chavved up) saxo VTS, left him on the straights but he caught me up every corner (it was mildly moist)

I take it you are on a budget from your post so would definitely recommend one, just do something to sort out the understeer and remember, it's the same platform as a Mitsi Carisma!

 

Mitsubishi Carisma.... Is that a good or bad thing? I seem to remember that they were none too special

If the handling could be sorted though, I'm sure it could be the T4 doesn't sound like a bad car tbh, as I'm quite a fan of straight line oomph And Q-cars for that matter

I found quite a nice T5-R for sale as well, but they're group 17 insurance, and although quite nice, probably not the best thing just now . I was also considering a Legacy turbo or a quad cam, but I'm thinking the fuel consumption could be on the high side......

 

They don't handle badly, they just are not a driver's car .... and coming off roundabouts the torque takes over big time, which is fun when you're expecting it

 

my point exactly

I reckon that if you could sort the handling and remap it, you would have a very nice sleeper of a car that would give many a standard WRX, TT etc a real fright (at least in a straight line)

 

[quote= My T4 had nearly 60K up when I got rid, and it used no oil and gave no smoke.[/quote]

Blimey - my old T4 used up a litre of oil every week - it was running 1.3bar with a Blitz boost controller and set up by PE in Uxbridge. Very quick once rolling but hopeless at getting off the line! Did you ever do the rolling road days with the T5R boys?

 

Nah, never had a RR session with it, but it was quick

You're right, it was crap off the line, and first gear was useless.

 

How about a V6 mondeo estate?

 

I followed a T4 in my Gtir for a few miles on the way back from a RWYB last year. (He wasn't there, I was) He wasn't a great deal slower than me on acceleration (40 upwards) and I'd just done a 12.6 1/4.