Car being serviced at Volvo dealers today/tomorrow, collecting Wednesday morning.

Discovered:

1. From a conversation with one of their technicians that they only put fully-synth oil in the D5 engine, semi synth in everything else. After a brief chat, he agreed to drain out the newly poured semi-synth & replace with the good stuff. Semi-synth seems to be at odds with Volvo's website & what another Volvo dealership told me.

2. This is the second time I've had a new S40 as a courtesy car - last time a 2.4i auto/tiptronic, this time a 1.8 Sport SE manual. This car has a great sound & climate control system but boy, they seem so underpowered that you couldn't GIVE me anything but a T5 version.

3. The new S40 seems to come fitted with a front strut brace from the factory.

BB
:)

 V40_2006_Factory_Strut_Brace.bmp ( 900.05k ) Number of downloads: 65

Hmmm. Learn something new, sometimes 3, everyday. Although I think #2 should have been a given :lol: (no offense to those without)

at least the repeated oil changes means the system's semi flushed.

S60R - :haha: Agree, but it's the extent to which they're underpowered that shocked me so much. The 2.4i might have been better with a manual transmission, but the one I had as a loaner before was auto/tiptronic & maybe that drained some of the power. Forget the 1.8i, it's scarily slow & too noisy at motorway/freeway cruising speed - maybe that's why they install such a good sound system?!

Mong man - my thoughts exactly. Apparently Volvo have issued a directive to dealers to NOT flush engines when doing an oil change, as they're worried about the seals. Same applies to any other oil additive. I'll still flush with the Wynn's when I do the interim 6 monthly oil change myself though.

BB
:57:

I own a T5 and love it and I just got it back from the dealer after a fuel line replacement recall. They gave me a 2.4i and yes it felt quite under powered. But then again after driving the T5 it is hard to go back... :thumbsup:

Here is what I had to say about my experience:

http://www.volvo-forums.com/t8412-t5-vs-2-4i.htm


I requested synthetic oil at my last service. I wander what they put in there now!
Greg :beer:

The 2004.5 shape S40 T5 probably comes with what Volvo describe as "Dynamic Chassis" as opposed to "Comfort Chassis" (presumably this means lowered stiffened sports suspension & maybe stiffer anti-roll bars?) & all Sport & SE Sport models, irrespective of the engine, come with a front strut stiffener bar under the bonnet.

See http://www.volvo-forums.com/t8359-found-th...s-out-today.htm for related comments.

BB
:)

See reply to http://www.volvo-forums.com/t8412-t5-vs-2-4i.htm - I've found out a little more about the new S40 today.

Regards.

BB
:thumbsup: