2003 Volvo V40 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I bought this car initially for my wife to drive our kids around. However, with the price of gas hitting all time highs, it quickly replaced my SUV and became my daily commuter. I bought it used (a lease return), it had 70,000 km on it. I paid $16,000.00 CDN. I love the fact that this car goes like the wind. It is agile, and superb in the winter (especially with a good set of snow tires). I am very thankful that I chose to purchase the extended warranty from Volvo. Not something I usually do, but I had heard the repair costs may be high and it was my first Volvo, so I had nothing to go on. 3 months after buying it the timing belt suddenly snapped. This cost over $3000.00 (no cost to me personally) to repair as it also bent other internal engine components. Other than that it has been very reliable, only minor wear and tear issues (light bulbs, oil/lube/filter, etc.). The build quality is pretty good, although the paint seems to chip easier than I'm used to and there's a rattle on certain pavement types that Volvo has been unable to replicate. Another irritating thing is the 'check engine' light seems to come on constantly. The culprit has been everything from the gas cap not sealing properly, to "over-filling the gas tank (who knew you could even do that), to a fuel sensor. Today it's on again. I don't like the radio controls. There are no dedicated preset radio buttons, so you have to take your eyes off the road while you scroll the dial for your presets channels. Dumb. Don't get me wrong I love this car. The front seats are super comfortable, it's fun to drive (I know, it's a wagon, but it's true) and it's not too hard on the wallet at the pumps. I would say buy one if you have small kids (leg room/car seat room cramped in the back if driver is taller)or a need for an economical wagon, with a great safety record. Update 2012. Still own this car. It nows has 225,000 kms on it (about 140,000 miles) with no end in sight. I have had to do very little to this car since buying it used in '07. I have replaced a windshield and both headlight assemblies (all from stone chips). One thing I have discovered that bugs me about this car is the rear window wiper. It does not sweep the entire window. Due to the curve of the glass it misses a huge piece. Very annoying. My local service dept has been honest and said that there's not much they can do, it's just a poor design. Still no rust. Everything works great. I drive a lot of rural, back roads (gravel) and am finding it incredibly durable and reliable. I would almost certainly get another Volvo. I just wish they would make a hybrid or import their diesel to NA. It is starting to look rather dated, but what can you do?Oct 10, 2008