Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: tunnie on 29 January 2026, 10:49:22
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Thought I'd share that before my i4 M60 arrived, I ran a banger Volvo for 2 months. I'd placed the order for my i4 and was waiting for it to be delivered. My plan was to sell the BMW and use the funds to pay for a charger install.
When the delightful Mr Khan introduced ULEZ, I decided I'd go back to petrol from the Daddy bus that I ran. (rather than line his pockets). So I took a small loan and also took the excuse chance to also build a man-cave shed attached to the garage.
So the idea was to sell the BMW, that would clear the loan and leave me a good amount of money for a charger and fair bit left over. That plan started to look like a bad idea when just before the 435i's MOT and just as I was planning to sell it, did the 435i blow all it's coolant out of the engine bay. :o
Had a temp warning in the display, as BMW only run oil temp on the dash ::) - The N55 power plant decided to split a plastic pipe that ran from the expansion tank to the rad. No engine running issues, but it took 6L of coolant to fill her back up again :(
So I decided to part ways quickly with her to bank the cash needed for the charger. This left me with a 2 month period when I needed a banger, so for £900 I bought this locally.
(https://i.ibb.co/Q3SZy45k/Volvo1.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/qMb8Zv7m/Volvo2.jpg)
My first Ford Focus Volvo S40 and have to say it was very comfortable. Once owner since 2008 and it was serviced every year without fail and ran quite well. I replaced for £10 the "Vacuum Solenoid Valve Intake Manifold Runner Control Unit" as the EML kept popping on and it had little power. (well as much as a 1.8 should)
I think that was the reason the chap sold as it had a shed load of work the previous year.
I'd have a Volvo again, but going from a 1.8 120bhp to the i4 600bhp monster was quite a change ;D
On the banger-nomics though, I still was chucking in £200+ of fuel in per month, it was only a bit better than the 435i on fuel. (35mpg vs 30mpg) over a full tank on average. Throw in insurance, tax and a little bit of maintenance here and there and I could run a car cheaper, but not by much.
I also don't have time these days to spend an entire weekend fiddling with a car. A normal Saturday now involves:
Ballet Lesson x1
Junior Life Guard Swimming Session x1
Swimming Lessons x2
Parties vary but normally at least 1 or 2 per month
Record for parties is: Little MissT number 2 had one at lunch time and Little MissT number 3 had two parties on the same day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. ;D
;D - I'm basically a taxi service during the weekends! = Zero tinkering time
Plus work wise, I was in Lisbon in December for the week, I'm in Prague next week and I'm in Philadelphia at the end of Feb for 1.5 weeks. ;D
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Bland and boring like all modern Volvos, but as an appliance, they do the job without fuss.
(Not withstanding the soot chuckers have their fair share of issues).
I found the ride a little firm on the S60 (I think) that I nabbed from that joshwyatt geezer for a test drive... ...though that was ex-plod so might have been beefed up to carry weight.
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My Saturdays normally consist of topping my car up with electricity, due to zero use ;D
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This S40 felt more like my old 2.2 Omega. Suspension felt like 145k mile suspension ;D
No complaints of stiff ride for this old thing.
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Thought I'd share that before my i4 M60 arrived, I ran a banger Volvo for 2 months. I'd placed the order for my i4 and was waiting for it to be delivered. My plan was to sell the BMW and use the funds to pay for a charger install.
When the delightful Mr Khan introduced ULEZ, I decided I'd go back to petrol from the Daddy bus that I ran. (rather than line his pockets). So I took a small loan and also took the excuse chance to also build a man-cave shed attached to the garage.
So the idea was to sell the BMW, that would clear the loan and leave me a good amount of money for a charger and fair bit left over. That plan started to look like a bad idea when just before the 435i's MOT and just as I was planning to sell it, did the 435i blow all it's coolant out of the engine bay. :o
Had a temp warning in the display, as BMW only run oil temp on the dash ::) - The N55 power plant decided to split a plastic pipe that ran from the expansion tank to the rad. No engine running issues, but it took 6L of coolant to fill her back up again :(
So I decided to part ways quickly with her to bank the cash needed for the charger. This left me with a 2 month period when I needed a banger, so for £900 I bought this locally.
(https://i.ibb.co/Q3SZy45k/Volvo1.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/qMb8Zv7m/Volvo2.jpg)
My first Ford Focus Volvo S40 and have to say it was very comfortable. Once owner since 2008 and it was serviced every year without fail and ran quite well. I replaced for £10 the "Vacuum Solenoid Valve Intake Manifold Runner Control Unit" as the EML kept popping on and it had little power. (well as much as a 1.8 should)
I think that was the reason the chap sold as it had a shed load of work the previous year.
I'd have a Volvo again, but going from a 1.8 120bhp to the i4 600bhp monster was quite a change ;D
On the banger-nomics though, I still was chucking in £200+ of fuel in per month, it was only a bit better than the 435i on fuel. (35mpg vs 30mpg) over a full tank on average. Throw in insurance, tax and a little bit of maintenance here and there and I could run a car cheaper, but not by much.
I also don't have time these days to spend an entire weekend fiddling with a car. A normal Saturday now involves:
Ballet Lesson x1
Junior Life Guard Swimming Session x1
Swimming Lessons x2
Parties vary but normally at least 1 or 2 per month
Record for parties is: Little MissT number 2 had one at lunch time and Little MissT number 3 had two parties on the same day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. ;D
;D - I'm basically a taxi service during the weekends! = Zero tinkering time
Plus work wise, I was in Lisbon in December for the week, I'm in Prague next week and I'm in Philadelphia at the end of Feb for 1.5 weeks. ;D
I believe you are about six foot thirteen......what size ballet shoe do you take? :) :)
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;D ;D ;D
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Plus work wise, I was in Lisbon in December for the week, I'm in Prague next week and I'm in Philadelphia at the end of Feb for 1.5 weeks. ;D
Sounds a bit like my travel schedule used to be! I honestly miss it sometimes, but also not sure I'd want to leave the family (and a wife who actually likes me) these days. Are you still with the same business?
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I can well remember the years of running the kids all over the place, not having a spare minute to myself and sometimes wishing I had.
I drove a 2.0GL Sierra for nine years and changed the oil & filters every two years.
When they got to mid teens, I bought a 24v Senator and CBR600 and revived my interest in cars and bikes. I now look back on those times of constantly being the family taxi as some of the best times of my life.
Enjoy it, because they soon grow up. ;)
The Volvo looks like a lot of car for £900. 8)
I could be tempted by an EV as I get free charging at work, but I planning on retiring in less than four years, so probably wiser to (hopefully) keep running the little C1 for the 17 mile each way commute.
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Funny how the second anyone gets rid of an Omega, there's very little to actually do to a car >:D
Whilst new fangled cars on company lease plans are great in principle, I do wonder where the catch is :-\
I mean zero deposit and low payments on a £70k+ car has to have an almighty gotcha attached to it? Retail leases are circa £2k down and £1,700 a month and you still don't own it.
If your employer are picking up the bill then there's a massive implied benefit, likewise for charging at work.
I hope the car serves you well, and getting shiny things is always fun, I hope you've done your homework.
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I also don't have time these days to spend an entire weekend fiddling with a car. A normal Saturday now involves:
Ballet Lesson x1
Junior Life Guard Swimming Session x1
Swimming Lessons x2
Parties vary but normally at least 1 or 2 per month
Record for parties is: Little MissT number 2 had one at lunch time and Little MissT number 3 had two parties on the same day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. ;D
I believe you are about six foot thirteen......what size ballet shoe do you take? :) :)
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I bet the sight of Tunnie in tutu is something to behold! :o :-* ;D