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[tunnie]

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. 

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.





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 

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. 


  - 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. 

[TheBoy]

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.

[TheBoy]

My Saturdays normally consist of topping my car up with electricity, due to zero use

[tunnie]

This S40 felt more like my old 2.2 Omega. Suspension felt like 145k mile suspension 

No complaints of stiff ride for this old thing.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

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. 

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.





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 

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. 


  - 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. 

I believe you are about six foot thirteen......what size ballet shoe do you take?

[tunnie]

 

[Viral_Jim]

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. 

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? 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

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. 

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.

[Doctor Gollum]

Funny how the second anyone gets rid of an Omega, there's very little to actually do to a car

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.

[Sir Tigger KC]

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. 

I believe you are about six foot thirteen......what size ballet shoe do you take?
[/quote]

I bet the sight of Tunnie in tutu is something to behold!          

[TheBoy]

Funny how the second anyone gets rid of an Omega, there's very little to actually do to a car

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.

As you know, big Bro used to frequently lease cars, though stupidly went for a succession of S-Class's until he learnt his lesson there.

His initial+monthly payments (well, his business) came to around 15-17k over 2 years, depending on precise deal, which is less than depreciation on an S Class as I'm sure you know. He offered me an XF Sportbrake for £200 a month (inc the VAT I'd have to pay and not be able to claim back), no initial deposit, 2 year lease.  That was a brand new, decent car for under £5k over 2 years, only having to pay for fuel (everything else covered). Shame I really, really didn't want an estate!

Obviously in tunnie's case, half the real cost of the lease is by saving paying tax, making it favourable.  I have access to a similar scheme, but it only covers EVs, which is a step I'm not ready to take yet.

So it can work for a lot of people, depending on circumstances and often timing - in tunnie's case, he had to get a runabout for a few weeks, and even that was financially viable.  Equally, it's not for everyone.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Tunnie...

Was your BMW built in Mexico and shipped from there to Blighty?

My M240i was and it took 13 months to arrive, probably because the Mexican workers were fast asleep under a sombrero and blanket for 10 hours each day. 

[TheBoy]

the Mexican workers were fast asleep under a sombrero and blanket for 10 hours each day. 

And still achieve more than a railway construction worker in Blighty.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

the Mexican workers were fast asleep under a sombrero and blanket for 10 hours each day. 

And still achieve more than a railway construction worker in Blighty.

Yep.....sleeping and drinking tea adds up to way more than 10 hours, in the great British tradition.