Volvo S40 1.6D vs Peugeot 407 1.6 HDI

ciaran75

Hi Guys,

Any advise regarding the above cars

Was set to get a 2006 407 up north for €8500 all in (VRT too) with 50000 but have heard lots of bad things. A friend suggested the Volvo S40

I'd probably be looking at €2000 more for this (comparable year/miles) but reviews from web suggest it is an excellent car with brilliant reliability.

Is it worth the extra cash? little outside budget.
Any experience with either of these?

Cheers,

alias no.9

They have the same engine, the 407 will be much roomier but he S40 will probably hold it's value better.

Henry Ford III

Volvo, or even a Focus.

EPM

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Volvo, or even a Focus.

+1

An S40 is based on the Focus platform and is in reality slightly smaller than a 407. The engines are the same however. Personally I would chose the S40 or a Focus over the 407.

bazz26

I have a 2006 S40 1.6d SE for about 6 months now and don't regret buying it. It shares the same engine as the 407 but the turbo is different afaik (Ford unit on the S40 as it is based on the Focus).

Spec wise there is very little that can match the S40 SE for standard kit considering how cheap they are second hand. Mine one cost the original owner €32k when it was new compared to €14k I paid for back in April. The SE comes with leather heated seats, dual zone climate control, cruise control, 6 disc in-dash cd changer, auto lights, auto wipers and other bits. 1.6d is ok in the S40, it will cruise at 120kph and return about 48mpg which is just as good as a 1.9 TDi Passat imo but if you really want a bit more you can easily get the PSA engine remapped to around 138bhp (which I plan to do next year) or go for the 2.0d with the 6th gear. Very nice car to drive and it feels well built with a thought out cabin especially the floating centre console.

The downsides to the S40 are that it is based on the Ford Focus but aimed at the class above where the likes of the 407, Mondeo sit. The rear leg room is tight especially if you have the front seats back. Boot size is ok but access to it is tight making it awkward. Another downside is the servicing costs and parts which are expensive especially from main dealers, cheaper from an indy but still above average considering that alot of the parts are shared with the Focus. But I knew that before I bought one so just make sure you know a good indy mechanic who will not fleece you.

Reliability wise the car hasn't had any problems in the 6 months I've had it other than a false alert for a blown rear fog light on the day the NCT. Service history on mine shows that nothing major was replaced by the previous owner too. Known issues are that the Diesel Particle Filter (DPF) gets clogged after about 70k miles and may need to be replaced, electrics can also be a bit of an issue but nothing major.

hefty_langer

+1 for the S40
Got one for the Mrs in Jan from the UK, 2006 1.6D
Was surprised by the power/torque from the small engine, comfortable car with all the toys that you pay extra for in other cars of the same class.
Agree on the main dealer service costs, ouch! But its out of warranty now, so indy all the way.
Boot opening is silly, makes loading the boot awkward. Economy is fantastic, mfg clains 57mpg usually can get 51ish on a long trip.

Hellrazer

+1 On the S40.The 1.6d is as reliable as anything.But like Bazz says the rear leg room is a bit tight and (ford\Volvo) parts are stupid money.
If you do decide to get one and have a parts issue I suggest you take the part off and ring a Ford dealer with the part number stamped into it.Its almost 30% cheaper for the exact same part for a Ford than for the same part fom Volvo.

As for the DPF--They dont need to be replaced.Just drive the b***ox out if it at high revs and it cleans itself.

bazz26 wrote: »

The downsides to the S40 are that it is based on the Ford Focus but aimed at the class above where the likes of the 407, Mondeo sit. The rear leg room is tight especially if you have the front seats back. Boot size is ok but access to it is tight making it awkward. Another downside is the servicing costs and parts which are expensive especially from main dealers, cheaper from an indy but still above average considering that alot of the parts are shared with the Focus. But I knew that before I bought one so just make sure you know a good indy mechanic who will not fleece you.

Reliability wise the car hasn't had any problems in the 6 months I've had it other than a false alert for a blown rear fog light on the day the NCT. Service history on mine shows that nothing major was replaced by the previous owner too. Known issues are that the Diesel Particle Filter (DPF) gets clogged after about 70k miles and may need to be replaced, electrics can also be a bit of an issue but nothing major.

road_high

Have an S40 1.6 d myself. Fuel economy pretty good, hovers around the 50 mpg, but totally depends on how you drive it. I reckon if I went gently 55 mpg would be attainable..but i'd be late everywhere then . Fuel tank is bloody tiny. €40 usually fills her form after the red light coming on.
Had a slight issue with the engine smoking under acceleration before. Not much else really, has been very reliable.
In comparison to the 407, that's funny 'cos my OH has one with the 1.6 d as well. The S40 interior is far superior and "special". Seats way better, 407's are soft and less supportive. 407 would need to be a total bargain to choos it imo.

Row

Sorry for butting in on ye Volvo owners...:eek:..but i have a 04 407 1.6 hdi
with 80k and i find it great...:)..But not quite as comfortable as my 406..:(
but otherwise its fine...:)
Problems so far
1)replaced two front balljoints (known faults on the 407s)
2)replaced 1 abs sensor (known faults on the 407s)
3)replaced battery (normal after four 5 years)
4)topped up additive tank for dpf.

I change the oil and filter every 9k and us mobil 1 esp 5w 30 which helps
keep dpf clean...:)

The tend to beep for everything...boot/doors not fully closed...low tyre pressure...etc...so if you can live with that you'll be fine.

Other known faults are...
A)dpf's may need to be changed between 75-100k but if the are removed
and cleaned the should be fine and additive topped up.....
(110 euros for 3 litres..:rolleyes:)
B)dmf's may need replacment between 90-120k( but that goes for most modern diesels today....:rolleyes:)

Some of higher spec 407's have alot of extras for the money.
I'd say test drive both and make your own mind up..;)
happy car shopping...:)

ciaran75

thanks for the advise guys,

would you spend an extra €2000+ on the volvo?

EPM

ciaran75 wrote: »

thanks for the advise guys,

would you spend an extra €2000+ on the volvo?

I would for the Spec on the SE alone. Plus it will have better residuals

bazz26

ciaran75 wrote: »

thanks for the advise guys,

would you spend an extra €2000+ on the volvo?

Do you have a link to the two cars to compare?

TigerTim

"The tend to beep for everything...boot/doors not fully closed...low tyre pressure...etc...so if you can live with that you'll be fine"

That brought back memories. I had a Peugeot 607 a few years ago & man, did it beep. It the end even the beep to say I hadn't clipped in the safety belt drove me crazy. Always checking to see what warning light on the dash was on now & then how much is this going to cost me. Hard to live with imo.

T.