Transmission may fail in about 50k km? Or may not. Auto boxes are generally reliable until they get very old indeed and of neglected. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. It's already 15 years old. It's only done 100k km, so you don't use a lot. This also means that fuel economy isn't a problem. My suggestion would be that if you like the car well enough you keep it. It will take you 3-5 years to cover the 50k km to the point where there's a *possibility* that the transmission may fail. If that's all that goes wrong in that time then consider yourself lucky. If it doesn't, then you have enjoyed using a cheap car and it's still rolling. Keep the servicing up to date, auto boxes die because they need some maintenance. Not much, and infrequent, but nobody bothers on an old car because it's not cheap. Then they complain when the thing goes bang .
Bangernomics revisited
- Thread starter lordsummit
- Start date
I drive a 2002 2.4 petrol Volvo V70 auto with 169k. Has been through the last two MOT’s with only a wiper linkage fault. Mind you cost £200 to sort. Has a slight jerk when put in first when cold but slowly goes about it’s job without fuss. My other ‘old’ car is a 2003 E500 Mercedes with 61k on the clock. Bit thirsty but great to drive. Has passed every MOT and the same advisories such as ‘evidence’ of surface brake line corrosion and the occasional bulb. I think buying older cars is more fun as you can change them more often without much loss.
For brake line corrosion get some grease, get underneath with a long handled brush and slap it on. It will stop the corrosion dead. MoT testers don't like this because they can't easily inspect it, but there you go. In the event of any maintenance being needed a wipe with a rag will remove it.
rbrown
I think therefore I think I am
They're known as EcoBangs in the trade. My mechanic advised against buying one when I was looking for a car a few months ago.
I'm not surprised. I've had a couple as hire cars. When you turn the engine off there are various motors that carry on whirring away for a couple of minutes. That spells trouble in old age. Also, disregard the fuel claims. I was getting no better than 40 mpg on a modest A road commute across the week. At that time my scruffy 1.8 Mondeo would do the same and a hired TDi was in the 50s.
Colin Barron
pfm Member
The 340 distributor cap problem was a mystery, we had 3 over the years and each had the same problem. Visually they looked ok, but fit a new one and the poor starting or stopping for no reason went away. The other problem with the 340 was cam belt tensioners coming loose.
davidsrsb
pfm Member
Ford boxes and others are fussy about oil level. Main dealers often overfill, which causes all kinds of trouble
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
If it's a pre dpf (2002-2005) v70 d5 manual, consider everything a consumable as the engine, gearbox and bodywork will most likely outlast you. My 19 year old auto's on 185,000, still going strong and looks new after a wash.