480 as your only car?

Here you can talk about the joy owning a Volvo 480 brings. Non-technical discussions take place here, like what is the difference between an ES and a S version.

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timrosser
Advanced 480 rookie
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:22 pm

480 as your only car?

Post by timrosser » Wed May 25, 2016 2:57 pm

Im still running my 480 as my everyday car, but its been a hard slog this last year, I was wondering how many other 480 fans are doing this, and how many just keep theri 480 going for fun and drive something newer as their dependable car?

Best

Tim

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
Posts: 457
Joined: Tue May 29, 2012 11:57 am

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Martin Mc » Wed May 25, 2016 3:25 pm

Hello Tim,

Mine will be my daily driver as and when I get it back on the road. I can't wait for being able to look forward to driving to work again :)

I've been through 5 cars (480) over the years, and have always relied more on the old boat than my newer 'main cars'.

Cheers!

Martin
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

Norm57
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 362
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:08 pm
Location: Knaresborough

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Norm57 » Wed May 25, 2016 5:53 pm

Hi Tim I use my 96 celebration almost daily about 200-250 miles weekly,though when sun is out(rarely) I use a recently purchased focus cc convertible.i prefer the 480 it gets lots of stares as they are becoming rarer by the year I believe we have a duty to keep using them whenever possible although I understand if that's not a view shared by everyone

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doingitsideways
480 Expert
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Joined: Wed May 02, 2012 8:55 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by doingitsideways » Wed May 25, 2016 8:11 pm

For a while, probably about two years, my 480 served as the go between car when the others broke down.
It's longest stint was about 6 months of solid, hard use lumping all my tools around. About 150kg in the back of a lowered 480 meant I had to plan my journeys around speed bumps! :rofl:
Ironically, it was one of the most dependable cars I've ever owned.
I drove it like I'd stolen it and it never complained.
"If you can't fix it with a hammer, it's an electrical fault!"
Hammers can't fix a 480!!!

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brinkie
480 Connoisseur
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Location: The Netherlands
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Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by brinkie » Wed May 25, 2016 8:24 pm

I know quite a few people here in NL that are using the 480 as a daily driver because it is their only car. I mean daily with serious distances (200 km every working day) and serious mileages (400.000 - 500.000 km on the clock). The only part that has proven unreliable is the gearbox.

Mine is more or less a garage queen because it sleeps underneath the shopping centre where I buy my groceries and next to the railway station where I take the train to work.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

aidanmorris
Started learning about 480
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:53 pm
Location: Somerset

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by aidanmorris » Wed May 25, 2016 9:40 pm

I bought my Celebration in 2012 as what I thought was going to be a "stop gap" between company cars. As it happened it turned into my daily driver and I did around 60k miles over the next 3 years with no major issues but a good few "you don't see many of those" conversations on petrol station forecourts! It used rather less now as I take the train a lot but it's still my main car.
1967 Land Rover Series IIA SWB
1995 Volvo 480 Celebration (sold)
2003 Condor Squadra and 2008 Condor Italia (2 wheels, no engines!)

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Baxter
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:44 pm
Location: Spain

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Baxter » Fri Jun 10, 2016 8:36 pm

I use my 480 turbo '95 as a daily car, commute to work every day 34km with return. Small trips on weekend.
After 5.000kms using the car, no problems at all, very pleasant the driving, cornering is very good and relationship between stability and comfort is also high.
Fuel consumption around 8,5 liters with soft driving is not bad at all.
The only bad point is the small boot for a family with two kids. That maybe will force me to try another bigger boot car. But, for the rest, I feel very happy with this edge funny, comfortable and personal car between those washing machines I found every day in my way to work.

Image
Hector.

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jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by jamescarruthers » Fri Jun 10, 2016 10:07 pm

Had a good old chuckle at the boy flicking the V's in the window!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

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glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by glasgowjim » Sat Jun 11, 2016 10:13 am

the 480 has been my daily driver for years , Some died and I replaced immediately with another 480 . Had this one for at least 4 years its the family's daily driver. My daughter uses it and I very often cycle to work. The little car does everything shopping runs days out moving humungous amounts in a hippo bag to the dump. Literally everything even timber from B&Q :D

Ade
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:25 pm
Location: Northants

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Ade » Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:32 pm

Mine has been a daily driver for around 4 years and racked up over 70,000 miles on top of the 60k it had when i bought it. Very very hard working car. It's had A LOT of work in the rust repair department but has payed me back in kind with tens of thousands of miles of trouble free running. Don't get me wrong, it's had it's share of mechanical work, mostly stuff you'd have to do to any 60k+ car though really, regular servicing, new ignition components, clutch, cambelt (almost due again!), brakes, gaiters, drop links etc and a few not so 'routine' bits like alternator, radiator, a couple of hoses, full rear suspension/axle rebuild etc but fundamentally I would call it a very reliable car in the sense that despite needing a bit of 'TLC', as I like to call it, every now and again, the little beauty has sped me all around the country and on long daily commutes time and time again without fail, bar once when the fuel pump relay died. This was literally the only time that it failed to start and drive and it has never suffered a major mechanical failure like engine, gearbox, turbo. I've towed big heavy trailers with it (including a car on a car trailer), had a 3 seater sofa strapped to the roof, twice, had hundreds of kilos of tools/equipment rammed in the back, driven hundreds of miles nonstop at 90mph+, redlined through the gears it so many times I've lost count and even destroyed the back end of an Astra with it :nuts: ! Despite all this seemingly wanton 480 abuse, it doesn't lose oil or water and I have no doubt that I will get in it in the morning, turn the key, and it will drive to work. It truly is one incredible little car and I love it to bits, really don't know what I would have instead. Given the level of use/borderline abuse that it gets, I am rigorous with maintenance, engine oil every 5k, ALL other fluids at least twice in the time I've had it plus general 'mechanical TLC' like changing loads of seals and inspecting/cleaning/refitting stuff while the engine and box were out for the clutch job.

Bottom line in my opinion is that if you look after it, there's nothing wrong with a 480 as a daily driver and there are much newer, more expensive cars that would not serve you nearly as well. A case in point is the number of newish BMW's that I have seen stranded on hard shoulders and on the back of recovery trucks recently, I've never known anything like it! I always have a warm, fuzzy, smug feeling inside as I hurtle past them in the Volvo, unstoppable as ever!
O.C. 480 D.

Ade
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:25 pm
Location: Northants

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Ade » Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:32 pm

Mine has been a daily driver for around 4 years and racked up over 70,000 miles on top of the 60k it had when i bought it. Very very hard working car. It's had A LOT of work in the rust repair department but has payed me back in kind with tens of thousands of miles of trouble free running. Don't get me wrong, it's had it's share of mechanical work, mostly stuff you'd have to do to any 60k+ car though really, regular servicing, new ignition components, clutch, cambelt (almost due again!), brakes, gaiters, drop links etc and a few not so 'routine' bits like alternator, radiator, a couple of hoses, full rear suspension/axle rebuild etc but fundamentally I would call it a very reliable car in the sense that despite needing a bit of 'TLC', as I like to call it, every now and again, the little beauty has sped me all around the country and on long daily commutes time and time again without fail, bar once when the fuel pump relay died. This was literally the only time that it failed to start and drive and it has never suffered a major mechanical failure like engine, gearbox, turbo. I've towed big heavy trailers with it (including a car on a car trailer), had a 3 seater sofa strapped to the roof, twice, had hundreds of kilos of tools/equipment rammed in the back, driven hundreds of miles nonstop at 90mph+, redlined through the gears it so many times I've lost count and even destroyed the back end of an Astra with it :nuts: ! Despite all this seemingly wanton 480 abuse, it doesn't lose oil or water and I have no doubt that I will get in it in the morning, turn the key, and it will drive to work. It truly is one incredible little car and I love it to bits, really don't know what I would have instead. Given the level of use/borderline abuse that it gets, I am rigorous with maintenance, engine oil every 5k, ALL other fluids at least twice in the time I've had it plus general 'mechanical TLC' like changing loads of seals and inspecting/cleaning/refitting stuff while the engine and box were out for the clutch job.

Bottom line in my opinion is that if you look after it, there's nothing wrong with a 480 as a daily driver and there are much newer, more expensive cars that would not serve you nearly as well. A case in point is the number of newish BMW's that I have seen stranded on hard shoulders and on the back of recovery trucks recently, I've never known anything like it! I always have a warm, fuzzy, smug feeling inside as I hurtle past them in the Volvo, unstoppable as ever!
O.C. 480 D.

Ade
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 337
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:25 pm
Location: Northants

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by Ade » Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:32 pm

Mine has been a daily driver for around 4 years and racked up over 70,000 miles on top of the 60k it had when i bought it. Very very hard working car. It's had A LOT of work in the rust repair department but has payed me back in kind with tens of thousands of miles of trouble free running. Don't get me wrong, it's had it's share of mechanical work, mostly stuff you'd have to do to any 60k+ car though really, regular servicing, new ignition components, clutch, cambelt (almost due again!), brakes, gaiters, drop links etc and a few not so 'routine' bits like alternator, radiator, a couple of hoses, full rear suspension/axle rebuild etc but fundamentally I would call it a very reliable car in the sense that despite needing a bit of 'TLC', as I like to call it, every now and again, the little beauty has sped me all around the country and on long daily commutes time and time again without fail, bar once when the fuel pump relay died. This was literally the only time that it failed to start and drive and it has never suffered a major mechanical failure like engine, gearbox, turbo. I've towed big heavy trailers with it (including a car on a car trailer), had a 3 seater sofa strapped to the roof, twice, had hundreds of kilos of tools/equipment rammed in the back, driven hundreds of miles nonstop at 90mph+, redlined through the gears it so many times I've lost count and even destroyed the back end of an Astra with it :nuts: ! Despite all this seemingly wanton 480 abuse, it doesn't lose oil or water and I have no doubt that I will get in it in the morning, turn the key, and it will drive to work. It truly is one incredible little car and I love it to bits, really don't know what I would have instead. Given the level of use/borderline abuse that it gets, I am rigorous with maintenance, engine oil every 5k, ALL other fluids at least twice in the time I've had it plus general 'mechanical TLC' like changing loads of seals and inspecting/cleaning/refitting stuff while the engine and box were out for the clutch job.

Bottom line in my opinion is that if you look after it, there's nothing wrong with a 480 as a daily driver and there are much newer, more expensive cars that would not serve you nearly as well. A case in point is the number of newish BMW's that I have seen stranded on hard shoulders and on the back of recovery trucks recently, I've never known anything like it! I always have a warm, fuzzy, smug feeling inside as I hurtle past them in the Volvo, unstoppable as ever!
O.C. 480 D.

yorkshire480
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 127
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:08 pm
Location: Leeds
Contact:

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by yorkshire480 » Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:14 pm

My 94. 2.0 has been my only car for the last 6 years or so and has generally been very reliable. As mentioned previously if keep an eye on maintenance they'll not let you down. Admittedly I've been having problems of late all of are a result of leaving the oil filler cap off :nuts:
This has meant a new alternator and water pump (to be fair a 21 year old water pump might well have failed of it's own accord) but despite my best efforts to kill the thing it carries on.
I've done preemptive work over the years which helps (new shocks, springs, wishbones and drop links) and the next thing will be the bodywork.

It's only ever not gotten me to a gig once (water pump fail on the M62) which was expensive. Not the water pump(circa £65 for a new one fitted) but the £1500 worth of other work the guy had me booked for. :( There's no second chances in this business!

Overall it's worked very well for me as an only car but there may come a time when I have to buy something bland with good fuel economy and retire the 480 to my folks garage so I can work on her at my leisure!

timrosser
Advanced 480 rookie
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:22 pm

Re: 480 as your only car?

Post by timrosser » Tue Jun 14, 2016 5:37 pm

Mine has been my main car for over 10 years and at least 80,000 (the tachometer broke in 2012) But in the last 18 months or so Ive had a lot more white smoke & stalling in the winter, intermittent idles (treated by by carb cleaner but coming back every 2000 miles or so...), then the bodywork, info center, guessing the fuel.... Don't get me wrong I love my 480 its just my jobs list is kind of getting ahead of me a bit

Maybe a nice Smart Roadster so I can keep my wet habitat on the way to my destination....

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