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After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:33 pm
by Murf
I got another 480! :D

I was digging through some boxes of books in the loft and found my 400 series HBOL and some other Volvo books, thinking how long it had been since I sold my last 480.

The next day my mate sent me a link to a GT for sale a few hours drive away. Long story short, 2 weeks later it was sitting on my drive 😁

It's a 94 L reg, 2 owners from new and 75k miles on the clock.
It's been well looked after, some years having done only 1500 miles between services. It's also had a brand new front subframe in 2008 and various other parts.

It's surprisingly clean underneath, not what I expected. The arches are a bit crusty but the chassis is in great nick!
It had a fuel leak when I got it, the fuel union that joins to the filter had corroded and had a tiny pinhole in it. The parts diagram at Volvo didn't even show that part so I've replaced it with a universal fuel filter.
I've also changed the oil, oil filter, air filter, brake fluid. Also the front wishbone bushes and ball joints and the tyres we're pretty old and cracked, rear window wiring was shot and the front lights were not working properly.

Currently working on undersealing the chassis and subframe, then I've to replace the rotten exhaust and the cracked DRL lenses. I'm hoping to get it back on the road by spring, I didn't know how much I missed 480's until I got back into one. I think this is my 7th!

A real stumbling point seems to the the amount of parts that are now discontinued, even with one of my mates working at Volvo parts department 😟

So, Hi to all the people who have joined in the last decade and nice to see a few of the oldies still here too...

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 2:55 pm
by Murf

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:00 pm
by Rachel
Hey! welcome back to the flock! Nice 480, I hope you'll have many miles of fun in her :D

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 3:19 pm
by jamescarruthers
Welcome back Murf. It is very good to see you back on here.

You are right, parts are much harder to get now but do give us all a shout on here if you are stuck and our collective conscience manages to solve most things. Unfortunately prices are more eye watering when things get difficult now!β€Ž

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:46 pm
by Murf
I remember with my last 480 I just walked into Euro parts and bought a pair of new front clusters for Β£70!
I guess those days are gone πŸ˜‚

What's the availability of things like axle bushes like? I'm thinking that at 25 years old they must be nearly past their best.

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:38 pm
by jamescarruthers
Suspension is all easily available. I've just. Had every single bush replaced.

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:02 pm
by Murf
Where's the best places to get bits these days?

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:14 pm
by jifflemon
Now there's a familiar username......

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:28 am
by jamescarruthers
Murf wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:02 pm
Where's the best places to get bits these days?
As you can imagine, the days of walking in to the Volvo dealer, Euro Car Parts and GSF are long goneβ€Ž.

My first port of call nowadays is pretty much always Mister Auto and Auto Doc. Mostly these are delivered from Europe so don't expect next day delivery in most cases.

Polar Parts had a lot of the rear suspension parts in at a decent priceβ€Ž

Failing that I try Skandix but remember that they are often expensive. I think they've done their research though so you do get the right parts. Often they are selling unbranded parts so I don't think you are always getting value for money.Β 

I've also had luck with Volvo 340 Onderdelen for some difficult to get parts. Weirdly some bolts for the back end I could only get from a Volvo Penta marine engine specialist!
β€Ž
eBay has been part God-send and part nightmare. Yes, I've gotten some difficult to get parts easily and at a good price but I've had a few experiences where they've took my money then returned it in a few days later and said that the part isn't available. Nothing too underhand there but it slows you down on a rebuild. β€ŽI seem to remember strut tops were from eBay.
β€Ž
Lastly, Bilstein B4 suspension struts are easily available but we're significantly cheaper from spring-loaded.co.ukβ€Ž and they had very good communications and service ethics.

So, beggars can't be choosers and we do have to deal with big postage bills and eBay sellers who list stuff that they hope they can provide but a lot of it is still available.
β€Ž
If you get stuck, especially with the suspension stuff, feel free to drop me a line and I'll dig through my emails to see where I got it from. β€Ž

β€Ž

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:33 am
by brinkie
Murf wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:02 pm
Where's the best places to get bits these days?
I don't know the UK situation.
In Germany (Skandix.de and Polar-Parts.de -> both available in English) and Netherlands (rendcarparts.com -> in English and estateservices.nl -> in Dutch, but I can help) you can find parts supplied by Scantech and Professional Parts Sweden, who in turn let their stuff be manufactured in China.
Some German sellers like kfzteile24.de have branded stuff but the quality differs. I have Monroe suspension arms and they are starting to rust after three years and less than 10,000 miles driven.
Volvo parts have all gone, 480 specific parts like rear lights are even second had very hard to find. There are two very active Facebook groups ("Volvo 480" and "volvo480forum.com" where you have more chance of finding stuff.

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:01 am
by dcwalker
Good to see an old name returning, and also good to see not just another GT back in the fold, but a red one at that, to balance out all those of us with green ones... :D

Parts situation is as others have described excellently - another useful tack is to find another 480 that's perhaps not so good for use but will still provide lots of working parts. As others have said, though, we still all try to help each other out on here with the stiocks we have managed to squirrel away between us all.

David

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 1:36 pm
by Murf
Thanks for the advice everyone 😁

I'm pretty gutted that I sold some spare rear lights a couple of years ago. They were in decent Nick and barely even faded 😟

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:03 pm
by dcwalker
Murf wrote: ↑
Wed Nov 14, 2018 1:36 pm
Thanks for the advice everyone 😁

I'm pretty gutted that I sold some spare rear lights a couple of years ago. They were in decent Nick and barely even faded 😟
That's because you made the same mistake as others of us have made, and thought you were finished with 480s. I did the same with a cupholder armrest (fortunately I did manage to get another one). But the 480s always bite back sooner or later :D

David

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:18 pm
by VanDerGraaf
Paul....I admire you! Another 480- fantastic.

I doubt I'll ever have another, not because I don't want one, but because I'd never find the time to look after it.

That GT is nice too- and in a good colour. :D

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:42 pm
by Richmann1
Good to see your back Murf, few old school members still about. I've had 480s for the last 20 years now, current one 15 years. With a bit of perseverance you can find most parts but takes time.

Rich

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:54 pm
by Murf
jifflemon wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:14 pm
Now there's a familiar username......
Sorry, I missed this post before! Are you the same chap from the MR2 world? 😁

Hi to Rohan and Richard too, glad to hear you're both doing well πŸ‘

480 update:

I spent the winter wrestling with rear calipers, brake lines and wishbone bushes etc. I then got it MoT'd (no advisories 😁 ) and have been tinkering with loads of wee things when I get the chance.

I'm actually really enjoying it, despite being the slowest weekend car I've owned for years. Once I got used the body roll and accepted that it did actually grip and handle well I was surprised by how quick it was for an engine with 110bhp.
It's also a very practical car, I've had various Clio Sports, TT's, Fiat Coupe etc etc and every one has required the driver to be fully forward in order for my kids to fit in the back.
The 480 is the one exception, I am fully comfortable in the front and the kids have loads of space in the back.
I never appreciated this before as it's the first 480 I've bought since my 8 and 6 year olds came along.

Long term plans are to look at sorting the arches. I've undersealed the car and it's surprisingly clean underneath. The arches will need done though, predictably πŸ˜‚

After that, maybe some stiffer springs and updated brakes. Maybe also some more power somewhere along the line?

Time will tell πŸ˜πŸ‘

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:58 pm
by Murf
Just noticed my profile, I joined here (having previously been on the "old" forum) just after my 23rd birthday.
My next birthday I'll be 40, boy I feel old now πŸ˜‚

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:21 pm
by jifflemon
Murf wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:54 pm
jifflemon wrote: ↑
Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:14 pm
Now there's a familiar username......
Sorry, I missed this post before! Are you the same chap from the MR2 world? 😁

Small world innit?

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:38 pm
by Murf
Another sucker for pop up headlights πŸ˜‚

You still got an AW11 too?

Re: After 9 years and 10 months...

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 8:24 pm
by jifflemon
Yup, Mk1 and Mk3, 3 480 turbo's and a V70.... :shock: