Advice Please

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.

Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel

Simon_Carruthers
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2021 3:26 pm

Re: Advice Please

Post by Simon_Carruthers » Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:04 pm

Hi James,

My mother’s side of the family is from Glasgow, my father’s side is from Inverness although my grandfather settled just up the road from you in Duns. I was born in Ayr but grew up in Oxfordshire. Now living in North Somerset.

We’re probably related! Stranger things have happened.

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Advice Please

Post by jifflemon » Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:39 pm

Having seen the two arch images I’m no longer interested in the car but utterly intrigued by a family tree investigation!

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: Advice Please

Post by dcwalker » Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:57 am

jifflemon wrote:
Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:39 pm
Having seen the two arch images I’m no longer interested in the car but utterly intrigued by a family tree investigation!
I second that! James is one of the lynchpins of our community here, so if it turns out you're related I think that makes it compulsory you have a 480 and join us, Simon ;)

Those arches wouldn't necessarily mean the car is a complete reject - but no way is it worth anything like £2,500. Even allowing for the fact that values appear to be rising at long last, that's a chancer trying to make a quick buck from the uninformed.

I was also going to offer to look at it for you, but Norm is even closer to Headingley than me. Mind you, depending on if and when he goes I might join him...

As others have said, you will find better 480s among our rescue cars. There have now been 8 if you count Celebration 312, which was a freebie but never even warranted an "R number" because she proved to be nothing but a complete rust-bucket that has yielded only a few worthwhile spares but no more. R2 now lives with me, R1 and R3 are fairly certainly spoken for, R4 is a LHD turbo (!) but R5, R6 and R7 are all recent rescues that we have yet to get properly started on. Watch the relevant threads, and if you want to know more about the thinking behind the rescue cars project, just ask. Essentially, though, once given a very thorough check over and restored to a road-worthy & MOT level, they are seeking loving new owners. And unless a new owner wanted masses of further work done before taking ownership meaning extra costs incurred, none would set you back anything like £2,500...

Good luck with your quest, and I hope we see you on here soon as a 480 owner! :D

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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

Re: Advice Please

Post by Norm57 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:48 pm

Well what a sad sight. Have been to view the car for Simon today. Where to start? A really lovely couple the lady has owned it for 21 years and absolutely loved driving it and mechanically and electrically it’s appears sound with a good service history. The bad news is that neither her or her husband are mechanically minded and sadly did not know that this forum existed so problems that have caused major body issues could have been picked up far earlier. Such as leaking rear lights also badly faded and cracked. An apparent poor repair to rear arches( my magnet would not stay on),blocked drain holes in front slam panel leading to rust at front wing bottoms, a really badly blistered window scraper passenger side which has led to rust at door bottoms. I have sent Simon some pictures that he may post,all in all a sad sight because early intervention would have solved most of this cars issues and I have to say I felt really sorry giving them a realistic value as she really loved owning and driving the car and only hip replacements are preventing her driving it. I am afraid at present it’s a spares car unless someone is prepared to spend around £2000 on it.A real shame.

Simon_Carruthers
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2021 3:26 pm

Re: Advice Please

Post by Simon_Carruthers » Sun Jun 06, 2021 3:22 pm

Huge thanks to Norman for travelling to look at the Volvo for me. Very kind indeed.

Thanks also to everyone’s contribution. Despite an unfruitful conclusion I’m still keen to become an owner so as per David’s & others’ suggestions I’ll keep an eye on the rescue cars.

Perhaps the discovery of a long lost cousin is the silver lining to the 480 cloud :rofl:

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

Re: Advice Please

Post by Norm57 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:17 pm

As an aside, for at least 15 years I lived about 3or4 minutes drive away from this car and never knew it existed.I can’t help thinking of what have been had I known about it.

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dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: Advice Please

Post by dcwalker » Sun Jun 06, 2021 8:52 pm

Real shame. How did the sellers react Norm?

But don't despair Simon, a rescue car might come to the rescue!! Nice GT on the pipeline...

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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

Re: Advice Please

Post by Norm57 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:04 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 8:52 pm
Real shame. How did the sellers react Norm?

But don't despair Simon, a rescue car might come to the rescue!! Nice GT on the pipeline...

David
That was the worst bit of the day D C . They were a very genuine and nice couple who were plainly unaware of the amount of bodywork required to turn the vehicle round. Because they had no mechanical knowledge then things like blocked drains and leaking rear lights and such were a bit of a shock when I pointed theses out. I unblocked both drains and ran some water through to show them the damage caused to the wing bottoms. I just wish I could have known of the car years ago and got them some advice from on here,all very sad really and I feel for them.

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: Advice Please

Post by jifflemon » Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:18 pm

Norm57 wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:48 pm
I have to say I felt really sorry giving them a realistic value as she really loved owning and driving the car and only hip replacements are preventing her driving it.
Wonder if she'd be interested in a nice black auto.....

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: Advice Please

Post by dcwalker » Mon Jun 07, 2021 4:48 pm

Norm57 wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:04 pm
dcwalker wrote:
Sun Jun 06, 2021 8:52 pm
Real shame. How did the sellers react Norm?

But don't despair Simon, a rescue car might come to the rescue!! Nice GT on the pipeline...

David
That was the worst bit of the day D C . They were a very genuine and nice couple who were plainly unaware of the amount of bodywork required to turn the vehicle round. Because they had no mechanical knowledge then things like blocked drains and leaking rear lights and such were a bit of a shock when I pointed theses out. I unblocked both drains and ran some water through to show them the damage caused to the wing bottoms. I just wish I could have known of the car years ago and got them some advice from on here,all very sad really and I feel for them.
Thanks Norm - must have been quite hard for all concerned, you included.

Do you have any update on their plans for the car now? Do you think they'll still hold out for top money, or did you get the impression they have taken your comments on board and understand it's probably just a parts source and little else?

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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

Re: Advice Please

Post by Norm57 » Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:19 pm

I don’t know D C is the honest answer. I think deep down she wants to keep it or it goes to someone who likes wedges and is prepared to restore it. I think she wanted me to make an offer but they were to decent a couple to insult. It was on Car & Classic for £2500 but wether they have removed it or reduced it I don’t know.

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MisterH
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:15 pm
Location: Stockbridge

Re: Advice Please

Post by MisterH » Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:23 pm

Norm57 wrote:
Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:19 pm
I don’t know D C is the honest answer. I think deep down she wants to keep it or it goes to someone who likes wedges and is prepared to restore it. I think she wanted me to make an offer but they were to decent a couple to insult. It was on Car & Classic for £2500 but wether they have removed it or reduced it I don’t know.
Here is is:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1342981
:cry:
Current Jobs to do (23/1/22):
Fix Central Locking
Fix drivers side speaker
Annoying Scratching Squeak
Water leaks
Complete Front O/S rebuild

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: Advice Please

Post by dcwalker » Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:50 pm

Trouble is, someone willing to try to restore it faces a hefty bodywork bill, so they're not going to be willing to pay much for it in the first place...

Shame really, I've always fancied a two-tone!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

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