The joys of 480 ownership

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

Post Reply
GCooper
Started learning about 480
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:54 pm

The joys of 480 ownership

Post by GCooper » Sat Oct 15, 2022 1:26 pm

'94 Volvo 480 GT (project)
'98 BMW Z3 (daily)

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by jamescarruthers » Sat Oct 15, 2022 11:55 pm

Have you kept it in the sea since 29 October 2021?
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)

GCooper
Started learning about 480
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:54 pm

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by GCooper » Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:47 am

I just went to a more thorough garage
'94 Volvo 480 GT (project)
'98 BMW Z3 (daily)

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by jifflemon » Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:12 am

Doesn’t read that bad to me; pretty much standard fail items.
Rear brakes (just service them)
Rear inner sills (they all go there)
did it actually overheat? Or did they find the rot, knew it’d fail so invented a reason for not testing?

To me, it’s not a “thorough” garage, more one that hates older cars, as evidenced by the huge amount of advisories.

100
Knows where Volvo is from
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2018 10:23 pm

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by 100 » Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:12 am

jifflemon wrote:
Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:12 am
Doesn’t read that bad to me; pretty much standard fail items.
Rear brakes (just service them)
Rear inner sills (they all go there)
did it actually overheat? Or did they find the rot, knew it’d fail so invented a reason for not testing?

To me, it’s not a “thorough” garage, more one that hates older cars, as evidenced by the huge amount of advisories.
100% this, I went to one and they asked me whether I was going to scrap it following the MOT. They just didn't get it at all.

User avatar
WillC9303
Knows an Aerodeck isn't a 480
Posts: 297
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:46 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by WillC9303 » Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:32 am

I had the same issue as you a couple months back when I went to MOT mine.

Failed on a lot of stuff, and got advisories for stupid things like surface rust on the rear axle and ‘welding work’ that had been done to a good standard anyway.

Took it home, fixed only the rear brake issue and it passed at another garage with no advisories about 3 days later! You can read the history for yourself (L309SGO)
William

1993 2.0i Limited Edition

GCooper
Started learning about 480
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:54 pm

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by GCooper » Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:54 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Mon Oct 17, 2022 6:12 am
Doesn’t read that bad to me; pretty much standard fail items.
Rear brakes (just service them)
Rear inner sills (they all go there)
did it actually overheat? Or did they find the rot, knew it’d fail so invented a reason for not testing?

To me, it’s not a “thorough” garage, more one that hates older cars, as evidenced by the huge amount of advisories.
A few weeks ago the coolant fan got stuck on so I disconnected it, I told them not to keep it on for too long because of this, so I guess they didn't bother
'94 Volvo 480 GT (project)
'98 BMW Z3 (daily)

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by jamescarruthers » Mon Oct 17, 2022 1:11 pm

GCooper wrote:
Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:54 pm
A few weeks ago the coolant fan got stuck on so I disconnected it, I told them not to keep it on for too long because of this, so I guess they didn't bother
You couldn’t have turned up screaming “this is an old banger” any louder. No wonder they did all they could to get it off the road. No cooling fan is asking for a 480 to overheat when stationary and asking an MOT station, who I assume aren’t your friends, to go easy on its cooling system because the fan isn’t working as designed and is just starting you off on the wrong foot.
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)

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by dcwalker » Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:24 am

jamescarruthers wrote:
Mon Oct 17, 2022 1:11 pm
GCooper wrote:
Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:54 pm
A few weeks ago the coolant fan got stuck on so I disconnected it, I told them not to keep it on for too long because of this, so I guess they didn't bother
You couldn’t have turned up screaming “this is an old banger” any louder. No wonder they did all they could to get it off the road. No cooling fan is asking for a 480 to overheat when stationary and asking an MOT station, who I assume aren’t your friends, to go easy on its cooling system because the fan isn’t working as designed and is just starting you off on the wrong foot.
Sorry, but I couldn't agree more.

Our cars are, to many, just old cars. You have to overcome that perception from the start. So, when you take your car to MOT make sure it's clean inside and out and that every obvious fault you are aware of has been sorted. Otherwise, your car just screams "I am not cared for or looked after" and your average MOT tester will start from the negative position of expecting to fail it and then ensuring that is the outcome.

The moment you declared a cooling system problem which you had tackled just by disconnecting the fan, you sank your chances completely.

Leaving aside the MOT issue, these engines get very hot quite readily: don't ignore your cooling fan problem, get it sorted, or you'll be overheating with disastrous results.

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!

GCooper
Started learning about 480
Posts: 98
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 7:54 pm

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by GCooper » Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:58 pm

The good news is that the repairs are much cheaper than I had expected, so it will be back on the road soon
'94 Volvo 480 GT (project)
'98 BMW Z3 (daily)

User avatar
WillC9303
Knows an Aerodeck isn't a 480
Posts: 297
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:46 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by WillC9303 » Thu Oct 27, 2022 3:47 pm

great to hear!
William

1993 2.0i Limited Edition

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by jamescarruthers » Thu Oct 27, 2022 7:05 pm

GCooper wrote:
Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:58 pm
The good news is that the repairs are much cheaper than I had expected, so it will be back on the road soon
Excellent news! :hopping:
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)

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

Re: The joys of 480 ownership

Post by dcwalker » Fri Oct 28, 2022 6:45 am

GCooper wrote:
Thu Oct 27, 2022 2:58 pm
The good news is that the repairs are much cheaper than I had expected, so it will be back on the road soon
That's good to hear :D Hope you're back on the road again soon...

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!

Post Reply