Volvo 480 1.7 ES 3d (1991/J) Owner Review
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Economy
Value
Very cheap to buy and to insure. Fuel consumption great on the motorways but awful in town (15-19mpg).
Costs
2 stars; because the general population will not have time to search scrap yards and work out how to fix the thing! As a student I have no choice, but to do it myself. Some scrappy prices high but donor cars cheap.
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On the road
Driving
Great cruising speeds but a little breathless and noisy in 1st & 2nd. Pulls really well in 4th & 5th so ideal for motorway. The handling is everything you can ask for at this price, its on rails!
Performance
Acceleration poor on take off, but great at high speeds, it will go on and on!
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Living with it
Reliability
Double edged sword! Firstly mine has done 126,000 miles which shows how durable the engine is. However parts often need replacing at tyhis mileage and the electric are totally ridiculous. My dash it literally disintigrating, the electrics are a BAD!
Image
Not to everyones taste but it does interest people. Quite unique.
Comfort
Once your in its pretty good. I like the low laid out seating position, I'm 6'4", although my knee is in the way in fifth, overall comfort is good. Motorway driving excels.
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Security and Service
Security
No one would steal it, but definitely no comparison to today's standards.
Service
Bloody expensive!
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Problems and Ownership
Problems
Engine
Very strong, a brute. Radiator cracked but that is just wear and tear.
Other
Ownership
Did you buy the car new?
Used
Would you buy the same model again?
No
Did you buy from the same manufacturer again?
Yes