FIRSTLY A REQUEST FOR help - I have been contacted by a Member regarding problems when re-fueling his 400, namely that the auto cut off on the petrol pumps continually cuts in making the process of filling up with fuel very slow. If anyone has any experience/remedy to this problem please let me know and 1 will pass the comments on. The 480, judging by the number of calls I have received still seems to be living up to its reputation of resembl-ing a 'fishpond' in particular in the boot area. The remedy for this specific leak is to reseal the rear lights as the 'rubber seals' seem to perish with time. The register continues to grow steadily, with a significant increase of the number of Members registering the 440 and 460, although the number of requests for information on these is still far behind the 480 - perhaps highlighting that they are less sus-ceptible to the niggling faults found on the 480. I would like to finish by wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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THE NATIONAL THIS year in Stratford-on-Avon saw the highest turnout yet in the 400 series class with four 480's plus 440's. The weather thankfully remained calm, and a good day was had by all. I would like to thank the Directors of the Club and other Officials for ensuring that the day went so well without any problems. Several people have recently contacted me regarding the 480 convertible - a car that was most regrettably never put into production, with only a couple(?) of prototypes being made. If anyone has had theirs converted I would be grateful if they would contact me with details so that I can pass them on to owners who may be considering doing the same. I have recently had the joyous task of having to have a complete new exhaust - I never seem to be able to get away with just replacing one part! The one positive side is however that not only does the car sound a lot better, it also appears far more economical to the tune of around 15%, although this may also be connected to the fact that it has just been serviced as well, With regard to the failure of the headlights to flash, please contact me for details of the remedy - it is however, in the long run often easier and cheaper to fit a new indicator stalk. Heaters/fans also seem to be giving problems - once the unit is out of the it's very easy to solve - the difficult part is getting it out - again please 'phone for details. Finally, the fax/answer machine I now have will only take a SHORT message - please leave your name and 'phone number first - I have had many detailed messages where the machine has cut off before the caller has left their number, which makes it almost impossible for me to call back!

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Contrary to my last report, and despite a very competitive price from the Owners Club Parts Service, I decided to have my alternator repaired (yet again) rather than purchase a new unit. On explaining to Chelmsford Auto Electrics (A different repairer to the last few times) the problem, namely that all the displays flickered, their opinion was that the regulator had failed. Despite exhaustive testing of the unit no fault was found, however a new regulator was fitted 'just in case.' Since then the unit has given no trouble at all! (The cost was a mere £18.50 + VAT - a good saving on a new unit! And £65 cheaper than the other auto electric shop) During the past few months, I have found that the majority of queries are now coming via the internet. I can now be contacted by e-mail at 'CHRISWICKERS@compuserve. com'. I have recently been contacted by a Member who has experienced considerable difficulty in fitting a child seat to an early 480, mainly due to the short seatbelts. If anyone is aware of an easy solution please would they let me know. Recently, my own car has suffered from an intermittent front headlight, which would only work on dip occasionally. The fault was easy to see, namely that the headlight connector had corroded away, and was thus making a very poor contact. Finding the fault was easy! Obtaining a new connector an almost impossibility, Volvo would only supply a complete wiring loom. Local accessory shops just laughed! Everyone suggested a breakers yard, finally I obtained a new connector for the princely sum of 99p from Chelmsford Auto Electrics. Alternator, and a few serviceable items aside, my own 480 continues to run well, and hopefully will continue to do so. I look forward to seeing a high turn out at this year's National at Stratford Racecourse, Stratford upon Avon on 19 - 21 June.

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FROM MEMORY, WHEN I had my 360 Volvo the standard service procedure was to replace the spark plugs every 6,000 miles. Presumably in order to reduce servicing costs this was subsequently changed to 12,000 miles, with the 400 series also having the same schedule. Last month, my 480 'broke down' for only the 2nd time in eight years, with the RAC recovering it to Matthams - the cause of the failure was 'failed' spark plugs they were due to be replaced within the next 500 miles exactly the same problem had also occurred with the 360 years earlier - perhaps it was false economy to increase the service schedules, and from now on, I will ensure the plugs are changed every 6,000 miles! The extra cost of a set of plugs a year will be money well spent if it prevents a 'broken down' vehicle! It would appear that the cost of some parts has fallen recently. My driver's seat back trim has now torn/ripped on the edge (this happens to all 480's over about 80,000 miles) and when I enquired about the cost of replacement some 2 years ago there was no change out of £200 - whereas the cost of the seat cover is around £100 + VAT (taking into account VOC discount). My alternator seems to be giving trouble yet again, and this time I will pay for a Volvo replacement, rather than throwing good money after bad with the local auto-electric shop carrying out yet another repair. They seem to be exceptional at repairing it so that it works until just after their warranty runs out! I have just been advised by lan Colvert, that the most common cause of problems with the electronic display are caused by faulty earth points in particular the small earthlead attaching to the back of the alternator, which is prone to corrosion. Other trouble spots are the actual connector to the display, and the large mullet-earth point on the bulkhead behind the fuse box. Please note that my address has now changed and 'phone number - details can be found at the front of the 'Driver'.

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In response to the last magazine report, I have been advised of a contact for uprat- ing the performance of the 400 series, namely Cary Passingham on 01273 494439. Unfortunately, I have not heard from anyone who has actually had improvement work done. The dreaded MOT turned out to be no more severe than a handbrake adjustment and repair to the rear foglight. The initial report on the 400 series information dis-play centre back in the late 80's suggested that they were troublesome. Until a few weeks ago no one had ever reported a problem, however, I have recently received many enquiries ranging from erratic fuel display to poor illumination - if any one has experience of repairing these please let me know. It would appear 'flying off' roof rails are not a common fault as I have only heard of one instance! Finally, apologies to Cary from Dover who phoned with several enquiries, unfortu-nately the telephone number I have is incorrect please could you re-contact me

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FIRSTLY SOME APPEALS for help:

1) If anyone has experience of uprating the performance of the 400 series, please could they let me have details. (i.e. what's been done, improvements, how much? and the supplier) I have had several requests for information on this subject, but at present I have very little facts.

2) Has anyone experienced roof rails flying off the cars? If so what's the cure?

A month ago, my alternator failed either supplying too many Volts, or not enough, resulting in either a very bright or dim display, causing several bulbs to expire! Deciding to have a local specialist repair the existing alternator at half the cost of a Volvo replacement seemed a cost effective solution at the time. However I have subsequently discovered that the latest Volvo alternator has been modified to stop this sort of problem happening. Perhaps I should have bought the genuine article! Next month sees my 480's annual MOT whereby the garage looks in the 'phone directory, selects a number, adds a zero and calmly informs me that this is the cost I need to pay should I wish to continue to use it. Hopefully it will not resemble my Father's 760 whereby one telephone number was not enough! They added several together! Due to the incredible amount of rain during June, I have again received several calls regarding the question as to whether ES stands for en suite. The duck pond in the boot can be resolved by sealing the rear lights - for further details please contact me or Jack Cluer. The 400 National line up was a little low considering the size of the register. Unfortunately I had to leave early due to a prior commitment and missed the prize giving at the end. However I understand it was a very enjoyable day and I would like to express my thanks to the Club's Directors for arranging it, and for the driving challenge which I thought was exceptionally good.

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OVER THE PAST three months I have received many calls from prospective 480 owners, although very few from people considering the 440/460. It would certainly appear that the 480 is a popular Summer car. As covered previously in this column some of the points to look out for include the following:

a) Leaking rear lights - cured by resealing or replacing the rear light units.

b) Stiff/heavy clutch cable - the 480 is notoriously bad for its appetite for clutch cables, although the latest updated unit on mine has lasted considerably longer than the previous units.

c) Uneven running at idle speed appears every time to be the constant idle valve.

d) Leaking into driver's footwell-the problem here is normally the seal around the relay box in the engine bay.

e) Headlight flashing inoperative- this is due to poor contacts on the stalk which can either be cleaned or replaced.

f) Heater fan - this problem is not so common, and is normally caused by a dry joins' in the actual control box- very simple to fix once the unit is out of the car-please call me for further details.

Also it is worth mentioning that the exhausts and clutches (although reliable and fairly long lived are not cheap at around £500 for genuine Dealer fitted parts. Despite all the above points, I still very much enjoy owning and driving my 480, which I have now owned for over seven years. It would also appear that second hand prices have risen slightly based on the fact that a local Southend Dealer was endeavouring to obtain £3,700 for en 'E' registered 480 ES with £3,700 for a'F'480 Turbo.

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I HAVE RECEIVED many varied calls during the last quarter, including several regarding the following: The indicator stalk is prone to wear, in particular the headlight flashing contacts, which appear to just bend apart, and/or become contaminated. Due to the design of the unit it is difficult to' bend them back' and on most occasions, the easiest solution is to replace the unit. Erratic idling, which seems very common, whereby the revs vary between 500-1500 is normally cured by thorough cleaning of the constant idle value Repairing the heating fan, which can often be 'intermittently' faulty is a little more involved. The heater control box has to be removed from behind the centre console, and on taking off the top cover, it is normally instantly apparent which the 'dry joint' is, namely a large pin which has come away from the main circuit board. A Member has recently contacted me seeking advice on up-rating the performance and handling of the 480ES, a request to date I have been unable to assist with. I would be grateful for any first hand experiences Members have had with improving the road holding and engine performance. Last month, l discovered that failure to promptly replace a faulty wheel bearing was not a shrewd financial decision. The noisy bearing having been left unrepaired, has rendered the front hub useless, adding an extra £120 to the final invoice! The AA Hire Service, has recently contacted the Club regarding a quantity of 'Thule' roof bars including locks and fittings for the 440/460 (up to 1990 models) which are available (used) for £38.75 inclusive of VAT and carriage. If you would like further details, please contact me. Finally, my home phone number has now changed to 01245 460932, with the added benefit that I can now receive faxes.

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The past few months have seen a little more outlay on my 480 shall I would have liked! The two front tyres have required replacement, along with a driver's side window motor, and at the time of writing, it has become apparent that there is not much life left in the clutch After 'shopping around' the tyres Pirelli P600s set me back £103 for the pair, which did not seem too excessive, and the window mechanism some £220. The clutch however is not quite so reasonable, with the local Dealer requesting £475 to carry out the task. It is apparently not a pleasant job, and many quickfit places have declined to quote. The last unit has covered 60,000 miles which I don't consider too bad considering many of its journeys are town driving. One query from a Member has been regarding uprating the tyres to a larger size. Following enquiries I have been advised although this is possible, there have been instances where the tyre has rubbed on the bodywork, plus of course, the additional aggravation of informing your Insurance Company as it is a non-standard modification Repairs aside I have still enjoyed the ownership of my 480 throughout the summer, and although I possibly hope to get a different car, I envisage keeping the 480 - it may even become a future classical

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DURING THE PAST few days, I have been tipped off by a Member that the 400 series is now no longer being manufactured, and no new orders can be placed, with the only models being available, being the ones which are currently in stock. Despite inquiries I have been unable to categorically confirm this, and my information is that production stops in December of this year. The demise of the 400 series comes as no surprise with the launch of the S40 and V40, particularly as the size and price structure is very similar, with the added advantage that an estate version has now been produced. I have recently been lucky enough to borrow a S40 for the day. The vehicle I was loaned was the 1800, with a high trim specification and sports suspension. My only complaint was the very large 'plasticy' dashboard, and the fuel filler flap which to be seemed an absolutely pathetic design which appears to have been 'bolted on' as an afterthought. These two very minor points aside, I found the car an absolute pleasure to drive, with absolutely phenomenal road-holding characteristics. Despite the 1800 engine the performance was very lively - it will be very interesting to drive the S40 R next year! Following last month's report, a couple of Members have contacted me regarding clutch judder on the 400 series - each time the fault having been rectified by the fitting of a new clutch. In view of the cost of parts, and amount of labour required, it is hardly surprising that garages wherever possible will try to avoid fitting a new unit under their own warranty conditions! It would however appear that no one else has experienced a problem with the rear n/s tyre wearing unevenly, which would clearly suggest it is not a common fault. The National turnout was a little disappointing in the 400 series this year, although it did at least guarantee that I got a trophy! Hopefully there will be more next year!

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DURING THE PAST couple of weeks I have taken several 'phone calls from Members who have been experiencing problems with the 400 series, with each of them having been advised that it is possibly a design defect with the model. I must admit I have never heard of these faults before, which are:

a) A problem with the near side rear tyre wearing unevenly - this Member was assured that it was 'quite a common fault'.

b) Clutch judder when starting off with a relatively low engine speed.

Both I and the Members concerned would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced these problems' although I would imagine it is merely the relevant garages trying to find an easy way out of the problems! Recently, my own vehicle developed an intermittent fault with the electrics namely that the voltage gauge would show a drop in the charging rate. Having decided that the fault must lay with the alternator, and several 'phone calls later, by far the cheapest option was to have the unit re-conditioned by a local auto-electric firm. The repair appears perfect, it was far cheaper than an exchange unit, a lot more convenient than scrabbling round a breakers yard for something which may not work and the car still has a 'genuine Volvo' alternator! Since I have been running the 400 register many people have 'phoned me for advice or opinions on a varying selection of faults which I have always tried to answer - it would be very helpful for a follow-up 'phone call, to satisfy my own curiosity as to whether the advice I found out was of any use! - it would also help for future reference! June the 9th is the National Rally at Newark and Notts Showground, judging by the number of register forms I now have, there will be a very high turnout of 400s in the arena.