Are Volvos Expensive To Repair
Are Volvos repairs really expensive?
Ok, I'm not a current Volvo owner, but want to be. I've been reading and researching for months, but every time I tell people I'm planning on buying a Volvo, I get the same reaction "Don't do it ! They're too expensive to repair! They break down all the time!"So is this really true? My husband and I put 150,000 on a Mazda, then 110,000 on a Subaru. No problems, breakdowns, or repairs other than the recommended maintenance, new tires, one water pump.
Now I need a new (used) car and really love the Volvo XC70. We have one child and don't currently have a dog, but probably will again. We live in Denver and travel a lot to the mountains. The Subaru Legacy wagon was the perfect car for us, but I'm more drawn to the style and saftey of Volvo.
So I'm coming to the source - Volvo owners. Please tell me your experience with Volvo reliability and repair costs.
Also, I've read here and elsewhere to avoid the '01 - true?
Thanks for your help!
We have an MY 01 and really love the car. Ours was a late production date and that probably has proven to be a good thing.
We've driven Volvos for over 30 years and have always praised their safety, reliability, utilitarianism and overall quality. The newer Volvos are not nearly as "basic" as the older models have been and (in my case anyway) repairs have required service from a reputable Volvo technician. I will admit they can be "fussy" cars that require attention, but the pros have always outweighed the cons in my mind. Honestly, I wouldn't purchase one if I didn't know the history on it, or know of a reputable Volvo technician to take care of it for me. I don't think it's the kind of car you take to "any" garage to have work performed on it........ If your main concern boils down to operating cost; don't do it. If your main concern is quality and safety; do it. Quality usually costs more in anything doesn't it? And it really is a beautifl car!
My $.02.
'01 V70XC /Silver/Graphite Leather, Nokian WRs
'09 XC70/Ice White/Sandstone Leather,VCOA
I agree, the most important is to have a good dealer.You need it when you buy the car. A really good dealer will help you to make your choices, explain the options, and gives you advices and rebates. You should try every dealer close enough to you.
And you have to make every repairs at a reputable dealer. The only thing I don't use my dealer is tire balancing.The Volvo diagnostic system is a very complicated and detailed software/hardware piece. You need an official Volvo dealer who has it, and USE it. If it is a good dealership you won't make them mad with your questions. Your car stores every error messages, and have a hidden diary to help a good technician with the background information.
Previously I had a V40. Now I have to say that was not a real Volvo, but I was very satisfied, it had 130.000 km when I changed. The XC70 has a higher quality level, so I know the difference, and love it.
Overall, you have to love your car, and take care of every signs she shows you, and she will serves you for a very long time.
My04 XC70 ocean blue, 2.5T petrol, AWD, manual, DSTC, Nokian WR
As a rule European cars need more attention and maintenance than Japanese ones. However, European cars tend to last much longer than Japanese cars. Provided that you live in a metropolitan area: If you think about it, how often do you see a Honda or Toyota from 1970s or even 1980s? To see, for instance, Volvos 240s driving around is not a big deal, and they stopped making these cars in 1993. I am on my fourth Volvo and I would honestly say that for the money you pay, you get an excellent automobile. Are Volvos high-maitenance? Yes, but when you need them nothing else will do with a exception of a mercedes maybe . . . I had a truck driving 75MPH plow into my 965 Volvo, and both I and my wife walked away from the accident, despite the fact the our car got totaled. I also had a Ford Expedition plow into my V90 and I walked away, despite the fact that my car and his got totaled. With all these people driving SUVs, it is quite crazy to drive any other car but a Volvo. If you can afford it and safety is your primary motivation, I would not think twice abot getting a Volvo. I would never want to be caught in a Toyota or Honda after seeing how my previous Volvos behaved in accidents. Don't take me wrong: Japanese make make the most reliable cars on the market; and if this is what you are looking for, then you should stick with Japanese cars. But if you are looking for quality of ride combined with safety then Volvo will not disappoint you. Also you need to remember that people who have bad experiences with Volvos scream the loudest, and this is normal. However, those of us who have no prolems with our Volvos, we do not run around screaming how great our cars are. Unless I am asked, I do not walk around telling people how happy I am with my Volvo. I just drive it around.
Originally Posted by ejsmama
Ok, I'm not a current Volvo owner, but want to be. I've been reading and researching for months, but every time I tell people I'm planning on buying a Volvo, I get the same reaction "Don't do it ! They're too expensive to repair! They break down all the time!"
So is this really true? My husband and I put 150,000 on a Mazda, then 110,000 on a Subaru. No problems, breakdowns, or repairs other than the recommended maintenance, new tires, one water pump.
Now I need a new (used) car and really love the Volvo XC70. We have one child and don't currently have a dog, but probably will again. We live in Denver and travel a lot to the mountains. The Subaru Legacy wagon was the perfect car for us, but I'm more drawn to the style and saftey of Volvo.
So I'm coming to the source - Volvo owners. Please tell me your experience with Volvo reliability and repair costs.
Also, I've read here and elsewhere to avoid the '01 - true?
Thanks for your help!
Also I think that the price disparity between maintaining and mending European and Japanese cars is narrowing quite quickly. It used to be that Japanese cars were quite cheap in terms of their repairs. However, I begin to see more and more people who drive Japanese cars complaining about their repair bills. Friend of mine used to drive a BMW and decided to get rid of it becasue of high repair bills. He bought a Prelude and after four years of driving it, he decided to get rid of it and get a mercedes because he claimed that having his prelude cost him as much as having a BMW, and the quality of ride was not the same.
Ta-ta, janusz
Last edited by philosophicaldreamer; 02-06-2005 at 08:46 AM.
Second gen., Nautical Blue XC70Volvo: "Anything else just isn't up to it" and Wife's Volvo S70: "In manual Transmission She Trusts"
I agree with everything said here.One thing to add- our 2004 XC70 has been problems free (so far) for 30,000 miles
2004 Volvo XC70- Prem, Tour, Nav, Xen, tow hitch
Looking at these posts and similar threads, I notice that all the "satisfied" comments relate to the Volvo "brick" models and products from similar generation products.Those days are (long) gone.
"We" all have to realise that current vehicles are inherently less reliable than '80s or '90s vehicles for two reasons:-[list=1][*] Demands from governments for safer cars[*] Ditto for emission regulations[*] Demands from customers for more and more features
(Monty Python joke buried in here...)The only way that manufacturers can meet these requirements is the wider use of "electronic" systems to control (1) and (2).
Electronics open the way for better features in (3). Look at the current discussions under the HVAC topic; for a system to control one's environment to what you would expect logically requires a hell of a lot of computing power. You, being human turns the A/C up or down. The poor computer says, what the *splat's happening; has the passenger said more heat?, is it raining?, is the sun shining? is it cold outside? has the idiot opened the moonroof? If so THEN adjust the system to counteract those (and other events).
We wind the buttons, but WE (subconsciously) expect the car to know what is required.....The same applies to breaking, transmission, entertainment, and... and ... and...
When the computer gets it right we're delighted, when not, we complain and the car / electronics get the plain.
Bummer.
Get real folks, demand from all angles for better this and that add to complexities, and in most of our lifetimes mean equipment failures - which cost....
If you want reliability, then you have to go back to a previous generation vehicle - but with modern production quality control.
'Problem is that that sort of car ain't made any more, not agricultural tractor, or real pickup truck or ... anything - even Volvo.
The best you can do is to find something with good engineering quality at a reasonable price and live with its service and repair costs.
You can't expect a modern car to last for xx years anymore, anyway in xx years we'll have run out of fuel and will have to revert to the horse and cart. How long is the working life of a horse? 5-7 years, mebe?
Think on't folks....
Remember there have been many posts here stating that their own xx model xx is "Perfic", and of course we never hear from happy users 'cos they don't know about this site - no probs, no need to search... Thus we get the black picture.
For the record, my:-
740 No problems
760 Rust, things broke after 16 years...
850 No probs:
V70 Series 1 No probs: STC was useless
V70 Series 2 ditto
V70 2.4T lovely, Vroooom No probs
V70XC ditto, ditto, ditto
XC70 Lovely, fuel filler surge, xmission flare but only becuase I noticed problems could be fixed hereGet my point....
Last edited by TrueBlue; 02-06-2005 at 01:08 PM.
Mike.
Mine: XC 70 Sport 2009 D5 Inscription Electric Blue.
VNS, DSTC and 4C, BLIS, LDW ventilated leather ACC; Yummy.All gone now - XC70 MY 13 SE LUX Flamenco red - goes better than the '09 even with its "Polestar plus" upgrade. I justy miss the PCC...
Hers: V60 Flamenco Red 215HP D5 (like above XC70 spec)
Looking at these posts and similar threads, I notice that all the "satisfied" comments relate to the Volvo "brick" models and products from similar generation products.
Those days are (long) gone.
"We" all have to realise that current vehicles are inherently less reliable than '80s or '90s vehicles for two reasons:-[list=1][*] Demands from governments for safer cars[*] Ditto for emission regulations[*] Demands from customers for more and more features
(Monty Python joke buried in here...)The only way that manufacturers can meet these requirements is the wider use of "electronic" systems to control (1) and (2).
Electronics open the way for better features in (3). Look at the current discussions under the HVAC topic; for a system to control one's environment to what you would expect logically requires a hell of a lot of computing power. You, being human turns the A/C up or down. The poor computer says, what the *splat's happening; has the passenger said more heat?, is it raining?, is the sun shining? is it cold outside? has the idiot opened the moonroof? If so THEN adjust the system to counteract those (and other events).
We wind the buttons, but WE (subconsciously) expect the car to know what is required.....The same applies to breaking, transmission, entertainment, and... and ... and...
When the computer gets it right we're delighted, when not, we complain and the car / electronics get the plain.
Bummer.
Get real folks, demand from all angles for better this and that add to complexities, and in most of our lifetimes mean equipment failures - which cost....
If you want reliability, then you have to go back to a previous generation vehicle - but with modern production quality control.
'Problem is that that sort of car ain't made any more, not agricultural tractor, or real pickup truck or ... anything - even Volvo.
The best you can do is to find something with good engineering quality at a reasonable price and live with its service and repair costs.
You can't expect a modern car to last for xx years anymore, anyway in xx years we'll have run out of fuel and will have to revert to the horse and cart. How long is the working life of a horse? 5-7 years, mebe?
Think on't folks....
Remember there have been many posts here stating that their own xx model xx is "Perfic", and of course we never hear from happy users 'cos they don't know about this site - no probs, no need to search... Thus we get the black picture.
For the record, my:-
740 No problems
760 Rust, things broke after 16 years...
850 No probs:
V70 Series 1 No probs: STC was useless
V70 Series 2 ditto
V70 2.4T lovely, Vroooom No probs
V70XC ditto, ditto, ditto
XC70 Lovely, fuel filler surge, xmission flare but only becuase I noticed problems could be fixed hereGet my point....
Hence, to be a contrarian, which is my nature,let me say that I am certain that you are correct that more complicated our cars get, more stuff there is to break down. However, history seems to be quite mixed in this regard. Heck . . . I will say that history teaches us that things are indeed getting better, despite the fact that we tend to complain about modernity and postmodernity. When I bought my first 1984/245 volvo a lot of people at that time were telling me not to buy Volvos because they were not like 164s and they were more complicated and cost more to fix. Now we look at the same cars and we say that they were bullet-proof and easy to mend. Well . . . again . . .this was not what people were telling me about 240s when I was buying it. Yes, everyone said they were safe but high maintenance. Then 850s showed up and the die-hard fanatics were saying that 850 was a demise of Volvo. So I kept driving my 240, since this was a "genuine" Volvo. Now that we look and 850s are no longer made, we hear people saying well . . . 850s were great Volvos now that V70 are here, which are the demise of reliable 850s
. Well 850s have proven themselves as cars that could go as many miles as 240s. It is not that unusual anymore to see an 850 with 250K-300K miles. When I bought my 965 and then V90, everyone was telling me not to get them because they are not like 850s, i.e., they had too much electronics. Well, these two volvos were great and you can see 960s and even V90 with 200K miles on them. I don't see a reason why our XCs could not be as reliable and enjoy longevity as all those previous models have. I think that I would argue that history always looks brighter from afar. The fact is my 240 Volvo was never as reliable as 94/960 or 98/V90. Yes, 240 was a very good car but it had its own problems. Remember their bloody air-conditioning units. You rarely saw a 240 with a good working air conditioning. As far as running out of oil is concerned, I believe this was what people were saying 1978-1979 when they were queing up. From what geologists tell us we will discover faster the alternative fuel sources than run out of oil in the ground. As some one said here, GO AND BUY A VOLVO . . . if you come to hate it, we will deny that we encouraged you to to get it. If, on the other hand, you come to love the car, we will be there to take our well-deserved credit for your wise decision.
Ta-ta, janusz
Last edited by philosophicaldreamer; 02-06-2005 at 01:55 PM.
Second gen., Nautical Blue XC70Volvo: "Anything else just isn't up to it" and Wife's Volvo S70: "In manual Transmission She Trusts"
Are Volvos Expensive To Repair
Source: https://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?5660-Are-Volvos-repairs-really-expensive
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