I leased my first ever vehicle last September and it just so happens it's a 2020 Volvo XC90 T6. I love the car, and one of the reasons I went for a higher-end vehicle than all of my previous cars (I had a Ford Escape) was to get premium service from the dealership, such as the loaner vehicle they said they'd always offer when my car was in for service.

My Volvo needs its first 10,000 mile service appointment and they're telling me that there are no loaners available because of the chip shortage, that they only have 5-6 new cars on the lot these days and they're saving those for new customers and rarely giving out loaners so that they can keep the miles low on vehicles. They said they can call me an Uber while my vehicle is being serviced. In my mind, this is saying, "We want to work on getting new customers and forget about making our existing customers happy."

I'm really disappointed. I had explained to the sales manager when I leased my Volvo that one of the main reasons I was in his dealership, along with visiting BMW and Mercedes and Lexus as I chose between the four, was because Ford had promised me they'd always offer a loaner or rental when my Escape was serviced if it was a recall but then they didn't follow through and offer me one. That for the six years of ownership I had argued with them to no avail and I was done, that it was just ridiculous that a company would make a promise and not keep it. I said I wanted a company that followed through on their promises. And the idea of not just a rental, but an actual loaner of another high quality Volvo while mine was in the shop really appealed to me. The sales manager assured me they would follow through.

Last winter I needed service and they gave me a rented Infiniti. I accepted that, no questions asked, since it was the midst of the pandemic and I understood there was a shortage of vehicles on the lot. But now we're nearly a year later and they're still saying no loaners, it's Uber or, I guess if I pushed, a rental. But that's very time consuming to go get a rental for a two-hour service appt.

What is everyone else experiencing at their Volvo dealerships and are my expectations too high?

 

Your 10k service is an oil change (and check tires and other fluids)

It's a 1/2 hour job, 1 hour with the free car wash.

Sure it's nice to not have to wait - but there is certainly not enough profit in a 10k free service (volvo cars North America pays for it) to pay for a loaner car. Maybe not fair - but if the profit is used for a free loaner car, the prices for customer pay work will need to be higher - and you could be one of those after your 3/36 free stuff is complete. That would not be fair to the customer pay people or you 3 years from now..

 

I understand the amount it costs them, so then why did the sales manager promise me that they'd provide a loaner whenever I brought my car in for service? Sure, he got my business for a 3-year lease, but he'll never get it again.

 

The sales manager probably didn't anticipate a chip shortage and car shortage. The nerve!

 

Uh - He's human? And as a salesman he wants to make you happy.

The sales manager is not at the top of the totem pole so, unfortunately if things change those lower on the pole take the blame.

 

The global chip shortage started in mid-2020, altho it didn't directly affect auto supplies until early 2021. However, auto mfgs knew it was coming since they'd already cut back on car orders earlier in 2020 and had a smaller supply. So if a lack of vehicles was going to directly affect the availability of loaners, the sales manager knew that in September 2020 when I purchased the car.

My original question is whether Volvo normally gives loaners for service visits. Or if I was sold a false bill of goods.

 

No, the sales manager did not know there would be a loaner shortage and high demand for used cars.

Loaners vary by dealer.

 

My son just had his 2000 S40 in for service it took 2 days to get a new PNP switch to the dealer for the repair so he got a loaner. Dealer gave him a 2022 XC60. Talk about a change in life style.

 

Maybe that's the difference between customer pay repair work and a free oil change!