<FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>I am looking at buying my first Volvo, probably a S60. I have heard different things about scheduled maintenance. One guy told me every 8 weeks to keep warranty valid? Can that be right? My only hesitation on buying is the cost of repairs. </FONT></P>


<FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>I would appreciate any feedback on this, thanks!</FONT></P>

 

First of all, I think most Volvo's come with a service plan that goes by mileage, not time. The factory scheduled maintenance that comes with all volvos usually breaks repairs down by certain milestones for mileage. An example from the Volvo site is as follows:
Scheduled maintenance coverage for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
The regularly scheduled maintenance services at 7,500, 15,000, 22,500 and 30,000 mileage intervals.

If you want more information, contact volvo directly and ask them what they want and require for their warrenties.

Secondly, be careful of the car you buy. A lot of the newer Volvo's have problems associated with them. For example, the XC wagon has problems with its transmission from what i have heard and seen. My aunt just bought a 2002 XC wagon and it has has major transmission work already. I have also heard that it has trouble shifting and is very sluggish in that department. In terms of the other cars, I have heard that various models from different years have been recalled for various reasons. The perk of buying a new car is the warranty, though i would very strongly suggest purchasing an extended warranty if it is offered due to the recent history of volvos. (ever since ford bought volvo out and americanized volvo, the quality of the car has seemed to decrease, at least from what it seems like).

As strange as this sounds, buying a slightly older car that is in good running condition might be more benficial in the long run. There are a lot of used volvos (pre ford days) that were still made in sweden and in great shape. Although they may need some original work on parts that are old, it seems that the older ones have less problems. Also a consideration is that most of the cars that volvo is producing now are fairly new lines. If you trace the history of volvo, cars like the 200 series were made for about 20 years. Buying a late model 240 is buying a car that has been time tested and improved. Plus parts are easy to find due to high volume of cars produced and the similarity of all the model years.

Overall, if you dont mind an older car, go with a volvo that is pre ford and might prove to last longer and carries a better history. If you want new and cant wait until volvo improves its current models after a few years of road testing, go for it but be aware that u might face trouble as their cars are not time tested like a 240 and are more american. If you go new, get an extended warranty.

Sincerely,
Mike
ps: let me know what u decide to do, or feel free to ask ne questions you might have