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Another novice question ALL

posted by  someone claiming to be Zeusay on  Fri Jan 26 16:30 CST 2001 [RELATED]

I posted this on the RWD forum and I thought I would put it here too for feedback:

Many of the posts in this forum describe the intricacies, for lack of a better word, about Volvos. From what I have been able to gather, there seems to be a consensus that Volvos are easier to work on than other cars and most Volvo owners, at least based on what I have read here, perform their own maintenance. That said, could someone offer further explanation as to why they are "easier" to work on? Also, since I am an auto mechanics idiot, but always looking to learn new things, would a class at the local community college in auto mechanics 101 better prepare me to do my own simple maintenance? Or should I be on the lookout for a more Volvo-specific class? Is there any truth to the perception, widely held by non Volvo owners that Volvos are maintenance bills waiting to pile up? One person even remarked "Why get a Volvo, something is always tearing up on them and they cost and arm and a leg to fix. Sure they run forever but not unless you are planning to take responsibility for them like you would another kid." Again, I apologize for sounding stupid, I am just trying to ensure I am not at the mercy of someone else (mechanic) when I take the step and buy a Volvo. My auto mechanics knowlege is green at best.







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    Re: Another novice question ALL

    posted by  someone claiming to be Rollo on  Sat Jan 27 02:03 CST 2001 [RELATED]

    No truer words were ever spoken.. Volvos will run forever..at least a long time, if taken care of properly. You should and must expect to take care of some of the maintenance yourself. I just bought a local neglected '96 850 GLT, beautiful car in great shape except for the usual maintenance and wear items - tune-up, brakes, timing belt. The previous owners must have thought that they were taking great care of it. NOT! They failed to do even the basics: check the battery electrolyte, check/change the oil, never trust the "quickie lube" idiots, NEVER! These people failed to get the prescribed 60K and 70K routine maintenance. No timing belt, no tune-up, just rely on that great Volvo reputation. They only got $11,000 on trade-in for a car with 82K miles on it. I spotted the problems right off, and negoiated a very reasonable price.

    By all means if you have time, go to a night class to get the basics, these will apply directly to your Volvo. Get the manual, Haynes is probably the best for us casual mechanics, and follow it. Get some good tools that reflect what you feel you can reasonably do yourself. Change your own oil (see words above!). Volvo owners tend to be a weird, obsessive/complusive group that take things into more detail than most car owners. I think the parts do cost more and so do the labor rates, therefore the dealer shop bills will be higher. No better reason to learn to do it yourself.

    In 1980 had a 125S station wagon that made me swear to never own another Volvo, a beautiful pig it was. Now I have an '87 240 5 spd that is great and highly reliable and easy to work on. I just bought the 850 and I am wondering if I have just re-entered the dark nether regions again. Yesterday I did a lot of work, today I will do a lot more, but by Sunday I will have a really nice Volvo 850, safe reliable and economical.

    Good luck,

    TR






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