Is one of those warranty deals worth it? Just bought a 98 V70 (T5) from a private seller. Also just spent $800 this month on repairs. It had a clean carfax record and was inspected before purchase. The $800 went toward new front brake pads, upper motor mount, and to fix the air conditioning. h, and an oil change. I don't think I bought a lemon, but I'm beginning to wonder. Can anyone share their experiences with a warranty? Did you use it with any regularity?

I haven't used it yet (only been a few weeks), but the rather high price I paid for a Volvo VIP 3/36 extended warranty is worth it for the peace of mind and no-hassle service I can expect for the next three years.

I can think of at least two items on the 98 70 series that have a fairly high likelihood of needing service in the warranty period: the driver's seat power mechanism has a tendency to become slightly loose and sloppy over time causing a fore-aft "clunk", and the AC evaporator and/or compressor may be suspect, depending on what redesigns, if any, were done on the system used on the mid-90's 850. Also, this is a small thing, but I shouldn't have to pay for any marker or indicator lights or sockets.

There are many relatively small items that have high parts costs with European cars (center cupholder assembly, for example: $60+). Also, labor on a heating/AC problem tends to be high because it often requires pulling the dash. 8 hours @ $75/hr. adds up. I think of it as an insurance policy and a convenience. I won't have to agonize over whether to pay for or put off any annoying little problems (not to mention debilitating ones). And VIP has a pretty good reputation for not quibbling; I think they also allow you to do your own scheduled maintenance.

I would definately consider an extended warranty. These cars need maintenance and its not cheap at the dealer.Also, not many independants are equipped to work on them yet.