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Volvo 850 Wagons

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What is this discussion about? Volvo 850, Wagon

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#152 of 491 Pleae help by cjfairman Feb 27, 2001 (6:59 pm)
I have a 1997 Volvo 850 GLT Wagon. We truly enjoy this car with a dog and one year old. Ever since the warranty was up at 50K, I firmly believe that a time bomb has went off in this car. Here is a short list of repairs in the past 6 months. Catalytic converter $1065. Air Bag sensor $400. Ventilation blower motor $400. ABS sensor $400. Rear brakes $200. Engine cooling temp sensor $175. Complete transmission $2300. This is the major list and I've rounded some prices off to the nearest $100. In any case it is insane. We have absolutely babied this vehicle, including every singe 5k maintenance performed on the dot. The car has been 100% serviced at the dealer. It is not raced. It doesn't tow. We don't live in the mountains. We do absolutely nothing to warrant this type of failure of every major component. At last count the car has been serviced 21 times in the last 6 months. Every time the chech engine light comes on (bi-weekly) it costs $75 to diagnose. (approximately 2 minutes with a hand held device) I've written letters to Volvo of North America in NJ. and have spent way too much time on the phone. Is there any type of consumer protection agency or any form of lemon law type of thing that could help us out. I've never had such a terrible car. The funny thing is, we love the size, the ride, the acceleration etc, but the only thing that hasn't been repaired is the radio. Any help is greatly appreciated. You may email me directly at fairman44aol.com. I will gladly call anyone back to discus my options. Please help. Thank you all in advance. I've gain quite a bit from this board in the past. Chris Fairman
#153 of 491 cjfairman by tara Feb 28, 2001 (1:58 pm)
Have you spoken to the Volvo Representative that calls on your dealer? I believe they have one person that calls on both the Sales and Service Departments at a dealership. They should be able to offer an Owner Loyalty Certificate to buy you out of your current vehicle and put a certain amount towards your next Volvo purchase. It usually takes a great deal of effort on your part and several phone calls to the customer assistance center to document each repair.   I hope that may provide some insight... do you have any warranty remaining?   Tara Host Station Wagons Message Board
#154 of 491 by cjfairman Feb 28, 2001 (8:15 pm)
I will have an opportunity to ask that question tomarrow since the car is going in for yet another service. The check engine light has been on again the past two weeks. The car has been to the dealer each and every day for the past week. They think they get it done and put me on the road, and the light comes on sometimes before I get out of the dealership's driveway. Tonight I just kept driving and will take in back in the morning. As far as loyalty goes, I have bent over backwards making excuses for this car and giving the dealer the benefit of the doubt that this is rare, but after reading some of these posts and visiting other sites I think Volvo's quality is currently down the tubes. I have been very loyal to Volvo. Each and every repair is made 100% at the dealership and I even buy the $40 windshield wipers that I could get for under $10 at any auto store. But I want the "genuine Volvo accessories" to keep my Volvo in "top working condition". Loyalty has done nothing for me yet. I'd be willing to consider an offer, but I really don't want to own another. The pleasure I get from driving the car two days a week before it is back to the shop isn't worth the cost. I spent more time in the minivan the dealer uses for the shuttle to take customers to and from work. I bought a Volvo, I want to drive a Volvo, not this stupid minivan, although I can catch up on reading when someone else is driving me to work. Sorry for the long winded post and sarcasm, but it is my own defense mechanism for making light of a discustingly ridiculous situation. The world has far more problems than mine. I wish Volvo would do their part and save some trees. There is an entire forest on my desk that makes up my Volvo repair file.
#155 of 491 by cjfairman Feb 28, 2001 (8:18 pm)
To answer your question, no factory warranty is remaining, but I do have a one year parts warranty that covers nearly the entire car, since I've replaced almost everything and built a new Volvo part by part in the last six months. It would seem much more economical to put it all together at once, like in a factory somewhere. Didn't Henry Ford invent an assembly line or something like that?
#156 of 491 Interested in a Volvo Wagon by kandyfreak Mar 01, 2001 (3:17 am)
Okay, I have read some alarming post about Volvo mainly the V80? Well whatever 80. Anyway, I am looking at purchasing either a new or 3 year old wagon. I have a 9 month old son so Volvo's safety is a plus. Please give me any advice that you can. I would like to stay somewhere around 30 for New and 24 for used. Of course I will explore the price issue a little further but just so you know, what I was thinking. you can em-ail if you would like at jfirvinghotmail.com. thanks for your help.
#158 of 491 kandyfreak by lancerfixer Mar 01, 2001 (5:41 am)
Of course, even with the horror stories you hear here, there are tons of satisfied customers with Volvos (or any other car) that don't post here. However, given your price range, I'd say you would do well to look at either a Passat or Subaru Legacy, either the Outback or the GT.
#160 of 491 by cjfairman Mar 03, 2001 (5:51 pm)
156 of 158 warning to kandyfreak by cjfairman Mar 01, 2001 (04:34 am) do your research carefully and explore extended warranties. My wife and I bought our 97 850 wagon, which was at the tail end of the previous style. This would lead you to think that all of the kinks were worked out and refinements made. Look carefully through these posts for recurring problems. I always thought extended warranties were a complete waste of money, after all I didn't require one on my Subaru that ran to 130k before being rearended and totalled. I didn't need one on our beater car a 94 mercury tracer (125K and still going) I didn't need one on my old cavalier I drove in college, a honda civic, a mazda rx7......you get the idea. I have babied all of my cars and been rewarded with excellent service and hundreds of thousands of miles except for my first true "luxury" purchase an 850 glt wagon. I kick myself every day I go to the dealer for not extending the warranty. It is fun to drive, roomy, comfortable etc etc. I just wished I got to drive it. (The service department knows me by name and my phone # by heart.) Take whatever price you plan to pay and inflate it by about $3000-$4000 to fix. Those numbers are a conservative estimate, I've paided more in the last 6 months. Good luck. Drive Safely---as Volvo would say. I wished they'd just say "Drive" period.
#161 of 491 by spiker2 Mar 07, 2001 (7:33 pm)
I echo the grievance over the engine light disease in 850 wagons. Mine, a 1997, came on at 60K, past the warranty, of course, and cost me $400 for a tiny blower. So far, no other problems, but without the turbot, it is a slow starter. Am thinking about a 2001 or 02, V70, 2.4 turbot; should I, despite concern of high maintenance costs?

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