Is a Full Volvo Service History REALLY worth it?

[donpaulo]

Just wondered what folks thought? Personally, my 480 celebration is 11 years old, I bought it 2 years ago with a FVSH and have felt morally obliged to keep it up thus far (despite being perfectly capable of doing most of the service work myself!). As you will all know this is an expensive business, but I want it to keep it's top value as much as poss.

However, my last service/Mot cost me almost as much as i paid for the motor in the first place! Surely NOT cost effective. I am now tempted by my nearest non franchised Volvo specialist (40 miles away sadly) as a compromise, but am finding the decision a lot harder than it should be (I am a Scot after all!)

When I take mine into the dealer there's always loads of old volvos parked up for work, there MUST be something in it. What explains this overwhelming allure?

[imac]

On an 11 year old car, no it isn't worth it.

I always go by the following rule:-

0-5 years old Main Dealer service

5-10 years old either main dealer or Volvo specialist

10+ years old Volvo specialist or service yourself.


The two main reasons to keep the main dealer service history are resaleable value and having the edge if something goes wrong with the car and you want Volvo UK to contribute towards the cost. Both reasons aren't really applicable for any 11 year old car!

[ChrisGrant]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cost of service approx £300 I got my car for 4k i've seviced it 2 in the last 9 months that would be £600 where as doing it myself would have cost £125 is my car worth £475 more NO! but i now have £475 in my back pocket towards a new car so in about 3 years i'll have roughly £2.5K for my car and 3k saved! and I've now got 5.5k to buy a new one......................................

[ChrisGrant]

Originally Posted by VolvoT5

On an 11 year old car, no it isn't worth it.

I always go by the following rule:-

0-5 years old Main Dealer service

5-10 years old either main dealer or Volvo specialist

10+ years old Volvo specialist or service yourself.


The two main reasons to keep the main dealer service history are resaleable value and having the edge if something goes wrong with the car and you want Volvo UK to contribute towards the cost. Both reasons aren't really applicable for any 11 year old car!

About what i would do!!!!!!!

tho by about 7-8 years / 70/80k miles i'll do it myself!

[RobS60]

Pretty much agree with the above but I recently had my '96 850 T5 serviced at the main dealer for £99 inc VAT with the Volvo Essential Service see here:

http://www.volvocars.co.uk/salesands...al_service.htm

They dont seem to offer or advertise this too much but all dealers should be able to do it as far as I am aware...

HTH

[RollingThunder]

Unless I'm mistaken, what you're getting with the Essential Service is basically a safety check and an oil change... for £99+VAT ?

I personally wouldn't go for it - it smacks to me of looking for work to be done - which is OK as long as you're aware of it. If my parents had this service undertaken, I'm sure they'd feel obliged to let the dealer do any repairs they found, and at £60/hour and dealer parts prices it'd be damn expensive!

Bear in mind that main dealers don't in fact make a great deal of money from car sales these days - certainly not new ones - they rely upon the servicing and used car sales to support the business.

I agree with the previous posters - Main Dealership until say 80k or 5 years, then either independent or myself thereafter. Keep all receipts to prove work has been undertaken, and keep a thorough maintenance log - it always impresses buyers to see a notepad filled with dates, parts fitted, mileages and applicable receipts.

[swedish brick]

Hi,
I had a 1991 340 with a FVSH when I got it and it was a shame not to keep it up! but im a mechanic myself so did it all on my driveway instead. Just sign the histry book yourself and keep the receipt for the parts you used as proof that you did it.

All ive ever done is let a dealer service a new car the first few times to keep the warranty valid (just incase!). But then do it all myself after its maybe a few years old!
Never would I take an 11 yr old car to a dealer for ANY work, the money you spend you wont ever get back! If you can do it yourself do it and save the money for something else!

[RobS60]

[QUOTE=RollingThunder]Unless I'm mistaken, what you're getting with the Essential Service is basically a safety check and an oil change... for £99+VAT ?

Aww, c'mon be fair, they stamp the book as well...LOL! Oh, yeah and its £99 inc VAT...lol

[QUOTE=RollingThunder]I personally wouldn't go for it - it smacks to me of looking for work to be done - which is OK as long as you're aware of it. If my parents had this service undertaken, I'm sure they'd feel obliged to let the dealer do any repairs they found, and at £60/hour and dealer parts prices it'd be damn expensive!

Pretty much agree, I'd just bought it so I thought I'd let them check over it and it had FVSH from new so seemed a shame to let it go...
If they found anything I would do it myself or elsewhere for cheaper

[imac]

Services don't have to be expensive if you shop around.

I just had my 84k service on my D5 done by a main Volvo dealer for £208.12 all in including the use of a nice V50 2.0D for two days.

Most dealers wanted £300-400!

Shop around!

[1stRaven]

On an old car, no way worth it. I got my 740 for £350 which would be the cost of a services at the main dealer. Instead, I just buy the parts and do it myself.

Other problem is that my car is quite modified now and I doubt they would know what they looking at.