Cutting losses

[Adrian888]

I bought my first Volvo, a used V60 D6 Hybrid 10 weeks ago from a Volvo dealer so I had the benefit of what I hoped would be a 'good car'.

So far: V5 paperwork incomplete on collection, dealer could not tax the car so had to delay taking the car for 4 days.....
When I test drove the car the aircon wasn't working, promised it had been fixed. It hadn't - required a new aircon compressor. This was AFTER teh dealer delivered the car to me on the hottest day in June after driving it to me on a journey of 100 miles. Blatant lie from dealer.
Various random messages appear - battery low, alarm malfunction and now TPMS telling me I have low tyre pressures, I don't.
Twice failed to go, no power from engine or electric drive even though plenty of battery charge. After the first time this occurred Volvo initally said it was a software glitch only to change their mind and fit a new 12V car battery.
Happened again last night and TPMS message still showing.

Is this really acceptable in 10 weeks ownership?

The car drove fine to Prague and back last week, 44mpg and holding 100+mph on the autobahns mile after mile. Tows well too and being a R Design with additional options is very well specced But this is no good if I cannot rely on it. Time to tell Volvo to stick it or give one more chance to sort it? I have to say as things stand I will not buy another and could not recommend teh brand.

[eternal optimist]

Sounds like you’ve got a rubbish dealer.

The car’s got a problem somewhere; ignoring the (now fixed) air con, I reckon the other faults are all related to each other.

[WABB]

Key question here is how much warranty is left on the car? Your 10 week experience of both car & dealer is not good & I suspect dealer may be unwilling to accept return of car as to their mind faults will have been repaired. Suggest you push dealer (assuming a Volvo franchise) into paying or contributing towards extended Volvo warranty to at least give you some peace of mind for the future given the very poor dealer performance to date. If they are obstinate perhaps a mention of you detailing your issues & naming names on the VOC website as a last resort?

[Adrian888]

Under consumer law the dealer has a six month obligation to refund if faults are not fixed. The car has a Selekt warranty but that is irrelevant given the legal situstion. The selling dealer lied about the aircon repair and all faults are being dealt with at another Volvo dealer. Even Volvo UK technicians have been involved. Is it unreasonable to expect a car to work? An extended warranty doesnt cure the faults and doesnt give reassurance the car will be any more reliable. I have emailed the supplying dealer, Volvo UK and their finance company, again. The dealer from which i bought it is Johnsons of Solihull and the dealer who has dealt with repairs is Wakefield Riverside. I have little issue with them at the moment, they didnt sell me a rubbish car.

[S60RDesign]

So many approved used cars are faulty of all brands and it spoils what should be a special purchase. I've come to the conclusion there are more crooks than honest dealerships... Anyway it sounds like you've been patient so it could be worth looking at rejecting it, but I think you'd lose some money to account for the use you've had out of it. Could you try a proper mechanic and bill the supplying dealer if he can fix it? It could be something simple but incompetent technicians are reliant on what the computers tell them

[green van man]

Originally Posted by S60RDesign

So many approved used cars are faulty of all brands and it spoils what should be a special purchase. I've come to the conclusion there are more crooks than honest dealerships... Anyway it sounds like you've been patient so it could be worth looking at rejecting it, but I think you'd lose some money to account for the use you've had out of it. Could you try a proper mechanic and bill the supplying dealer if he can fix it? It could be something simple but incompetent technicians are reliant on what the computers tell them

First, find your competent mechanic, it's a hybrid and how many competent hybrid mechanics are there?

There has to be some of course but I suggest they are few and far between outside the dealer network and in my experience even within the dealer network competent mechanics are few with the electronics on cars nowadays. Computor says no merchants are by far the more numerous. With sensors at £300/400 a time the bill quickly racks up while they guess.

I feel this particular car is a money pit in the waiting and given the current lack of ability and high cost of labour within the dealer network I would return the car and walk away

Just my opinion of course, volvo are a prestige brand and know how to charge prestige prices at least, prestige service seems another matter.

Paul.