The answer to the question – are Volvos expensive to maintain – depends on your comparison criteria. For instance, if you are comparing the maintenance cost of Volvos with mainstream brands like Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai, the Swedish automaker’s cars are more expensive to maintain.
On the other hand, if you analyze them against the luxury brands like Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, they are cheaper to repair and retain. So, what is one exact answer to the question:
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Are Volvos Expensive To Maintain?
Since Volvo is a luxury car brand, the overall maintenance cost is undoubtedly high. The price of its parts is nearly equal to most European luxury automobile companies like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW.
In Contrast, if you match the cost of repair and maintenance with the standard Japanese and U.S. cars, the price is virtually double as much. Most Volvo vehicle components need special software to run, and the access charges of these tools are excessive.
YourMechanic Survey on Volvo’s Tune-up
Although the Volvo cars get a position at the top of Your Mechanic Inc. list of most expensive cars to maintain, they are more reasonable than other posh marques except Audi. Over a ten-year time of possession, Volvo vehicles cost an average of $100 extra to sustain than Audi cars. However, Volvos are economical to keep up than others, such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, etc.
Moreover, when we see the top twenty models that are priciest to uphold, not a single Volvo car appears on the list.
What is the reliability score of Volvos?
According to Repairpal, Volvo cars have an “Above Average” reliability score compared to 345 car models across 32 marquees. They observed that Volvos visited repair workshops an average of 0.6 times a year, and just 6% of the overhauls were critically measured up to 11% of fixes for other makes.
What Volvo covers in its warranty?
In case you just have a fix done and something arises requiring a repair again, Volvo is happy to help. The company started offering its customers the Volvo Lifetime Replacement Parts & Labor Warranty six years ago. The program extends to repair and labor costs for components bought at an official Volvo dealer.
When you go for regular service and maintenance at a dealership, they might have to change specific components owing to wear and tear.
The Volvo Lifetime Replacement Parts & Labor Warranty does not cover such parts. Some of the components the warranty doesn’t cover are:
- Batteries (including remote keyless entry)
- Belts
- Brake Pads
- Bulbs
- Clutch Lining
- Filters
- Floor Mats
- Fuses
- Rotors (excluding run out)
- Spark Plugs
- Timing Belts
- Upholstery/rugs
- Wiper blades
- Tires (Check tire manufacturer’s warranty)
What Volvo components require the most repairs?
Furthermore, be mindful that some systems and Volvo components requiring most repairs are:
Electrical System: Seemingly, some of the cars come with sloppy electric wiring, leading to problems with different parts, particularly the taillights.
Timing Belt: If you like a hassle-free driving experience with your Volvo, experts suggest the replacement of a serpentine belt and its accompanying idlers at a proper time. A delay here can cause the engine to fail and would require replacement or rebuilding.
However, most new vehicles from the Swedish automaker come with a non-interference motor that does not pose a problem when the serpentine belt surrenders.
Front-end Alignment: For some Volvo cars, it can be serious trouble. Non-aligned tires can wear quickly, create noise while steering and may pose other issues along.
Apart from these, leaking sunroof and cracked housing of the front turn signal are also common problems most people face with Volvos.
How to Minimize Your Volvo’s Expenses?
Are Volvos expensive to maintain? You already have the answer, ‘Yes.’ However, we can cut expenses through redeeming features.
Volvo’s Maintenance Program
Like other automakers, Volvo presents you with a factory-scheduled maintenance program as a complimentary service. All vehicles come with three complimentary maintenance services for three years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first).
Besides, you can benefit from Volvo’s Prepaid Maintenance Plan, saving up to 20% of the upkeep expenses. That said, the company offers different coverage plans for different models. For instance, for the 2016 model year or newer Volvos, you can have two, three, five, or seven maintenance services for up to seven years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. For cars with 2015 or older badges, customers could have 3, 5, and 7 services comprising check at every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.
Volvo cars are very dependable, so they do not pose issues if you follow the maintenance schedule. They will not break down on the way so often, as evident from the study of RepairPal.
Don’t make repairs at the official dealership.
If your warranty is over and your Volvo needs repairs, do not get them from the company’s official dealership to save money. Instead, you can visit garages proficient in Volvo services. We also suggest you carry some of the maintenance tasks yourself if you have mechanical knowledge. Moreover, you can save money by purchasing Volvo parts from online stores or salvage yards.
Bottom Line
Volvo vehicles are indeed reliable, but since they lie in the luxury auto category, their maintenance, fixing, and repair cost is a tad more than average U.S. and Japanese brands. The reason is their costly parts and labor charges. While the reliability will offset these high charges, you still need to take care of your Volvo by following scheduled maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Makes a Volvo Costlier to Overhaul and Maintain?
We believe the two main aspects that can establish the maintenance cost of Volvo cars is how drivers drive them and where they are driving them. The more careful you are with your Volvo, the longer it will last.
What is the approximate cost of Volvo maintenance?
The average maintenance cost of a Volvo vehicle is around $800 per year, which is not bad for a brand that stands high in its safety credentials. Most cars from Volvo get top safety ratings from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS).
Why are Used Volvos cheap in America?
Volvos are cheap in the U.S. owing to their pricey parts and repair. One reason for this is the low supply of parts. However, these Swedish cars hold their value a great deal. The prime example is Volvo’s V90 Residual Value Award in 2019.
How to lower the Volvo maintenance cost?
You can lower down the cost through following ways:
- Choose an extended warranty that includes repairs and replacement of pricey parts.
- Benefit from Volvo prepaid maintenance plans
- Do you own maintenance if you have knowledge
- Go for the company’s maintenance program
- Do not forget the scheduled maintenance
- Com
- ply with the regular oil changes, Don’t skip minor repairs
