60 000 mile service

Roadie, it's good that you take the time to reply to posts. What isn't so good is your attitude. This guy makes a valid point: When I bought my '86 Civic new, and for the next ten years, dealer service was affordable - a bit more expensive, but more comprehensive. Then the prices started to rise, while the thoroughness actually dropped. Now it's reached the point where we can't usually *afford* to have a dealer do major service. I was recently quoted *$1400* for this sort of work on our 13 year old Camry wagon. I know that some of the techs agree: the dealers are driving people away, and cars are becoming less well maintained as a direct result, especially when the indie shops peg their prices close to the dealers.

Getting back to your tone: why are you so hostile? Are you a dealer? If so, why did you get all bent out of shape when I noted that Valvoline's oil change chain has been turned into a high-pressure sales multiple service center? Do you just take the contrarian position because it's more fun? I've been both asking and answering questions in the Volvo forum for about a decade, and one of the reasons I like it is that *most* of the people here are both helpful and genuinely nice. I'm not asking you to be nice, but how about "polite"...? "Not hostile" would also be fine!

Hey Roadie, glad you have money to pay dealer price for their service, as long as your happy with it thats all that matters...

I bought this car because its safe, 4WD and has room. fact is I never considered it to be reliable, any volvo for that matter but willing to live with it.... the service needed isnt different from service I needed on my 1972 POS VW. If it included: service fiberoptic Navigation and antenna coupler along with biturbo Central Processing Unit I think I'd have second thoughts but to me any shop with experience should be able to do this just as well as volvo, if not better. BTW, didn't mention that the $1000 service included rotating tires... that was the only think I knew how to check and they DIDNT do it.... I had to return 3 times to get that done. Do you know what they did with your car all day ???

All I did was ask if there are opinions about other places to get service and you gave me yours, much appreciated.

FYI I found a local garage who will do it 40% off the volvo price with original parts if any replacements are made and with all recommended oil specifications. they didn't offer me a loaner so I have to walk to Budget and rent a budget car for $29, I'll do that to save $300. I also got to talk to one of their customers who have the same model car and taking it there for 2 years since factory service expired.... its a mom and pop shop who service swedish cars for 30 years, think I might stick to that.

Salaries & wages Most dealer's do not pay there technicians the money they should be getting per hour. So please do not make it sound like we are getting paid top dollar when we are not. We are not guarantied 40 Hours so when business slows down we do not take home a lot of money . Example the labor rate @ our shop is $105.00 per hour out of that the dealer makes 80% of that the rest goes to our hourly rate I am all for people having a choice to repair their Volvo's as long the quality is the same. Glenn K Volvo Certified Technician ASE Certified Technician

I have been working on volvo's since 1980 & in the dealer since 1988 & I am not making a killing like most people think if i was making $30.00 an Hour I whould be happy but not close to that with all the years experience I have. Its getting harder to make a decent living working for a dealer these days you have no job security & as I stated above we are not guarantied hours so if there is no cars to repair I do not make any money as all dealers rely on the flat rate pay system

I was refering to the 240. I don't consider myself that good with repairs.

I'd be curious to know what this place is. I'm "married" to a few too many Volvos and would like to have a decent place to direct people to when I don't have time to take on the job.