With my 850 TDI 1996 van I had all jobs done up to now in a small one-man-show mechanic shop. The guy had been working among others for many years in a Volvo-shop (they still weep that he left) then opened his own little business many years ago where he repairs all brands. He does not do body work, electronics but up to now everything necessary could be done there at reasonable prices. Last week I had my oil changed, simple work, so I chatted with him during work. He has now finally bought an OBD-tester and told stories about what was simple one person´s work in earlier times can be complicated expensive work for several people nowadays. E.g. he mentioned that changing brake fluid in new Mercedes-Benz cars costs about 450 Euros, need three people to be done. There are cars where you cannot exchange light bulbs yourself any more - in the shop it takes an hour to remove front panels etc to have lamps changed.
My plan is to drive my 850 Volvo until it drops. Thereafter I definitely do not want to have a car with which I have to spend 120 Euros/hour in a dedicated Volvo-shop for every repair. How is the situation with newer Volvos? From which year on they cannot be fixed any more elsewhere than in Volvo shops?
Regards Franz47