Bought a used 2018 Volvo but turned off while driving

If you start out with this kind of trouble from the start, it sounds like a lemon that needs returning pronto. However, I am curious. You said roadside assistance got it started. Did you notice how or inquire how he/she was able to start car again? It could be a very simple problem involving electrical output, which went unsolved for various reasons. But as said by many…why take a chance. Carvana, as I understand it, is a vending machine type service for used cars. But my guess is, that you are still buying second hand from a dealer with high markups for profit. I myself, buy from private owners when wanting a used car. You can get some really sweet deals that way…and because of need to sell situations by the seller. You can also find some private sellers willing to sell their cars below wholesale value, because of mentioned dire situations. You may also want to consider this idea, since we are talking about a relatively new car being a 2018: If it were me, and this is how I get the best buy on new cars. It is now August 2019. The new 2020 Volvo’s or any new car are out now. I would buy a new 2020, with bargaining know how and power. There are various new car buying guides on the internet and book stores that will inform you on how to get the best deals when buying a new car. Most buyers will buy an end of year car (like a 2019 car now) thinking they will get a great deal. Wrong move! There are ways in which you can buy the upcoming model (2020) for less than the dealer leftover 2019. It is fun learning this, as well getting your best deal.

Going to try this again . Buzzguy decided to return the Volvo 6 days ago.

Nothing to see here people , move on.

2 Likes

I happen to disagree, with your notion of moving on…just because the person in question had their issue resolved. I thought this to be a information board or group, where helpful information is offered to help those who can use it. Those who may come to read a particular issue about another, may also be helped with things that they can benefit from. And especially so, if it closely related to the issue that drew their attention in the first place. I did not know that the time had passed on this particular decision, when reading the issue. Nevertheless, helpful information can be extremely useful for others reading a closely related issue. And it is not like, that I will be posting months and months after the initial issue was resolved.

2 Likes

don’t mind Volvo_V70, he can be grumpy on days that end in “y”…

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

2 Likes

They didn’t do anything special. They just tried starting it again, and it worked. It probably sat for about 20/30 minutes while waiting for them.
Yea, it was a good deal, and it had both the original warranty, plus the a warranty from Carvana, so potentially, we could have it fixed for free, theoretically, just our time and effort.

The only issues I would have for buying from private sellers is that there are no warranties like I would’ve gotten from carvana or a dealership.

It makes sense to me that a end of year car would have discounts, especially since they want to clear the old cars for the new models. What is the secret to buying a 2020 for cheaper than an older 2019? Very curious! and what buying guides do you recommend? thanks

No secret because it will be a rare occurrence kinda like seeing Bigfoot.

That is interesting since Volvo’s have a good reputation from someone who’s never owned a Volvo. Maybe the older volvos were built better back then in the 90s, but not up to par these days?

Take it from someone who–unfortunately–owned one of these money pits:
No, they were not built better in the '90s, or the '80s, or even the '70s.
These infernal machines have been unreliable, and expensive to maintain and to repair, ever since I had the misfortune to buy one in the '70s. And, they have only gotten more expensive to maintain and repair in recent years.

2 Likes

So do BMW - Mercedes - Jaguar but these are vehicles that should be bought new or leased and then traded or sold 2 days before the warranty expires.

So correct me .You say trade in 2 days before warranty runs out. This should be a sign not to buy one. Why take a big chance on something new when you logic of thinking say bail before warranty expires. I refuse to buy anything that I have to wonder will it cause problems or get me to point a to b .

What do y’all think about Volvo truck’,s back in the 70’s I drove one for 2 year’s the only problem was one alternator. I as I still see a lot of them on the road.was wondering. I have never had or driven a Volvo car.

Well I feel properly chastised but the advice for others is that if a rental company dumps a car after 5 months, there is an issue with it. Depending of course what the mileage is. If it has 30,000 miles on it and is close to losing the warranty in 5 months I can understand it, otherwise it is a red flag-for anyone seeking general information and not the OP.

Back in 1974 an exec at work bought a new Volvo. I had to listen to him complain every time the thing went back to the dealer for one thing or another. They’d keep it for days for fuel injection problems or whatever. Part of it was the crazy design of what had to be done to get to common components. He finally got rid of it and was a happier man after his divorce. I also knew a Volvo truck mechanic that loved the overtime needed for simple repairs. Of course there are other happy owners but I preferred not to take a chance.

It is not singular (secret), but plural (secrets). And you can save a ton of money, as well as having a fun loving informative experience. But you have to be willing to do your homework. There are so many things to learn, that it would be impossible to tell all here. But here are one or two that not everyone may be aware of: New cars can have periodic increases through out their new model year at the dealership. This is one reason you should buy that brand new car as soon as it hits the dealership. In my case, I bought a brand new 2015 Hyundai Sonata on July 6 2014…and a great car btw. Also factory to dealer incentives that the manufacturer gives the dealer can benefit you in your negotiations with a dealer on your new car. Their are all kinds of incentives and rebates paid to dealer by manufacturer to help with inventory sales. Did you know that a manufacturer pays it dealer a one time bonus of $400 to $500 for the expense of keeping new cars on his lot awaiting a sale. If the dealer sells that new car immediately, then all that money saved of the $400 TO $500 is his to keep. This is another reason to buy that new car as soon as it hits the dealer. You can have his savings passed on to you via negotiations. Each car manufacturer have their own list of incentives and rebates. You just need to research and find them for the new car you want to buy. Anyway, there is ample information on new car buying techniques in books and on the internet. New car dealerships have complained about a lot of these guides, because they infringe on their profits. So it is not surprising that many of these guides no longer exist. But here is one below to get your feet wet. Not the most informative I’ve read, but good enough for starters. Also, it is imperative to learn what the dealer paid for the car I believe dealer cost of new cars and their options equipment cost they pay, can still be found in Edmonds…or any publication listing new car dealer costs. Know the total cost dealer pays (including transportation, dealer prep, and advertising). Then subtract that from the MSRP equals his profit margin; you decide from that how much profit you want to give. But as expressed by me, you can go even lower that and also lower than his dealer cost (and consequently lower than last year’s model) by knowing all of his manufacturer dealer rebates and incentives…where he still makes money.

See article under how to buy a new car for the lowest price. Smarter answers.