Cut my losses? Yellow 2001 Volvo S40, I LOVE the YELLOW!

Hiya,



I am curious about whether or not to cut my losses and get rid of my 2001 Volvo S40 which I purchased 4 years ago as it came off a 3 year lease. I bought the car as a certified pre-owned vehicle from a Volvo Dealer in Massachusetts.



For the period the car was under warranty I never put a penny into it aside from oil changes.



In the past 1 year I have put nearly $2,700 in repairs (including a ridiculous tire and wheel repair due to a pothole the size of China in JP).



I wonder if it’s worth keeping or if this thing is going to increase in it’s new role as a money pit.



I have replaced; brakes, done a 60K service (the car currently has 80K), a bunch of ‘senors’, the battery (I know, not a big deal), thermostat, more sensors (how many does this car have?)…currently all 4 wheels are damaged and as a result my ride isn’t terribly smooth - looking at investing, but can’t seem to rationalize based on the awful roads here…



What is a single, 38 year old professional who loves her unique YELLOW Volvo to do?



PS - I searched HIGH and LOW 4 years ago for all the yellow volvos in MA - I feel like I’m the only one who appreciates the yellow - who is going to buy this car from me?

It sounds like you’re placing too much blame on the car itself. Most of what you have mentioned is not the sign of a bad car. Scheduled maintenance, brakes, battery, 4 damaged wheels, and 1 damaged tire due to potholes have nothing to do with the quality of the car.
I can’t comment on the sensors you mention because there are a number of them.

Any car you buy is going to go through the same expenses and they will also have dozens of sensors.

Everything except the wheels sounds like maintenance. Sensor replacement may have been preventative maintenance ( wasn’t needed immediately, but probably soon). If it took about 70,000 miles for the sensors to go, then you should have another 7 years before they need to be replaced again.

Contact your auto insurer to see if the wheel damage is covered. You might only have to pay the deductible. Your insurer won’t drop you for an unusual event like this.

You might want to examine your driving style. I drive in the same area, and for the last 5 years, all I can report is one flat due to a nail. When you see a pothole coming, slow down or steer around it.

Do you have those ridiculous 17"/18" wheels (pimp wheels)? Those are very prone to damage and offer no advantage aside from doubtful style.

If you damage your tires in a construction area you may have recourse with the contractor. I have a friend that got a wheel and tire replaced when he incurred damage caused by construction. I received payment from the city I live in when I cut a tire on a jutting piece of iron; just had to fill out all the claim forms and wait about 3 months.

If the roads in your area really suck, and keep damaging the wheels. Then why not simply buy a new set of cheap after market rim. I found some nice looking ones on line at tire rack for like $77.00 each.

There is nothing on that list that is the fault of the car. It is damage repair or maintenance. Damage repair and maintenance are a cost of ownership of every car. Did you insurance not cover the pot hole?

I might add that Volvos tend to have a little higher than average cost of ownership. A different one will not be any cheaper. Second many people fell they must be repaired or serviced at the dealer. This is the expensive way of doing it. They can be repaired and maintained by many independent mechanics who are no better or worse than dealers, but are almost always cheaper.