I have been using the dealer since we purchased our 2010 Volvo V70 Rspec . The last 2 oil changes have not been satisfactory. One I had to add about 1/4 quart of oil to reach full mark . The last one took almost a full quart .
Always before the vehicle received a wash and an inspection to make sure service was done correctly. They now have a new service manager and they have made changes that just don’t seem wise.
I found an independent Volvo shop to do the Drive belt , transmission service and the vacuum pump repair . I just did not trust the dealer to do these which they did notice on the last oil change invoice. Of course it was cheaper but that is not a major concern we just wanted it done right .
I don’t know why the previous Service manager left but if she went to another dealer they will have made a good hire.
Yes , I know that the Volvo could be repaired by many shops but this shop does only Volvo and has done award winning restorations . Piece of mind is worth a lot.
Did you tell the dealership why you aren’t going back? The general manager probably wants to know. You might instead leave a review on the dealership website.
About a year ago, when I checked the dipstick right after an oil change at the dealership, I found that it was ~1/2 qt low. I could have gone back and had them top it off, but rather than waste time, I simply topped it off myself. Additionally, it was obvious that the tire pressure wasn’t checked/corrected after they rotated the tires because the front to rear inflation pressure difference was reversed. Instead of the specified 2 psi higher in front, the rear tires had 2 psi more than the front ones. Obviously, I corrected this myself, also.
When I got back in the house after self-servicing my car, I sent an email to the service manager about my dissatisfaction, and she sent back both an apology and a certificate for a free oil change & tire rotation next time. I was a bit skeptical, but–sure enough–when I went for my next oil change/tire rotation and presented that certificate to the service writer, I got that service w/o having to pay. And, there was no screw-up that time.
One of my first new vehicles was a 1980 Datsun Pickup. Took it in for a mandatory oil change at 3,000 miles or lose warranty. Glad that’s not allowed now. At 1500 miles I changed the oil myself to help engine break-in. When I picked up the vehicle I noticed that my truck was parked in the same spot I left it that morning when I dropped it off. Upon opening the hood, I saw the Fram filter I used. They never changed the oil. I went back in to speak to the service manager and he insisted that they changed the oil. When I showed him the Fram filter - he changed his tone. Within 2 years they were shut down by the state for rolling back ODs.
My uncle had some kind of persistent problem with his '60 New Yorker convertible, and two visits to the dealership didn’t resolve the problem. When he picked the car up after the second visit, he noticed that it was parked in the same place–at the curb–as when he dropped it off. So, on the third visit for that persistent problem, he placed a small rock on top of one of his front tires. Sure enough, when he went back to pick it up, the rock was still there and–sure enough–nothing had been done about that problem. His sarcastic comment about that dealership was that they “provided curb service”,
So, he went to a different Chrysler dealership, where they resolved the problem w/in a few hours. He was so happy with their service that he went to that dealership to buy two Imperials over the next few years. So, by providing crappy service, the original dealership lost two very lucrative sales.
While it may not bother some people this dealer’s new service manager did another change I don’t like . They have a very nice ground level waiting room that they used to use for every vehicle that came for service . They are just now only Volvo and Lincoln dealer . The Lincoln owners get to use that nice waiting room . The Volvo owners have to climb stairs ( as I have posted before I had a poor result from knee replacement ) to get to the checkin counter . The waiting small area for us Volvo owners is near the show room floor and next to the offices os closing for people buying vehicles . Not pleasant at all.
Segregating customers, based on how much their cars cost, is not a smart business policy, IMHO. I think that this will come back to bite them, at least when it comes to their Volvo customers.
My Hyundai dealer also handles the Genesis brand. Hyundai corporate prefers that each dealer have a separate facility for each brand, but if they dont, they require the dealer to have a separate waiting area for Genesis customers.
This 12 year old vehicle has only had one repair that was not normal service items . It still looks like new and station wagons are just not made much anymore .
Now if it was a problem vehicle that I was on here a lot asking for help then we would replace it .
If you don’t leave feedback, they won’t get better. When I worked at a Woolworths back in the late 60’s, they had a saying something like this. Nine out of ten dissatisfied customers will not complain, they will just shop elsewhere. Be thankful for the one in ten.
If you leave feedback, they might improve. Of course if they get defensive, they probably wont. But about those stairs, you might tell them that you have a disability and if they can’t accommodate you on the ground floor, there are plenty of lawyers out there that will accommodate you with an ADA lawsuit. ADA lawsuits are easy money for lawyers.
I did complain about the stairs when I was there . The reply was that I could use the ramp they had from the service drive . That would require a long walk to the other end of the building and then return through the floor room to the service desk .
Actually it does not really matter to us as Volvo does not have any vehicle that we would want now.
It was 1980 . At that time many brands would void warranty if you had any work done some where besdes the dealer . That is no longer required and 3000 mile oil changes were common then .
3000 oil change was the norm in 1980. Today the norm is 5k miles. But I’m allowed to do it myself. In 1980 the oil change MUST be performed by the dealer.