Bob,

I have to agree that looking at the posts on the net that it would seem that Volvo dealerships (in the US) are not that good, but I think the fact that people who are unsatisfied are much more vocal about their service than people who are happy with the service needs to be taken into account as well. I can't say anything about the dealers in the US as I live in Canada, but it has been my experience up here that the dealerships tend to be very good at their job and treat you well (even someone like me with two old volvos). It does seem that Volvo in the US has some work to do, but I also agree with Yannis in that not all dealerships are bad, if fact probably most of them are probably pretty good (it is hard to stay in business if the customers won't come back to buy another car from you or get service). I know that in Canada if a dealership does not keep its standards up it loses its franchise (or whatever its agreement to sell and srvice Volvo cars is called). I know of two or three dealerships that this happened to.

Also Yannis saying that Volvo is not his employer is technically correct, his paychecks do not come directly from Volvo but from the owner of the dealership, of course the money from the dealership wouldn't exist if not for Volvo so you aren't entirely wrong either. If Yannis isn't doing his job it is the owner of the dealership that will fire him not volvo, so he really does work for him (sort of like a fast food franchise employee, they aren't really an employee of the chain, but of the owner of that franchise). Of course if the franchise doesn't perform than the franchise agreement should be pulled and either a new franchise owner found or not.

Sorry for the long post.