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Sure, it sucks being reamed by someone. But IMO, you set yourself up for failure by taking your car to a Volvo dealer.
The local Volvo dealer has an awesome parts guy here. Gives me a 20% discount (altho many other dealers will do that for VCOA members), very helpful in tracking down some obscure parts, throws in the small things (like oil drain plug washers) for free, etc. Even the service manager seemed to know a thing or two about the 240s. Would I take my car there for service? Probably not.
I'm a cheap SOB so I either do the work myself, or defer it. If it's something I don't feel comfortable doing or putting off I'll take it to a shop.
Just like there are good and bad dealers, there are good and bad indy mechanics. But the good indy shops tend to be better (especially with the older Volvos) than the good dealers. My favorite bad mechanic's last words to me were along the lines of "you don't want a 20 year old turbocharged car, it'll be nothing but trouble". Yet he loved my Taurus (which needed constant attention). Hah.
$60/hr is nothing to complain about, especially from a dealer. The guy I bought my car from offered to do work for $34/hr (his shop consists of him and his wife). He had a nice project car (2nd gen F body), but I just did not like him nor did I like his ignorant comments (turn signal blinks 2x.. oh all Volvos do that). I don't ever plan on going back.
OTOH my current favorite mechanic/shop owner charges a prince like sum of $84/hr. Expensive, but he meets my standards:
- I ask him to replace something, it gets replaced. If I ask for advice I get helpful advice. I don't get pressured to have work done, etc.
- Their courtesy shuttle is an older 765 turbo, the receptionist drives a 240, while I see other makes I almost always see Volvos in the parking lot. If they don't like the car, they surely won't do good work on it.
- He does not talk down to me, or any friends I've referred. Took a car ignorant friend there for a pre-purchase inspection on a Honda.. he explained what he found to her without a condescending attitude (he also avoided the "eww Honda" attitude I have). If your wife/girlfriend/daughter/female friend ever takes one of your cars in.. it's nice to be confident that she won't be taken for a ride.
- They've been in business in the same neighborhood for 30 years
- He remembered me, and my previous (disasterous) car without having to look at his records.
- They explain up front that they will not work on specific cars (no French cars and no Saabs) nor will they install ultra low profile (sub 45 series) tires. This goes back to the "if they like or know it they'll do a better job than if they don't like or know it" mentality.
I'm sure there are a few brickboarders in the Pittsburg area who could recommend a better indy shop. Two good places to start would be the brickboard/swedishbricks shop listings (altho the listings seem a bit out of date) and your local AAA office. At least with an AAA aproved shop you've got some manner of recourse with AAA who is more likely to take your side.
P.S. If you want OE Volvo parts Borton Volvo out in Florida does mail order and a straight 15% discount off of MSRP and has great customer service.
- alex
'85 244 Turbo | ~144.5k miles
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