Berkeley Parents Network: Volvo Advice

Hi there, We own a 91 Volvo which we got off of Craigs List last September. The car seems to be in pretty good shape given that it's got over 170,000 miles on it. We've yet to get a tune up and are wondering if anyone knows of a reliable place to do this. We don't want any work done necessarily. Thanks, Carrie

Recommended:

Ackerman's Volvo (2)

Montclair Auto Tech (2)

Walsh Bros

Super-competant Volvo repair service?

April 2005

I am looking for a recommendation for a super-competent, honest Volvo repair service in Berkeley. We have been taking our 10 year old station wagon to a place on Ashby for the last 2 repairs, and are very disappointed with their diagnostic ability and honesty re: certain work, which never seems to be done right. Can anyone recommend another? Karen

Recommended:

Ackerman's Volvo (4)

Bobs Volvo Specialists

McKevitt Volvo

The Model Garage

Rob's Automotive

Good Volvo mechanic in Berkeley

Feb 2005

I am looking for a good, reasonable, honest Volvo mechanic in Berkeley, and did not see any recent posts on the subject. Thanks. Ty

Recommended:

Ackerman's Volvo (2)

Auto Alpina

Bobs Volvo Specialists

The Model Garage (2)

Montclair Auto Tech

Mechanic to assess used Volvo

Nov 2003

Hi -- I am about to buy a 1993 Volvo 240 station wagon which seems to be in great shape. Can any of you recommend reliable, wonderful Volvo mechanics, who charge less than the dealerships, who can also do a car assessment for me? Can you also recommend who can do reliable, quality body work on this car? (Minor bodywork I may have done if the price is right.) I live in Berkeley so am looking primarily in the East Bay. Also looking for inexpensive insurance recommendations as I have not owned a car in several years and this was out of state, so I expect I will pay premium rates for at least 6 months. Thanks! Grace

Recommended:

Ackerman's Volvo (3)

Bobs Volvo Specialists

The Model Garage (2)

Montclair Auto Tech

Walsh Bros

Anyone have a Volvo XC90 or Acura MDX?

Nov 2006

We're considering buying a 1-3 year old SUV. Anyone out there have experience with the Volvo XC90 or Acura MDX? We've kind of narrowed it down to those two. I'm concerned about the Consumer Reports negative reviews on the XC90. Is it really that unreliable? I can't believe that after seeing my parents drive their volvo station wagon for years and years with few problems. We like the volve because of the safey feature (and I like rubber bumpers as opposed to the painted ones-ugh). I currently drive an old acura and like it, so that's why the MDX is on our list too. I'm already aware of the poor gas mileage of each (so please don't go there). Any advice/opinions about these cars would be appreciated. Thanks!
Never thought I'd get an SUV

Hi, I looked at both the Volvo and the MDX. We bought the MDX, because you can't beat Honda for quality. My husband owned two other Acuras and was very satisfied. With regular maintenance (which was always reasonable), they ran perfectly. I heard from several friends and my brother that Volvos tend to have little things go wrong. I just didn't want the hassle. We absolutely love the MDX. My only very small complaint is that sometimes it sounds like an old sofa when I go over bumps. The dealer has not been able to determine what it is. It's not a big deal, just a little irritating for a new car. It started happening within a few months of our buying the car. We've had it for almost a year and are otherwise thrilled. anon

i have an xc90 v8 and love it - with a couple of wishes. i miss the change drawer and sunglass holder in my old car. that being said, my car rocks. i take mine in the mountains in the snow and have taken it offroading - and it handles beautifully. i feel safe. the 2005 v8 had the anti-roll computer thing that bmw and mercedes has, so on that front it is safer than the mdx and the other xc90. but i don't know what the new models have. its fun to drive. i think the 3rd row compromises the leg room of the second row, but all of the space is smartly designed for maximum use - once i figured it out. car seats are not easy in the third row, and i think i did it without the bench seats. it has a built in toddler seat that can kind of move forward which can be cool. and the middle console can be removed to provide more legroom for a middle passenger in the second row. one bummer is i need to pay for running boards after paying HOW MUCH?!?!?! so my daughter could climb in and out. and i was bummed to have to pay volvo for their cross bars so i could attach my ski rack. i hear the back-up camera is nice on the MDX, the sensors are fine on the volvo. i would probably buy it again. julia

Hi. I have a 2005 XC90 and considered an MDX as well. I think the MDX is a slightly better value (i.e. what you pay and what you get for that), but the XC90's 7-passenger seating really came in handy for me when I had to shuttle around in-laws this summer, plus you can't beat Volvo safety. On the minus side, my XC90 has had 4 recalls in the time I've owned it, the rubber cover on the parking brake pedal came off and refuses to stay on when I try put it back on, and just recently the driver's side mirror won't fold all the the way out after being retracted. Still, I'm satisified with the XC90, just not jumping-up-and-down-this-car-rocks satisfied XC90 owner

We had the Lexus 330 only one year, and sold it because it was too small. We bought the MDX, after several people who owned one, recommended it with high reviews! We love it and couldn't be happier. We thought about the Volvo, back before we bought the small and pricy Lexus, but 2 seperate people complained about mechanical problems and that's the last thing a mom of two wants to deal with. Go for the MDX Happy customer

I've had my MDX for over four years now and I love, love, love it! I have absolutely no complaints about it. It's comfortable to drive, roomy without being obnoxiously large, and the cargo area is bigger than on other mid-sized SUVs. The only mechanical problem I've had involved the transmission, which went out just after I went over 50,000 miles. I've taken all of my Acuras (the MDX is my 4th) to the Oakland dealership for maintenance, and they replaced the transmission for free, even though the car was out of warranty. I would not hesitate to buy an MDX (or any Acura for that matter). Trixie

Purchasing and owning a new Volvo

April 2005

I was wondering what kind of experience anyone has had with the purchase of a Volvo at McKevitt in Berkeley and owning a volvo in general. Thank you in advance for sharing. dj

I haven't shopped at McKevitt, so can't comment on that. I can say that their service department is very friendly and customer-oriented (though not he cheapest). R.K.

We did ''pick up at the factory'' thing in 1997 and loved it. The McKevitt salesman was familiar with all the nuances, including how to save big on sales tax and customs. Free shipping home. We saved about 20% and had the car for a month of driving around Europe first. When I stopped by six months later, the salesman had no idea who I was, but that's OK; we weren't looking for new friends. We had it serviced at McKevitt until the warranty expired, then switched to someone closer to our home in El Cerrito. The car is 8 years old and running well. If it ever dies, we'd do the same thing again. John

We purchased our used Volvo wagon at McKevitt. The overall purchase was OK, but we discovered that the salespeople (2) we dealt with in the used car area didn't know a heck of a lot about these cars. We discovered a number of discrepencies in what we were told when looking through the owner's manual once we took the car home.

As far as owning a Volvo, we weren't very happy. It is a luxury car, and there are some features we miss, such as turbo and seat memory. But you pay the price for that luxury. Services are far more expensive (even if you go to an independent Volvo service place, which I recommend) than for Japanese cars. Also, the model we had, a '98 V70 turbo wagon, just wasn't very reliable. Every time the ''check engine'' light went on, which was often, my husband would say ''Well, there goes another Thousand Dollars.'' If you go to the snow, the model we had did not use regular tire chains, you have to buy a $500. ''spikes spyder'' traction control system. It consists of a hub you put on your front wheels (or have a mechanic do it) that stays there through the winter months. Then there is a plastic ''wheel'' that fits onto the hub when you're in chain conditions. They are easier to put on than regular chains, but more of a hassle getting set up for them, plus they cost far more than conventional chains.

We live in the Berkeley hills, so there is lots of wear and tear on our brakes in any car we own. On this Volvo, we not only had to replace brake pads and rotors often, the car went through tires like crazy. We had to purchase new tires every year! Also, this car (unlike our Japanese cars) stranded me 3x in 3+ years of ownership. If you're accustomed to a reliable Japanese vehichle, watch out and make sure you can afford not only the purchase price of the Volvo, but also the high cost of maintaining it. (And the associated towing fees!) Will never buy another Volvo

Volvo X90 A good thing?

April 2005

We are considering getting a VolvoX90, the SUV. If you have one please let me know how you like it. We would like to do the factory pick up in Sweden if you have advice on that also.

You should think twice about a Volvo XC. Consumer Reports considers some years' models among the worst used cars. We have the 98 version, and it's the most unreliable car I've ever had. I keep it because it's safe, and we don't really want to car shop right now, but it's in constant need of repairs (has 55,000 miles and is on its FOURTH battery) and gets only 12-14 miles/gallon (mostly city driving). Before you consider a third row seat, be aware that Volvo recommends that passengers in the third row be within specific weight and height limits - which coincides with the range that should be using a booster seat. Since booster seats must face forward, the third row ends up being a non-usable seat (if you follow safety recommendations). R.K.

Buying an old Volvo

August 1999

You know you're a mommy when you decide it's time for a Volvo. I'm interested in finding a 240 DL 2 door sedan, circa 1982-on. But before I start looking to buy, I'd like to do a little research. Can anyone tell me if there's an enthusiast's manual or a website (searches have turned up nothing but sales boards -- no pictures), or even a book out there that I can buy to bone up on what to look for, what's a fair price for a 20-year-car that (ideally) has been well kept up? I even have to pin down what year I want to look for. C'mon guys, I know you old Volvo drivers are out there! Thanks for any advice you can give. Cheers, Julie

Check out the Model Garage web site. They have recommendations for years and models that I found very useful when researching used Volvos. In fact, they have specific caveats about 1982 DLs, and other cars in your search range. http://www.modelgarage.com/yrsmodel.html Jerome

The Model Garage keeps Berkeley's old volvos running. See http://modelgarage.com/yrsmodel.html Phil

mommys don't drive 2 doors! ;-) anyway, my experience when deciding to buy a volvo (because of a new family member) was: I called various local volvo shops, and talked to mechanics asking what year is best & why. what to look out for problem wise etc. I usually start the conversation out with "do you do per-purchase inspections & how much is it" then proceed to ask them a bunch of questions. they think you will take it to them for the inspection (which you might indeed do) so they will spend a little time on the phone with you. sometimes these shops will even have what you are looking for for sale, or they can hook you up with someone of their customers.

I ended up with an '87 240 wagon new enough to have the cool headlights, but old enough not to have the computer crap or power windows. I was told that '87 up they started putting more & more computer stuff in the cars & they at first were unreliable. and also early ones were less reliable mechanically. So I think '85 - '87 was the "sweet spot"

Maybe you could get one of those cool 2 door chop-top versions, forget what they are called, Bertone or something . . . . black vinyl low top - cool, breaks thar conservative volvo mold a little and it sounds like you are a little more "sportif" since you want a 2 door. http://web.inter.NL.net/hcc/F.D.men/volvo262c.html (here's a photo of one)

Here's a parts site, which you will need with a 15 year old car:
http://www.volvoworld.com/

some other volvo pages:

http://web.inter.NL.net/hcc/F.D.men/volvo262c.html
http://www.mindspring.com/~khouser/vpage.htm
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/KRickert/linkpage.htm
http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/7458/research.html
Good luck, let me know what you find/buy/decide on & why Larry

Check out Edmunds.com for auto information on all types of vehicles. You can also link to auto-by-tel for purchase information for new cars. We've bought three cars this way and have had hassle free transactions at below invoice prices that were negotiated before we even set foot in a dealership.

A two door car with a kids car seat is incredibly annoying, in my experience. I have a very reliable '85 DL four door, which is kept running by Montclair Auto Tech. Ali, the mechanic there, tells me that when I am ready to buy a new one he can hook me up with someone who is selling one he has taken care of. You might check with mechanics to see if they have a list of cars, or on the bulletin boards in Volvo Shops of which in Berkeley there are a plethora.

Volvos in Berkeley come at a premium, so expect to pay more for a fifteen year old than for most other vehicles.

A great source for used cars is www.craigslist.com. This is a bay area only list, which has individuals selling their cars. We got a great deal on our new (well, '95 and new to us) car through them. Myr

One more thing, whatever the general recommendation is about years and models, individual cars vary significantly. Check it out or have someone you trust check it out. Phil

Carseats in a Volvo

1987 Volvo sedan without tether anchor

My daughter is just about ready for a bigger car seat (she's in the infant carrier kind right now.) I'm looking for feedback about the Britax "roundabout" or the "Alpha Omega" by Cosco, specifically with regards to safety, ease of use, installation etc... Also - we have a 1987 Volvo sedan and I've been told in order to use new car seats we will have to have "anchors" installed so we can use the tethers that come with the new car seats. Any thoughts on where to have this done? how much it will cost? Thanks Gabrieal

We also have a 1987 Volvo (but ours is a wagon) and we had car seat anchors installed about 8 months ago by the folks at McKevitt Volvo/Nissan. They were very knowledgable telling us a couple different options for how they could install them. We chose one and they did a good, quick, and fairly inexpensive job (I think it was $40 for installing two - we have twins). We did call around to a few other Volvo mechanics and generally they didn't have much experience with installing teather anchors. Michael

See Ali at the Volvo place across Telegraph Ave from Casper's in Oakland (maybe about 55th Street?); he can retrofit any Volvo to anchor a Britax. Essentially he juryrigs them using a web strap loop you can get from Britax (and should have gotten with the seat if it's newer than 2 years), or he uses a kit that sells for $15 or so from Volvo. Once you've seen it done, it's very easy to do yourself. Laura and Stewart Note from Myriam: Ali owns Montclair Auto Tech. His phone number is 510/654-3888.

I drive an '88 volvo--the Britax Roundabout works fine, and is easy to install. Rockridge Kids can direct you to a guy who installs the tethers (I forgot his name & #). Elizabeth

Where to put the infant seat in a 1980 2-door Volvo 240 DL We have an old (pre-airbags) 1980 2-door Volvo 240 DL and I'm having a hard time figuring out where to put the infant car seat: The back seat has in its middle a pull down armrest. I have heard that it is NOT safe to put the infant car seat in front of this but it should be buckled into the side seat area on either side of the middle. Can anybody confirm this? I'm hesitant to put it next to a side "wall" instead of putting it in the middle as I have always heard where they should be installed. Furthermore, somebody told me that since there were no airbags, that I could put it in the front passenger seat (rear facing, of course) but that makes me too nervous. Any advice would be appreciated, especially if anybody has had to deal with this same car type and scenario. Also, does anybody know of any places you can go to have the car seat checked to make sure it is installed correctly? Thank you. Liz

I drive an '88 volvo--the Britax Roundabout works fine, and is easy to install. Rockridge Kids can direct you to a guy who installs the tethers (I forgot his name & #). Elizabeth

More Volvo Advice

Soheila

I did a search for a Volvo mechanic when we moved to the East Bay in '98. I called and spoke with The Model Garage, Walsh Bros., DH Walsh Automotive, Grandma's Garage and Ackerman Volvo--among others. I asked all the same list of questions of each and included an estimate for a repair. I ended up getting service at three of the shops I interviewed. I got my doors worked on ($473 and never fixed) by Grandma, my waterpump changed by Walsh Bros., and my doors fixed by Ackerman's. I liked Ackerman best and have gotten all work done by them ever since.

Walsh Bros did fine work. They have a big shop and clearly do lots of Volvos--but they are hard to get into quickly (because they are so busy). They are too rushed to explain what they want to do or have just done. Bruce Ackerman is my choice. His rates are pretty much the same as Walsh Bros and the other "specialists". Bruce no longer works on cars--he runs the shop and spends his time with customers. Unlike Walsh Bros, his shop is still small enough that he isn't rushed and frenetic. After my telephone interviews Bruce was my first choice, but I wanted to give a woman mechanic the benefit of the doubt. Then, I went to Walsh because their volume is so high I figured they get plenty of practice. I was uneasy about Ackerman's because they seemed so competent but had so little work--I thought they must have a bad reputation.

I started out by having Ackerman's check my ailing battery. They did fine work and seemed honest, so I had them look at the doors Grandma had worked on. The mechanic took about five minutes to diagnose the problem (remember I had already spent almost $500 on these doors). When I looked skeptical about such an easy mechanical fix they took me outside and showed me exactly what they planned to do and why. Oh. Not only that, if the mechanic had been wrong and the work had not fixed the problem--I would not have been charged! I think they call it a guarantee. Finally, I took my car back for a major tune-up and a "look see". They identified all the big stuff I already suspected and a few little things I didn't. In the last year-and-a-half my 16-year-old car has run perfectly and my maintenance costs have been easonable (not low). Bruce and his mechanics are great!

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