Dealer or Indy for repairs

[coopns]

Have to get 11' Volvo xc90 with 120k looked at for consuming too much oil. I'm not sure who should look at it...indy volvo dealer with solid reviews or local Volvo dealer. Price difference is $40...120 vs 160. I care but would rather get best service/advice. Would dealer have any other tools at their disposal that indy?

Thoughts?

 

[Graham Piccinini]

Have to get 11' Volvo xc90 with 120k looked at for consuming too much oil. I'm not sure who should look at it...indy volvo dealer with solid reviews or local Volvo dealer. Price difference is $40...120 vs 160. I care but would rather get best service/advice. Would dealer have any other tools at their disposal that indy?

Thoughts?

I would do some research for an independent Volvo shop with good reviews. Very often such shops work on Saabs too and any other Swedish cars, so that may help with the search. Most likely you're looking into a PCV system replacement. If you have the 3.2L inline six engine, then those are known for heavy consumption due to piston ring design. Only fix there is a ring job... Or engine swap. So definitely find someone reputable for the right diagnosis.

P.S. I got a 2010 Volvo XC70 with the 3.2L, just crossed 263k miles and zero oil consumption between 5k mile oil changes. So not every 3.2L is plagued with consumption issues, but majority is. If you have the 4.4L V8 though, then your oil loss is most likely due to leaks, as that V8 is known as a very reliable unit. Transmission is the weak point there though...

 

[jeepman3071]

Independent shop specializing in Volvos hands down. The dealers are usually only good for warranty work, or for repairing newer vehicles. Very rarely will you find a seasoned tech who has been there a while and knows the older vehicles well. Many dealers have techs fresh out of school who have been trained on only the vehicles on the lot. This is why it is important to get to know your technician. If there is a dealer tech who specializes in the older vehicles, or an independent shop, always take the vehicle to them for the best service.

 

[Passport1]

Have to get 11' Volvo xc90 with 120k looked at for consuming too much oil. I'm not sure who should look at it...indy volvo dealer with solid reviews or local Volvo dealer. Price difference is $40...120 vs 160. I care but would rather get best service/advice. Would dealer have any other tools at their disposal that indy?

Thoughts?

A very good friend of mine has a '11 xc90 and had to replace his pcv valve. He is a good mechanic and this job had him swearing at the car. If that's all that your Volvo needs fine. If it doesn't fix the problem I wouldn't be looking for a dealer or indy shop but a new Volvo. Part looks like this;

 

[JTK]

It's tough all the way around if you don't know who you're hiring.

I like the advice above. If it's an older vehicle like yours, I think you'll find non-dealer shops more accustomed to working on 10+ year old vehicles.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Independent shop specializing in Volvos hands down. The dealers are usually only good for warranty work, or for repairing newer vehicles. Very rarely will you find a seasoned tech who has been there a while and knows the older vehicles well. Many dealers have techs fresh out of school who have been trained on only the vehicles on the lot. This is why it is important to get to know your technician. If there is a dealer tech who specializes in the older vehicles, or an independent shop, always take the vehicle to them for the best service.

^^^ This

 

[Kestas]

Some of it depends on the individuals working on your car. With no inside info like this, I'd favor the independent shop. There's a good chance you'll talk directly to the mechanic.

 

[Zaedock]

I know there is a Volvo shop in Sudbury. About an hour from Scituate, but if they specialize it may be worth giving them a buzz.
A quick search shows its "Sudbury Volvo Service" (very original name).
I'm all over Boston and the burbs, so I'll keep my eyes open. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a good Indy shop in the Quincy area.

 

[coopns]

I sneaked in the back door of the dealership repair area and chatted with two of the tech's. Both were under 30 and just didn't feel confident that
they would know all the little tips and tricks of 'experience'. Maybe they do?

 

[Andrew1972]

Have to get 11' Volvo xc90 with 120k looked at for consuming too much oil. I'm not sure who should look at it...indy volvo dealer with solid reviews or local Volvo dealer. Price difference is $40...120 vs 160. I care but would rather get best service/advice. Would dealer have any other tools at their disposal that indy?

Thoughts?

Indy if they get decent reviews. The dealer will shock you on all the recommended fixes that come up not related to your issue at hand.

 

[Hall]

I sneaked in the back door of the dealership repair area and chatted with two of the tech's. Both were under 30 and just didn't feel confident that
they would know all the little tips and tricks of 'experience'. Maybe they do?

At least they were honest with you