Abu Dhabi Off-Road Club Forums

OK, so I guess this is a topic many of you will have thought about before...

The Volvo XC90 just ran out of warranty three months ago, and has been in to Al Futtaim Volvo for its first service since then.

Surprise! Suddenly a whole lot of expensive problems have been discovered that weren't revealed on the last service during the warranty period.

Certainly, Vovo parts are more expensive than after market parts, but of the total AED10,000 estimate, labour accounts for 6,500. It's a matter of replacing the crank oil seal, arm bushes, torque converter screws, and a few other things. It think Volvo is probably charging far more for labour than an independent shop would.

Now that the warranty has expired, there is not the problem of after market service voiding the warranty. So does anyone have any reason why I shouldn't (or couldn't) go to an independent shop for this? maybe because they couldn't get decent parts for it? Or some other reason?

If not, would anyone like to recommend me to an independent shop for an on-road car?

Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions

Tom

The only reason to stay with Volvo maintenance is for their expertise.
Also keeping it under dealership maintenance might increase the resale value.

Replacing an oil seal, arm bushings, etc doesn't require a Volvo expert.
But when it comes to the computer, engine management, etc a Volvo dealer might be more knowledgeable than other mechanics.

Any good mechanic should be able to source original Volvo parts.


Good luck

Did you ask them for a warranty extension and how much this would be ?

Otherwise no idea about Volvo

This issue is very common between owners of cars such as VW, Audi and Volvo. The average service which will cost few hundreds in American cars will cost four or five thousand in these cars. What I find starnge is the labor cost(6500) that means the labor cost is 65% of the parts bill which is too much . I think a good mechanic will do the same
job of the dealer with less cost.

Dealing with an outside mechanic, you should know exactly what is needed to be done in your car, and how can he do it .. Otherwise, they go with trial and error ... And you will be visiting this mechanic at least once a week ...

A delicate car like the Volvo, better to do it in the agency ... Yes, you can change oil and filter outside (Go for Total - Al Masaood not ADNOC) .. But other service, do it in the agency .. Trust me, you will save more

I am in the same predicatment with my Skoda Ocativia. Should I give it to Ali & Sons or to an reputated independant garage? After much consideration & thought, I have decided to go with the repuated independant garage. Namely, Max Garage in Dubai.

These guys are experts in their field. They do work on alot of different cars. They even do complete restoration work on Classic & modern cars. I have used them a couple of times for my Dodge Durango. They are much cheaper than the dealer & will be honest with you in lettiing you know what needs to be changed now as in immediate & what can be done at a later stage.

However, Do Not & I mean Do Not try any of this rif raf garages you find here & there in Musaffah. You may find your self with a bigger & longer repair bill in the long run. This, I say from experience. Have had two bad experiences, one ending up with me having to scrap my BMW as the repair bill was just not ending. However the issue was not that complicated prior to giving the car to the garage for an engine over heating problem.

I strongly suggest Max Garage in Dubai. You can look them up on the net as well.

If you need any further assistance, let me know.

Cheers,
Bruce (Cherokee)
+971 50 491-623-1

Well, again, there are complicated things in the new expensive cars that needs special expertise to solve it .. I don't know how is Al Futtaim service but let me tell you what happened to me last week.

My porsche Cayenne is maintained under with the dealer Ali & Sons .. My car is 2008 so it was out of the warrenty and I have to pay AED 6500 for one year warrenty extension which was done in 2010.

I went 2 weeks ago to renew my warrenty for another year, the guys were very busy and said that I have to keep my car for check up, which I refused because I needed the car these days.

After 4 days, while I was in Abu Dhabi Mall, my car refused to start ... It was not a battery issue ... I tried several times to reset the security system .. But no hope and my car had to stay over night at the mall on Friday till I cal the agency sat morning .. (Note the car was parked at the mall underground parking, Gear on "P", so you cannnot tow it and a recovery car will not be able to enter the mall parking due to low ceiling)

I called Ali & Sons in the morning, they send a team to pick up my car, the disabled the security system and started the car .. Took it back to the agency and called me after 2 hours saying that there is a problem in the security system and I have to change the steering coulmn which have the main device for the system. But my car is out of warrenty, they will check how much it will cost and get back to me.

Next day the called me and guess what !!!! The part will cost AED 24,000 and the labour cost is AED 6,000 Which means AED 30,000 to fix the car, in addition, I need to change my rear brake pads (1400), rear left Rod (800) extend the warrenty (6500) and do the car sevice (2400) total 11,700 ... So to fix my car, it will cost me AED 41,700 which is a price of a modified well maintaned TJ And by the way, I get a special discount in Ali & Sons.

2 hours later I recieved a call from Ali & Sons saying that the steering coulmn will be done under Good well so it's free of charge All I have to pay is the 11,700 for the other works ... which is acceptable (Car service is done every 25,000, so an annual expense of 11,700 to maintain a porsche i.e. 1000 a month is not expensive)

Now if my car was fixed out of the garage, they will change everything in the car before reaching the main problem and no good well ... and I will pay over 50,000 dirhams to fix it (If they know how to)

Accodring to this experience, keep maintaining the car with the agency, you don't know what might happen to it

Porsche eh! All this to look forward to, good result for you though.

Mac wrote:Porsche eh! All this to look forward to, good result for you though.

when can I test drive it on marina circuit of course

Wasabi wrote:

Mac wrote:Porsche eh! All this to look forward to, good result for you though.

when can I test drive it on marina circuit of course

If it was here with me in AD my friend you could drive it everyday as fast as you could around the circuit, but as it is in UK.............sorry

Mac wrote:

Wasabi wrote:

Mac wrote:Porsche eh! All this to look forward to, good result for you though.

when can I test drive it on marina circuit of course

If it was here with me in AD my friend you could drive it everyday as fast as you could around the circuit, but as it is in UK.............sorry