QuestionHi. I have the chance to purchase a 1996 Volvo 960 with 70,000 on it for $1,000. I am told it is in good condition. I have not had it checked out by a mechanic yet. I know nothing about Volvos. My main concern is that Volvo repairs are more costly than my previous car repairs were (Corolla, Thunderbird and Contour). Is this true and if so, how much more costly? Would I have to have it serviced by someone who specializes in Volvos? I don't know who to ask - I just happened to find this site by accident. Hope you can advise me. Thanks for your time. Diane
Answer Diane, first, I would be afraid of any deal that is too good to be true. Unless it's your ailing Grandma, this probably has a "hook" in it. Flood car, theft recovery, etc.
Unless you can do the repairs, service etc. yourself, expect about double vs. your Toyota except for common things like brakes, exhaust, struts etc.
I would highly recommend a specialist for your repairs as I have seen a multitude of hack repairs from people who do not speak Volvo. They typically charge more, but are worth it! The Volvos are GOOD cars, but not cheap to maintain like your Toyota was. You pay to play, period.
If you are trully concerned about cost of ownership, I would buy another Toyota. Serious. Volvos are much nicer and much safer, but you cannot have champagne tastes on a beer budget! IMHO
Mark
