Updated at: 07-07-2022 - By: Lucas

Volvos have been known for a long time as some of the most reliable cars in the world. Every day, millions of people drive Volvos.

But just like any other car, a Volvo needs to be taken care of.

Will it cost a lot to do this? Your questions are answered below.

If you want to buy a Volvo, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that when it comes to maintenance costs, Volvos compare very well to similar European cars like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and others.

On average, it will cost you just under $800 per year to keep your Volvo in good shape. Even though the average annual maintenance cost for other European luxury cars is $650, the difference is small enough that it shouldn’t affect your decision to buy or not to buy.

But we should point out that it costs almost twice as much per year to maintain a Volvo as it does to maintain a similar U.S. or Japanese brand vehicle. This is something you may want to keep in mind when looking for your next car.

The fact that most Volvos need very specialised parts and software is a big reason why maintenance costs are higher with Volvos.

Because these parts are so specific, it can be hard to find them.

So, when there are a lot of people wanting them but not enough to go around, the price always goes up.

Another good thing is that once you buy a Volvo, most of the time all it will need is regular maintenance.

We’ve done a lot of research and found that the average Volvo will need service outside of its regular maintenance maybe once a year.

Less than 10% of those times were for major repairs, which means you won’t have to spend a lot of money on repairs that come up out of the blue.

Average Volvo Maintenance Costs

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We’ve already said that maintaining a Volvo will cost you a little less than $800 per year, which is less than most European cars but more than U.S. cars like Cadillacs.

Most experts say that if you own a Volvo for 10 years, you will spend around $13,500 on regular maintenance and repairs that come up out of the blue.

Even though this seems like a big number, it is not.

Even though the average cost of maintenance is only $1,350 per year, this is still about $2,000 less than the average cost of maintenance for similar European cars over a 10-year period.

We’ve already talked about how most Volvos don’t need big repairs very often.

Most studies have found that the average Volvo will need a major repair 30 percent of the time in the first 10 years that it is owned.

Overall, over a 10-year period, the cost of maintaining a Volvo is only about $1,700 more than the average cost of maintaining other luxury cars in the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

The chance that it will need a major repair in the next 10 years is only 30%, which is almost 5% less than other cars.

So, you may occasionally have to pay more for a specialised part, but you probably won’t have to worry about repairs that cost a lot.

Typical Volvo Maintenance Schedule

Once you own a Volvo, you should have it serviced every 7,500 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. This is true for model years 2012 and older.

If you have a Volvo from 2013 or later, you should take it to the shop once a year or every 10,000 miles.

When you take your Volvo in for routine maintenance, a mechanic will usually change the oil with 5W-30 oil and also change the oil filter.

Also, the tyres on your Volvo will be looked at and probably rotated to make sure they wear evenly. If your Volvo has a touchscreen, the software for that will also be checked and updated as needed.

This is very important because the software is what keeps your car’s different systems running well and lets you know if there are any problems while you are driving.

If you drive your Volvo 20,000 miles or more per year or more, you will need to take it in for service twice a year.

But since you’ll be taking good care of your car, there’s not much chance that you’ll be hit with an expensive repair bill out of the blue.

Do Volvos Have a Lot of Problems?

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Even though Volvos have a good reputation for quality and dependability all over the world, they have some problems that seem to happen in many of their models.

For many Volvo models, the worst problems are when they use too much oil, when the transmission breaks, or when the engine stops working all of a sudden.

But these problems usually don’t happen until your Volvo has been driven between 75,000 and 100,000 miles or more.

The Volvo S80 seems to have more problems than other models.

From 1998 to 2016, when it was made, the S80 had more engine and transmission problems than any other Volvo car. Most of the time, repairs like this cost between $4,000 and $7,000.

People have also said that the transmission and engine on the Volvo V70 waggon break down.

Like the S80, most of these problems happen when the car has driven 100,000 miles.

Lastly, it seems that the Volvo S60 sedan has problems not only with its transmission and engine, but also with how much oil it uses.

The most complaints have been about the 2001 and 2012 models, which have been made since 2000.

But if you want to find a bright side to this, we think we have one.

Even if you have to get a major repair done on your Volvo, it’s likely that it will pay off in the long run.

Research shows that the average Volvo will last a solid 20 years if you follow the Factory Service Schedule and take care of any major repairs that may come up.

So, the money you spent to buy your Volvo and any money you spend on repairs and maintenance will be seen as a good investment.

Tips for Lowering Volvo Maintenance Costs

You don’t want to spend too much of your hard-earned money on car maintenance, so here are a few tips that can help you save money in this area.

First, you should always take your Volvo in for the maintenance it needs.

We know you have a lot going on in your personal and professional life, but if you don’t keep up with your car’s regular maintenance schedule, you’ll have to pay for a major repair down the road.

So, change the oil, check the tyres, and do everything else in between. Also, you should only take your Volvo to a service centre or mechanic who knows everything there is to know about Volvos.

If you don’t, it’s likely that a mechanic who isn’t trained to work on Volvos will cause you and your car a lot more trouble.

Next, pay special attention to the tyres on your Volvo.

Even if you take your car in for regular maintenance and have the tyres checked and rotated, you should still check your tyres from time to time for things like excessive tread wear, punctures, or other damage.

Also, don’t ignore strange sounds, knocks, or other signs that something might be wrong.

Even if it’s not time for your car’s regular checkup, don’t be afraid to go see your mechanic to find out what’s wrong.

Even if it turns out to be nothing, you’ll feel better about driving again.

Lastly, make it a point to drive smartly.

This means that you shouldn’t do things that put too much pressure on your brakes and tyres, since that will cause them to wear out faster than they should.

By following speed limits, avoiding as much stop-and-go driving as possible, and slowing down as needed when turning, you can keep your Volvo in great shape for decades.

Is a Used Volvo a Good Car to Buy?

Even though a brand-new Volvo will be pricey, you may have noticed that there are a lot of used Volvos for sale at low prices.

But that doesn’t mean they should be sent to the junkyard. In fact, it’s not hard to find used Volvos at low prices.

Most of the time, the used prices of these cars are so low because luxury cars, like Volvos, tend to lose value faster than other makes and models of standard cars.

Many Volvo owners decide to trade in their cars when they start to look old because they lose value so quickly

When this happens, buyers can choose from a large number of Volvos.

But some people don’t want to buy a used Volvo because the cars are already considered old, they need parts that can be expensive and hard to find, and they need to be serviced by mechanics who have been trained to work on Volvos.

Now that you have answers to all of your most important questions, it’s time to decide whether you want to buy a new or used Volvo.

Even though some models may have problems, Volvo did not get to where it is today by making cars that were not up to par.

When you look more closely at Volvos, you’ll quickly see that the pros of owning these cars far outweigh the cons.