What Not

Today I had the privilege of selling a used Volvo to my parents. Dad was needing a second vehicle and had seen a 1998 Volvo V70 Cross Country on our website. So, he and mom drove up this afternoon to check it out. After a thorough walk-around, test drive, look at the underside, and a talk with one of our Volvo mechanics, dad bought the car for a fair price. It’s a nice car with a 190 hp turbo I-5 and the versatility of a wagon. With proper care, it should last for a long time. Thanks, mom & dad!

1998 Volvo V70 XC AWD

Where's my owner's manual?

What happens if you have a question about your car and the owner’s manual is missing? Some people go to the dealership and purchase one for $50-80. Others visit eBay and save a few clams. But what happens if you only want to spend $20? Not going to happen, right? Until today, I would have agreed. Owner’s manuals just don’t grow on trees. But today I found that they can be downloaded free of charge.

• Buick (1993-2009, 2010)
• Mercedes-Benz (2000-2010)
• MINI Cooper (2002-2009)
• SAAB (2000-09)
• Volvo (1965-2011)

Very nice.

I’ve had the privilege of driving some fun cars recently. The first was a Mercedes-Benz SLK280, which is a tiny car with a hard-top convertible. I took I-90 home from work with the top down and the side windows up and the noise wasn’t bad at all. Then today, I took the 2011 Volvo C30 R-Design to the Lake County Captains stadium to pick up our tickets. The parking space was perfect for a quick picture. Both were very nice rides (but probably better for someone without a family).

Click here to visit the show’s site.

P.S. Doesn’t the host remind you of Uncle Bob?

Check out the nice comparison of the newly named Volvo’s Safe+Secure program. With all that they are currently offering, it makes a lot of sense to go with a Volvo. Note also that Volvo is ranked as the least expensive luxury car to maintain.

“Volvo is excited to announce an unprecedented, Best-in-Class Coverage Plan that gives you five years* of ownership at next to no cost on all 2010 and 2011 models. It’s called the Safe + Secure Coverage Plan, and it offers tremendous value by saving you thousands of dollars on your vehicle repairs, and provides you peace of mind during your ownership experience. In fact, Volvo has the lowest cost of ownership of any luxury brand according to IntelliChoice.

“The Safe + Secure Coverage Plan offers you exceptional value and financial security that goes beyond crumple zones and airbags – it’s the security that only Volvo offers.

“It’s ‘Safe’ because it’s from Volvo, and it’s ‘Secure’ because you’ll be driving your Volvo virtually worry-free for five years. The Safe + Secure Coverage Plan from Volvo. Because you should feel as secure purchasing a new Volvo, as you do driving one.”

Volvo Cars US

If you had the choice of saving $5,000 off the price of a new Volvo or getting a 0% interest loan*, which would you choose? Once you get back up off the floor, consider this. Volvo’s new partnership with US Bank is making a big difference. When you purchase a Volvo C70, XC70, or S80 during the month of April, you have the option of saving the money immediately or over the life of the loan.

And while we’re talking about saving money, did you know that Volvo’s Safe+Sound Coverage Plan gives you an incredible 5 years or 60,000 miles of Bumper to Bumper Warranty, Factory Scheduled Maintenance, Roadside Assistance, and Wear & Tear coverage. On average that will save you over $6,000! Factor that in with the already incredible incentives, and purchasing a new Volvo now makes a whole lot of sense.

Looking at a different Volvo model? That’s not a problem. Volvo is offering incentives, loyalty benefits, and low interest rates on their entire line-up. And with all these savings, you’re left with a fairly easy question:

When should we expect you?

Your friends at Leikin Volvo
www.leikinvolvo.com

*0% interest based on a 700+ credit score and approved credit through US Bank and in lieu of $5,000 discount.

Geely has signed a purchase agreement to purchase Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company. The press release from VCNA says they plan to keep Volvo and Geely as two separate companies. They will also keep Volvo in Sweden. The deal will be completed during the third quarter of this year.

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The other news is that Volvo will reveal the new S60 at the New York Auto Show. It was recently displayed on the Regis & Kelly Show. They only spent a few minutes on the car, but you could definitely see the similarities between it and the new front end of the 2011 C30 and C70. They also mentioned that it has a pedestrian detection device which will brake for people like City Safety does in the XC60.

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We’ve been taking in quite a few SAABs recently on trade. And they are selling also. One of our salesmen is currently delivering a 2004 SAAB 9-3 2.0t as we speak. But we have five others available including a convertible and an SUV. Take a look at our website for a complete listing.

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We’re trying to use our own real estate to advertise our website. By this time next month you should see our domain name posted in several prominent locations at the dealership. And why not? If our own customers don’t know we have a website, who will?

Why does the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC cost approximately $5k more than a similarly equipped 2010 Volvo S40 T5 AWD R-Design? When you put together a chart comparing the two, that’s exactly what happens.

As I consider the two, it would seem that it comes down to size, looks, and economy.  We don’t currently have an S40 T5 AWD R-Design, so you’ll have to forgive me for using a 2.4i in the pictures below.  In any event, you can see that the S40 seems to be slightly smaller than the C300 Sport.  As to the looks, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  So, you’ll have to judge that for yourself. But I will say that the C300 has more of a luxurious interior than the S40. When it comes to economy, both engines have almost identical power, but the Volvo (19/28 mpg) edges the MB (17/24 mpg).

So, which one is the better car?  That depends on who you ask.  Both have the options you require, so your best bet is to schedule a test drive to see which would work best for you.

Irony is lost on fools and children.

In an earlier post, Marketing Volvo at the Auto Show, I mentioned the difficulty some patrons were having with my “Don’t Buy a Volvo…” article at the Cleveland Auto Show. A salesman suggested that I change the format so that people weren’t left with a question. But, after thinking about it for a while, that’s exactly what I wanted to happen. People should be moved to pick up the article and see what it’s about. In fact, veteran English/Literature teacher, Bruce Cline, agreed, offering the following comments:

There are fine literary precedents for your marketing ploy, but they often were lost on audiences that weren’t too smart; I think of Johnathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” (audience: British imperialists who were “feeding off of” Ireland’s poverty; suggestion: have Irish mothers breed and sell their children for food and “leather” [gives new meaning to the phrase "kid gloves, huh?]). Another one was called something like “Rules by which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One” by Benjamin Franklin. (audience: British imperialists who were mistreating American colonists; suggestion: keep doing exactly what you are by antagonizing already irate subjects, and your empire will become smaller!) Which leads me to think that eighteenth century British empirialists and 21st century potential Volvo drivers may have something in common…hmmmmm. That’s a little scary!

Thankfully, most Volvo customers are not like the casual visitors at the Cleveland Auto Show. But, if for some reason, you don’t understand a future advertisement … feel free to pick it up and read it. You might learn something.