questions about volvo

FWIW my dad is an engineer at Volvo and he even admits the reliability of the Volvo motor does not begin to compare to the cummins. He has worked in almost every aspect of the Volvo heavy truck division for almost 20 years. Our company has almost all Volvos and they refuse to buy any with the Volvo motor because "they are junk" from our service Mgr. About all I can tell you.

 

Everybody seems to be bad mouthing the Volvo. Exactly what is going to break? Who Makes the rears? Who makes the transmission? What Volvo specific items on this truck are supposed to be no good? Try reading about any of the new emissions/EGR motors, it seems they are universally despised. I don't own a Volvo, but I haven't seen any specifics listed, other than finding service? I own a Mack and I believe they are trading on their past reputation.

 

From my understanding it's hard to pinpoint and that's a big part of the problem. It seems that it's just one thing or another. No rhyme or reason or specific mileage.

 

After hitting enough bumps, rough roads, pot holes and whatever else you can do with a lowboy at contruction sites and jobs, that plastic dash will fall out and fall apart as well as all that ohter plastic in that truck, ask anyone who has had one over the road with rough interstates to travel how the dash will rattle and bang before it falls out.

 

the bad reutation of volvo motors is caused partialy by epa #### systems, on the other hand by lack of knowledge and experience with this motors and probably with some quality issues but who hasent them

 

Ummm, interstates aren't rough lol. They are flat and smooth comparatively. Taking your truck off the road onto a construction site or farm field is rough.

To the OP, personally I own a Volvo. I have not owned it for that long, and it has it's fair share of problems. My opinion is that any truck you own will eventually have parts break. I know Macks are known as #### tough trucks. But, most guys on this site are comparing apples to oranges. I can count on my thumbs the # of Mack Highway Trucks I see in one day going down the interstate, I wonder why? I see hundreds of Volvo Highways Trucks everyday. Now flip that coin over. I rarely see a Volvo Vocational Truck. Yet, I always see lots and lots of Mack Vocational trucks. My point here: you need to match the truck to the job.

I would also consider dealers/parts availability. So far I haven't been real impressed with my Volvo dealer, its about 50/50 hit and miss with the parts availability thing, and their shop service rate is astronomical! Actually, most of my trucks problems have come from parts Volvo didn't build, such as the Cummins engine, and drive train. Everything else that has broke has been non Volvo related.

I would avoid a truck with front suspension airbags.

 

You want Volvo problems?

I'll give you a list. Every 30,000 miles or so, you'll have to have the front end and everything else aligned. Electrical issues are very common, random headlights turning on, wipers going on, ground faults, they aren't common, they are a fact. Volvo VN trucks don't handle rough stuff very well.

Other than it backing up good, and the doors and dash not leaking air like a 'liner, I don't see much good in them.

Oh yeah. the Volvo engine falls flat on it's face grossed out.