Volvo Care Subscription
 

Hi Folks,

We are still waiting on our XC40 that we ordered back in October (PCP). Delivery date has been pushed back to April.

I have recently been reading about the Volvo Care subscription scheme. Does anyone have any experience of it?

Just wondering if it would have been better to go with this as opposed to the PCP.

Benefits I can see are:
Includes servicing
Includes Road tax
36 months as opposed to 48 month PCP
No deposit

Negatives:
No option to keep car at end of agreement
Higher monthly payment

Any insight would be appreciated.

Best wishes,

G

We are about to receive a C40 on the subscription. The main benefit seems to be they Volvo are dead keen to push the subscription. Ordered early November coming next week (put back a little to get the new reg)

PCP is a purchase, albeit the final bit is deferred (or never). The car is registered in your name, you get the V5, you have an interest in the car, it can be sold/PXd (these days with cashback) and some prefer that, despite the responsibility for the road tax and running costs. Usually a PCP costs *more* than a PCH (Personal Contract Hire) taking the deposit into account. But some prefer the comfort of knowing the car's theirs, albeit on a sort of deferred HP basis.

Care By Volvo is a deluxe PCH offered by Volvo direct and can be tailored to include *everything* bar fuel. You never own the car, you're leasing it. Like a holiday rent, but longer. You don't have the V5, so to cross the Channel, you'd have to get Volvo's permission. Some prefer the peace of mind with such an arrangement, and see it as a solution for the next 3 or 4 years whilst EV settles down. Volvo are pushing CbV hard, and favouring builds for that channel over retail. Personally, I think they see it as the basis of their future, online, direct, new car every 3 or 4 years, the returns going to emerging markets 🤔

CbV would suit us. We went into our dealer last November to discuss it with a view to collecting a car in March when our PCP went back (Skoda Karoq). We wanted a T3 auto R Design in Thunder Grey. They were happy to do it but said they'd an unallocated B4 coming in in the trim/colour we wanted and that if we were happy with a traditional PCH with them/VCFS and the 2.0 mild hybrid, we'd have it in 2 weeks. They'd settle the PCP with VWFS and give us £5k cash. Presumably they could have still taken our car in even on a CbV deal?

Well. That took about a nanosecond. Had the car 2 weeks later, and delighted with it. But it's horses for courses, and depends on how you see long term ownership v short term (relatively) renting.

YMMV, and as you've already "invested" 5 months wait time, you might want to stick with your current order.

For us, next car EV, CbV might well be our next deal if it's still going then, or straight PCH if not. Our days of putting down (or borrowing) £50k on cars are over, never mind the rapid changes in auto.

But that's us. Others prefer ownership 🤷🏻