by Anura Guruge
on September 22, 2021
Day I picked it up, April 14, 2021 (on left) & a few days prior to RETURN,
in ‘Shenandoah National Forest‘ on September 9, 2021.
I was looking for a new car earlier this year. I was steered towards Volvo because we needed a car to haul our Newfie. A couple of days after I started looking at Volvo’s online — thanks to the magic on online shopping tracking — I got a post on my Facebook timeline telling me about Volvo’s ‘Volvo CARE’ Subscription Program. It intrigued I. I liked the 4-month OPT-OUT option & how they handled the insurance.
I was going to get a new car in April. The 4-month was near perfect. 5-month was Goldilocks. My birthday is in September. So, my car registrations in New Hampshire lapse on September 30. So, if I got a 5-month lease in April I could just register it till September.
WELL ALL THAT WORKED OUT LIKE CLOCKWORK!
I picked up the Volvo XC60 on April 14, 2021.
I paid 5-months of lease payments. The 6th month’s lease payment was due September 14, 2021. I returned the XC60 to ‘Volvo Cars of Exeter‘ (painlessly) on September 13, 2021. I had done just under 5,000-miles. I was permitted 6,250 per the 1,250 miles/month provision. So, it was a GOOD DEAL for Volvo.
I will be brutally honest. Dealing with ‘Volvo USA’ was not as easy as it should have been.
Though they had, way back in March, assured me in writing that I can return the XC60 after 4-months, they were SKETCHY, to say the least, during the whole period I had the XC60. Those that know me (& there aren’t that many) know that I have contingency plans for my contingency plans. I try to leave very little to luck or chance. So, I sent a few ‘e-mails’ & got their responses in writing.
Volvo Cars of Exeter, in marked contrast, were OUTSTANDING. They were helpful & supportive throughout the process.
Well, it worked.
I was a bit tentative, maybe even nervous, for a few days until I got the letter. I had visions of them trying to CLAW more money from I. Not so. It worked.
Earlier today I logged into my Volvo account. The XC60 is GONE!
Bottom Line: Volvo’s short-term leases with CARE works.
P.S., I just noticed that Volvo no longer offers 4-months! They have extended it to 5-months. They probably thought IF 5-months was what worked for that brown guy then 5-months must be the magic number.
