is the salesman lying to me?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ddog
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ddog

I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
 
Hi "ddog",

Where vehicles drive on the left, e.g U.K. but not continental Europe, cars
may be set up to counteract the camber of the road which might lead to
something like you experienced when such a car is driven on a U.S. spec.
road.

However I'd take your salesman's story with the proverbial dose of salt.
There are many other reasons for a four year old car pulling to the right.
and Volvos imported by Volvo into the U.S wouldn't fit the salesman's
description.

Have them fix the steering and test drive it again,................. if
you're still interested.

Good Luck.
Andy I. (nothing but Volvos since '58)




:I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
: steering wheel, the car
: pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
: a European safety feature.
: Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
: side of the road :)
:
 
ddog said:
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

If a car salesman's lips are moving, he's lying.
 
ddog said:
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

Never heard or read about inbuilt assymmetry in wheel suspensions in European
cars making them pull to the right.

If it pulls to the right:
1) road surfaces are usually not flat but lower at the edges so water moves
away. On a non-horizontal surface the car moves freely following gravity to the
side where the surface is lower. So on a small road you might feel the pulling
and it is ok.
2) If the right tire is underinflated, the car will also pull to the right.
3) On a wide road the slope should be very small, so pulling should not be felt.

I would not believe the salesman if he cannot support his statement with any
kind of reliable source and keep my finger off this car.
Regards
Viktor, Europe
 
yes, he is a lyer...why would the car
pull to the right...into oncommig
traffic??...make sure you advise his
boss what a "great salesman" he has
under his wing....
 
Is this at a Volvo dealer, if so contact Volvo Gothenborg, the man is a
lyer.

Robert, The Netherlands
Volvo 480, 850, V70-I,V70-II, XC90
 
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

That is utter nonsense. Run from that salesman and his car. Unless
you were on a steeply crowned road or accelerating hard the wheel
should stay centered.
 
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

Wow. I would have laughed in that guys face and then went to another
dealer.
 
ddog said:
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

Hard to say. What he said is wrong, though. On most roads, the wheel
alignment should make the car go mostly straight hands-off.

JRE
 
~^ beancounter ~^ said:
yes, he is a lyer...why would the car
pull to the right...into oncommig
traffic
Click to expand...

ddog is living in the US. Going right would make him end up in the ditch of the
road.
Viktor
 
ddog said:
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...
I would find a new salesman or a new dealer. Cars are supposed to go
straight when your hands are off the wheel. This is assuming there is
now crown in the road or ruts for the car to follow. Pulling to the
right may be due to various problems, low air pressure in the front
right tire, need for alignment (probably),steering rack needs work, etc.
Most probably needs alignment, but you won't know until you get it fixed.
HTH
 
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
Yes.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I mean Yes, the salesman is lying. He may not know what he's
talking about so he's making things up but a car pulling in either
direction is not a safety feature.
 
ddog said:
I took a 2004 C70 for a test drive today. When I took my hands off the
steering wheel, the car
pulled to the right. When I told the salesman about it, he said it was
a European safety feature.
Can this possibly be true? I'm in the US where we drive on the right
side of the road :)
Click to expand...

Total BS
 
~^ beancounter ~^ said:
yes, he is a lyer...why would the car
pull to the right...into oncommig
traffic??...make sure you advise his
boss what a "great salesman" he has
under his wing....
Click to expand...

One explanation of this I've heard is, if you fall asleep at the wheel,
you run off the road, not into oncoming traffic.

I guess it depends on how hard it is pulling to the right, and whether
the right is the side of the road.
 
One explanation of this I've heard is, if you fall asleep at the wheel,
you run off the road, not into oncoming traffic.

I guess it depends on how hard it is pulling to the right, and whether
the right is the side of the road.
Click to expand...

Well, I've had a *lot* of Volvos over the years of various models,
both RWD and FWD, and NEVER had one that pulled to the right when I
let go of the steering wheel.
 
4) The car needs a 4-wheel alignment! A car pulling to the right all the
time is a tell tell sign of this i think. Also tires wearing unevenly.
Keep in mind though tires in the front on volvos tend to wear faster than
on other cars. My s80 and my now s60 r eat though them depending on how i
drive. If you do decide to buy the car get them to toss in a 4 wheel
alignment for free. Maybe check that the steering wheel is centered
properly when the wheels are stright. The price for this is $70.00 at my
local dealer so it shouldnt be a big deal to them if your buying the car.
 

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