[xyx0826]

I applaud his efforts to document this what must’ve been a nightmare of a case for him. But it felt like a lot of the wording is speculative or hyperbolic in nature and aggressively tries to paint Volvo in a bad light. For example:

“Analysis of Volvo's Final Response: This response … confirms Volvo's complete abandonment of customer responsibility…This is Volvo's definition of ‘customer care’ in 2025.”

“Center Display Failure - Critical Interface Blackout: Main Controls Inaccessible”

“Climate Control Malfunction - Climate System Override: Controls Unresponsive Despite Interface Status”

“Complete Center Screen Malfunction - Total System Breakdown: Hard Reset Failed to Restore Screen”

I know little about Volvo or this case; I’m choosing to offer them some benefits of doubt. Comms and decision making are prone to break down on the corporate ladder. Volvo had no doubt fumbled his case badly but I’m not convinced it is indicative of the company’s overall customer support policy. Sure, the main touchscreen had failed. But how is this an “override” of HVAC or a “total system breakdown”? And what’s the “system” anyways? On top of all that, these subtitle summaries smell like AI.

I don’t deny that Volvo has a lot to answer for. Though the choice of these instigating descriptions might not be the best one giving the author is actively pursuing litigation.

[gwern]

> But it felt like a lot of the wording is speculative or hyperbolic in nature and aggressively tries to paint Volvo in a bad light. For example:

Part of it is that he clearly used ChatGPT or Claude to write the prose. (I really should not have to explain how, despite not reading the OP at all, your example quote alone establishes that. You see this kind of hyperbolic unordered list/checklist all the time now. This seems like more of a Claude tic, but could also be ChatGPT due to sheer base rates.)

Being sycophantic and ordered to write polemic, a LLM'll go overboard.

[NegativeLatency]

I don't think I'd spend 150k for a car, I imagine it would create a certain sense of entitlement, but he does sound pretty annoying.

It's just an order mess-up, but opening with stuff like: "Sent a formal complaint to Volvo Canada on January 16, requesting escalation to Managing Director Matt Girgis. Volvo Canada never confirmed this escalation." is a vibe.

[Demiurge]

He puts down a deposit, and waits almost a year, then experiences multiple delays. He seems to be experiencing multiple issues before he requests escalation. I don't think he opens with escalation request in a second email. His vibe seems to be of someone being ignored and just told to deal with it, and not willing to just accept something less than the original agreement.

What would be a "better" vibe than requesting an escalation? if you buy something and you don't get something you've bought? Just say "oh well, it is what it is"?

[phil21]

Ordering a custom car build from a factory is an experience. These sorts of delays are not uncommon, and there just isn't much anything the US or Canadian divisions can do about it most of the time.

That's for basically what amounts to supercars. I imagine a normal luxury car for the "mass market" like the EX90 is going to get even less attention.

For someone not used to it, I can see it being quite frustrating if their dealer is not totally up-front about what an allocation and build timeframe actually means.

A deposit is really not anything more than giving the dealer a bit of assurance that you will actually buy the car they burned their allocation slot on when it arrives - vs. them using it for a more standard common build that has a wider market for it. You are under no obligation to buy the hot pink on light blue custom color options you ordered should it arrive and you decide it looks horrible, for example.

It's a strange weird scene. I followed this on various car forums when I was planning on ordering a custom spec for my "dream car" a while back, but decided to just get something not quite optioned how I'd like it off the lot instead.

[robertlagrant]

> there just isn't much anything the US or Canadian divisions can do about it most of the time

This sort of thinking about the internals of the business isn't necessary. They're paid to be there; they need to manage their suppliers, internal or external.

[Bud]

Having a very expensive car just randomly roll to a stop on a highway is a "vibe", too. More of a vibe than anything we might reasonably claim to be picking up from this guy, I would opine.

[sho_hn]

FWIW, as someone working in the area, his language is fine for me. A headunit main display wedging itself is often called a "hard reset".

I'm quite mystified how systemic failures like the throttle response and ESC failures can occur.

I don't think we should blame the customer.

[belval]

Eh the author is coming from a place of emotion (considering the effort put into the website) so I would definitely cut them some slack on the fairness of their reporting. The owner is telling their story, not a journalist.

> But how is this an “override” of HVAC or a “total system breakdown”?

Complete failure of the throttle would fall within total system breakdown to me.

> Comms and decision making are prone to break down on the corporate ladder.

Businesses do not deserve the benefit of the doubt, they aren't human. If their support ladder broke down to this point that it is fair game to name and shame and up to them to do a PR push and fix their support.

[Freedom2]

Referring to GP, is there any other type of HN comment than one that completely ignores the human emotion, instead wanting to focus purely on technical and specific pedantry?

[crooked-v]

The throttle suddenly cutting out on the highway sure sounds like a "total system breakdown" to me.

[dzhiurgis]

I agree it's not deadly critical, but if you can't pass state inspection with broken screen/engine light/broken stop light then case is clear.

[Demiurge]

They have cars these days that put essential climate, infotainment, and other controls being a screen. This could be a lot worse than just a false positive check engine light.

[dzhiurgis]

In Tesla's speed and "engine" warning lights are on screen. IMO it's not really critical, given you can reboot the screen while driving. There aren't any "controls" on screen, idk what you are waffling about.

[subscribed]

This is Volvo being discussed, not Tesla, and the very specific controls are shown in the article linked.

Idk why you're pulling this non sequitur and then discussing with it?

[dzhiurgis]

> They have cars these days

Who is “they”?

[voxic11]

Wrong electric car company...

[loloquwowndueo]

A lot of the language and wording on this site it’s not actually the author’s - most of it is AI-generated. The “analysis of”, which is actually longer than the letter it analyzes, is a glaring example.

[bjacobel]

It’s clearly written by AI.