http://www.brickboard.com/FORUMS/uid=47826 The Volvo owner's resource since 1997. en Copyright 1997-2009, Jarrod Stenberg Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:49 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:49 GMT brickadmin@denizen.net brickadmin@denizen.net volvo 1440 http://www.brickboard.com/images/logo_b_25.gif http://www.brickboard.com/ 25 25 The Volvo owner's resource since 1997. Thank you so much. All this information really helps me. I am so grateful for your time. http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357897&rss=1 Fri, 3 Jul 2009 01:32 GMT OMG (Oh my GOD) I had no idea it was so easy to do that. I will see if I can have that done. I was going to pay for the inspection at the dealer's as part of the overall inspection I wanted to have done on the car to see what was wrong with it, since the two inspections overlap, kill two birds with one stone. In my state (Maryland) you go to a private facility to have the state inspection done, then a state facility for emissions. This of course leads to many "purchased" inspections, but I really need to know the status so I need a "real" inspection. To complicate my predicament, I saw a 95 850 GLT wagon today with 150,000 miles, runs OK but only has records for three years. They had it three years and 25,000 miles of a few long trips and other than that suburban driving. Prior to that, it was an auction car. They had all service performed at a Firestone shop, never went to a Volvo mechanic. They has the main seal replaced, the radiator replaced, the A/C compressor replaced. I am worried about timing belt and water pump, and tie rods - I thnk those are the things that go bad. I need to find a site that tells me what service needs to be performed at how many miles, etc. so I can get an idea of what it is behind on. Is there a place to look that up? Thanks to all helping me, I REALLY appreciate this. http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357718&rss=1 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 01:36 GMT Thank you. For the price, nothing in Baltimore or Washington metro areas beats it because of the relatively low mileage. That compared with service records and if the dealer comes back with the report that it looks OK I will probably go with it. If the charges to get it fixed are over 400 or 500 I will probably pass, unless the owner comes down on price. He does not appear to be hurting for money, so he may come down a bit more. In the meantime, I do continue to look. The recall throttle item was fixed - that doesn't come back again, does it? http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357616&rss=1 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 16:48 GMT By "MIL" do you mean mileage? The car has not been used much in the past two years because the man's wife died, and she was the principle user of the car. He does use the car, but has two others. I am trying to find out about how and why he thinks it is an Oxygen sensor that is the reason the check engine light is on. I have an appointment at a dealer where he took it for the last few services, they will give me the codes (on Tuesday, only six days away) but I will be forced into a decision right away because they do the State inspection ($100 rip off) but I would rather the dealer do the inspection than another unknown place because I know the dealer is going to be very picky and give me everything that looks wrong with it. So I will be spending about $350 already just for all the inspections ($125 just to scan it). So before Tuesday, I really need to know where I will draw the line and walk away. Timing belt and water pump were done at 111,000 (now at 119,000). I am the kind of person who gets a car and keeps it until it really won't go any more, like my 240 with 250,500 miles that now needs new seals. So I want to really love the car. I love the way it looks, it seems comfortable, and as to the gas mileage issue: other people with a light foot get better than the 18/22 gas mileage. I don't plan to floor it to use the turbo either. So I am expecting much higher gas mileage. (I would get nearly 30 mph highway with my beloved 240). http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357610&rss=1 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 16:38 GMT Thank you for respondng to me, I appreciate it. As to the AWD, I had no plans to turn it on EVER unless we got some huge snowstorm (I live near DC/Baltimore, this happens once every ten years). I was going to let sleeping dogs lie, as it were, on the AWD. Am I wrong in assuming that unless you turn on the AWD you are not tempting problems with it? Are you speaking from your own experience with one or are you a mechanic? http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357605&rss=1 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 16:20 GMT What about a 1999 V70 XC with 119,000? I am considering it due to low miles. It was a family car and got driven both highway and suburbs. I'm sure it did it's share of sitting in rush hour traffic. It has service records but he has had the check engine light on an undetermined period of time, and a service guy at a dealer where he had service performed said this may have fouled the catalytic converter (assuming it is true that the O2 sensor is bad). I am having a glycol check of the trans fluid (after reading about a horror story here) and an inspection. Consumer Reports lists this car as one to avoid due to poor reliability, but the throttle problem has been fixed under the recall. So is it a lemon car or did the recalls take care of everything? I will be miserable with a car I have to sink money into all the time. I do have an independant, yet certified mechanic shop (Scandanavian in Rockville, MD) but they ain't cheap either. Just not highway robbery like a dealer is. Oh I wish they still made 240's (mine has 250K plus some, but is needing too much to fix again). I have driven 240's for the past 25 years now. For someone like me, what is a good 240 wagon substitute (although I know it won't be the same)? http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357504&rss=1 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 01:45 GMT Thank you so much for responding. I do not care at all about the AWD. I just want a wagon/hatchback type design because I invariably haul stuff. I wish I could FIND a good old regular Volvo wagon, but I have had 240's so long I have not kept up with other Volvos models. Now a 240 for me is getting really impracticle because I am a 50 something single woman who does not want to worry about her car breaking down on the road and then worry about parts, etc. After reading all the complaints, I am scared about taking this car on. I looked at the history, he has been taking it to get it serviced but nothing for the last 8,000 miles except oil changes. The check engine light is on, he says it is an oxygen sensor and I am now trying to determine who told him this and how long the light has been on. The dealer's service guy says that if the O2 sensor has been broken too long, it may have ruined ("fouled") the catalytic converter. I want a "good old reliable" wagon, and do not need anything fancy. Just reliable and not so complicated that you have to take it to a dealer to get it fixed. I read about the horror of having glycol leak into the transmission and kill that, so I will shell out $135 or whatever ridiculous price they want to check that there is no glycol in the trans fluid. http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357501&rss=1 Wed, 1 Jul 2009 01:25 GMT I don't know what to do - I am looking at buying a used V70XC (good price of $3500 with 119,000 miles). Known problem is an oxygen sensor, and I am going to have a dealer do a full check of the car, but having read all about the problems I am worried. Consumer reports lists it as a car to avoid. I am used to a 240 - mine has over 250,000 miles now. I have driven 240's for over 20 years. I will not be happy if this car is a money pit where only a dealer can fix it. I usually use an independant mechanic. The seller has some records of service at 90,000 miles, and at 111,000 he got the timing belt and water pump replaced, which in a 240 is the big expense. I prefer a wagon. Should I just keep looking for an old 850?What should I do? Help!!! http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1357423&rss=1 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:18 GMT Thank you so much. This sounds like the answer! I really appreciate your response. http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=1353626&rss=1 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:23 GMT I need a mechanic who knows old 240's in the Bowie/Annapolis/DC area. My tranmission fluid seal is broken, my alternator caught fire, and then it leaked transmission fluid. It has 250,000 miles and the engine is still strong. I have maintained her well for over 15 years. I have AAA and can have it towed 50 miles, but prefer closer. I know the Riverdale/Bladensburg area has inexpensive mechanics, but would like a referral. Thanks! http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/?id=1353404&rss=1 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:14 GMT Thank you, that is a good idea. I am so sad about my car, I cannot bear to see it die after so many years, and people have been telling me 250,000 miles is still young. I have had ZERO problems with the motor. It is still strong. http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=1353401&rss=1 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:31 GMT Thank you so much for responding. http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=1353400&rss=1 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:29 GMT Thank you. I was thinking that the antifreeze leak had to be related because it happened at the same time. So maybe the plastic part of the radiator melted when the fire occurred. It was just a little fire, just some flames coming out of only one side of the alternator. Thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate it. http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=1353399&rss=1 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:27 GMT My poor car with 250,000 miles. I have had her for about 14 years. First the slow leak with the transmission fluid; I opted to just wait it out because of the expense to replace that seal. Then, after a short trip, after I have the ignition off, I see smoke from the hood. I open the hood and see steady flames coming from the alternator on (left side as you face it). I used the fire extinguisher and it went out. But then I noticed the green radiator fluid both on the ground and inside the hood. And more the next day. The next day the car started, but I turned it off, then the day after no start - battery dead. What could it be? I am poor, if I use AAA to tow the car to a mechanic, and it is too much to fix it, I will not be able to have it towed back and will lose my poor car. What would cause the antifreeze fluid to be leaking out slowly? The fire only lasted a couple of minutes, and burned the wires connecting the alternator and a little black on the alternator is all. http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/?id=1353255&rss=1 Tue, 9 Jun 2009 19:29 GMT Use the text input below to search brickboard.com query http://www.brickboard.com/FIND/