Is this a necessary service? What items would you recommend getting done and what is the price to be expected to have these done at a dealer or an independant shop? Or is it better to a la carte the work.

TIA,
lunchman

My shop (in Portland, OR) has a website detailing all inspection components at the different service levels, check out http://www.mvpvolvo.com/frm_index.cfm?gear=4P1 for a general listing of what is needed. Depending on how handy you are, you can do some of this maintenance yourself via Bay 13 advice (www.volvospeed.com) but I'd recommend taking it in for your major services. I'm handy, but I'll let someone else check my valve adjustment.

Steve

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97 854 T-5: ipd Chip, ipd Cat-back exhaust, ATR downpipe/race cat, Bilsteins, TME springs, ipd strut tower brace, K&N, Nology plug wires, horn relocation, and more to come

This is the same as a 30K service. Dealers here in Silicon Valley
charge about $480 (but you often need brake work at 30K intervals
and that runs a bit more).

The owners manual list the work required in the 30K column for service.

Your dealer can give you a lisat of items to be accomplished at various intervals. Then you can decide. I believe (assuming the 60K was done) that this is about the same as a 30K. Lots of 'checking, lubing' and a few other things.