My 98 V70GLT was involved in a minor accident which

bent the corner of the hood and the body shop replaced the hood.

They told me they use only OEM Volvo parts which they get through a

nearby Volvo dealer. I got the car back today. They seem to have

done a very nice job, however, there is one thing that wonders me.

The replacement hood feels "lighter" than the original one

when I am lifting it up. Also, when closing, it makes an annoying

sound (actually the front part vibrates a bit against the body).

All this makes me think if this is a "really OEM" part though

I can see "VOLVO" stamped on it. Or, could the lighter

feeling and closing sound be due

to readjustment of the hood hinges? Or, did Volvo go to all-aluminum

lighter hood after 98 ?

The only reason I think about this is that I've seen ads (Volvo's

own, of course) where they show pictures of cars been in

a serious frontal collision. The OEM Volvo hood is designed to bend nicely

in the middle to absorb a lot of the collision energy, but

a non-OEM hood can detach from the hinges and plunge into the

passenger compartment shattering the windshield! I certainly

hope this car will never be in accidents any more but you

can never know, at least not in the Atlanta traffic!

I would be grateful if somebody would shed light on these thoughts

to get me peace of mind.

Hannu