I got a call from my mechanic, I was told that my engine had lots of "blow by". To make a long story short, he told me to unload the Volvo ASAP. What is that ("blow by"), and is it bad? I just took the car in to get winterized and now this! He said with the age and mileage (155,000) its not worth fixing ($4,000), do you agree? If so, being a college student, I doubt my wallet will withstand another Swedish Product's maintainence. However, I have heard that three-series BMWs are reasonably reliable cars, and I have an independent mechanic who is dirt cheap. Sound like a good idea? Thanks.


-Jake

you do not state what year of college u are in or how many miles u drive a year, so here are my shots into the dark.
1) do not spend anymore big dollars on the volvo, just keep it running with minor repairs as needed, u mights get a couple of more years out of it.
2) no road trips
3) consider if unloading defective volvo will decrease your chances of going to heaven
4) i have friends with bmws, the costs eat them alive once the car is out of warranty
5) i know u want a hot, flashy, "status" car but consider all the other things u will need money for in the near future and buy a honda when the volvo is towed away to the volvo graveyard.

Blowby refers to a pressure leak past piston rings. Could be one cylinder, could be all. The way to determine which would be a leakdown test which your mechanic might be able to do. General causes are infrequent oil changes and high load/cold engine like if you lead foot it down the road as soon as you jump in and start it.

You could live with it if it isn't too severe but it will only get worse. Possible (and likely) senarios will be rear oil seal leaks and if the crankcase pressure is high enough, the rear seal could be blown out altogether.

At any rate, the combustion gasses can badly score the cylinder walls as they make their way past the rings and pistons and this only increase the problem.

Get a leakdown test done before anything else and forget the BMW. You think Volvo is expensive to maintain? As already said here, I'd seriously recommend used Japanese until you can comfortably get into something else. Our '91 Nissan Sentra ran 186,000 with nothing more than oil changes, filters, two sets of Michelins and one set of brakes. 32mpg too. We only sold it because it because it was too small for a family. At $1700, the buyer (a student) got a great car.

--
Erwin in Memphis, '88 745t 190,000 miles, '95 855t 92,000 miles

In most cases it is less expensive to keep a car then sell it
and replace it. Even if that means doing a bit of maintenance.
Things like insurance change, sales tax on the sale (depending
on state), registration fees, etc. So, I'd think the least
costly option is to just keep driving it.

Make sure brakes, tires and safety stuff is kept maintained.
Do the simple maintenance listed on volvospeed.com/bay13.htm
yourself (especially the flame trap which can lead to blow-by).
No need to overhaul the engine (your mechanic is right, that is
too expensive). It should last you a while (or even a lot)
longer until your financial situation improves.

When I was a student I bought a 9 year old Integra with 108k for $2500. I ran that thing for several more years, to about 145K. With very little money in my pocket, I didn't do the maintenance that I should have done, other than oil changes and new tires. Despite my negligence, it was a high-revving, nice-handling, totally reliable car that served me really well.

If you ditch your 850 for a used Japanese car, I'd suggest looking at the older Integras. Good price, Honda build quality, much more fun than a Civic.

--Dan L.
Binghamton, NY
'96 855 T-5

To answer your question "blow by" is a reference to how much oil is being burnt by the engine. Usually the main cause of blow by is worn piston rings and cylinder walls if the wear is really bad.

Have you have never noticed black/blue smoke pouring out of your exhaust before? If not, I would also recommend getting a second opinion and maybe even a compression test.


Good luck

If your budget is limited, buy a Toyota or Honda. Seriously.

BMWs are even WORSE than Volvos. And no doubt previous owners of elderly BMWs are getting rid of them for SOME reason. You'd be trading a known problem for an unknown problem or problems.

Is your mechanic an Volvo mechanic? I mean is he intimately familiar with the ins and outs of these cars? If not, consider a second opinion on the Volvo. 155,000 miles seems early for a completely shot Volvo motor and even if you need to replace it with a used engine, what kind of used car can you get for $4000?

-Samurai Jack

If you're a college student maybe you should stick to something that your budget can handle in terms of maintenance like a Honda or Toyota.

You can get a second opinion and see if it jives with the first.

You might want to also think about what you just said. You doubt your wallet will withstand a hard blow. What do you think will happen if you buy a BMW? They are expensive to do anything with. If you are that tight on funds, get a very reliable Toyota. They last forever and are cheap to maintain. They don't have the pinache that a BMW does, but if you are tight on cash, who cares, it is better than walking.

JMO

your car is only worth 2800 buck at the most in good shape

I would dump it asap get a honda civic

Thanks for you suggestions. My mechanic told me that my particular engine number had something defective with it, I have never floor my car at all, let alone before it has warmed up. I can handle a car payment, but with the 850 my monthly maintainence bills often cost more than the monthly payment. The BMW I am looking at is a '97 328i w/ 70K on it for $12,500. I was told (by my mechanic and several friends with three-series) that these cars have bulletproof powertrains and are very reliable. The car has all of it's records and was dealer serviced. What do you think? Thanks.

It is clear that you don't need our opinions as to what to get. You have already made up your mind. It is apparent that you were, if I am correct, trying to justify buying a BMW to yourself, and that you know full well that it isn't the smart choice.

Why, because 90% of the posts agree with the fact that you should stick to a Toyota or Honda because of costs, and you still want a BMW.

Not trying to be a smart ***, just telling you what I see.