Well, our worst nightmare we hoped would not happen apparently has. We bought this one owner 1994 850 turbo wagon last fall (around 7k miles ago) that has had a history (four prior incidents since ~50k miles old before this one now) of compression loss due to valve failure. Random cylinders, most recently at 116k miles in #5. The last time a factory new head was installed with Volvo good-willing parts (again) and the previous owner paying labor (which was $1050.00 about a year ago). Maintenance records are complete and no expense was spared maintaining the car by the previous owner. It now has ~138k miles so the new head lasted only 22k miles.

Now the saga. Today I was driving my wife's wagon and it started feeling rough. When I got home I found that the #2 cylinder is zero PSI. At this point the car is parked and I think we're going to buy a beater, but good running, '86 Audi 4000 quattro on the cheap from a quattro club friend for my wife to use in the meantime and have as a spare (this '94 850t is our youngest car...my quattro is an '87 with 191k miles so a spare car isn't such a bad idea right now).

Anyway. I'll call the dealer who performed the maintenance (and all the head/valve replacements) in the morning and see what they say.

Seeking BTDT advice from anyone out there in Brickland who have been through this. At this point do we have any legitimate recourse with Volvo and/or the servicer? We still love the car and it is my wife's third Volvo wagon so we plan/hope to get it fixed. I just this time it is fixed right.

An aside...oil is Mobil 1 10-30 and changed regularly and car is driven in a spirited (but certainly not abusive) manor enough that I can't accept the
"idle it around and the valves don't rotate and thus burn" theory I have heard here in the past on this issue.

Help, advice, and commiseration will all be greatly appreceated.