Hi. You stated, "...Too bad, because the cure is to change the fluids even though there are no drain holes and the dealer has never done it before...."

Are you saying the all these problems with the bevel/angle gears, etc., are only because the system didn't or couldn't get the fluid change it should have?

It may sound as though I'm challenging you, but I am not. I am just trying to find out how to avoid this -- you see, I've always wanted to get a XC70 (used), and if I can find one with low mileage and then judiciously practice frequent fluid changes (I'm sure I can find a way, with a suction pump* for instance), can I avoid this expensive disaster? Do you know this for a fact, or is it just popular opinion?

Thanks.

[I have a powerful suction pump. It's designed for sucking oil out of marine engines where, for inboards, you can't get under to open the oil sump drain -- in fact, often in such installations, that drain plug is never opened for the life of the engine -- it's routinely all sucked up through the dipstick tube.]