The owners manual is available online at the Volvo website.

The "Volvospeed" and "Swedespeed" websites attract a lot (most?) of the FWD/AWD fans. Volvospeed has an extensive DIY section.

Don't know about the IPD seat covers, the cars have side impact airbags. You can replace the leather, but as to the price, you really don't want to know. Maybe start looking for a decent set of used seats from Erie Vovo or on fleabay.

The T5 wagon is really the best car I ever had, although the dealer and Volvo NA support have really sucked over the years. I've since purchased a BMW station wagon -- the BMW dealer is fantastic but the car hurts my back -- my butt fits the Volvo seats better than the BMW seats. You can't ever have it all, can you?


-BTC

'98 V70 T5 178K mii, 5-speed manual, original (noisy) clutch, heated velour cloth comfy chairs, factory HD suspension (1998 only), Bilstein HD, front IPD stabilizer bar, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, XC grill, C70 jewel E-Codes, V-1, Lidatek, IPD stuff, JB Weld, Original Duck Tape, zip-ties, two Honda license plate nut impressions in back bumper (gift from daughter), Mobil-1 since new.

"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." - Douglas Noel Adams (1952 - 2001)