on the most part i agree totally on keeping your volvo a volvo car...but with a lil common sense dont think for a minute that volvo makes all the parts on the car they "ASSEMBLE". for a swedish car looking under the hood for 30 seconds tells you that the car is made by "bosch" practically -- ie'GERMANY. timing belt concerns are rightly so but if you can find factory parts from NON DEALER companies and save money,thats the idea. but buying a cheap part and saving money will burn you eventually.. GATES BELTS are known world wide for NOT being cheaply made they are among the few companies that make a belt to last on purpose consistantly..and they are not near as cheap in price as a belt say from "autozone" which is junk in my opinion.CONTINENTAL is a brand that makes factory belts and hoses in germany. so why go to the dealer to get a
"conti-belt" that says volvo on it for 65 dollars when you can get a "conti-belt" from m&d import car parts for 27 bucks or the same belt from GAPA.COM for $32.95 ? you can get the belt from IPD also but i think theyll be higher in price.
my two cents,zash