I noticed that my ball-joints have split their little boots. Can I get replacement ball-joints? It seems that I must replace the whole damn control arm... Please tell me this ain't true! Also - I have split the rack-boot on the passenger side, and there's some fluid on the piston. Can I replace the boot and watch the fluid level and hope all is well, or should I be considering a trip to the local new-car dealer? (Them new trucks are mighty purty...)

On to the coolant problem. Here's a stumper for you:
My car has 105k, and has had all the problems associated with the V70's, and they've all been repaired with the exception of the trans - It works fine. (Makes a little whine in 1st and 2nd, but works great otherwise..) I've done the ABS modulator, A/C Evap core, water pump, driver's seat, and too many bulbs and switches to count.

About a year ago, the car started to lose coolant. I could smell it in the car when the a/c was on fresh-air, so I knew it was in the engine compartment. Sure enough, the water-pump was leaking. $500 lighter, I got the car back and all was well for about a month. Then, the coolant-light came on and I added some juice to bring it back to full. About 3 weeks later - same thing. I thought to myself that this deserved some investigation. I took it to 2 shops and they let it sit on a pressurizer - no leaks.

So, been driving the car since then with the usual routine of adding coolant/water every few weeks, and rolling the windows down whenever the coolant smell comes wafting into the cabin. Just had the Evap core replaced, and they checked the heater core at the same time. They said it was fine, and still couldn't find any more leaks.

Yet - to this day, I am still smelling and losing coolant at the rate of a refill every 3 or 4 weeks. Been under the car and inched my way around the engine bay to try and track the source of the leak - no dice. Got it all hot, and got under it with it running to see if I could see the leak - no dice. Checked the trans fluid - it's fine. Checked the oil - it's fine. Was really skeeved-out by the "cylinder sleeve seal" posting on this site until I realized that a strong smell of coolant wouldn't be associated with this - so I am in the clear.

Should I just resign myself to adding coolant and take-on the odor as a badge of honor of being a Volvo owner, or is there another 'check' that I could do?

Your assistance would be appreciated.