And I hate, I mean really HATE dealing with lawyers!

1.) A Volvo dealer may warrant parts/repairs for 1 year. Look at the back of your service invoice.

2.) I've been driving Swedish iron for over 20 years and I wouldn't ever consider trying to deal with one out of warranty without a good indy shop or shops available. If I still wanted a Volvo, I'd just lease one and replace it every 3 years. Really, the dealers are just not a good idea for repairing older cars, they'll do stuff that just doesn't make sense on an old car, as you've seen.

3.) I wouldn't want to take one of these engines apart, as was mentioned elsewhere the head is actually glued together and there are many tiny passages. Volvo seems to do an OK job rebuilding them under controlled conditions at their factory in Sweden but the chances of getting everything together correctly on an internal engine repair done in a service bay at a typical dealer aren't nearly 100%, IMO.

4.) For $200, I'd buy it myself, tow it home and throw in a used engine and transmission. There are plenty available, the cars tend to wreck more often than the engines wear out, which is the best supply-demand equation for us.

5.) Absent a good indy Volvo shop, and absent a desire to lease and return a new Volvo every 3 years, I'd probably just buy a Toyota (Lexus) or Honda (Acura). Seriously, like most Volvo owners, I love the car but hate my dealer! Toyota or Honda dealers may not be any better but at least the cars don't break as often!

6.) I have the AAA "Plus" membership with 100 miles of free towing. I don't go much further away with my car. I've used it TWICE at nearly 100 miles in the last couple of years.

-BTC

'98 V70T5M, 151k mi.