Well I think that some of us hold our Volvos to higher standards. After all, my 850 had 237,000 miles on it and still ran like a new car until Saturday's catastrophe! I still belive it was a timing belt skip or something because I have great compression still in the other 4 cylinders. In fact I am still getting 20 mpg driving it around town on 4 cylinders, and I don't know if many other cars would be running at alln in this condition.

I have owned a Ford and a Pontiac - never ever again will I own an american car, what crap they were. They didn't even make it to 80k let alone 237k.

I have owned 3 Volvos now and been very happy with them in general. My 740 saved me from severe injury in an accident that I walked away from without even a stiff neck or twisted ankle, when a drunk driver ran a stop sign in a residential area going about 50 mph and sideswiped me. To me my life is worth more than money.

I think this board exists not because Volvos suck, but because many of us like to know what goes on inside our cars and fix what we can ourselves. I have fixed so many things on my car from cleaning the EGR valve last year to changing tailgate struts, engine check lighbulb, all things that would have cost me several hundred $$ at a garage. That's with basic tooks and no mechanical education. There is no such support resource for a Honda or Toyota - I'd have to buy the Chilton's guide and try for the best!

With Brickboard and Volvospeed I have learned enough to help diagnose and repair my car to some degree. People I know who own other cars simply take it right to the garage (or ignore the problem).