Dear robertmfranklin,

Hope you're well. Explain to your daughter, that a Volvo 940 is a nicely-appointed armored personnel carrier. The car's sole purpose is to protect her and any passengers.

If the car even once does that - if she walks away from a wreck - you do not care whether or not she did (or didn't do) anything, that caused the car to do, what you rely on it to do. It is easy to fix cars. Cars feel no pain. Fixing fragile humans is hard: spare parts are scarce, expensive, hard to install, and rarely work as well as do original parts.

Most drivers, of whatever age, do not realize how quickly things can "go bad". It takes only milliseconds: a tractor trailer jackknifes, a driver "loses control", etc. Driving is one of the few things daily done, that necessarily involves death danger. Things that involve death danger should command our undivided attention. A driver should be alert to surroundings. Talking with passengers, using a phone, focusing on music - these things create lethal peril, unless the road is pretty-much empty of other vehicles.

Viewed from this perspective, the car's appearance is utterly irrelevant. What counts is how well the car protects the occupants.

The "high-end" SUVs may not be safer than a 940, despite the SUVs' many air bags. SUVs' higher center-of-gravity makes them more prone to roll-over, even with a traction-control system. While most SUVs are taller than is a 940, the 940's slim roof pillars give excellent all-round visibility. Most SUVs have large blind spots, aggravated when a much lower vehicle is nearby.

Your daughter's academic performance is irrelevant. Her good grades will benefit her. She earns them, because the knowledge acquired - that good grades should represent - is helpful. You do not need to reward her, for doing something that is entirely in her best interests.

You should check the state of the engine mounts. When the engine rests on the cross-member, it transmits vibrations. If the engine rests on the cross-member, the engine mounts need to be replaced. Indeed, if the gap between the oil pan and the cross-member is 3/16" (4.5 mm) or less, the mounts are failing and should be replaced. When the mounts are new, the clearance between oil pan and cross-member will be 3/8" - 1/2" (10-12 mm).

Unless your daughter has to spend long hours in this car, the road noise, too, is irrelevant. That said, under the carpets - including those over the drive-shaft hump - there should be a thick, gray felt-like pad.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook