All us Volvo drivers, driving 20+ year old cars. Always looking for something to go wrong. One unusually sound, moan, groan, ie Oh S**t. What's up? I'm guilty also.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

Unfortunately, I have also apparently trained my wife and daughter to report any perceived anamoly in the car's operaton. Like "it made a wierd noise briefly" or "it ran rough for a few seconds after I started it". Once they report it, their responsibility has ended and it has become my problem.
Oy!

I think there are several issues in play. Driving an old car means that you are able to fix it and keep it on the road. Being broke down by the side of the road means that you have failed(!). It is a matter of pride in your mechanical ability.

Keeping on top of emerging problems prevents being a pedestrian.

Old Volvos are very fixable. Most of the maintenance and repair can be done with a decent manual and a modest set of tools. Brickboard helps a lot here.

I certainly get a sense of satisfaction when I'm able to solve a problem or successfully pull off a major repair.

Greg

You hit the nail on the head for how I have been feeling lately. The stress level of supporting three old Volvos, including one for my daughter who is three hours a way is starting to get to me. Any problem becomes a personal failure.

It seems like I have had a good sized run of problems as of late which makes it worse too. And several have been hard to diagnose problems, like an intermittent short.

On the other hand, when I successfully diagnose and fix something, there is a good feeling.

The car doesn't have to be "old". Perhaps if I just turned up the radio like the younger drivers and stopped listening to my car and added a dozen scented pine trees to mask any odors, I wouldn't need the Brickboard???????

Then, I wouldn't have any fun!

It's kinda odd - As I get older my car gets quieter. It's great!

How about the scent of burning brake pad to send terror into the heart of any 140 or 240 driver? -- Dave

Always looking and listening for the next likely issue.

Here's my manifestation of that: Driving the old car in traffic catching an odor of fuel. It is gas, not diesel. Could it be my car? The road forks and the smell goes away. Whew. Happens so often you'd think I'd learn by now, but just one time, it WAS my car. Same with the smell of coolant...
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

A successful diet is the triumph of mind over platter.

Any strange noise, too.

or you hear a noise, oh s*** is that my car or the one beside me?
Dan

And when I smell gas, coolant or anything besides fresh air, I start evaluating the cars ahead of me for possible sources. Look at the condition of that piece of junk...must be coming from them. I now realize that the people behind me are saying "look at that old piece of junk, must be coming from him".