Hi, all. I have moved from Boston to central Maryland earlier this year. I have lived in Boston for over 23 years and know the place pretty much inside and out. I would, for example know where to go to look for a used Volvo (just pick up a current WantAd) or where to look for used car parts (Jack's Junk Yard in Billerica is a good start). Now that I am here in Montgomery County, MD I have no such knoweledge. So much for the preambule. Now to the point.

My wife hit a deer recently with her '93 940 Wagon (we both love that car. 165K miles and runs like new). The deer didn't make it, but the occupants were uneffected (she was going pretty slow and the animal jumped out of nowhere as it is their mating season). The car faired somewhere in between the deer and the occupants. Radiator grill is gone, right headlight assembly is gone, the radiator is pushed in towards the engine, but does not interfere with it. The hood is kinked and crincled a bit. No glass damage. No suspension damage. The car is drivable, though there was a slight hiss of escaping coolant (no the engine did not have a chance to overheat as the ride from the scene of the accident home was less than 5 miles). The insurance company decided to total the car. Both my wife and I really want it repaired, so we are considering salvaging the car, getting the insurance payout and fixing it using cheaper means than proposed by the body shop (used hood of the same or similar color instead of new hood + paint for example, used headlight assmebly, etc.). The problem is I have no idea where to even begin to look for used car parts around this area. Also where can I find a reasonable body shop to do the work? And, if fixing the car is not practical, then where can I find a forum for owners selling their cars and not dealers? Seems everything around here is taken over by dealerships and there is no "for sale by owner" marketplace aside from driving the neighborhoods looking for cars on people's lawns with "for sale" signs.

If there is anyone here that knows how to ease my pain, please let me know. We need a car as soon as possible and really want to stay with Volvo and preferably RWD (easy for me to work on and cheaper). My car is an S70, which I like, but the reliability and robustness of the RWD is a thing of the past, I think. Our 940 was an example of this: at 165K miles she burns no oil at all, runs as strong as new and has no rattles or shakes, solid as a rock. I am going to miss it a lot if it doesn't get fixed. And I would like to replace it with another 945 (my car is a sedan and a wagon is a must for a family with 2 kids, IMO).

Thank you all in advance!

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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

i recently purchased a 940 for my daughter that had a salvage title.sounds like the same type of damage.it's a shame these cars get totaled for such small cosmetic damage.here in ky. the car has to be inspected by the sheriffs office after repair.it's in their hands to let the car pass or fail.the car passed and had no structural damage,hood,grill and light assy.
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92-965-204k, 94-965-211k, 92-944t-200k, 83-242dl,totaled(8/04), 84-242GLT,totaled(2/03),83-245GLT,retired(03)

If you plan to fix the car, try to get the insurance to pay a lesser amount than total loss so it isn't given a salvage title. If you thought MD inspection was tough, I suspect you will see worse trying to re-register a salvaged car.

Then again, maybe Mass. has prepared you for all of that.

84 244DL 344K, veteran of Mont. Co. deer encounter, + many other 240s.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore Crrrrazy Ray's!

Art, I had no idea that the salvage title presents problems. I have never dealt with that kind of thing in Mass, so can't say I am prepared. Mass has some strange vehicle regulations, I admit, but they are not too different from the ones here. Car must pass safety inspection EVERY year and emmissions every other year. Here, the car only needs to pass safety inspection once per registration. If I fix the salvaged car, do I need to re-register it? Re-inspect it? I reckon it will have no problems passing the safety inspection as I just did it in April and there were no issues. The emmissions were a bit tougher in the NOx department. Failed first time (marginally), I posted to this list a bit, changed the plugs, waited a few weekes and re-tested. Passed (marginally again) that time. I think the test is not very repeatable or accurate. Or else posting to this list helped :) I don't think it was the plugs.

Anyway, I will do my best to save Helga (my wife's car, she names them) from the junk yard as she has always done right by us and has withstood the test of heavy use.

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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

If I fix the salvaged car, do I need to re-register it? Re-inspect it?

I can't answer that from personal experience, only a third-hand recommendation made by an insurer of someone responsible in an accident involving one of my daughter's 240s. Not certain, but I had the impression the car would legally change hands if totalled, then the insurer would offer to sell us the wreck for $50 with a salvage title. That sounded to me like re-registration, title, tax and salvage inspection. So, for a hundred less than "book" we could keep the car, and I could bolt on a new bumper, fender, etc. and not need to go through anything with the MVA.

Because I avoided it, I can't honestly describe the pain.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Art, I had no idea that the salvage title presents problems. I have never dealt with that kind of thing in Mass, so can't say I am prepared. Mass has some strange vehicle regulations, I admit, but they are not too different from the ones here. Car must pass safety inspection EVERY year and emmissions every other year. Here, the car only needs to pass safety inspection once per registration. If I fix the salvaged car, do I need to re-register it? Re-inspect it? I reckon it will have no problems passing the safety inspection as I just did it in April and there were no issues. The emmissions were a bit tougher in the NOx department. Failed first time (marginally), I posted to this list a bit, changed the plugs, waited a few weekes and re-tested. Passed (marginally again) that time. I think the test is not very repeatable or accurate. Or else posting to this list helped :) I don't think it was the plugs.

Anyway, I will do my best to save Helga (my wife's car, she names them) from the junk yard as she has always done right by us and has withstood the test of heavy use.

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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

Dear Vladimir,

May this find you well. I hope you enjoyed the venison.

Based on your damage report, it seems as if the bulk of the damage was right in the center of the front. As a result, you likely can do this repair yourself, with the possible exception of painting the hood. So near as I can tell, the replacement of the damaged parts is not likely to require welding.

The nose of the car - between the bumpers - mainly consists of bolted or riveted pieces of metal. Even the fenders are bolt-on items.

If you find a rear-ended 940, you can - with a cordless drill, screw-drivers and socket tools - remove the parts you need. The headlights and their brackets unscrew or unbolt. Most of the radiator support structure unbolts. If there are welds, they are tack welds, which can be drilled out, using a 1/4" or smaller diameter drill.

If you can find a salvage yard, whose owner is willing to let you remove the parts you need, you will - by removing the parts - learn how to take off the damaged parts, and install the new parts.

The only new parts I'd definitely get are a radiator and the radiator hoses. The fan likely is fine, if it did not hit the front of the engine.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook

Spook, we are vegetarians (aren't all Volvo owners? Oh, wait, that's in Cambridge Massachusetts LOL), so the venison was unfortunately wasted. Bummer, that.

Thanks for the tips and encouragement. The damage is mostly in the right and center front. The fan I don't think hit the engine. The AC condenser may be toast as well as the radiator. The bracket that goes from one side to the other along the radiator (a radiator support bracket?) is bent. Nothing major. This is why I am so bummed that they totalled it. Your average insurance pensil pusher doesn't have a clue as to what these cars are like, so they just do their job pushing numbers in and out of spread sheets and out pops the answer: TOTAL LOSS. Well, as soon as I find out what their terms for settling the claim are, I will make a descision as to which way to go salvage or another car.

Thanks for the tips.

BTW, someone from the list contacted me with a smashed in the rear 960. Will most parts interchange from that? It's a different color, so the hood is a problem, but the rest of the car may work for me.

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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

Hi Vladimir,

If the 960 is a pre-'95 ('92-'94) and your 945 has the front WITH foglights next to the grill, then the parts will be direct replacements. If your's does not have the foglights, you can still use the pre-'95 960 front end, but you will have to use the 960 light buckets as well and will need to have the wiring changed a bit to accomidate the foglight system. The hood will not work though, as your 940 should have a cowl between the windshield and the hood and the 960's hood will go all the way up to the windshield. So, you'd still need a hood from a 940 (NOT SE) or a '90+ 740. I'd say fix the car, it would really be a waste if that car went to the junkyard for so little damage. Heck, if I lived near you, I'd probably buy the car as salvage and fix it myself! :) Did you check the "Shops" index here for Volvo shops near you?
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '91 745Ti, 291K km and '91 745 NA, 385K km.

Chris, thanks for the useful info. Still waiting for the insurance numbers. Will try to fix the car if at all practical. I love that thing! It deserves to live on, since it is a solid specimen and a strongest 165K mile vehicle I have driven.

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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

Hi Vladimir,

I'm glad I could help! My 745 NA feels pretty good too at 386K km (~241K mi), I've only owned it since ~350K km (~219K mi) and I think the previous owners took OK care of it, but it certianly wasn't mint when I got my hands on it. Surprisingly, it appears that most of it's bushings are orignial and I've only replaced the infamous strut rod bushings as well as the big ones at the other end of the strut rod. Other then that suspension wise I've only replaced the shocks, rear springs and one ball joint. I'll tell you, I drove ~4 hours to buy it with a friend in my 745T and on the drive home I couldn't believe how smooth it was! Smoother then the turbo on the hwy and I've done a LOT to the 745T. These cars certainly are great. I was test driving a friend's '98 V70 (base, ~255K km) about an hour ago as he wanted me to check out a couple problems it has. His dad bought it new (has '04 V70T AWD now) and took good care of it, it's been relatively problem free (hard on brakes), but it seems that every couple months I'm diagnosing a problem(s) with it and I wonder what it'll be like when (IF) it has nearly 400K km on it like my 745......They do drive nice though and the growl of that inline 5 reminds me of the lovely inline 5 in my dad's '93 Acura...Haha :) Good luck with the 940!
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '91 745Ti, 291K km and '91 745 NA, 385K km.

Vladimir,

I've had success with http://car-part.com/ when shopping for used car parts. The salvage yards that participate tend to have web sites and/or toll free numbers. I've bought a number of used car parts (Volvo and Mazda) from the various companies listed there and have never had a problem. Plus, prices tend to be lower than I can get at the local salvage yards. Double plus, they deliver straight to your door.

Good luck with your salvage efforts. It would be a shame to lose another Volvo unnecessarily.

Robert

Thank you. Very good link. I will keep it in mind if I end up going the salvage route.
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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

I live in fairfax va. and was raised in Bethesda, Md. Brandywine salvage in Md has a good number of volvo used parts.. Check them out on the net. I think what you are doing makes a lot of sense. Id stick withthe RWD over the FWD or AWD volvos any day. JOHN

Thanks, John. I still have not heard from the insurance company aside from the fact that they are calling it a tota loss. If the terms of salvaging the car are such that it doesn't make sence financially, then I go to plan 'B' which is to find a good used 945. This is what the second part of my question is. Where in Montgomery County or in the vacinity can I look for one. Where I am from a used car market is pretty healthy and is mainly conducted via weekly periodicals such as WandAd, where people advertize for sale by owner stuff. I have not seen anything but dealerships around here, but then again, I have not lived here for that long and have not had a need for something like this. Do you know of a good way to find a 945 for sale by owner or from a reputable dealer or indie shop? I understand there is an indie place in Rockville, but I am not sure if they sell cars.

Thanks for the Brandywine tip. I will look them up if I go the salvage route.
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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,

Vladimir
Check out Scandinavian Imports, an Indie here in Rockville. They sell Volvos and Saabs although they dont seem to have any 945s right now. The places I would check for car sales are
(not in any particular order)
1. Gazette newspaper. Should be available at any food store also here
2. Frederick News Post
3. Washington Post, all the classified ads here are posted on www.cars.com too.

The problem with washingtonpost is that zillions of people see the ads and so you usually wont get the car unless you go to the buyer early.

Naveen

92 940T @129.6K
00 9-3SE@50.4K