Hi guys,

I've been meaning to post the resolution of the last round of problems, and now that I've got a new issue to contend with, I figured it's about time. So:

Last time around, I was dealing with a sudden, surprising loss of power, and it turned out to be caused by a bad fuse that controls the fuel line. Or rather, it wasn't the fuse so much as the fuse holder, which was somehow wrecked. Now that's been all taken care of, along with another oil leak, one that was somehow simultaneously causing a coolant leak. Fun!

After leaving Volvo by Gorges in Wichita, Kansas, everything was fine -- for about three days. Then I noticed a new sound, the kind of whump-whump-whumping that a helicopter makes as its rotors spin faster. The sound didn't appear when the engine was idling or being gunned in neutral, and it increased in pitch as I got faster.

The local mechanic here in Columbus, NM, believes it's probably a wheel bearing, and probably isn't deadly. After all, I've driven over 1,000 miles since I first noticed it. I would, however, like to get it fixed, and my next significant stop is Santa Fe. Now, the big question is, do I bring it to Santa Fe Volvo or to another, better, cheaper mechanic in Santa Fe? Or should I just ignore the problem till the wheel falls off (most likely in the Rockies)?

Cheers,

—Matt