I have a 1992 740 non-turbo, 8 valve, with Regina Rex and no EGR. It failed emissions, and my mechanic deduced that I need a new cat. I went to FCP Groton and found one there--but they don't have any blank to denote whether the car is RR or Bosch or whether it has an EGR or not. I called FCPG, and the guy on the phone said all that stuff is in the header pipe and thus is not the same.

However, my mechanic (who has worked on the 240 and the 740 since their inceptions and is fantastic) seems dubious. He had advised me to go with this Davico cat from FCPG only if I can verify it's an exact match for my car in terms of EGR and Rex-Regina. Otherwise, he can get a Miller three-way cat (which he said is the officially Volvo-sanctioned aftermarket cat for those not wanting to fork out a grand for an OEM Volvo one), for about $300 plus labor from the dealer.

What should I do? The sure bet is to go for the Miller. But the Davico is only $130. I'm also unsure of the quality of the Davico. I'd like this to be the last cat I buy--and yet with 198K on my engine, even with religious maintenance its life is limited. So I really don't think $1K for an OEM one is the right option.

Thanks very much for your thoughts.
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John--1992 745 with 187K miles 'Olaf'