I'd still argue that you can get to the gear with a minimum of fuss and space - about as much as if you were changing the oil.

You really only need to park it catch the coolant and remove the radiator. The rest is fairly confined. It does not require a garage or large area.

We're not talking about repair - just diagnosis. I disposed of a 1972 145 (my first volvo) because of this sort of problem.

It was a rust-bucket, but I just knew too little about these cars to consider saving it at the time. The carbs alone were worth several times what the junkyard paid my father for the car.