Problem is not just with Volvo.. Fitting that connects manifold to water pump on 1994 Buicks V6 is made of plastic and easily cracked. Buick dealer charges $39 for this little piece of plastic pipe no larger than your thumb!! However, in reality it is simply a 3/4inch ipt (iron pipe thread) to 3/4" barbed hose connector which costs $1.19 at Home depot. Furthermore the Home depot part is made of nice hard, heavy and shiny brass instead of flimsy black plastic.

I've never heard a reasonable explanation for the difference in price.. Home depot has same inventory costs as Volvo dealer. Same indexing cost, same cataloging cost; same quality of "Advice?", whether from behind the parts counter at the dealer or the fellow with the blue vest in Aisle 3 at Home Depot. My guess is that dealers don't sell parts, they sell secrets, and let the secrets go little by little. Supposedly the secrets protect their research and development initiative. How that relates to a brass pipe fitting I don't know.