I think my car might be rubbish

[rippedoffagain]

Laney, you're quite right in what you say. This is the oldest car I've ever owned, and yet so far has been the cheapest to keep on the road. Its not unusual for me to buy a car, and then within the first three months its been in the garage. So far, having owned my 940 estate since March, it hasn't been in the garage once yet. It is a really comfortable car and a joy to drive, also like you I'm quite proud to be seen in it. I really hope she goes through her MOT without much expense, because I'd like to keep this one for a good while, not just because I like the car in general, but because I want to learn all the mechanical stuff and the 940 looks so simple. I was laughing at my neighbour a little while ago when he told me the job he'd had adjusting his handbrake on his Omega. He'd crawled underneath and dropped part of the exhaust, adjusted cables and all sorts. I told him I'd just done mine and promptly opened one of the rear doors, pulled the back ashtray out and pointed at the big plastic nut and said "I turned that about five times", job done

I like that when you open the bonnet you can just see stuff. Nothing is hidden under tonnes of superfluous covers or anything daft.

The only think I'm really bothered about is the petrol smell and the old fashioned exhaust fumes. I have no idea what the petrol smell could be, I can't see any leaks and all the hoses look intact. It's only done it since I botched the knackered airbox so it might be just not burning properly when I first start her up, and unburnt fuel vapour might be coming from the exhaust. The exhaust fumes smell is also worrying. If she needs a new cat I can live with that, but if the exhaust manifold is leaking I dread tackling that, because I've heard horror stories of the bolts snapping in the cylinder head and needing to be very carefully, and very accurately drilled out and re-tapped. I don't fancy that much.

[Citizen.Agfa]

£300? £325? They saw you lot coming, lol!

I paid, at auction, £130 (+10% commission, total £143) for a 1989 2.3 4 speed + o/d 740 estate with load liner, Volvo dog guard and 250+k mileage in November 2007; it had the traditional dealers "long MOT" (a week!) but since then it has winged two MOTs for the cost of a couple of balljoints, taken me and the missus on two touring hols, criss-crossed England half-a-dozen times and best of all returns cruising MPG of around 34 - not too shabby, eh?

Any excuse...



Citizen Smug (still!)

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by rippedoffagain

Laney, you're quite right in what you say. This is the oldest car I've ever owned, and yet so far has been the cheapest to keep on the road. Its not unusual for me to buy a car, and then within the first three months its been in the garage. So far, having owned my 940 estate since March, it hasn't been in the garage once yet. It is a really comfortable car and a joy to drive, also like you I'm quite proud to be seen in it. I really hope she goes through her MOT without much expense, because I'd like to keep this one for a good while, not just because I like the car in general, but because I want to learn all the mechanical stuff and the 940 looks so simple. I was laughing at my neighbour a little while ago when he told me the job he'd had adjusting his handbrake on his Omega. He'd crawled underneath and dropped part of the exhaust, adjusted cables and all sorts. I told him I'd just done mine and promptly opened one of the rear doors, pulled the back ashtray out and pointed at the big plastic nut and said "I turned that about five times", job done

I like that when you open the bonnet you can just see stuff. Nothing is hidden under tonnes of superfluous covers or anything daft.

The only think I'm really bothered about is the petrol smell and the old fashioned exhaust fumes. I have no idea what the petrol smell could be, I can't see any leaks and all the hoses look intact. It's only done it since I botched the knackered airbox so it might be just not burning properly when I first start her up, and unburnt fuel vapour might be coming from the exhaust. The exhaust fumes smell is also worrying. If she needs a new cat I can live with that, but if the exhaust manifold is leaking I dread tackling that, because I've heard horror stories of the bolts snapping in the cylinder head and needing to be very carefully, and very accurately drilled out and re-tapped. I don't fancy that much.

Have you asked on here about the petrol smell? If not, I'm sure you'll get a lot of good advice and pointers

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by Laneystrider

Have you asked on here about the petrol smell? If not, I'm sure you'll get a lot of good advice and pointers

Yeah, I started this thread:
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=78680

As you'll see it sort of fizzled out, but maybe that's because I didn't exactly choose a title that summarised the problem.

[john h]

I suggest you put it in for the MOT now, or soon. That way you'll either have a pass (great) or at least a fail sheet so you know what to fix and some time to do it. Or if there is too much, you have some time with the car still legal to find another one.

John

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by john h

I suggest you put it in for the MOT now, or soon. That way you'll either have a pass (great) or at least a fail sheet so you know what to fix and some time to do it. Or if there is too much, you have some time with the car still legal to find another one.

John

I don't think it works like that does it? Last time I had a car that failed, the report said I could only drive it to a pre-booked place of repair.

[Citizen.Agfa]

Originally Posted by rippedoffagain

I don't think it works like that does it? Last time I had a car that failed, the report said I could only drive it to a pre-booked place of repair.

A fail doesn't supersede the existing MOT cert; the only time a fail matters is when the vehicle is OUT of ticket, the wording above refers to just that situation.

C.A.

[Arfcollins]

Dear rippedoffagain and Laneystrider,

I've just fixed my faulty window switch by following the advice at http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/WindowSwitchRepair.htm

We'd put up with a misbehaving window for about 6 months, but a drive of 40 miles in the rain with an open window convinced me it was time to consult the forum.

The repair, which is essentially cleaning the contacts inside the switch, took me about 50 minutes which I have billed to the wife at my standard rate of £35 per hour plus VAT.

Note that the problem was the nearside window but I started with the switch in the driver's door, as power goes via this to the switch in the passenger door so it is an obvious place to start if neither switch will operate the window.

[Laney760]

I often have a pre-mot test, same as the mot but the garage don't issue a certificate, I ask them not to issue a certificate beforehand, that way (even though you can technically still drive on a fail as the original pass cannot be revoked) at least there is nothing on computer to reveal you are knowingly driving a defective vehicle should you get pulled over

[oman5]

LOL!!! £300 was what I paid for my 740 td 18 months ago. I changed the cambelt after buying it as there was no history, apart from that its been great, flew the MOT. touch wood!!