Part of the charm in owning a European car is finding all of its quirks. You can sit in a Mitsubishi Mirage or Chevy Cobalt and never remotely find anything resembling clever engineering, but I always seem to be finding new things in Volvos, Audis, and BMWs. Whether it be a center-visor above the...
Aging Volvos often have one more trick left up their sleeve before they die, if they die. A beat-up Volvo S70 T5 might have a disgusting, ripped interior, but still throws you back in your seat on the highway. Or, you could find yourself in a '98 Volvo V70 XC with the propshaft removed, no AWD...
PEX Automotive Group of Germany was established in 1978, and since then has quickly become a global leader in the manufacture of Electronic Brake Wear Sensors. PEX manufactures its products in advanced factories in Germany and Hungary, supplying OEM (original equipment manufacturer) solutions for...
It takes a lot to get a Volvo to perform like a modern sports sedan in the summer. Stock-for-stock, even the hottest 850R will handle worse than most sports sedans produced in the last 5 years. Since it's hard to recoup the investment of modifications on a vehicle, I've pretty much given up on...
An OBD-II scan-tool will help provide great insight into the dreaded “Check Engine Light” (CEL) and passing state emission inspections. Most states will not pass a car for emissions or safety inspection with an illuminated “CEL," so it's critical to have the right tools in your arsenal to get...
I'm not about to say that a dirty cabin air filter will cause emphysema, or make your children cough and sneeze while you take comfort knowing you saved $20 by ignoring this service. It's not that serious of an item as some companies will lead you to believe, and you don't need to replace it...
Reliability is in the eye of the beholder. While it has many different meanings to different types of people, it all boils down to being able to drive your car to work in the morning without worry of failure or catastrophic damage. Oil is an engine's lifeblood, so what is its coolant? It's more...
I've always been a leak-free man - but it takes a lot of work. Especially on vehicles with six-digit mileage. While the Volvo Whiteblock is one of the longest lasting engine designs out there, it still relies on rubber seals to keep its lifeblood within the engine. If you're finding that your...
We all know owning a well-cared for Volvo S70 in 2014 means you'll probably get a few envious stares every day from other drivers. The fact that 99% of these cars absolutely refuse to rust only reinforces that. Men and women alike all enjoy what these cars had to offer back in the 90's, whether...
What actually happens when an alternator stops charging? Does it mean the whole alternator is trash, or can it be fixed? Volvo 850, S70, and even 960 alternators are pretty stout units - I've even heard of one lasting past 400,000 miles. Here's a quick way to reduce the cost of a potential...