Dealer woes & XC70 pomderings

[Allen]

Don't feed the troll. Maybe he'll go away.

Nice.

[64pvolvo1800]

This weekend I installed new front struts, springs, spring seats, strut mounts, bump stop assys, pads, shoes, and rotors all the way around GoldieLocks. The trick to DIY is a slow, deliberate, methodical plot, with very detailed instructions and attention to detail. A good digital camera and proper tools round out the necessities.
Forum references and questions are invaluable.
There are a lot of things that can be intimidating but I've found the reality, once I've gotten into the repair, to be much easier than the fear.
That said, if you are not mechanically inclined....then simply pay someone else. But, that makes a very large difference between the cost of keeping the car or dumping it.
I bought this XC70 2003 knowing I needed to do these and a few other repairs. I to it at a price that reflected the needs and I do all my own work which makes it worth it. Better than another car payment. This one has 200k. My 01 V70, 300k. My 12 S60T6, 70k. My 98S70T5M, 170k. My 64 P1800, mileage unknown. Obviously, I have plenty of stuff o work on and no shortage of chores!

Good luck turning your own wrenches. All the Volvo sites (VS, SS, MVS, etc) are DIY help forums. It's just that some members take offense at anything depending on how tight their panties are that day. Ignore them and keep plugging away!

[PierreC]

Thanks everybody for your thoughts. In the end I think it is worth it ... so I will bite the bullet and do it. Still have to decide what I will tackle myself ... (and BTW, prices for spares are much more expensive - I have been importing quite a bit but its always a toss-up when shipping costs and importation duties are added)