Keeping a record of scheduled maintenance and service repairs is probably the best selling feature when the time comes to trade or sell a vehicle. You know the type: They baby their car, and their friends and family want first dibs when they decide to sell it.

In most cases, that level of upkeep is a large investment, but proper care means the vehicle will retain a higher value. Most Volvo owners keep their cars for much longer periods of the time than any other car in our repair facility. When a customer drops by for a simple oil and filter change in a 240 or even in a new series Volvo, we take the time and go over most major areas and point out potential problems that call for preventive maintenance. In this article, I will point out some driveability and service procedures for 1995 to 2000 Volvo models, describe some methods to simplify repairs and also explain all of the systems they contain.

MAINTENANCE IS CHEAPER THAN REPAIR
First, it is necessary to distinguish between repair and maintenance. Repair implies that something has broken or is not functioning properly. A needed repair is often caused by lack of maintenance. For example, draining and changing the engine oil and filter at specific mileage intervals is maintenance recommended by the manufacturer. Failure to do so can shorten engine life and potentially lead to very expensive repairs.

Fluid changes, with injection cleaning/carbon removal serv...