Any car owner can probably tell you a horror story of some expensive repair or replacement part gone wrong. My worst one yet has been the ignition cylinder on my '99 Volvo V70R, and in the end it cost $489.00. But, there are certain purchases that are not only cheap, but make a significant difference to everyday driving and more importantly, the everyday enjoyment of your car.
Trim Removal Tools
Any DIYer will need to get into his or her car doors, dashboard, fuse panel etc at some point. Next to my socket set, my trim removal tools probably see the most use of any I own. Even just as a nice non-abrasive edge to lift the bottom of the door panel off the metal frame they are invaluable to keeping your Volvo unharmed when tearing it apart.
E-ZPass - $0.00
This is actually something you can get free of charge and is accepted at a massive amount of toll plazas. A total of 25 agencies and 15 states use the E-ZPass system and every time I pass by the 150+ cars waiting at the Buffalo NY toll plaza I am thankful I took the 15minutes to sign up for the system. That 15 minute investment will no doubt save you both time and money in the long run. Many retailers and toll plazas carry the device and while there is an upfront cost, after registering the purchase price is credited back to your account.
Multimeter
The ability to test voltages in and outside your vehicle is essential. A multimeter can be the difference between replacing a bad window switch or a faulty motor. They can even be used to see what is drawing the most power from your battery. A good meter will last you a long time and provide quick answers for charging issues or electrical gremlins.
Kenu Airframe - $24.95
The Kenu Airframe is a product I happened upon accidentally. While using a friend’s car I had forgotten my GPS cradle and luckily this device was sitting perfectly in a vent ready to mount up really any normal sized GPS or cell phone. Every other car mount I used prior to this was just lame. Either they relied on a suction cup, adhesives, or worse yet gripping to the dash with neoprene.
The airframe however is none of those things, it securely grips to the center vents in my wagon and can sit portrait or landscape. The phones still useable (at a stop light of course) and even stays put on rough roads. The construction is simple and effective, the single extending arm goes on first and the rest stretches over the phone. It’s as simple as that. I now use it pretty much every drive and for $24.95 it has more than paid for itself.
Proper Wiper Blades
Wiper blades would seem to be an obvious choice for an essential car purchase but more to the point the proper type of blade makes a difference as well. When the advent of ‘stealth’ or ‘performance wipers’ came about I was immediately skeptical. I am entirely obsessed with clean glass on my cars.
Some of the best blades I have found for my Volvo are the standard OEM Volvo wiper blade. Each set has lasted me no less than 6 months and with how nice a job they do. It doesn't bother me to buy a new set in that time frame. The traditional metal blade holds up better than the beam style blades when used to clear away snow and ice.
For those of you with a wagon, I have yet to see a better rear replacement then the OEM Volvo rear wiper.
Castle Glass Cleaner + Newspaper $4.99 / $0.50-$3.00
Castle glass cleaner is a great product for a few reasons, chief among those is that it works. With an initial coating and wipe down the products excess moisture is gone leaving a slight film that you then polish away to reveal some really spotless glass. It is this two-step process for cleanup that leaves my windows very clear. The newspaper is optional and can be substituted for a microfiber, or other polishing cloth.
Nitrogen Tire Inflation $0.00-$25.00
The air we breathe is about 78% nitrogen 21% oxygen and the rest are just some trace gases. Our vehicle tires (unless you drive an R35 GTR) are more than likely filled with compressed air of the same composition. Nitrogen tire inflation may not be a cure all but I’ve certainly enjoyed its benefits so far. My vehicle to abuse is a 1999 V70R and from the previous owner came some high spec Bridgestone Potenza tires. This summer was their third season on the road and while they still performed great I noticed quite a bit of imbalance at speed. With a recent wheel balanced performed I turned my attention to the air inside the wheels. This imbalance seemed to crop up right after hard acceleration onto highways or after rigorous cornering. Heat and moisture expansion turned out to be the culprit. After having the tires refilled with nitrogen the wheel wobble completely disappeared. The difference here is not necessarily the way that nitrogen and oxygen expand differently, we read before that the air is mostly nitrogen already. The biggest change I felt was the considerably lower moisture content of the pure nitrogen fill, resulting in more consistent tire pressures and a smoother ride.
E-Code Lenses $79.99
Maxing out the budget at $40 per side, the difference in lighting well worth it. E-code lenses direct light out, not up. European roads have a larger amount of illuminated overhead signs and so less light (if any at all) is needed to see them in the dark. The US market relies on car headlights to disperse light vertically to compensate. E-code lenses change this around and project the majority of the beam outwards on to the road rather than wasting it on all the signs. As an added bonus, E-code lenses have a nicer look then the stock units and are a lot cheaper than the C70 Jewels you see on many modded cars today.
What did I miss?
I'm sure there are other great buys out there and I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
About the Author: Anthony Peacock
Anthony is a small business owner and Volvo DIY enthusiast. He is an experienced videographer and editor with a long running reputation for owning and promoting Volvo cars and their many excellent qualities.
