I'm really starting to enjoy my new-to-me 2004 Audi A4 Avant. Like any Euro, it's got a few quirks but overall it's been an honest, fun to drive sports wagon. However, the other day my Audi had its first real "problem." While at a weekend picnic, my car was sitting in the driveway relatively...

The cabin air filter on cars helps with cleaning and filtering the air that comes into the cars cabin via the HVAC system. It can help keep dust, pollen and other odors/allergens out of your car. With summer having just started, chances are you'll be running your A/C more often and so air will be...

The smell of burning oil and a cloud of blue smoke as you pull away is never pleasant... I had this exact experience with my 1998 V70R shortly after taking delivery of it. I decided to go for a spirited drive one morning, and after about 45 min of driving, I reached my destination, a local...

It is no secret that automatic transmissions can be more problematic than manuals. The P80 Volvo V70R models, which came to the US from 1998 - 2000, only came with automatic transmissions. The 1998 used a 4-Speed (Aisin-Warner AW50-42) where as the later years used a 5-Speed (AW55-5X, also made...

This was a dilemma that I (and most other owners) was faced with when about to do the timing belt service on my Volvo S70; whether or not to replace the water pump. The water pumps on these Volvos tend to be very reliable. However, the water pump is driven off of the timing belt and is just a...

A naturally aspirated engine is one that does not use any form of forced induction such as a turbocharger or supercharger. In the last few years, many car manufactures have been using turbochargers and superchargers (forced induction) due to their ability to make a smaller displacement engine...

One year ago my family purchased a 2004 Volvo XC70. It seemed that not too long after owning it, the AWD would fail to engage under certain circumstances and the shortly after that it failed to engage at all. When the system fails, you are left with a vehicle that is still completely drivable as...

When used car shopping, most buyers are looking to get the best deal out there weather buying from a dealership or private seller. The term " best deal" usually means that you're paying much less than the market value of a particular car. However, we have all come across cars on the classifieds...

A few weeks back, the instrument cluster lights on my Volvo S70 seemed to go off randomly while I was driving and only half my speedometer would become illuminated. The lights would usually come back on with a good smack of the top of the dash board. Despite my best efforts of continually hitting...

While on a long road trip from Connecticut to Florida, my Volvo S70 illuminated a check engine light after I had arrived and started the car the following day (it had been sitting all night). I was stumped as to what it could be because the car seemed to drive fine. Then, I needed to take it on...