[Philip Fisher]

It's back!

After almost exactly 2 months off the road as of today it is finally fixed and back on my drive.

It took about 6 weeks for the engine to be built and delivered from Sweden, then it took longer through the workshop than expected due to a few reasons. They had some problems with the autobox. When they took the drive shafts off it uncovered a leak - Volvo don't do any parts for the box so Riverside sent it out to a local automotive specialist who rebuilt the box. Finally the steering column lock packed up (which doesn't surprise me - the car was sat idle for 6 weeks and this never does any machine any good). So it has had a new steering column lock too.

I simply cannot fault Riverside Doncaster. They have heavily discounted the labour hourly rate; discounted me some parts; only charged me 15 hours labour (even though they reckon with all the diagnosis and buggering around they probably spent double that on the car); charged me for the box refurb at cost as well as only cost for the steering column lock too. They even got Volvo to contribute a rather stingy (but of course still better than nowt) 10%.

So all in, new engine, refurbed auto box, new column lock, serviced (which was due) and cambelt done of course (which was also due) it cost me almost exactly 9 grand. It was due a big service and cambelt change which would have been 1200 quid so the failure has set me back 7.8k net. An enormous amount of cash in my world - and I still wince when I remember my extended warranty running out 2 months before the failure - but all reckoned up not as much as I would expect for the work involved.

I am just happy it is back. I will drive it for a while and see how I feel about it then decide what to do. Maybe I will order that Polestar 2 and sell whilst the market is strong, or maybe now it is sorted I will get some value out of it.......