I have a 1998 Volvo S90 with 440 000 km. I have to get a safety...long story.

To get the safety I need: 4 new tires, two front ball joints, two front tie rods, new windshield, back brake rotors and pads.

This is going to cost me around $1500-$2000. I am also planning a long, weeks long road trip in the coming weeks. So to make sure it is 100% and doesn't leave me stranded I would like to replace the IAC valve and get the Secondary Air injection System looked at/cleaned out (P0401 code and intermittent P0505).

Car is in pretty good shape, a little bit of body rust. I have attached a photo.

So I have started to think about putting the old girl out to pasture and leasing/financing a cheap new car for around $200 a month. Trouble is I have grown quite fond of the old girl and would hate to see her go. I am torn.

Please let me know your thoughts.

 

At those miles, only if it was my fathers car I would invest those money expecting to use it on long trips. Statistically speaking it has issues at such miles. Sometimes is time to let it go.

On the other hand I prefer a more expensive 3 years old car than a cheap brand new one. I bought only once a cheap new car and regretted. For the same money I could have driven a much better vehicle with 50000km on it.

 

Keep it running. Check with Volvo, you may get a good deal on a new one.

 

So....I fixed it and took it on a three week journey through the East Coast of Canada. Along the South shore of the St Lawrence River, around the Gaspe Peninsula, down to Prince Edward Island, around the Cabot Trail, down to Peggy's Cove, back to the Bay of Fundy and then back to Ottawa.

About 4500 km total. Here's a map of the general trip.

https://goo.gl/maps/HDmIB

I have attached a few pics including the Volvo in different parts of the trip.

Back-1: Cabot Trail, near Pleasant Bay Nova Scotia
Righ-1: A Quebec Park
Front-1: Forillon National Park, Gaspe Quebec

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

You made a good call. A much better deal than a cheap new replacement, or another used car (which could easily come with unseen problems as serious or worse than what you have now fixed.