I've been just diagnosed with a blown head gasket. My vehicle is a 2002 V70 XC. I've been advised also that coolant is leaking into the oil. I had been experiencing leakage for over a year, but no one was able to detect where the leak was ending up - that is until now. Given that, I check my coolant level every Monday morning and top off as necessary to make sure I have plenty of coolant at all times. My car does not overheat. Within the past four years, I have replaced both the transmission and the radiator. I have been advised by two different mechanics that my best course of action would be to purchase a new vehicle rather than spending the money to repair the one I have. My question is two-fold - firstly, why shouldn't I simply replace the head gasket, and secondly, what should be my ceiling respective to how much money to spend on my 15-year old car. My vehicle has 140,000 miles.

 

I say this to any body detected lost coolant but don't see the leak or the poodle under the car, if it can't leak out it must leak in: You had leaking head gasket, in the beginning, just a little coolant in the cylinders it will evaporated so you don't see any effect to engine running, when it get more serious then you start see the engine change behavior and the last thing is over heat will occur, fix it before it happen.( that happen to my car)
Firstly: If you buy another car, you still have to fix it to have a good value trade in or resale, your car only 140K mile it still has long life after repair.
Secondly: The cost of repair is still cheaper than the price of an even junk car, my estimate is from $800-$1200, if you can DIY It cost you lest than $100 plus your time.