The old girl lives......

**greenone** · Friday 23rd October 2015, 17:25

Those who are fairly new on this forum have probably never heard from me but although not active for some time I've been a member for years, it says since 2010 but it's longer than that. If I remember rightly the forum had a reboot about that time losing all previous data.

Anyway to (re) introduce me and my car.

I've owned my Olive Green auto 855R since July 2002, its a '97 on a P plate. I bought it as an approved used Volvo from a main dealer in Guildford. I think it had 67000 miles on it. I used it as my daily driver till Autumn 2012 then as a second car till January 2013. Its last MOT was in July 2012 and only covered 2000 miles to make a total of 260000 miles when I took the old girl off the road. There was nothing wrong with her but having just gone through an expensive divorce / CSA etc I couldn't afford to reinsure her or run a car that only gets high 20's to the gallon. Not wanting to sell her and regretting it for ever (like the Rover V8 TP Vitesse I sold 28 yrs ago) I decided pop her in the garage for a few months........

Move forward nearly 3 years later ......... I currently drive a mk3 diesel mondeo ghia X estate, while its a very practical, comfortable, well equiped and frugal car and it does everything I need it to do, it's not the most interesting car to drive. So I've decided to get Volvo back on the road and this afternoon I took the first steps.........popped a new battery on, checked fluids, turned her over with the coil lead disconnected till the oil light went out, reconnected the coil lead and SHE STARTED as if I'd only parked her yesterday!!!! Engaged drive and rolled out of the garage, ok so one tyre had gone flat and won't pump up but otherwise everything works, I'm impressed, the brake discs have surface rust on but all 4 calipers seem to be working going by the wear in the rust! She came up to temp ok and went forwards and backwards, I was itching to take her out for a spin but that'll have to wait till I've sorted out an MOT and some insurance.

She is completely standard except for a strut brace and larger front discs. My plan is to tidy up the paintwork, replace the tailgate (it suffered when the rear washer jet failed) and tail gate struts, refurb alloys and new tyres. Full stage 1 service and probably poly bush the front suspension and get the turbo reconditioned, exhaust.......it'll give me something to do over the winter months.

In the mean time it was lovely just to sit in her again and hear the 5 pot burble.

I'll keep you updated.