We’d scored a nearly free Volvo and spent a few months using it as our daily driver, but then the gravy train reached its station: A persistent coolant smell reared its ugly head, forcing us to pop the hood and figure out where it was coming from. 
Fortunately, that wasn't too difficult. We spotted a small coolant leak. Bad news, though: It was coming from the radiator. Like most modern cars, our Volvo has an aluminum core capped by plastic end tanks, and ours had developed a hairline crack.
Fortunately, this wasn't a big deal. We stopped driving before losing much coolant and doing any damage, so fixing it was as simple as bolting a replacement radiator in. eEuroparts was kind enough to send us a new raditator, and we swapped it in one evening after work. The company is way more knowledgeable about cars like this than the average parts store, and seems to stock a higher grade of parts, too.
The new radiator was a perfect match for the broken part, and installation was a breeze. We spent about an hour on this project, and the new radiator retails for about $200.
Just like that, our low-buck daily was back in action. We tested the repair by carrying a new couch home.
View all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
