I don't like the Volvo motor! What kind of moron designs a motor with a serpintine belt. Mine blew and left me on the side of the road. And when I called safety / repair / breakdown, they knew it was the belt when I told them the truck. They said it is comon for the belt to go. And yes I pretrip the belt. And no it did not have alot of miles 9k 2006

Yep...but you don't have to like them to let them pay for your kids college!!!

Yea...... but 20k, 10k, and 5k will not go very far............. Anyone price a 4-year college recently ??

It took me quite a while to pay off my student loans, even with scholarships. It costs a lot to go to college. Every little bit helps. The college I went to was small but good. I got my 5-year Environmental Geology degree there. There is a lot of bang for your buck there...even if you are out of state. The town is small but it's close to Albuquerque. The faculty is wonderful (except for that one calculus professor who thought that you had to also play violin or you were just plain trash...and the one engineering professor who thought you had to be a man to be an engineer). I'm sure things have changed some by now - I went there back in the day. I was recruited immediately by Kaiser Engineers out in California when I graduated. It was surprising because I didn't think anyone knew about the college but me! But when I moved to Texas, I was hired at an environmental company solely based on the college that I attended. It does make a difference. And - you don't always have to be Ivy League/big name college...unless you are there for the sports - all we had was rugby and ultimate frisbee...and a bunch of really fun mining competitions...

Cost Comparison for Tuition, Room & Board, Fees
2008 - 2009

It's a science/engineering/research school so it was mainly total nerds and mostly male...but people dropped out like flies because it was hard and went on to MIT or Colo School of Mines. I couldn't see going somewhere else and paying out the a$$ when I could stay in-state and get a great education. Of course, I had no life for 5 years.

My kids are probably going to want to go to Texas Tech, since it's here...and, since we are Lubbock residents, it probably won't be exhorbitant...as long as they don't mind living with me

Is there something magical about changing the Volvo engine's belt? We've had belts go out on our Detroit and our Cummins quite a few times on the side of the road and dragged out the tool box and the spare belt and changed them. I guess when you own the truck you weigh the cost of getting greasy against the cost of a service call. Always seemed to happen on a Friday night for some reason.

We never had a Volvo engine but we've had two Volvos. I don't have kids starting college (who am I kidding? I don't have kids!) but I wouldn't mind putting in an application if I did. Kudos to Volvo (and any other company) for their scholarship.

That's 3 folks who will have $10k less they have to spend. Good for them.

Yes, a serpintine belt is NOT a fan belt. A detroit and cummins have Double Timing Chain the Volvo I had has a Serpitine belt. when a serpintine belt goes you have to line up crank and cams. A fan belt is easy throw on done deal.

You mean a Timing Belt.

A "Serpentine Belt" is indeed a fan belt. Most late model truck engines use a serpentine belt for fan and accessory drive.

I guess Volvo must have figured that since timing belts are used on a lot of 4 wheeler engines these days, then they could save money by using a timing belt on their truck engines as well.

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10k would have coverd my college beer tab.

For what? The first semester.