I founded this site on September 14, 2001. As a web developer in Seattle, Washington, I was caught up in the dot-com bust that hit hard in 2000. I was one of the 95% of employees laid off from eHome.com, and suddenly found myself unemployed. To make the most of that downtime, I channeled my skills in HTML and XML into building a simple website dedicated to Volvo maintenance and repairs. I also did yoga lol!
Back then, there wasn’t much online for DIY enthusiasts, and having bought a 3-year-old 850 recently, I was bursting at the seams to get what I’d learned about owning and maintaining it out into the world.
I saw a real gap in resources, so I started compiling my own repair experiences into easy-to-navigate guides. Using XML as a basic (“flat”) database and HTML for the frontend, I made it straightforward for users to find Volvo tips and tutorials. Initially it was mostly one long page (really!) with a few dozen minor pages. The site took off quicker than I expected.
After a few months I installed a semi-proper forum, but the data was still just text in text files (still “flat”). In September 2002, I added proper forums using phpBB software to let Volvo owners chat and share advice. By 2006, five years in, I launched the Volvo Repair Database powered by WordPress, which made everything more searchable. I promoted the best of the forums into the VRD to showcase common repairs and methods. What started as my personal project turned into a thriving community.
MVS Retrospectives
- MVS Turns eight! Whoo!
- See the MVS Home page as it appeared on Oct. 7, 2002
- My 1997 850 on October 27, 2002 in Seattle
- State of the Site 2014
- We passed 1000 Repair Database entries today
- 2010 MVS Retrospective
Over time, I’ve expanded the VRD to include history and interesting Volvo trivia, like Volvo typography.
In 2021, for our 20th anniversary, I looked back on MVS’s humble beginnings. The site’s success comes from the amazing Volvo community we’ve built together. Here in 2025, MVS is still going strong, helping owners keep their Volvos running affordably with practical, user-driven knowledge. It’s proof that tough times can spark something lasting. Don’t give up.
4 Comments
soy del sur de España, y aficionado a la mecanica, y me gusta mucho su página, enhorabuena hizo ud un gran trabajo
Thank you! This site has the best Volvo repair history for looking up problems others have solved in the past. So many other sites have disappeared and the the obscure problems and solutions also disappeared.
This site and Vida have helped me save thousands of dollars on repairs to my family’s Volvos!
Congratulations! I think I first used the site shortly after it debuted to find out how to replace the SAS pump, which I did several more times over the years before finally doing the delete! Thanks for all the help over the years!
This website is an important resource for owning or considering a Volvo! I don’t think anybody would want to buy a Volvo if they weren’t sure if they or their independent mechanic had the information needed to repair the vehicle.
I don’t think Volvo cares very much. Very poor job by them. I was also informed of another website that offers repair manuals, it’s name includes “charm” but I think it’s technically illegal because Volvo, BMW, basically every automaker wants to charge hundreds to thousands of dollars for access to repair info on their cars.