<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hillbilly:<BR><B>Yannis;<BR>I should have been more specific. Painful here means "really awaful" and by that I mean lots of chatter, uneven engagement, difficult to get car moving smoothly. the problems were amplified by having to drive very slowly in tight spaces (the parking garage). I have known about these problems from when I get the car but Volvo reps says I just needed to allow the car to go faster when first starting out. Couldn't do that in the garage. Does this sound like your clutch?</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Sorry for the late response; I must have overlooked it. <P>No, not really...AT tremendously low speeds wile on 1st gear, it depends how fast but under 10mph it is usually pretty smooth and if it gets "uneven" all I have to do is tap (very gently) the clutch and all is well. With 2nd gear my car drives very evenly...no probs at all. Actually, I find the manual Volvos very easy and gentle under very low speeds. I have owned (in this country) manual transmission Eagle Talon, Ford Probe, Mazda 323, Ford Escort, Volvo 850 and now the current car...the 850 and the T-5 have been the easiest to drive.<P>Yannis<P><P>