Volvo Repair: Volvo S70 (1998) Air pump, volvo s70 1998, volvo dealership

Question
Recently my Volvo S70 (~140,000 miles) started making a high pitched whining noise. The sound terminates in a gurgling or scraping sound. It has happened both when the engine is cold and when I am stopped at a stop light. The check engine light was also on. I took it to the Volvo dealership, and they said that it was my air pump and check valve. They quoted me a price of $898. Is this reasonable??? And is it safe to drive it a long distance without this fixed yet?

Answer
    Jessica, if it is indeed the air pump, yes they are peicey. I would ask for a guarentee that that will fix it before investing the money. Not safe to drive a long distance. If it siezes, it will break the belt and there you will sit.

Merry Christmas

Mark