New cars aren’t getting any cheaper. Even with a new car warranty, high payments easily offset the value. A reliable used car, especially if it’s one that you’ve done maintenance and servicing on, may be a good candidate for an engine rebuild. If your five to ten year old car is in excellent condition except for the engine (or with high mileage), then the right choice might be to have the engine rebuilt or to install a remanufactured engine. (You might also consider a transmission rebuild as well.)
If I were going to choose an automobile brand to rebuild and last for ten years, I think I would choose a Volvo. They hold up well and are one of the safest vehicles on the road.
I would not recommend doing a engine rebuild on a car that generally doesn’t keep its value or costs a lot to maintain.
Over ten years time, the following vehicles costs the most for repairs:
- Chrysler Sebring – $17,200
- BMW 328i – $15,600
- Nissan Murano – $14,700
- Mercedes-Benz E350 – $14,700
- Chevrolet Cobalt – $14,500
- Dodge Grand Caravan – $14,500
- Ram 1500 – $13,300
Source: www.tacomatransmissions.com/Top-Twenty-Automobile-Models-Repairs.html
Top 7 longest-lasting cars – pickups and SUVs excluded
- Toyota Avalon
- Honda Accord
- Honda Odyssey
- Ford Taurus
- Chevrolet Impala
- Toyota Camry
- Nissan Maxima
Top 7 longest-lasting luxury cars
- Lincoln Navigator
- Cadillac Escalade ESV
- Cadillac Escalade
- Acura MDX
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Volvo S60
- Volvo XC90
Source: roadloans.com/blog/longest-lasting-vehicles-the-200000-mile-roster
In most cases with proper care, automobile engines are good for about 150,000 miles before they begin having serious engine problems, however there are times when you can have relatively new cars with much fewer miles and have the engine go bad. Failing engines can be caused by a number of things including improper car maintenance, an accident that causes damage that doesn’t appear right a way, something that was missed during the quality control check at the factory where the car was manufactured . . . or even the result of not changing a timing belt on time. Whatever the cause, engine replacement is a complicated process and having the right tools is essential to success, so it is best to leave your engine replacement to skilled mechanics who have the tools and the expertise to successfully complete the job and . . . do it right the first time.
How Much Does an Engine Replacement Cost?
One of the first questions most people ask is how much is that engine replacement going to cost. The truth is, until a professional mechanic actually looks at your car, that is going to be a difficult question to answer because the cost is going to depend on many factors.
Size and Type of engine- Some high performance engines can cost around $9,000 or more, while many other engines may only cost around $1,000 or $2,000 to replace.
Is the replacement engine going to be new, used, rebuilt, or remanufactured? Are there external parts such as the water pump, hoses and other parts that are also going to need replacement? What about the electronic and computerized components? Those components are sometimes not usually included in quotes for an engine replacement.
Should You Have Your Engine Replaced or Buy A New Car?
A well equipped and experienced engine rebuilding shop might be your best overall solution. Keep up with maintenance and minor repairs and take care of the one major upgrade that could get you through the next decade. Timing is everything. One other thing to consider is the fact that automobile travel may change over the next five to ten years. All electric, computer assisted, self-driving vehicles may eliminate the need for many automobile activities. Instead of purchasing a thirty to forty-some thousand dollar car or truck now, an engine replacement could save you enough to buy the latest in 2020-2025.
Certified technicians are highly knowledgeable in both gasoline and diesel servicing and repairs: valve jobs, crank grinding, machining block, and complete rebuilding and replacing. Engine repairs or replacement can extend the life of your current vehicle. A quality shop can do the work and get you and your automobile back on the road.
We suffered a failed transmission on a 1ton ‘heavy duty’ Ford van – 11 years old and 63,000 miles. The gods must have been angry.
So I got to learn the differences between a ‘rebuilt’ and remanufactured transmission. No such thing as a ‘new’ transmission for purchase. Within the remanufactured category there are the OEM remans which service writer said were equivalent to a new trans and a number of ‘branded’ remans. So the rebuilds are the cheapest and the OEM remains are the most spendy. But wait, trans was serviced at dealership and they put an ‘additive’ in the trans. So there was a $1000 ‘warranty’ rebate on the purchase of an OEM trans so it remained more expensive than a local rebuild shop but less than a branded reman. Aye yi yi – smoke is pouring out of the calculator by now. Hope the power plant doesn’t die … too much brain power needed for this.
Joe,
Sorry to hear of your problems, but thank you for sharing them. I think there is no perfect remedy, but I like local independent repair shops with a long history of support. Please, keep reading my articles in The Suburban Times and making comments. Don
As in all things, you pay your money and take your chances. Get used to it.
Exactly. Thanks for reading and for writing. I love input . . . having paid my money before and taken a number of chances. Thanks, again. Don
Overindulgent exhaust from the tailpipe, intemperate fuel consumption, knocking noises, low compression and oil pressure, oil soaking up the radiator- are some of the customary indications of the vehicle engine troubles. But do you know the reason? Well, poor maintenance, improper lubrication, excessive overheating, worn out timing belt, can cause the engine to break down. I know it is quite expensive to fix the engine issues. But I genuinely feel that, if the engine is in proportionately good fettle, then definitely it makes sense to replace the engine, rather than replacing the entire vehicle by purchasing a new or pre-owned car.
Walter,
I know, I know . . . it’s the old pay me now or pay me later type of situation. Maintenance needs to be done all through the life of the car. I have a client here in Tacoma and I provide downloadable information for my client’s customers.
Thank you for reading AND for writing. Thanks for your comments.
Don