Engine Replacement

Replacing an engine with a new, remanufactured engine or rebuilt engine can add years to a vehicle's life and save thousands of dollars over what it might cost to buy another vehicle.  It is almost always cheaper to keep an existing vehicle even if it requires major repairs.  Replacing an engine is obviously a major repair that requires a sizable investment in a vehicle. For some older vehicles, the cost of replacing the engine may be more than the vehicle is worth. Yet many owners will have the engine replaced anyway because they do not want to trade vehicles or they owe too much on the vehicle to trade it.  An engine that is properly maintained with regular oil and filter changes, changing the spark plugs, timing belt and coolant at specified intervals, etc., should last 100,000 to 150,000 miles or more. But many engines are not properly maintained. Oil and filter changes are put off too long. The coolant is never changed. Nobody remembers to replace the timing belt. Consequently, after thousands of miles of neglect, the engine falters or suffers a variety of fatal ills. It starts to burn oil. It fouls spark plugs and misfires. It burns a valve. It overheats. It blows a head gasket. The head cracks. The oil pressure drops dangerously low. Warning lights come on. It makes rapping, clattering, ticking noises. It is hard to start. It seizes up and refuses to run.  When the engine finally reaches the end of the road, a painful choice has to be made: spend whatever it takes to fix or replace the original engine, or get rid of the vehicle and buy another. Either way it is going to cost money. A car dealer won't give much for a trade-in that has a bad engine. The only way to get rid of a car or truck with a bad engine is to junk it or sell it as a mechanic's special or fixer-upper. Either way, it won't sell for much money.  Replacing the engine on a vehicle that is more than 12 to 14 years old is usually not worth the cost, unless the vehicle is a classic, an antique or has special value. Engine replacement makes the most economic sense on vehicles that are four to 12 years old, and are still in good condition and worth repairing.