# New engine for 2002 Acura RSX Type S **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** rsx, acura\ **Created:** [December 21, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006 "2010-12-21T20:30:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salital](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@salital](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salital)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/1 "2010-12-21T20:30:08Z")
A friend broke the engine of his 2002 Acura RSX Type S… he is selling the car to me for 3K and all i need to do is fix the engine. My questions are: 1. Am i getting a good deal? 2. How much does a new engine cost? 3. How should i pay for instalaiton? 4. Is it possible to get a better engine for this car? 5. Does anyone see anything wrong with this deal? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/2 "2010-12-21T20:32:50Z")
“all I need to do is fix the engine” That’s a BIG deal. Only way to know if it’s a good deal is to find out how much a new(er) engine will cost you, installed, compare the total price to the cost of a running RSX. Sounds like a headache to me… ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/3 "2010-12-21T20:44:33Z")
If you get very lucky, you might be able to break even between the cost of the car + engine (parts only, no install) and what you’d pay for the car if it had a good engine. So, you’re not getting a “good” deal, just, at best, a normal deal. Yes, you can get better engines for the car, but then you might also have to replace the transmission, and the axles, and the clutch, and sometimes the engine mounts, and sometimes you have to do some cutting and welding. Your third question is really a sign that you should pass this up and go buy a car that’s already running. Engine swaps are prohibitively expensive unless you do them yourself. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/4 "2010-12-21T20:47:05Z")
The answer for #1 depends on your answers for #2 and 3. No, to #4 if you plan on registering the car for normal use. #5 doesn’t sound too good to me. This might be a good deal if you are a mechanic, own a shop and have some extra time on your hands. For the price of a new motor call an Acura dealer. For a price of a rebuilt motor installed call a good foreign car repair shop. For a price on a used motor installed call a salvage yard. ---
**Author:** ![salital](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@salital](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salital)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/5 "2010-12-21T21:07:21Z")
A little research on the engine and appraised another car just like it. A used engine with 56k miles is selling for 2k and a car just like it goes for 10-12k… It sounds to good to be true and i really don’t know much about cars. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/6 "2010-12-21T21:11:09Z")
10-12k? How many miles are on it. The average private party price for an RSX-S in decent condition is only around 8k. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/7 "2010-12-21T21:11:58Z")
“if you plan on registering the car for normal use.” I think that’s just a California thing. Here in MN no one cares what engine is in the car. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/8 "2010-12-21T21:17:27Z")
It depends on the state and, sometimes, the city, so the OP should check, first. Often, if an inspection of some type is involved engine changing is out. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/9 "2010-12-21T21:22:01Z")
There are several near me listed in the $8-9k range, so you’d be able to get them for even less. Don’t try to talk yourself into this, if you can get a GOOD replacement engine installed for cheap, fine, otherwise walk away. ---
**Author:** ![salital](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@salital](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salital)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/10 "2010-12-21T21:24:48Z")
I found this [http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-2003-2004-ACURA-RSX-TYPE-S-2-0-K20A2-ENGINE-MOTOR-/290511396128?pt=Motors\_Car\_Truck\_Parts\_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2002|Make%3AAcura|Model%3ARSX&hash=item43a3d41d20](http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-2003-2004-ACURA-RSX-TYPE-S-2-0-K20A2-ENGINE-MOTOR-/290511396128?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A2002%7CMake%3AAcura%7CModel%3ARSX&hash=item43a3d41d20) ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/11 "2010-12-21T21:38:10Z")
Way overpriced for a 9 year old car with a trashed engine. If the car is slick other than the engine damage it’s worth 500 bucks. For 3 grand your friend is doing you no favors and the point could be made that if he trashed the engine then why should the rest of the car be exempt from its allocated share of thrashing. ---
**Author:** ![jeffzekas](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jeffzekas/32/94_2.png) [@jeffzekas](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jeffzekas)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/12 "2010-12-22T01:38:00Z")
All of the above comments are pretty much correct. My oldest son took on a project such as yours (only with a Toyota Supra) and he lost THOUSANDS of dollars on the deal! Once the engine is blown, you have no way of checking the rest of the mechanical parts on a car… and, what kind of driver BLOWS UP a bullet-proof Japanese motor? I’ll tell you: a guy who does burn-outs and forgets to change the oil. I’ve been burned enough times on cars that didn’t run, or ran badly, that nowadays, I won’t even consider a car, unless it is running and in good shape… and the owner must have ALL the maintenance records… otherwise, RUN AWAY… Do the words “money pit” mean anything to you? ---
**Author:** ![jeffzekas](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jeffzekas/32/94_2.png) [@jeffzekas](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jeffzekas)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/13 "2010-12-22T01:40:11Z")
PS “All it needs in an engine” is kinda like when a doctor says, “All you need is a heart transplant”. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/14 "2010-12-22T03:16:07Z")
I agree. At this point, it’s only worth steel scrap value, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/15 "2010-12-22T03:30:34Z")
An engine in a crate is one thing, an engine delivered and installed and running properly in your car is a COMPLETELY different animal… ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/16 "2010-12-22T03:58:10Z")
Trade-in for the vehicle (reality of most transactions) is $5k with a running engine according to edmunds. A good price for the car is about $1000-$1500 if in exceptional shape. You should price out an engine(used) first and install before going forward. $3000 you are taking way too much risk. ---
**Author:** ![salital](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@salital](https://community.cartalk.com/u/salital)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/new-engine-for-2002-acura-rsx-type-s/59006/17 "2011-01-06T22:49:35Z")
Thank you everyone for your replies… I decided not go for it as per to the money i will be investing on a 02 car. Cheers…