New Engine/New Car?

Buying/Selling
1

I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid ES. 105,000 miles. Generally good condition, very nice big car. I like it.



Yesterday going to work engine starts going “Bang Clang Krang”. I just make it to work. Towed to dealership who say engine has come apart and I need a new one. $7500 parts and labor.



So, question: to what extent does putting in a new engine get me a new car? the vehicle may have 105,000 miles on it but the engine won’t. OTOH $7,500 is a ton of money. But then again I can’t buy much of another car for that. To get a used sedan with say 50k miles would cost say $15k…



So what should I do??!!



Thanks Jonathan

2

For $7500, you can do better than a 2000 Dodge Intrepid IMO. What’s wrong with a used Taurus with 50 to 75K .
An Accord with 100K has another 100k left if service was decent. You have lots of other options.
I’d cry if I sunk $7500 into an Intrepid and had the tranny go the following year…or any other car other than a Vette.

3

New car. The Intrepid is not unique. If you want an Intrepid, buy a used one. You can get a 2004 Intrepid for a lot less than $7500. That’s not a suggestion, just an observation.

4

You can get a rebuilt engine for a lot less from an independent garage, or even Sears Automotive. Another option is a good low mileage engine from a wreck. That would cost a lot less. However, I would only fix it if the rest of the car is in really good mechanical condition.

5

I agree with Doc. Check with a local independent mechanic and see what they suggest. I would expect that they can offer some less expensive solutions.

Dealers are no better (or worse) than independent mechanics for almost anything you might need done on your car.  They will almost always charge more per hour and often more for parts and supplies.  They also tend to look at repairs a little different than the independent. 

A dealer may well recommend work that strictly may not be needed, but could be connected to the problem or maybe replace a part when a little repair would fix it ALMOST as good a new.  

There is no need to bring your car to the dealer for any service other than service that is going to be paid for by a recall or original warrantee.  During the warranty period be sure to have all required (as listed in the owner's manual) maintenance done and to document all maintenance work.

I suggest that most people would be better off finding a good independent (Not working for a chain) mechanic.
6

How can an engine just “come apart” without leaving a huge trail of metal pieces all down the road as you’re traveling?
For $7500, I’d consider taking the car back and selling it as a parts car on craigslist or ebay and take what I could get, then look for another vehicle.

7

Used engines for this car should be affordable. Check car-parts.com, some will install and also give you a 60 day warranty.

8

Beware that Accord w/100k miles. That’s right about the time that you should be replacing the timing belt or belts to the tune of about $1200. If the belt(s) were replaced recently, then, it’s probably a good deal.