I need to rebuild or replace engine costing $3200-3500 (engine alone was $2k a few months ago(after the tsunami hit)). 106000 miles, new transmission due to recall. I don’t really want to keep the car I want to get a van. I’ve been trying to sell it myself for a few months, no luck. I’m unemployed.
Related question, if I use it for trade in, will I get more i.e. a discounted price on what I want to buy?
So complicated. I’m confused.
You’re between a rock and a hard place.
The car is 11 years old and spending big bucks for a new engine is not economically feasible if you’re just going to sell it.
The other side of that coin is that it’s worth little as it sits so trade value is wholesale at best.
Being unemployed, I think you’re making a huge mistake by even thinking about working a trade on the car, another engine or not.
Getting approved on a car loan while unemployed could be a real trick short of one of those outfits that hit you for well into the double digits on interest rates; assuming they would even do it.
What would I do if I were in your shoes? Footwork on eBay, Craigslist, etc. for a good used engine in your area, drop that in, and keep what I had for the time being.
Only 106K on the vehicle? Are you sure you need a new engine? What happened?
I ran it with the check engine light on for about a year (too poor to fix. Poverty and unemployment suck). I kept checking the oil, but didn’t know it could mean (did mean?) the oil pump might not be working. I just heard that on the show this last weekend. The mechanic I took it to back when I could afford it said an oxy sensor was malfunctioning. Also it was in the dealer for a trans replace due to recall. Engine blew the day I picked it up. Can’t prove what happened either way.
Can you describe in more detail engine blew?
I assume that you mean the oil light came on? The “check engine light” and oil pressure light are not the same thing.
Thank you all for your time and effort, btw.
I would not get a loan for a different car. I realize what a mistake that would be, but thanks for the warning!. I have some money saved.
To be honest about not keeping the Rav, I was homeless for a month a year ago, could easily be again soon (no substance abuse problem, college degree, middle aged, health issues, but couldn’t tell you why I couldn’t get a job for over 2 years.It’s bad out there.) and I can’t recline in the Rav, so want a van in case.
No it wasn’t the oil light, it was the check engine. I have wondered why the oil light didn’t come on if I was getting ‘catastrophic failure due to oil starvation’ as 3 mechanics said, but it never did. I used to change my own oil and know more than average about cars, even tho I’m a woman, that’s why I was meticulous about cheking the oil level frequently. I could afford a quart of oil. I did wonder why I didn’t need to add oil.
Anyway, the day I picked it up it stopped, just died, no shudder, about 23 miles from the dealer on
PHC at Zuma Beach. I got a jump start, drove it about half a mile or mile, died again. Battery WAS corroded (they are covered so I couldn’t see when I picked up). I was going to check the oil when I picked it up, but could tell the Dealer was in a hurry for me to be out and succumbed to the pressure (maybe my biggest failing). Anyway then 2 mechanics (1 the dealer’s) looked at it and said catastrophic failure due to oil starvation’.
So one of my biggest anxieties right now is what to do about the Rav and geting a van.
Thanks again for your help.
I am sorry this still does not make any sence. The check engine light will NOT light for low oil pressure, that is why the oil pressure light exsists. Now the check light will flash on and off if thinks something really bad is happening… It seems HIGHLY suspect that this car would blow its motor 24 miles after having a new trans installed. I really dont see how the motor was not showing signs of issues prior to it blowing… Even if it was running with low oil pressure you would hear it in the valves as a tick prior to blowing up.
I am not doubting you just what the mechanics are telling you… At this point will the Rav crank if you turn the key?
Yeah, didn’t hear a tick, no sign it was going to blow, but I have some hearing loss. I was almost in an intersection when it stopped the first time.
So the oil pressure light definitely should have come on all the time it was ‘starved’.
As I wrote, light was on about a year, diagnosed as 1 of 2 oxy sensors.
I called the Bureau of Auto Repair while it was at the dealers. He looked at pictures and said it did look like oil deprivation over time. Took it to another mechanic who said the same thing. I can only assume the oil pressure light wasn’t working. It’s been half disassembled since taking it to the 2nd mechanic.
You should have gotten the check engine codes read. Autozone does it for free.
Car is worth $8000+ so it’s worth getting fixed.
It’s worth nothing as is.
Ask someone to invest in the repair.
Lend you $3000, and you pay them back $3500 when it sells.