So I found out this morning that my Engine gave out on my car. I recently spent $600 total on these repairs and maintenance including an exhaust pipe, ignition coil pack, pcv valve replacement, and fuel filter replacement. I forgot to mention I replaced the battery in October as well for $200. What is the best course of action for me? Should I sell the car to a junk yard for the parts? Should I sell the car to someone who can rebuild the engine? I’d like to at least make some of that money back. I look forward to any suggestions. Thanks in advance for your help. 
Sincerely,
MyHyundaiIsGrey
Not that it makes much difference. What Elantra do you have and what is the year? The newer parts are all nitnoy items and have no used value and batteries grow on trees. The price of labor is impossible to retrieve.
Your engine gave out what? Maybe that says that the engine isn’t worth rebuilding, so we may never know exactly what gave out. Without specific information, there is no effective advice.
The year of my Hyundai Elantra is 2000. A valve in the engine gave out so the engine is no longer working. I’m not looking to rebuild the engine myself but to sell it to someone who can - if that’s an option. I am looking to possibly get something from an otherwise well running car. Brakes, Tires, Tune-Up, Battery were all replaced within the last year.
Buy another 2000 Elantra (for $2,000 or less on Craigslist) and keep this one for spare parts.
$200 for an Elantra battery sounds expensive, you should have been able to get one for $70 or less. Did the dealer do this to you?
I think that the easiest thing to do is put it on your closest Craigslist. Describe its condition and take offers. At the very least a metal scrapper will give you something for it. In my area people are currently paying $200-300 for complete cars. You might also find someone who would give you more if they need a parts car or something (maybe there’s someone out the with a good engine but a bad transmission.
Good, maybe $600 price and somebody will offer you something for it because a 2000 Hyundai sounds like a car that is still useful. The dealer price on a Saturn head replacement used to be $1,200 which would leave the next owner in a good spot.
I agree. If nothing else, OP needs to visit Wal-mart and look for the yellow batteries. Nicely rated by Consumer’s Report.
How about this idea? Since you’ve already spent around $800 on the car recently and there is no way to get nearly that much out of the car if you sell it I think you should look into getting a used engine installed. It should cost a lot less than a rebuilt engine.
Hi. Thanks for the reply. The battery was actually $99.99 - was the only one that would fit in my car that they had in stock. It wasn’t the dealer - I bought it from Pep Boys.
That sounds like a great idea. I will definitely try and post it on Craigslist.
Yeah it is still a useful car. I only owned it for 4 years myself and it only has 128,000 miles on it. It does have some body damage but it works and operates just fine - that is before the engine gave out. I’m not sure what you mean when you say “a Saturn head replacement”? With a new engine from the inside this would be a new car.
Hi William,
I thought about that idea - but here’s the thing - the cost to repair the vehicle is now exceeding the current value of the vehicle. The current value of the vehicle is about $1,515. If I found a used engine for $500 - it would cost at least $500 to get it installed which would equal $1,000 and I’ve already spent $800 on recent maintenance and repairs including an oil change in January 2011. That comes to $1,800 which exceeds the current value of the car. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though - I appreciate it.
I would suggest that what you spent on the car before the engine failed isn’t relevant. You had already spent that money, no matter what. Here’s a thought experiment:
The day after you spent the $800, someone steals the engine out of your car. Do you:
a. buy a replacement car for $1,515 or
b. put in a replacement engine for $1,000?
Also, you say “The current value of the vehicle is about $1,515.” Do you mean you could sell your car, as is, for that amount? I suspect the current value of your car is substantially less. But let’s say you can. The way you’re looking at it, now you’re ahead $700. But now you need to buy an equivalent car. Let’s call that $1,500. Now you’re down $800, as opposed to being down $300 for a new engine, the way you’re looking at it. But! The $800 is real money and the $300 is a notional figure.
The real difference is $1,500 for a replacement car vs. $1,000 for a replacement engine in your existing car with all those new parts. The replacement car is $500 more expensive in terms of real money coming out of your checking account than replacing the engine. Either way, you’ve already spent the $800.
Don’t forget the time and money involved in (maybe, someday) selling your car, as is, and then finding, buying, and registering an equivalent car.
“With a new engine from the inside this would be a new car.”
Ummm, no. The engine isn’t the only moving part.