Rebuild engine or get a new car? ?

Question

I have a 2000 VW Jetta (that I am currently paying on [balance about $7000]) with a little under 100K miles that DIED (I need a new engine) about 2 months ago. Does it make sense to rebuild the engine or (knowing that I will be upside down) get a new car? Please help!

Answer 1

What's the rest of the car like?  If it's in pretty good shape, then rebuilding or replacing the engine would be a good deal.  

Otherwise the car will fall apart around a good engine.  Know what I mean?

Answer 2

just get a low mileage engine and stick in it.

Answer 3

Welcome to the VW club!

I would get a new car. My uncle went through the same thing TWICE with his VW. After dumping thousands of dollars in repairs into it, the third time he bought a used engine just to get it running to sell it, got rid of it and bought an old chevy pickup. Then gas went up crazy, he sold it and bought an old Maxima 5 speed, its been a pretty good car for him, not too many problems with it.

Answer 4

If you have the engine rebuilt, it will cost over $2,000.oo. Plus the motor will have to be taken out and reinstalled, which will cost more in labor. You can ask a mechanic about installing an ATK factory rebuilt engine. They come with a pretty sizable warranty. Also, you can bring the aluminum parts from your old engine to a scrap metal yard and get some decent money for them. Because of the mileage and the money you owe on the car, you would most likely be better off with an ATK. Check them out on the web. Best of luck.

Answer 5

If you need a new engine, get a new one. Don't rebuild after 100K mi unless you know for sure that it'll fix the problem. At this point in a car's life, it still makes $ sense to get a new engine.

Answer 6

i would keep the car, it isn't that old, it will how ever be old enough to find a crashed one in a wreckers yard. do a ring around the wreckers and try and find the right engine, make sure you ring a few places we have been doing a ring around for a engine recently prices varied greatly, over 1000 bucks difference in some cases. if the car has been in a rear end prang or similar chances are the engine will be unharmed. have a good one!!

good luck with it all.  

Answer 7

I agree with turbo. You would be spending good money on a bad car. The VW of old were good cars but the newer ones don't seem to stack up. Everyone I know has had bad experiences with them. You'll just need to take the loss and move on.

Answer 8

wholesale ur car with a engine that works is worth about $1,000..That's how much you would get on a trade in for a new car..its present condition it s worth 0..but u have a balance of $7000 on a car that may retail for $2500..Ur in the next 2  worst positon u could be in with a car.  The first being hit without any insurance or confiscated by law officials but u still have a note 2 honor. Ur almost forced to find a used or rebuilt engine and take ur chances, but ur dealing with a VW, one of the worst cars on the road. Unless u know someone u can trust ur looking at a minimum of $1500, thats used. Brand new, 3 to 4grand.. and it could get costlier

Answer 9

do it... It will be like new!!

Answer 10

Check around some scarp yards and you may be able to pick up a decent engine with low mileage fairly cheap. You can find alot of great engines from cars that have been totaled and allso ask what the charge would be to put the engine in for you.