engine repair or replace with reconditioned engine?
Submitted by cuthbad on Mon, 2012-03-12 13:38
So the timing belt on my pajero failed. When I got it a few months ago I was assured it had been replaced at 95k and had the major service done. There was a sticker indicating this was the case.
Anyway, I fell for it and now I have to deal with the consequences. My mechanic is quoting $3k+ to repair the current engine which has done 140,000km. He also suggested calling around wreckers for a replacement engine. Not too sure about the wreckers option, the replacement engine may have its own issues.
I have been quoted $3,800 for a reconditioned engine including fitting from another place.
I don't know much about these things so I thought I would ask. Anyone had a replacement reconditioned engine fitted before?
Any advice?
Cheers
joe amato
Posts: 731
Date Joined: 21/12/08
go the recon
i would go the recon motor in that case,at least you get 2 years warranty at most places,if you fix the current motor for 3000,something else might still go wrong imo
cuthbad
Posts: 1266
Date Joined: 22/04/09
Cheers.I think the quote I
Cheers.
I think the quote I was given may have been for a partially reconditioned engine or something. Just called another place and the quote for a long block reconditioned engine was almost $6k including fitting.
Troy Summers
Posts: 408
Date Joined: 14/08/11
Get onto mitsubishi about a
Get onto mitsubishi about a genuine while your getting quotes, I remember a few years ago when I was working at an auto trans shop that a genuine replacement 4 sp auto was cheaper to buy than a rebuild kit!! Cant remember the exact make n model, but it may be a viable option for ya
Troy
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17862
Date Joined: 11/03/08
at 140000km there shouldnt
at 140000km there shouldnt have been a prob with the motor. sounds like you been jipped. i would look at the recon, firstly check out a few places for recon prices as you may find they vary a fair bit. prob with fixing the current motor there is likely something else they will find so your 3k turns to 4k. loose loose situation, either way your going to have to fork out the $. not good at all
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Graeme76
Posts: 287
Date Joined: 03/10/11
If the difference is only
If the difference is only $800 & you get a half decent warranty then I'd go with the reco. The difference in quotes you recieved may be one place giving you an exchange price & the other an outright price, maybe call them back to find out if that is the case. Get a few reco quotes & find out what the average is, if it's too far below the average then they might not be doing the reco properly. Exchange will save you a big chunk of change if you can do it.
Perry Home
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 07/10/10
Do your Homework
First of all - bummer! Like most of us that no small change to knock out so do your homework first . Look at all the options discussed and weigh up the plusses & minuses and what is interesting that is left over. I'd be seriously looking at the recon exchange as although its gonna cost you $800 more believe me once the motor is stripped taken out and the recon exchange is fitted and tested $800 is a small cost for piece of mind fit up. Good reconditioners have a sense of pride about giving your pride and joy a new lease of life as well - the trick is to find a good one. Remember also they will fit an already rebuilt motor that'll be a Paj motor suiting your model. Yours will come out and then be rebuilt to go into another car. With the warranty they offer you'll have every confidence that you'll get years of good service from the new donk. Good luck.
Bluedog
Posts: 251
Date Joined: 28/07/11
Dont know what year your car
Dont know what year your car is but $6-$10k for a recon plus fitting is more like it. Plus you will need to take the vehicle back to who fitted it every 10,000km or 6 months to maintain the warranty and then only minimal things will be covered anyway, all the things that mainly fail like starters, alternators, fuel pumps etc etc wont be covered, you pretty much only insuring against the engine pooping itself again which is reasonably unlikely. What repairs have the current workshop quoted for $3000? If you were driving when the belt failed they'd need to basically rebuild it anyway, and if they're saying $3k then thats the way the go i reckon, but thats too cheap for mine to repair a vehicle that busted a timing belt while driving, the internal damage when this occurs is substantial. I'm also a bit miffed that he's quoted $3000 to repair it but suggests you find a recon, unless we're talking about an old girl? I'd be taking up the $3000 quote, but as Russ said, i can see this easily growing once he tries to repair it.
cuthbad
Posts: 1266
Date Joined: 22/04/09
Cheers for the advice.Its an
Cheers for the advice.
Its an 02 pajero with the single overhead cam 3.5l petrol (G674). And yea it was driving when it failed.
The quotes so far are 3,800 from engines r us or 5,900 from The Engine Exchange, both tell me they supply completely recond engines with all new components, so I'm guessing the price difference may reflect the quality of the components used and perhaps the remanufacturing process?
The repair was quoted at 3k plus so I think you guys are right about it growing....
The bit that really p!ss3s me off is that before working out it was a failed timing belt the mechanic sent away the computer and had the welds re done on it assuming that was the problem, so I'm up for a grand before he even starts repairing anything! His excuse being that some part stopped right on a sensor or something so it still turned over. No way he could have known he reckons.
Leaning more towards the recond engines now. Lost faith in the mechanic anyway.... Just gotta work out what the difference is between the two quotes and probably check a few more places.
yourkidding
Posts: 26
Date Joined: 19/12/10
basically the cylinder heads
basically the cylinder heads need to come off. replace bent valves, face heads, new head gaskets, timing kit and its done. highly unlikely that there will be any broken valve guides. if your engine has done only 140k and ran well, i wouldnt buy a 2nd hand time bomb from a wrecker that has 2 or 3 months warranty and probably done 300k kms. I just dont understand the part why he removed the computer????? Either he should stick to gardening or a he's a true crook.
sherbert
Posts: 4717
Date Joined: 10/09/06
My son as moved from nissan
To paceways So give him a call and ask him what to do
Hes in service [Andrew herbert]
Assassin landbase fishing club
Graeme76
Posts: 287
Date Joined: 03/10/11
Did the mechanic ask &
Did the mechanic ask & recieve your permission to do the work on the computer? If he did you just have to lump it but if he didn't you don't have to pay him for that work. Repairs can only be made with the owners consent & if that consent is not given then you don't have to pay for the portion of the job that consent was not given for. You still have to pay for his labour diagnosing the problem, even though he got it wrong & any other work that you did give consent for though. If he tries to tell you that you don't have a choice, get onto the department of commerce & lodge a complaint with thier motor vehicles branch.
Mistaking a timing belt failure as a computer problem is a pretty big mistake though & I certainly wouldn't have the confidence to let this mechanic make the repairs if that is the track you decide to go down.
499
Posts: 181
Date Joined: 07/12/08
id find another mechanic, he
id find another mechanic, he sounds useless and incompetant and yr paying for it...id be hitting him up for the cost of the reco under warrenty and if he didnt cough up id go straight to consumer affairs or a lawer. esp given hes said it was replaced and it wasnt, if it was replaced its covered under warrenty mate, and if it wasnt and u were chargerd= misleading and deceptive conduct=sue
i had a smart rse yrs ago try this crap on me when i was 19....massive slanging match in the workshop toe to toe, every1 had a good laugh xecpt me but i got my car back repaired at no cost cause i stood my ground and threatened legal action....then found another mechanic
............its pretty basic stuff really esp for a mechanic, that is one who actually knows wot hes doing
see the brothers at street scene automotives in wangara prindiville drive