Any value in a car with a blown engine?

[Peruvian]

I just found out my 2009 Subaru Outback has a blown engine. The shop is recommending a $4k replacement engine. The car is in rough shape (beyond the blown engine!) as it was going to be passed down to my younger teenager at the end of this month. It's not really worth repairing as a result. I'm wondering what options I have for getting some money out of it. I haven't called any wrecking yards, etc. at this point but in the past I had to pay a nominal amount for that 'service'. Would listing it on eBay or CL be worth it? Any other suggestions?

[flatlander#2]

Good Lord what did you do to it?

[TAFKALVS]

$4k is too much, they are probably offering you a rebuilt/reman engine. If it's just for your teenager, why not find a lower mileage engine from a wrecked 2009 Outback? Should cost ~$1000 - $1500 and another $1000 to have it installed.

Its only a 6 year old car, it can't be that bad, right? right?

[Obstruction]

No harm in taking a flyer on CL listing it as a parts car. Even if it's rough it probably has some useful items. Try $475 and take anything over a six pack.

BTW feel your pain -- I'm in the same boat with a 98 accord that was my youngest kids beater. I discovered a thoroughly rotted front subframe while finishing a brake job. Too much $$$ to fix but someone may want it. Body has suffered many grevious insults but the engine, tires and tranny are OK.

[4matic]

probably worth $300 as junk with easy pickup. No muss no fuss. Don't call the wrecking yard directly. Search sell your junk car.

[Marshall Tucker]

I got $500 by googling "junk cars." pretty painless, they came and hauled it away. I do live in a major city.

Just be careful to make sure you sign over title to them.

[Obstruction]

I got $500 by googling "junk cars." pretty painless, they came and hauled it away. I do live in a major city.

Just be careful to make sure you sign over title to them.

Hmm if you don't mind me asking what sort of vehicle, miles, condition? Also which outfit did you use?

[Steven S. Dallas]

What else is wrong it with? $4K is a lot, but still less than you'd spend on a comparable replacement assuming this one doesn't need thousands of dollars in other work.

[bagtagley]

Its only a 6 year old car, it can't be that bad, right? right?

This

[TAFKALVS]

What else is wrong it with? $4K is a lot, but still less than you'd spend on a comparable replacement assuming this one doesn't need thousands of dollars in other work.

Replacement should be a minimum of $12-15k, right?

[Steven S. Dallas]

^He did say a teenager's been driving it for a while, so it's probably beat to shit and covered in Monster energy drink stickers.

Still, though.

[Timberridge]

What's 'blown' on the engine? Did you run out of oil or coolant? If the short block is ok, a head swap will be less expensive than a new engine.

[frorider]

The GF's 2006 outback looks and drives like new. Was yours 09 competing in WRC? Without pics it's hard to answer your question.

And what do you mean by blown?

[guroo270]

Same with my '06 Forester. Hoping it's good for at least another 200k miles. Crazy.

[KQ]

The GF's 2006 outback looks and drives like new. Was yours 09 competing in WRC? Without pics it's hard to answer your question.

And what do you mean by blown?

^This.

My 2009 is still going strong *knocks wood* and looks great. Inquiring minds want to know - WTF?

[Peruvian]

Thanks for the replies. It was run without oil. Unknown how long. Don't ask why. It needs an engine swap. Shop told me a used (not rebuilt) engine with 82k would cost $4k to swap - this includes labor.

The rear passenger fender and door have damage, interior is not in good shape. It's a VT car with a lot of dirt road driving and not a ton of maintenance and 135k miles.

I called a wrecking yard who told me sight unseen it would be worth about $500 to them. I just want to be sure I don't overlook some other obvious way to sell it for a bit more.

[TAFKALVS]

I guess for some people a 6 year old car is "old". For me it is a damn near "new" car. Perhaps that's the case here?

[Peruvian]

I guess for some people a 6 year old car is "old". For me it is a damn near "new" car. Perhaps that's the case here?

My 2005 Honda is "newer" than this Subie, if you know what I mean.

[Mustonen]

6 years old and 100k is about the newest where I start with a car, not end, and that's if I'm feeling fancy.

Hard to sell a car that somebody can't drive away. An '09 has to be worth more than $4k.... And I'd shop that, too. I had a blown engine replaced for $2,200 installed a couple years ago. Junkyard engine, but ran great.

[TAFKALVS]

My 2005 Honda is "newer" than this Subie, if you know what I mean.

Gotcha.

I did a quick search on a salvage yard website. A junk yard engine is about $1200-1800 depending on mileage. A shop should be able to do the swap for $1000 I'd bet. I'd say put the $2500 into the car and let your kid drive it. Kid will probably get in an accident in a few years anyways, may as well have it be the shit heap that gets destroyed. Fenders and doors are easy to replace, and if it already has dings it won't matter as much when junior hits something.

$4000 is bullshit unless the shop is replacing head gaskets and timing belt/water pump/pulleys at the same time. Even then that should only add $5-600 to the cost.

Even if you fix and sell you can probably get more for it than selling it to a junk yard. A beater 09 goes for at least $8000 around my area, and might go for more with the right buyer.

[DBdude]

Thanks for the replies. It was run without oil. Unknown how long. Don't ask why. It needs an engine swap. Shop told me a used (not rebuilt) engine with 82k would cost $4k to swap - this includes labor.

The rear passenger fender and door have damage, interior is not in good shape. It's a VT car with a lot of dirt road driving and not a ton of maintenance and 135k miles.

I called a wrecking yard who told me sight unseen it would be worth about $500 to them. I just want to be sure I don't overlook some other obvious way to sell it for a bit more.

that sounds really high

1200 - 1400 for used motor - 1000 to install

[uglymoney]

You can take the motor out in a few hours easily yourself with a $140 harbor freight 2 ton engine hoist. I did it on my 02 and it was easy. Automatic trannies are a little bit more pain in the ass.

One thing I would do for sure and you might want to do if you go remanufactured or used on the engine is get the head gaskets replaced with the turbo mls gaskets before you put the engine in. It is a super easy job on an engine stand and if you don't have it done you will have to deal with HG's at some point...a used engine with 80k is ripe for HG to blow. Also if you buy used have them put a gates camshaft belt kit on it with all new pulleys. I have a barely used water pump I can send you cheap as well if you decide to do it.

A reman shortblock with a 3/36 warranty from Subaru is 2k out the door but that won't work for you since the heads are likely shot. That is the route I went and it uses 1/4 quart of oil per 5k with heads that have 180k on them.

Also you can buy complete rebuilt engines from an outfit in Denver for about $4k or something. They are way too expensive I think but come with mls headgaskets and all the goodies and might make sense especially if you do the engine swap yourself.

Also 1k is the right number for just an engine swap. The pros can do it all before lunch.

[Danno]

I just found out my 2009 Subaru Outback has a blown engine. The shop is recommending a $4k replacement engine. The car is in rough shape (beyond the blown engine!) as it was going to be passed down to my younger teenager at the end of this month. It's not really worth repairing as a result. I'm wondering what options I have for getting some money out of it. I haven't called any wrecking yards, etc. at this point but in the past I had to pay a nominal amount for that 'service'. Would listing it on eBay or CL be worth it? Any other suggestions?

My wife's 2005 Impreza blew up on her (needed new engine), and a local Subie shop/dealer here bought it off of her for $2000. Presumably, they were going to throw an engine in it, recondition it, and sell it for a lot more.

Granted this might not work for you, since you live in the sticks, but there are a lot of Subies in your neck of the woods. Call around, maybe there's a used car dealer/Subie shop that might see some value in a 2009. It might cost a bunch in towing to get it there, but overall could still net more $.

[Peruvian]

The shop says the engine is $2900 and labor is about $1100. The swap is a job more significant than I'm willing to tackle.

I just called the dealer where we bought the car. The low oil indicator light never came on and it's still unclear how the oil leaked or where it went (not on the engine, on my garage floor, splattered on the undercarriage, etc). I'm waiting for the service manager to call back to see why the light wouldn't have come on. I don't expect any resolution from them, since the manual says to check the oil levels yourself, but I'm curious.

[adrenalated]

Sounds like someone did an oil change and didn't put any oil in it...