Ugg, you find yourself on the way to work when your car begins to shudder and die, you thankfully can pull off to the side of the road, narrowly missing speeding traffic.
You call AAA and hope they aren’t backed up and can get to you quickly, as you sit in the car waiting. And as you wait your mind wanders to what could be wrong and how much is this going to cost! “I hope it is just those old spark plugs my mechanic keeps pestering me to replace."
While a vehicle that died while driving can be a number of things and would need to be diagnoses by a trained technician, there is always the possibility that an engine replacement will be necessary.
If, via testing, the mechanic comes back saying the engine is condemned, what are your options. Many times, with older vehicles the engine replacement can exceed the re-sale value of the vehicle. However, this doesn’t necessarily make it a bad investment. (see our article on buying a new vehicle)
Sometimes, depending on the miles, we might recommend a certified used engine. This would be a motor removed from a salvaged vehicle. We normally have a great outcome transplanting a used engine from a reputable dismantler, and it can come with a 1 year warranty on parts an labor if a problem should arise.
The other option is to go new from the dealer. Some manufacturers offer great engine replacement programs, the engine comes mostly assembled, carries a 3-year warranty, and piece of mind knowing it was put together by the manufacturers’ experts and using original parts.
The least favorable option, in our experience, is to go with an aftermarket rebuilt engine, or have your engine rebuilt by a machine shop. We have found that those companies are often not experts in one manufacturer, the rebuild engines from a cheap ford sedan to a supercharged range rover. The issue we often find is they lack quality control and are prone to failure. Although they often have a warranty comparable to a new engine, it doesn’t take out the inconvenience of having a breakdown, and having to diagnose and prove where the defect is, and the subsequent back-and-forth to get the issue resolved. In our opinion this does not add value to our clients, even if it saves them money in the short term.
To conclude, the best thing to do in the case of your vehicle needing major engine work is to first make sure it has been diagnosed correctly. A misdiagnosis of a defective engine can waste 10’s of thousands of dollars.
Give Precision Automotive a call today if you suspect engine trouble in Poway, CA. We can make sure it is diagnosed correctly, and use our vast experience along with our trusted venders to give you the best option to get you back on the road.