Blown engine; high mileage car what would you do

Donation will only get you a deduction for what it sells for at auction-which won't be much with a blown motor. Maybe $200 if lucky. Got any U Pull & Pays out there? They pay decent money for late model here.
 
Cash for cars offered me almost $700 with knowing the engine is blown. I was assuming they'd only offer me like $150. This is most likely the route I will take.

Gotta say I'm amazed Ford opted for a timing belt on such a new engine. Or is this a really old engine that Europe's been using forever?

It's been used since 2012 in Europe and brought over in the US market in 2015 for the focus. I think the 3cyl in the Ecosport uses a slightly updated version of it (but same rubber belt IIRC.)

When I see this much preventative maintenance and repairs, I'd be almost willing to get a new/reman engine for it.
....and maybe next time consider changing the belt before it breaks?
🤷‍♂️

This is going to be an expensive lesson learned. If you knew how I blew two engines up in my old Evo though, you'd definitely kick me in the nuts.

Service Engine Assemblies are not as expensive as I expected. It could be worthwhile to keep if you are able to do the engine swap yourself:

That's a lot better price than what the dealer quoted me but I still don't think I can justify a $2500 fix in a 200k mile focus and the time needed for it. I've been through like 4 engine swaps in mine and friend's evos and I definitely do not want to go through replacing an engine again. It just sucks that I paid the car off earlier this year and I've already spent more money fixing the car than the money I saved from not having a monthly payment.

Plus I've been wanting a newer and larger car for roadtrips though so this may just be the push I need.
 
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The only way that a repair would be viable would be if you found someone who was willing to install a boneyard engine reasonably, or you doing the same yourself, assuming the car is in good shape.
Other than that: junk it, put it on craigslist as-is, part it out, or donate it.
 
Negative - but there's a slight catch. Apparently the European manual says to replace around 100-150,000km but the USDM says to only inspect ("Lifetime"). Granted though, I should have gotten it done anyways every 100K miles.

Paging all the "the owners manual knows best" purists.

As suboptimal as the options are, it probably is best to take the L and send the car to the junkyard or craigslist ASAP.

Good luck to OP.
 
Tough choice, as I had a similar situation pop up, but it is a hole in an oil pan.

My dad is coming over this weekend so we can rebuild the bottom end in a 2002 VW Beetle 2.0. People told me to junk it, but since it is a car for a new driver, I don't want to shop around and find a car that could be wrecked anytime afterwards. Especially now, as stupid as the car market is.

So, after much research, I ordered $800 in parts, and dad will bring his lift and stand. Emery cloth, new parts, and reinstall is the name of the game. Yeah, it isn't professional, but it will get a 16 year old around town and only cost me 1/3 of a new engine. Oh, and for anyone who will say "you can't do that, it needs professional (fill in the blank)," dad has garage rebuilt racecar engines for years. We'll get this good enough to drive around town. Perfect, no, but good enough.

Your situation is different for sure, as your car has very little value and you wanted a different one anyway.
 
It's a shame that a 2015 car has basically no real value even in this condition. Given the space and tools, I think it would be a fun project to replace the engine with a reman and get another 200k miles out of it.

What condition is the rest of the car in? High miles by itself is not necessarily a bad thing if the rest of the car was well kept.
 
It's a shame that a 2015 car has basically no real value even in this condition. Given the space and tools, I think it would be a fun project to replace the engine with a reman and get another 200k miles out of it.

What condition is the rest of the car in? High miles by itself is not necessarily a bad thing if the rest of the car was well kept.

It's got all the door dings and rock chips that you'd imagine from a 216K miles car that's seen 95% highway miles but I kept it running best as much as I could since I roadtrip alot. Other than the engine and maybe a new catalytic converter it runs pretty good and there's really no rust under the car except maybe the starter and a couple bolts. I played around with the idea of towing it back to my place but it would be a logistical nightmare between figuring out how to tow it back, storage, and then finding an engine, required tools, time, and finding the confidence to take the car out on roadtrips again.
 
With heated shop space, common tools, used engine and a couple of days over a weekend, I'm sure you could replace it yourself.
And if you do, it'd be a great time to replace the clutch and other wear items while it's apart (water pump etc).

If I were in your shoes I'd seriously consider it. Not for the reason most would (to save money) but just for a great way to spend some time turning your own wrenches.
There's literally nothing more therapeutic than spending time tending to repairs/maintenance yourself.

If you haven't already read it, think of it as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
 
Inherent value with motor is $2k. If you invest $3k you're down about a grand.

Don't understand your thinking. If he puts $3k into a new motor he's out of pocket $3k as it sits. If he then sells it for $2k then he's out $1k and up for some kind of stupid award.

With the money he's put into it recently it sounds like he likes it and planned to keep running it. Replacing the motor might make sense to the OP. Not enough info about the condition of the car and his situation (financial, DIY ability, 2nd car to drive right now, etc) it's hard to give meaningful advice.
 
Can you get this motor with the terrible auto stick shift transmission? If so there's a kindred brother to this car with a blown trans and someone will make one out of two.

But with it being states away this is a logistical nightmare you won't win. $700 is fair, all told.

Run a carfax on your VIN in a few years, I'm sure it'll still be on the road somehow.
 
Better off to sell it as is for the $700 and buy a similar one that works for $2,000. He already got the $700 offer and priced the market for a replacement. You will find nothing for $2,000 besides another beater.
 
Maybe they should rename this site to Bob is the timing belt guy because more engines have been lost to timing belts (or to overheating) than any oil-related failure.
 
FB marketplace in that area and make sure they pay you with guaranteed funds like paypal for instance. Send them the title after the money posts and call it good. Price it to sell.
 
Can you get this motor with the terrible auto stick shift transmission? If so there's a kindred brother to this car with a blown trans and someone will make one out of two.

But with it being states away this is a logistical nightmare you won't win. $700 is fair, all told.

Run a carfax on your VIN in a few years, I'm sure it'll still be on the road somehow.

No, the 1.0L came with a 6spd manual in 2015, then a conventional 6spd auto in 2016 vs the 6spd DCT that plagues the model. But I agree, $700 is $200 more than I expected and probably the best price I'm going to get with how it's sitting right now.

With the money he's put into it recently it sounds like he likes it and planned to keep running it. Replacing the motor might make sense to the OP. Not enough info about the condition of the car and his situation (financial, DIY ability, 2nd car to drive right now, etc) it's hard to give meaningful advice.

That was my plan if the motor didn't fail. I definitely have the DIY ability and tools (minus engine hoist) and my mom let me use their spare fusion for now until I figure out what I'm going to do so I do have time but I would first have to figure out how to get the focus back home.
 
See if a Junk Yard in Oklahoma would purchase it.

...send it to a scrapyard in OK.

Junkyard.

Scrap it where it is located now.

Scrap it (sell it to a salvage yard),


Maybe you'll get $500 if you're lucky.

Donation will only get you a deduction for what it sells for at auction-which won't be much with a blown motor. Maybe $200 if lucky.

Cash for cars offered me almost $700 with knowing the engine is blown. I was assuming they'd only offer me like $150.

What are you people smokin today? In running condition with 100K miles they bring $6K at the dealer auction these days. With 200K, probably around $4K. Even in a salvage auction that will bring $2,000 as a non-runner. Personally, I would list it on an Ebay auction and expect around $2K. I paid $1,000 for an older Nissan with a blown CVT. It's very hard to find late model cars with major mechanical defects and there are always private buyers looking for them.
 
What are you people smokin today? In running condition with 100K miles they bring $6K at the dealer auction these days. With 200K, probably around $4K. Even in a salvage auction that will bring $2,000 as a non-runner. Personally, I would list it on an Ebay auction and expect around $2K. I paid $1,000 for an older Nissan with a blown CVT. It's very hard to find late model cars with major mechanical defects and there are always private buyers looking for them.

Are you sure we're the ones passing the pipe around? 😂
 
It's a shame that a 2015 car has basically no real value even in this condition. Given the space and tools, I think it would be a fun project to replace the engine with a reman and get another 200k miles out of it.

What condition is the rest of the car in? High miles by itself is not necessarily a bad thing if the rest of the car was well kept.
that's the rub with tiny displacement power. A 2.0L at least can be repaired & put back in service for 100-200k miles.
but these little time bombs....
 
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