Blown engine; high mileage car what would you do

Pew

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Mar 12, 2018
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Hi folks,

So it looks like my 216,000 mile 2015 focus 1.0L will need a new engine. The dealership looked at it to confirm my assumptions that the timing belt broke and the exhaust cam skipped a tooth at least, destroying the engine. It's only worth $2K at most with a working engine so I'm just looking to get rid of the car since the cost and time to repair the car is not worth it. However, the car is over in Oklahoma and I live in Illinois. The dealer said the best thing to do is to just put it up on FB marketplace or Craigslist to see who bites since they won't take it in for anything. What would you do in this case to get rid of the car? I'm thinking maybe doing what the dealer said or donating it to a technical school for them to practice on.

I'll be including a full set of brake pads/rotors and steelies with snow tires on it if I end up selling it.
 
What’s the catalytic converter worth? I’d donate it or call a few scrapyards to get prices and make sure the dealer isn’t charging daily storage.
 
I hate timing belts...send it to a scrapyard in OK. They'll factor in the value of the cat.
 
However, the car is over in Oklahoma and I live in Illinois. The dealer said the best thing to do is to just put it up on FB marketplace or Craigslist to see who bites since they won't take it in for anything.

Maybe Weird Beard will buy it and replace the timing belt and see how it runs?
 
216k miles on a Focus sounds like a good time to get rid of it, especially with a bad engine.

Why would you replace the brakes and tires on a junk car before getting rid of it?
 
Why would you replace the brakes and tires on a junk car before getting rid of it?

I would only include it if I sold it privately but I wouldn't install it. I bought a full set in anticipation of doing the brakes this year but the brakes on the car turned out to be okay for now.

Unfortunately I did just pay for a new AC compressor a week before the engine went and new tires a couple months ago.
 
I would only include it if I sold it privately but I wouldn't install it. I bought a full set in anticipation of doing the brakes this year but the brakes on the car turned out to be okay for now.

Unfortunately I did just pay for a new AC compressor a week before the engine went and new tires a couple months ago.
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?
🤷‍♂️
 
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?

Everything else they have is chain. Why one time bomb in the mix? But 216K is pretty good for a belt. I urged my friend to take in her 2011 Soul a few years ago because the belt had never been touched at a little over 100K. Her mechanic said it was days before breaking. I guess Ford uses quality stuff....sometimes.

Local wrecking yard is the easiest, no-hassle way to get rid of it. If you have the patience, you might do a little better on a private sale.
 
If you like the car and the rest of it is useful, you might invest the $3k into a replacement used engine. Used cars are valuable right now.

Inherent value with motor is $2k. If you invest $3k you're down about a grand. But what is the replacement cost today for a comparable car? Probably more than a grand.... IOW, if you get $100 in scrap for it, and then have to spend $3000 for another car, you're behind by $1900...

Can you otherwise return the new parts you have not yet used, if you sell off the car for whatever scrap you can get?

Also, a note on timing belts. They are not a time bomb or a design defect. They are actually incorporated in many excellent engines. But you have to service them every 7-10 years or ~100k miles. This car is proof that they do work and they work really well since it lasted 6 years and over 2x its designed life expectancy.
 
It sounds like you took pretty good care of the car and just put new tires on it. If the rest of the car is still in good shape, not rotting away and the transmission is good, why not put a used engine in it?
 
I would only include it if I sold it privately but I wouldn't install it. I bought a full set in anticipation of doing the brakes this year but the brakes on the car turned out to be okay for now.

Unfortunately I did just pay for a new AC compressor a week before the engine went and new tires a couple months ago.
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:

1632943427970.jpg
 
Hi folks,

So it looks like my 216,000 mile 2015 focus 1.0L will need a new engine. The dealership looked at it to confirm my assumptions that the timing belt broke and the exhaust cam skipped a tooth at least, destroying the engine. It's only worth $2K at most with a working engine so I'm just looking to get rid of the car since the cost and time to repair the car is not worth it. However, the car is over in Oklahoma and I live in Illinois. The dealer said the best thing to do is to just put it up on FB marketplace or Craigslist to see who bites since they won't take it in for anything. What would you do in this case to get rid of the car? I'm thinking maybe doing what the dealer said or donating it to a technical school for them to practice on.

I'll be including a full set of brake pads/rotors and steelies with snow tires on it if I end up selling it.
I'd contact a tax professional to see if it would benefit you more to donate it or sell it for cash. I'd expect $500-1000 cash

Replacing the long block and turbo would not be financially viable unless you did the work.
 
Get yourself a predator engine from Harbor Freight, more power and more reliable than the original Ford motor.

Seriously though, try to avoid daily storage and have a scrap yard pick it up asap. Maybe you'll get $500 if you're lucky. Shop around for a few yards and who is willing to do the paperwork remotely.
 
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