When your auto technician calls you with the bad news that your vehicle’s engine is blown, you have a big decision to make: Whether to repair or replace your vehicle’s old engine – or just junk the vehicle and get a new vehicle. You have a few options: Rebuild the engine, replace it with a crate engine, replace it with a used engine, or buy a new vehicle. Each option has its pros and cons.
Maxi Auto Repair and Service in Jacksonville FL can help you make the decision, and if you decide to keep your vehicle, whether to opt for engine repair or engine replacement.
Engine Repair and Replacement Considerations
Many people only think of the book value of the vehicle when they decide whether to opt for engine repair, engine replacement, or a new vehicle. However, in everyday life, it’s not always that simple. Some considerations you should make include the following:
- How old is your vehicle? Replacement parts may be difficult to find on vehicles over 10 years old.
- Does the vehicle have sentimental value to you?
- Is the vehicle a classic or an antique?
- What is the cost of an engine rebuild compared to an engine replacement? This often depends on the year, make, and model.
- While the cost of a used engine is usually less expensive than any other option, you must consider that the engine and its computerized components are just as old as your engine and may have many more miles on it – it’s a recipe for failure.
- Do you have the ability to buy or finance a new vehicle? If so, does the dealership have the vehicle you want or need in stock? If not, how long will it take to order the vehicle? Some vehicle orders take months, if not over a year.
- If your vehicle is over 10 years old, what shape is the body in? It may be worth an engine rebuild or engine replacement if the body and interior are in good condition.
Once you have answered all of the above questions, you can make an informed decision as to which option is best for you.
Engine Repair vs. Engine Replacement
Once you have narrowed your options down to repairing or replacing the engine, you have other factors to take into consideration. Both engines will be brand new. Replacement engines are often remanufactured, which means they also use an older block. They sometimes have new heads and sometimes have rebuilt heads.
If having a numbers-matching vehicle is important to you, you’ll want to choose the rebuild option. However, if it doesn’t matter, your other consideration is the price point. The price of a rebuild or crate engine will vary depending on whether you build a stock engine or beef it up. Whether the engine is a newer engine that requires a computer upgrade also factors into the price difference in parts and labor. An auto technician at Maxi Auto Repair and Service in Jacksonville FL can help you with these more technical decisions.
Contact an Engine Replacement Technician in Jacksonville
A certified and experienced auto technician can help you decide which is the best option for your situation. Ask the tech to check your vehicle carefully for additional problems that might make it better to buy a new vehicle – we’ll check what is visual, such as the condition of the interior and exterior, and other factors.
Contact Maxi Auto Repair and Service’s Riverside location at 1-904-358-9800 for an appointment or to discuss your options for an engine rebuild or engine replacement. We are conveniently located at 591 Oak Street, Jacksonville, FL. 32204.
