Ever since I bought my '95 Cavi 4 door from the DWI yard I noticed the coolant would slowly go down. Cracking the drain pan bolt revealed it was making it's way into the crank case. Also the engine would burn coolant upon start up as you could smell it being burned. It would of course clear up after a few minutes.
So I took the car into the shop thinking it's a blown head gasket. I got a call that afternoon. It would run me $600 to r&r the head gasket and have the head resurfaced. I told them to start on it.
I get another call today.....the head has a crack in it and it's not repairable..........a new head is $320 from Advance auto. So now it's gonna run me $800 to get this thing fixed.
Now I'm in the process of wanting to sell this car as I have no room left in my yard for it. But it's beginning to look like I'm about to stick a ton of money into something just to turn around and sell it. The bad part is I don't think I'm going to really make anything out of it. No I'm not looking to make a profit. But when all is said and done I'll have over $2k in the car which I be lucky to get 65% back out.
This car has 152k original miles on it. Exterior is very good, interior is ok. But now I'm not so sure it's worth putting $800 into just to make it drivable to sell. It still needs a $65 a/c compressor hose. Then I imagine they'll tell me I need new injectors which are $75 a pop. I had the oil dummy light come on at idle in the past but after I replaced the 5W-30 with some 10W-30 it stopped, so to this day I don't know if it's a bad sensor or if the bearings are worn.
I dunno....what do you think? You think I should just bite the bullet and pay to have this car fixed in hopes of being able to make at least $1500 on it? Or maybe I should pay them $370 to put it back together with a new gasket and I'll dump some K&W block sealer in the radiator?
Please help. Thanks.
The clan of Chevrolets:
'95 Cavalier
'97 S-10
'69 Nova
'71 Chevelle
sell it as is for 1200...or buy a new head and gasket and sell it for 1600...save a little cash from not having to do the whole job...and it would be almost all your money back.
It is a 95 and would make a good deal for someone with a little mechanical know how.
Thats my $0.02 worth.
This is really a very tough call. It sounds like you are going to lose money no matter what you do. I think you'll have a much harder time selling it not running, than running.
Nytemare said about asking $1200 not running, but I know where there is a running 95-99 (not sure of precise year) 2.2 coupe on a lot right now, for $1295.
Knowing myself, If it were mine, I'd probably end up putting the money into it and driving it another year or two. I think its really up to you, as to whether you want to keep it or not. LIke I said before, looks like you're gonna lose money either way. Tough call.
'03 LS SPORT COUPE 5 SPEED black with teal/silver pinstripe
Well after talking with another guy about this he says it's likely the bearings might be wiped which might've been the problem of the oil light occasionally coming on. So now I'm factoring in the bottom end might not be long for the world. And if that's the case I kind of don't see any point in messing with the head. Might as well drive it until it spits a rod out the side of the block.
So to chalk it up you might as well say this is a good parts car or if you happen to have a totalled Cavi with an excellent 2.2 in it, here's a good donor.
You're right I am going to lose money on this....it's $370 for them to put it all back together or $800 and maybe it'll run for who knows how much longer.
If I were planning on keeping it I'd gladly spend the cash to fix it. But that's the problem. I wanted to fix it so it wasn't so much of a problem car. But as it turns out it looks like it's more of a problem than I bargained for. Guess I could sell it as is for $1k.
The clan of Chevrolets:
'95 Cavalier
'97 S-10
'69 Nova
'71 Chevelle
Oh, and since the shop has it torn apart it's going to take $370 to get it back.....no getting out of that one.
The clan of Chevrolets:
'95 Cavalier
'97 S-10
'69 Nova
'71 Chevelle
Sorry to hear that man. Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses.
'03 LS SPORT COUPE 5 SPEED black with teal/silver pinstripe
OK...same car here would cost about 2500+ running...guess I wasn't thinkin to look where your from.
Well if your gonna drop some cash in to anyways you could always get another engine/rebuild the one you have...while its apart anyway...don't quite know how much you want to keep the car...or even the price of a "new" engine/rebuild. I would guess less than it would cost to have the head done and than lose the bottom end a few months later and have that replaced.
I assume its just a beater judging from your car list there.
I figure if the car justifys the cost of a new engine do it...because you could have it sitting there for months not running trying to sell it. In the end you'll get pissed off with it and sell it for like $200 or less to some junkyard...I speak from experience.
My other $0.02 worth....damn this is addin up.
Nytemare where are you located? I'm in NC myself.
I had considered maybe if push came to shove finding a totalled Cavi with a low mile 2.2....probably isn't going to happen but it could. I'm just scared that if I do replace the head it wont be much longer the whole engine finally goes.
As mentioned I'm pretty much ready to part with it. I had my fun with it but I need to make room in the yard. I'd keep it if I had more room since it does run good and gets good gas mileage and yes it is a beater car. I actually bought it for my ex fiancee when she lost her car....but when she left me I ended up keeping it for myself. I thought about giving her a call and selling it to her for dirt cheap since it was her car.....though the title was in my name.
I live near an Army reservation so it'll end up there most likely on the lemon lot....I planned to sell it there anyways, though I have considered a consignment with a used car lot if it's worth the hassle.
The clan of Chevrolets:
'95 Cavalier
'97 S-10
'69 Nova
'71 Chevelle
I have the same problem. They said blown head gasket, or cracked cylinder head.
Their advice was to replace the engine with one with lower miles because mine has 187,000.
If I spend all that money on a new cylinder head and head gasket and labor time and money, later it might mess the bearing, pistons, or something on the bottom of the engine and that would be more money lost.
replacing the engine with a lower mile engine will cost me $2,500
That is very bad news.
American Engine Installations told me the best thing to do is replace the engine with one with lower miles and that's 2500 dollars.
sometimes you can't win.
You can just fix the top, but you might also have to fix the bottom.
When you have to fix both, its best to replace the engine with one with lower miles.
Maybe the top cylinder head cracked because the bottom of the engine is bad.
(your bearings and pistons)
maybe the bottom goes bad first, and then blows the top.
I don't know.. I'm just thinking.
anyhow,
I know how you feel, not a good feeling. I'm on the same boat!!!
I love the body, but not the overheating part.
I'm thinking,
New cylinder head and head gasket.
they say its going to mess up again
Replace engine with one with lower miles.
Cost $2,500 dollars, more than what the car is worth
Sell it to a junk yard.
I'm in Nova Scotia ...Canada...course 2500 bucks here is like 1800 or 2 g's for you guys..lol
yeah...if ya ain't got da room...get rid of it.... maybe the garage you have it at now will buy it for parts...or actually fix it up and sell it...some places do that here...you may not get much for it though... but if your gonna sell it for a G...maybe they'll take it for like $630...1000 - labour done. No harm in asking I guess.
Anyway...good luck with it and let me know how it turns out.
