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new engine/transmission vs newer car?


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shadfin
Novice

Jan 14, 2017, 8:19 AM

Post #1 of 14 (1349 views)
new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

We have a 2006 Ford Freestar minivan with 193000 miles on it. It still runs great but its old enough that we don't trust it for long trips anymore. We have started to look for something newer but then I saw on ebay that I could get a new complete engine for around 2300 dollars and a rebuilt transmission for 1500 dollars. I can do all the install myself and the van still fits us good so would this be a wise choice or should I go with a newer vehicle?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 14, 2017, 8:44 AM

Post #2 of 14 (1346 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

? This decision is really all yours. Know that this "new" engine you found probably has nothing on it so you are swapping over tons of stuff still from the old one.


If you must have as dependable as possible for long trips there's tons more to the vehicle that has all those miles too. In short - it's only really "new" once. Anything can break down by surprise new, cared for or not.


If you go for it factor in all new cooling system hoses and other assorted hoses and parts that age or wear with miles, new oils, coolant and items associated decide and factor that all in costs too vs changing out.


I can't make the call for you just the experience with high mile vehicles and what can wear and break can either be just annoying or become a money pit.


Your call. BTW - new engine thru ebay or similar IDK and probably hard to know just what you get would always worry me,


T



kev2
Veteran
kev2 profile image

Jan 14, 2017, 9:35 AM

Post #3 of 14 (1332 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

replace - there should be some deals on new vans...
yours runs so sell it.
your argument for engine also applies to trans, A/C , suspension, Cooling, etc etc.


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 14, 2017, 10:29 AM

Post #4 of 14 (1325 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

As Kevin stated, much of your decision is also based on the condition of the rest of the van.

I'd be leery of buying reman engines and transmissions off EBAY. What kind of warranty do you get and what if you run into a problems with trying to return something?

Have you looked around for some used newer lower mileage vehicles?





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shadfin
Novice

Jan 14, 2017, 12:11 PM

Post #5 of 14 (1316 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

Your right, I should probably go with a newer low mileage van. I got excited seeing I could buy a complete engine on ebay that includes everything, wiring harness waterpump, ac compressor, power steering pump, ect.. Looks like you could just swap out engines and plug in hoses and wires and be ready to go.
I guess a complete motor like this would make more sense if the van blew an engine at 30000 instead of 193000.


Tom Greenleaf
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Jan 14, 2017, 1:34 PM

Post #6 of 14 (1312 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

This "NEW" engine comes with an A/C compressor, water pump, PS pump etc. Bull!! That's a used engine and you already have a used engine you know more about than that one.


Only time I've seen whole factory new as it would have been is ONCE - when a new engine blew up at new but just sold the whole thing came thru like it was pulled off an assembly line as if ready to just plug it all in. Never saw that before or after,


T



shadfin
Novice

Jan 14, 2017, 8:45 PM

Post #7 of 14 (1301 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

Thanks for your thoughts on my dilemma guys, leaning toward a 2015 Mazda 5 minivan with 30000 miles on it for around $12000.00.
We tried it out last night to see if we all fit and was surprised that it is roomier than we thought.
Just for argument sake check out the engine on ebay and see if it looks new or used. Just put in 2006 Ford Freestar engine and set it to highest price plus shipping and see what i mean, it looks brand new?


Hammer Time
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Jan 14, 2017, 9:55 PM

Post #8 of 14 (1295 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

I looked at the ad and I agree, it does say new and it does say complete with AC compressor, water pump, PS pump and alternator.

The picture is small and difficult to see any detail but there isn't any question about what they are claiming.

I personally have never seen a new engine sold with those accessories.

Here's the link MOTOR

The guy has a pretty good feedback rating.



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shadfin
Novice

Jan 15, 2017, 11:52 AM

Post #9 of 14 (1285 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

My wife bought up the point that 2007 was the last year of the Freestar. If the engine has been sitting on the self for 10 years would it have degraded at all? Rubber parts, gaskets, ect?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 15, 2017, 12:01 PM

Post #10 of 14 (1276 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

Just because that was the last year the car was manufactured doesn't mean that's when the engine was made, in fact most replacement parts don't come onto the market until years after the car was made because that is when the demand starts.
There is a possibility this was purchased from Ford as left over inventory.

That engine is not being sold by Ford. It is being sold by an aftermarket parts distributor, one I have never heard of actually.

MOREX AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jan 15, 2017, 12:05 PM)


Tom Greenleaf
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Jan 15, 2017, 12:29 PM

Post #11 of 14 (1270 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

That has to be the case as Hammer Time just said. I worry still about where this more than whole engine was now while not being just thrown out!
Ford and others when done holding on and do all the time to parts have no time to sort and store them so sell off whole loads by the pound, bagged, boxed, loose or doubt crated by them as they just want the stuff gone as not worth even re-sorting to real NEW stuff made by real OE maker.


I don't trust this part's story with the items already on it as mentioned and now somehow available looking as new. You can't even just let this stuff set outside, unprotected and properly stored so high chance it wouldn't be so good up to useless but looks OK. Scared more on this now,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 15, 2017, 12:44 PM

Post #12 of 14 (1265 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

It's very possible that was an OEM engine setup for the assembly line with those components attached.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 15, 2017, 1:31 PM

Post #13 of 14 (1253 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

That's what I'm smelling. This was in line, in order within a day or less of installing with a compressor on it! No box, no crate just on conveyor known to be in order for cars coming along a line of them. Whole game "right on time" to assemble so takes far fewer hours. IDK why this stopped but you can bet nobody was paid $150 bucks an hour to crate it up, tag it with info, sort and store it so what happened? TMK engines ready to be installed have been run if only seconds. Now this long later oil all drained to sump and if not shrink wrapped in a dry environment is just metal junk or close to it that could look new.


It's the stuff known made ahead for when demand arises is boxed up, marked to distribute not for assembly cut short, a shift change or closed for a shift?


Said - Nothing adds up. OP - an engine new or not left to moisture and time will about be seized just setting someplace. Somehow I can't imagine this was fogged with oil, shrink wrapped dry to sell by car maker like that rather put in a pile for metal value as said - sell off by the pound for scrap and buy at their own risk or just chip it up for recycling.


Could be wrong, saw it once as said back several posts and new it was replaced as wires are coded with dates as are hoses and it didn't match an original car vin # on all other parts matched and date it was made new on driver's door jam.


Point of this thread was to have a dependable vehicle not about all this stuff. You have a lot of miles is when stupid stuff CAN happen. Dang upholstery springs begin to poke in your butt, knobs break - latches, locks, motors and actuators for all the stuff thru the whole thing one by one get so annoying there's a time if you need it badly and said so to move on. It's fine and can be sold as running now and OK for another person - you said it was too important and already found another to check out and would. This approach is true probably wouldn't make this more dependable for the next couple years,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Jan 15, 2017, 1:39 PM

Post #14 of 14 (1244 views)
Re: new engine/transmission vs newer car? Sign In

I think we're getting way off what really matters here.

The whole question isn't really whether this engine is worth the money or not. It's the fact that the rest of your car has almost 200,000 miles on it and not worth this type of investment at all.

If your car had 70,000 miles on it, this may be a good investment, but not for your car.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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