Friends!

2 mechanics did some test and say the gasket is blow. I have a 93 civic manual with a decent body (bad rust over the back two tires that I will soon have fixed for $150 but otherwise body is in pretty good shape) and 280,000 miles on it.

One mechanic is offering me to fix the head gasket for 1100 or swap in a new engine with 80,000 miles on it for $1600. I have another mechanic who is offering to fix the head gasket for 500-600.

I am worried that 1600 for a new engine on a 280,000 mile car is like giving my grandma a new heart on her deathbed. And I also worry that pumping 500-600 into this engine will be a waste because something else will go wrong soon. Do civics often make it well past 280,000 miles? Any and all advice please!

Cheers,
Chris

 

I've seen civics with significantly higher mileage than that. As long as everything else is pretty decent (suspension bushings, body, etc) then I'd probably drop another engine in it.

 

exactly what i was thinking. if the suspension and body are in solid shape. why not keep the car alive? i'd rather have the original motor for sentimental reasons, but 1600 is cheaper than a new car. however, i'd shop around on the cost of the motor. How do you know the mechanic isn't lying about the 80,000 miles on the other motor? I'd assume it has more than that.

 

Where are you located? There are plenty of knowledgeable people in every city that can do a motor swap for you in the $300 price range. You only really need a longblock. ****, for $900-$1000 you can pick up a full LS swap and drop it in for another $300 or so and another $50 to have the flange on the exhaust rotated to accept the Bseries header. Look around before you get desperate and end up paying a large sum of money because you are on time restraints.