One of the most serious types of repairs that could befall your vehicle is a blown engine. That immediately forces you to consider whether it is more cost-effective to repair that engine or to simply invest in a new vehicle. To have the best information possible, you should probably have a skilled mechanic check out your vehicle, and pick their brain about whether or not a car engine repair might be the best option. When engines become damaged, there are basically three possible outcomes – you either have to replace a few parts, do some serious maintenance, or reconcile yourself to the fact that the engine has become totaled.
Maintenance Service
The aim of maintenance service is really to be proactive and take care of the engine, so as to prevent the kind of catastrophe where the engine dies mid-road. Whenever you observe any kind of issue with your engine, for instance, a check-engine light on the dashboard, you should attend to it promptly, so as to avoid any more expensive issues. If you can get the work done before any serious damage occurs, that will be the best you can hope for.
Of course, any maintenance procedure will always depend on how serious the problem already is, so it’s best if you address all issues in the earliest stage. By doing this, you’ll have a much better chance of avoiding serious engine troubles.
Car Engine Repair
Once you know that damage has occurred to your engine, it’s time to start exploring possible options for repair work. If the problem is on a single part or just a few related parts, you may be able to repair the engine without having it cost a fortune. You could even get very lucky and have the problem confined to a relatively inexpensive fix like a hose or replacement belt.
Larger issues, for instance, the transmission or radiator, will certainly cost you a lot more, and the repair total will run up quickly. Still, this will be much less expensive than purchasing a brand-new vehicle or footing the bill for a complete engine replacement.
Blown Engine
There’s no question that the modern engine in most vehicles is a very complex collection of parts, designed to perform a specific service, often under stressful conditions. Once an engine has become badly damaged, it’s very possible that the same kind of damage will be spread to other parts of the vehicle. In this scenario, repairing the engine is not usually an option. Instead, you’ll have to start considering a total engine replacement, or a total vehicle replacement.
What about Engine Replacements?
Replacing your engine will generally be a much cheaper option when everything else fails. So, if you’re wondering whether it’s beneficial in your own case, here are some things to consider. If your warranty still covers your vehicle, then you should definitely replace the engine, because the cost to you will be minimal.
If you have good insurance coverage, this can work almost the same as if you were still under warranty, with the policy covering most of the heavy-duty costs. Even without insurance or warranty coverage, it will generally be much less expensive to replace an engine than it would be to buy a completely new vehicle. If you’re weighing your options between installing a new engine and buying an older used vehicle, you should consider the fact that used vehicles often come with their own engine problems after years of usage and sometimes abuse.
You could end up paying much more for the used vehicle than you would for a brand new engine. There are also cases where a specific car has developed a strong sentimental value for an owner, and you may want to hold on to those memories a little longer. In this case, replacing the engine will allow you to keep the car and the memories it holds for you.
Engine replacement or new vehicle?
While replacing your engine will generally produce a reliable outcome, it may not be the best possible option for everyone. Some situations really do call for buying a new vehicle, and here are some ways that you can determine that. If you’re looking for some of the newer features available on a newer model of your vehicle, that may be one good reason to purchase the newer vehicle and take advantage of those desirable features.
Car engine repair will certainly be costly, but it won’t be as expensive as purchasing an entirely new vehicle. If your budget is not particularly strained at the moment, you may have had engine trouble at the best possible time, because you’re in a position to buy that new vehicle. Buying an entirely new vehicle will generally be worth your while if you have the budget to purchase a reliable vehicle that is very roadworthy, and which comes with a good warranty.
In Conclusion
Sometimes when you replace your engine, you’ll have so many new parts in the car that it really does leave you with a more reliable car for many years into the future. Others are just plain unlucky, and engine troubles signal the start of a whole series of unfortunate events. If your car is also experiencing issues with the catalytic converter, the suspension, headlights, the HVAC systems, and other areas unrelated to the engine, it may be time to admit defeat and simply purchase a new vehicle.
One last alternative might be to purchase a reconditioned engine, which is one that is not quite new but has some used parts. These are always more affordable than new engines, and they’re basically just as reliable, so you can accomplish your objective for a much lower cost. So, you will have some options when you encounter the dreaded engine troubles, and it will mostly depend on your budget and the availability of replacements that determines how you handle the situation.
