I think it finally died!!!!

[camarobrian]

Ok so about a month ago the gauges on my wifes 96 Neon stopped working. I tried to repair it with some help from you guys, and ended up swapping out the gauge cluster. So about 2 days after the new gauge cluster is in, the radio stoped working. I finally found a short in the leaking rear trunk, another issue by itself. So I think I fixed the leak, and the short. Finally the car is running great again right? Wed at a job interview no less the car just wouldn't restart for her. The starter just clicked. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! So I had it towed to a friends shop. The engine is completly locked up. It hadn't been running hot or making any wierd noises, and all of the fluid levels are correct, and it only has 109,024 on it. My mechanic said he didn't know why the motor locked up, but he can't turn it over with a 3/4 breaker bar and a 6 foot cheater pipe. He wants like 1400 for a motor with 39,000 miles on it. For that I can put a down payment on a new car. Would you do it? Any ideas on what could be wrong that I could maybe test before I spend 1400 on a old car? Your help is always appreciated!!!

[gromittoo]

If you with the 39K engine, make sure that it has the new Head GAsket. Pre 99 Neons had a crappy head gasket that they should have recalled.

[das2123]

At the 100,000 mile mark, you should have had the timing belt changed alon with the water pump and tensioner pulley. One of those may have gone out on you. $1400 for the engine installed, isn't too bad, but you can get a used neon engine anywhere from $150-$300 and install it yourself.

You could put the $1400 down on another car, but then you would still have 60 payments left on it.

[gromittoo]

You could put the $1400 down on another car, but then you would still have 60 payments left on it.[/quote]

That is a good point. The question you should ask yourself is, what would the value of your car be after the $1400 engine work. My guess without seeing the car is that it would worth about 2 grand (don't take my word for it though). It stops making sense to throw money into an old car, only when the repair costs more than you could buy an identical repaired used car for.

If everything else about the car is in good condition, it would be worth it to fix it, but be careful. You should really have the mechanic go over it thouroughly, to see if any other work might be needed soon. If the car will need $700 worth of Mcpherson Struts in the next year, or you will need $350 worth of tires soon, that changes the equation. Don't forget to look at the exhuast system.

Another reason to get rid of the car, is if it is leaving you stranded too often. My rule of thumb I tell people is if the car leaves you stranded 3 times in a 2 month period, it should go no matter what the cost. Other people might set the threshold at a differant point, but the idea of setting a threshold is helpful. If this engine dying was strike 3, by all means consider the down payment on a newer car.