DASC4S

Two years ago I bought my 02 C4S. 2 months later I learned I had a scored cylinder. I didn't have the money to fix it then. So I drove it. My C4S and I still had a great time over the past 22 months - daily driver, running the kids around time, short family trips, all while consuming 1 qt a week of oil. Alas all that ended last Thursday when the clock struck midnight on my cinderella, and just after down shifting to merge into traffic I hit the gas, heard something metallic bang, and the engine turned off. Coasted to a stop in the median. Wouldn't start, or even being to turn over. Towed to a local indy, and dropped the oil pan - there lay pieces of a cylinder and other misc parts. Fixing it now is still not a financial possibility. This day was coming, I just didn't want to see it so soon.

So I am considering all option to reduce my overall financial loss. Parting the car out is not an option for me. I don't have the garage or tools for it, nor the time really.

My indy is interested in buying it to possibly repair and sell, so I will explore that. I am also looking to hear from folks who have sold rollers, scrapped, sold for junk, or other options. I am in the Mid-Atlantic, Baltimore/DC region.

Thanks.

Update 1:
Thanks for all the info everyone. I'm still sorting it through. Emotionally I'd love to keep the car, and given how much fun the car is I'm sure I can convince myself that $15k to have a 71k mile c4s is better than anything I'll get next. However, the numbers are hard to reconcile for me right now financially. As many of you have pointed out, used engines while cheaper aren't cheap, and it may work out or may not.

I purchased the car for $25k. That is playing a large role in my decision - lost investment to walk way from or pour more on top of this. I expect I'll pick a path later this week. I'll be sure to update this thread however it turns out.

Update 2:
After exploring all my options, I'm selling the car. The indy it is at now is interested but he needs to be lower than I want to make himself a profit on selling the car. I'll be listing it shortly and will provide links. I'll directly follow up with those who already expressed an interest. I am also waiting on an offer from a junk/salvage company I expect to be > $7k based on initial discussions. Which based on what everyone is talking about wrt pricing on rollers, this may prove to be the winning approach. As much as I hate to see this car in this shape parted out, I have bills to pay.

Update 3:
The junk/salvage place was getting sketchy (changing the price on me, trying to tell me car was a C2 based on the vin) so I talked my indy up a little higher when I went to tow it home yesterday. Sold it for $6k. It was the easiest path forward at a fair price given what most people seem to be willing to pay (throwing out those $2-3k lowball offers). I'll be out of the game for a while now, figuring out how to get back in. Likely a few years off given my little kids seems to only get more expensive with each year.

Update 4:
i stopped by th Indy who is buying it to drop off some misc back seat parts from when I had the car seats in. He had pulled the engine to prep for installing another. He showed me the two relatively big holes in ththe housing. Picts below.



Housing at Driver side, front cylinder




Housing at passenger side, front cylinder

TexSquirrel

What is your Indy offering for it?

cds72911

Sell it as a roller, here, Craigslist or eBay. Depending on condition, $4-6k, maybe a bit more if it is immaculate and low mileage.

wildbilly32

DAMN! That sux!

DASC4S

I have to make him an offer still. I wanted to think it over first before giving him a number. Car has 71,000 miles, pretty nice cosmetically (minor dings). No options though, it is a basic C4S. black on black, original everything, except prior owner black powder coated the wheels.

TexSquirrel

996.2 C4S manual coupe with only 71K, I would pay $6K if you were nearby.
Minor dings that can be taken out by PDR would not be a big deal to me.

NYoutftr

I hope you find the way to get the most you can back from your loss.
This and similar stories always make me wonder what type of legal recourse is available for a PPI missing a large issue

Horsepwr

Did I miss where he says a PPI missed this?

Quadcammer

c4s is a nice roller. $6k at least. I'd push for more.

You seem to love the car....a used engine out of the question for you?

stjoh

Yeah, putting another used engine in it will not cost you that much.

cds72911

Been there, done that - a $6k roller quickly becomes a $15k+ project by completion on the cheap end (used engine).

Don’t get suckered into thinking popping in a used engine is cheap. Assuming you can find one for reasonable money ($6k for high miles is probably as low as you’re going to get), you still have to get it installed and replace all the “while you were in there” parts (unless you do it yourself like I did). It takes a fair amount of time, and you’ll be in it for thousands in labor with an indy.

And you still end up with a used high mileage engine with unknown longevity - it might work out or might not, it is kind of a crapshoot with salvage parts.

That might all work out (I’m pullling for you), but don’t think of it as an inexpensive way to go.

Your C4S is a nice basis for a restoration project though. Don’t let the mechanic lowball you. There are plenty of people on this forum (myself included) that would pay a reasonable price for a good roller. Please let us know before you sell it lowball.

Coopduc

DAS - definitely keep the group informed of the latest developments. There may be some interesting options if you’re just looking to get out from under it or if you want to get into another 996. A swap plus cash could be an interesting option.

FrozenApples

Here's the receipt from the PO of mine that blew a motor just to give you an idea. It includes ~3k of cabrio top work as well. But no 'while you're in there' stuff done to the engine. Just a straight swap in of a low mileage (38k) 3.4 motor.

The sum is a bit confusing at the bottom. TLDR total is ~17k, about 14k of that is the motor swap.

TexSquirrel

996.2 is going to cost more for a used engine.
Rebuild might be the same price.
If the engine case or heads need replacing (likely) then the 3.6 rebuild will cost more than the 3.4.

NuttyProfessor

Yea, it is a little confusing since the owner paid deposits upfront before the job was done. The total cost for the engine swap was $24,052.30 which is a lot for a base mk1 Carrera. The owner must have really loved this car to put more in it that it's actually worth. Personally, I wouldn't have paid this much for used engine that is going to be prone to the same failure. Seems like they could have come out better with new factory engine. Wonder if the original engine could have been saved by Flat 6 Innovations?

OP, sorry to hear about your engine failure! I've sent you a PM.