View Poll Results: Fix or Sell
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll
Decisions - Fix or Sell?
03-25-2021, 03:23 PM
#31
Rennlist Member
That's a real predicament. If the car is generally worn out I would be reluctant to drop $10K into it because that $10K it won't add even close to that in value. If you do a major rebuild and spend $20K the car may be worth $20K to $25K unless everything else is in perfect working order. I would look at the cam deviations and also inspect the bores to see if you got a real rebuild ahead of you. What you don't want to have is a car that demands multiple thousands every year as the next thing happens. If you cut your losses now, you can probably get what you paid for it (maybe more) and let someone else go down the rabbit hole. I think there are plenty of DIY guys that would love a project like that. Of course, it all depends on how the rest of the car is (interior, suspension, paint, AOS, IMS, tires, etc.). Or better yet, drive the snot out of it and if something major happens you could still fetch $10K as a roller.
03-25-2021, 04:10 PM
#32
Intermediate
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-25-2021, 05:09 PM
#33
You can't buy another for the price of the engine rebuild.
The following 2 users liked this post by JBSL:
Barshfield (03-26-2021),
TexSquirrel (03-25-2021)
03-25-2021, 05:14 PM
#34
Intermediate
Thread Starter
I've only had some engine noise when I start it after a few days, which I understand indicates worn chain tensioner pads (at least). No CEL, no smoke, etc.
03-25-2021, 08:57 PM
#35
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
With 155K miles, I would guess $4K for a roller. If everything else was perfect. (suspension, body, interior, transmission) I still don't think it would fetch $10K.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
The following 2 users liked this post by TexSquirrel:
Barshfield (03-26-2021),
wildbilly32 (03-25-2021)
03-25-2021, 09:18 PM
#36
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by TexSquirrel;[url=tel:17321843
17321843[/url]]With 155K miles, I would guess $4K for a roller. If everything else was perfect. (suspension, body, interior, transmission) I still don't think it would fetch $10K.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
The following users liked this post:
wildbilly32 (03-25-2021)
03-25-2021, 10:11 PM
#37
Rennlist Member
With 155K miles, I would guess $4K for a roller. If everything else was perfect. (suspension, body, interior, transmission) I still don't think it would fetch $10K.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
Porsche short block might get you fixed for $12K...if you do all the work yourself.
Paying someone will get you much closer to $20K...and the engine would have ALL of the same weaknesses as the existing engine.
Better to find someone to rebuild it for you,
Just make sure that someone REALLY knows what they're doing.
For me, my suggestion stays, call Flat 6 Innovations first.
If you can't wait that long, get an RND engine from LN Engineering.
If that's too expensive...sell as-is.
03-25-2021, 10:47 PM
#38
Nordschleife Master
I think u guys r just assuming the worst.
at this point he needs variocam pads and tensioners. Its not that big if a job if he finds the correct mechanic.
this all goes back to getting the bores scoped to verify condition and getting all the numbers from a good scanner.
my motor has 200k, no bore scoring... this year i spent $1500 on coils, fuel injectors, tubes, variocam pads and a bunch if other stuff and it runs great. Yea i did the work myself, but if u cant, any used car is gonna cost a lot to maintain.
your car is not worthless and your motor is not trash....it just needs some maintainence.
at this point he needs variocam pads and tensioners. Its not that big if a job if he finds the correct mechanic.
this all goes back to getting the bores scoped to verify condition and getting all the numbers from a good scanner.
my motor has 200k, no bore scoring... this year i spent $1500 on coils, fuel injectors, tubes, variocam pads and a bunch if other stuff and it runs great. Yea i did the work myself, but if u cant, any used car is gonna cost a lot to maintain.
your car is not worthless and your motor is not trash....it just needs some maintainence.
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 10:34 AM
#39
Rennlist Member
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 11:02 AM
#40
Advanced
If / when I get to this situation, I would hope that I listen to the words I type here - sell it and move on to something else.
Unless you are significantly attached to the car, consider it as 5 years of fun for less than $13,000. I would guess that 99.9% of all new cars would depreciate by more than that amount in the same time, and you had the enjoyment of a 911.
At the end of the day, you have a car. Sure its a Porsche and its a 911 and yada yada yada. This is a 996 forum, so a lot hear are fully invested in to the 996 specifically. I don't possess a fanboy outlook like others do, so I don't view our cars as the ultimate. I also don't view a 20 year old (relatively modern) car with 155,000 miles as something that will have stratospheric price appreciation (like what you might have seen from your years in the E type community).
So I say sell it and move on, or at the least, as others say go in for a full and complete rebuild (or replacement) of the engine.
Merely my two cents
jb
Unless you are significantly attached to the car, consider it as 5 years of fun for less than $13,000. I would guess that 99.9% of all new cars would depreciate by more than that amount in the same time, and you had the enjoyment of a 911.
At the end of the day, you have a car. Sure its a Porsche and its a 911 and yada yada yada. This is a 996 forum, so a lot hear are fully invested in to the 996 specifically. I don't possess a fanboy outlook like others do, so I don't view our cars as the ultimate. I also don't view a 20 year old (relatively modern) car with 155,000 miles as something that will have stratospheric price appreciation (like what you might have seen from your years in the E type community).
So I say sell it and move on, or at the least, as others say go in for a full and complete rebuild (or replacement) of the engine.
Merely my two cents
jb
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 12:24 PM
#41
Race Car
I think u guys r just assuming the worst.
at this point he needs variocam pads and tensioners. Its not that big if a job if he finds the correct mechanic.
this all goes back to getting the bores scoped to verify condition and getting all the numbers from a good scanner.
my motor has 200k, no bore scoring... this year i spent $1500 on coils, fuel injectors, tubes, variocam pads and a bunch if other stuff and it runs great. Yea i did the work myself, but if u cant, any used car is gonna cost a lot to maintain.
your car is not worthless and your motor is not trash....it just needs some maintainence.
at this point he needs variocam pads and tensioners. Its not that big if a job if he finds the correct mechanic.
this all goes back to getting the bores scoped to verify condition and getting all the numbers from a good scanner.
my motor has 200k, no bore scoring... this year i spent $1500 on coils, fuel injectors, tubes, variocam pads and a bunch if other stuff and it runs great. Yea i did the work myself, but if u cant, any used car is gonna cost a lot to maintain.
your car is not worthless and your motor is not trash....it just needs some maintainence.
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 01:26 PM
#42
Rennlist Member
If / when I get to this situation, I would hope that I listen to the words I type here - sell it and move on to something else.
Unless you are significantly attached to the car, consider it as 5 years of fun for less than $13,000. I would guess that 99.9% of all new cars would depreciate by more than that amount in the same time, and you had the enjoyment of a 911.
At the end of the day, you have a car. Sure its a Porsche and its a 911 and yada yada yada. This is a 996 forum, so a lot hear are fully invested in to the 996 specifically. I don't possess a fanboy outlook like others do, so I don't view our cars as the ultimate. I also don't view a 20 year old (relatively modern) car with 155,000 miles as something that will have stratospheric price appreciation (like what you might have seen from your years in the E type community).
So I say sell it and move on, or at the least, as others say go in for a full and complete rebuild (or replacement) of the engine.
Merely my two cents
jb
Unless you are significantly attached to the car, consider it as 5 years of fun for less than $13,000. I would guess that 99.9% of all new cars would depreciate by more than that amount in the same time, and you had the enjoyment of a 911.
At the end of the day, you have a car. Sure its a Porsche and its a 911 and yada yada yada. This is a 996 forum, so a lot hear are fully invested in to the 996 specifically. I don't possess a fanboy outlook like others do, so I don't view our cars as the ultimate. I also don't view a 20 year old (relatively modern) car with 155,000 miles as something that will have stratospheric price appreciation (like what you might have seen from your years in the E type community).
So I say sell it and move on, or at the least, as others say go in for a full and complete rebuild (or replacement) of the engine.
Merely my two cents
jb
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 01:51 PM
#43
Rennlist Member
I agree with others to get a second opinion on both the diagnosis on the engine condition and the cost of repair. Seems that not only are 996 prices on the rise but also labor/repair costs. Doesn't anybody use "book" time anymore? 10 hrs will get you the engine/trans power unit out and back in, and another 10 hrs will get you a LOT of work on the engine while it's out. 20 hrs even at $150hr is only 3K, then what ever parts need re-newing.
Many are advocating the "all or nothing" approach or the "parts replacer " approach, hope I'm not the only one who thinks there are competent Techs capable of doing quality diagnosis and repair.
Also remember as a customer you can "scare" a Technician into not wanting to take any responsibility for your 155k mile engine by the things you say/ask. They will then recommend a path that will lessen or eliminate "their" responsibility, ie a replacement engine backed by Warranty.ect. A Technicians job is not only to fix the car, but to satisfy the customers concerns.
Personally if I thought the engine was in basic good health, just needed vario-cam pads, chains, and possible actuators I would be willing to spend 5-6K to see how many miles it would go before catastrophic failure occurs.
Many are advocating the "all or nothing" approach or the "parts replacer " approach, hope I'm not the only one who thinks there are competent Techs capable of doing quality diagnosis and repair.
Also remember as a customer you can "scare" a Technician into not wanting to take any responsibility for your 155k mile engine by the things you say/ask. They will then recommend a path that will lessen or eliminate "their" responsibility, ie a replacement engine backed by Warranty.ect. A Technicians job is not only to fix the car, but to satisfy the customers concerns.
Personally if I thought the engine was in basic good health, just needed vario-cam pads, chains, and possible actuators I would be willing to spend 5-6K to see how many miles it would go before catastrophic failure occurs.
Last edited by Porschetech3; 03-26-2021 at 02:11 PM.
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 04:46 PM
#44
I was hit with about the same situation and went for the full rebuild that fixed most, if not all, of the original design issues (not FSI). All 911s have had problems and they’re expensive to maintain and fix. They are, after all, $90,000 cars, we will all be underwater it’s just a matter of how much. Recommend you rebuild engine if you are going to keep it more than 8-10 years, otherwise cut your losses now at $2-3,000.
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Barshfield (03-26-2021)
03-26-2021, 08:41 PM
#45
Don't be fooled the cost of a rebuild will be well over $20K, and may be upwards to $30K if you like to add a few nice upgrades. The reason I know is that I am rebuilding a 997, and my original hope was to keep it under $20K. If I can get out with spending less than $30K I will be happy.
Many folks are fooled when they see engine rebuilds for $20K. Yes, you can get a rebuild engine for $20K not installed, but when the engine is out you will need to replace parts. Porsche parts are expensive, for example an air injection pump now cost close to $1K.
Many folks are fooled when they see engine rebuilds for $20K. Yes, you can get a rebuild engine for $20K not installed, but when the engine is out you will need to replace parts. Porsche parts are expensive, for example an air injection pump now cost close to $1K.
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Barshfield (03-27-2021)