repair or replace time?

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Hi all,

As of now it looks like my current ride ('97 subaru with 175k) has a head/head gasket issue. The shop that looked at the car isn't 100% sure if that is the problem, but after much googling I think this is correct. Repair will be about $2,500.

Considering the age of the car and the cost of repair it makes sense to replace. It looks like used car prices (assuming I don't want one as old as my current car) start at around 10k.

Here is the issue: I have only about 4k in liquid assets. So I can repair with no problem but if I want to purchase I have to either finance or borrow from my wife :p . Credit is exceptional but really really don't want to owe more money (already have mortgage and student loans).

I'm looking for opinions to push me in one direction or the other. I will put it out there that my wife gets mad every time I pay for repairs of my car
mad.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
The car is over twenty years old. Time to move on. You can buy a low mileage 2005 that someone's grandmother drove for $2500.



where??
 
Look for Buick Lesabre, Lacroose, Chev Impala, ford crown vic, Lincoln Continental. Horrible resale, excellent cars.

Japan has too high resale.

Rod
 
Whoever priced you that that didnt want to do the job. (If thats even the problem).

Post an ad in craigslist or FB yard sale. Get a better estimate from a local subaru mechanic.

That is about a $500 to $750 job in someones home garage.

With those low of miles its not even broken in yet..and hasn't been driven much.
 
I agree with others, you should be able to get it repaired for half the current quote. Not sure if that influences your decision to repair or replace.
 
A 4 cyl should not be that much to fix, it is not a $2500 fix.
After that, you will need to figure out why the headgasket failed.
 
An old and experienced purchasing agent I worked with had several rules. The primary one was " Get 3 or 4 quotes " You can get this fixed for less than $2500.

As far as fixing vs new, I had the exact same situation with my wife's Mazda 626. The car was paid for and she loved it. We rebuilt the trans twice for about $1500 per time. Keeping the car going allowed us to get to a better place money wise.

Fix it and drive it.
 
The EJ 22 is super easy to do HG on, once the timing belt is off a few intake and exhaust bolts and they are off, you don't even need to pop the valve covers.
I would do it for $600 + parts and machining if necessary and make money and so would a lot of other guys, its cake. The whole job not more than $800 unless the head is cracked but those are cheap.
 
Try to find a subaru specialist. On some of the cars doing a headgasket means pulling the engine which may be leading to the crazy quote, but I think yours is old enough to have SOHC and enough clearance to do it in the car.
If no one want to do it and $2500 is still your best quote, you can get a new Versa for $9500... Put your $4k in and add the rest to the mortgage and your wife will only complain once for hopefully quite a few years!
 
Again agree what others saying paying another mechanic to do the job for much much less. What is the body condition of the car?



Dale
 
Agree with the repair estimate being high.

Subarus do have head gasket issues in (approximately) that year.

I'd lean towards fixing it - this one last time (and tell the wife that) - then driving until the liquid budget allows a replacement. Then just wait for another large repair, and sell the Subaru while picking up the new vehicle.
 
Try to find an independent garage that has Subaru engine experience and get a price. If less than ~ $,1,200 for both heads and the rest of the vehicle is fairly good, then go for it. Ed
 
Do you know anything about cars, or have a friend that likes to wrench on them? If so, get the said friend to look at it or help you with used car shopping. You're in California, car shopping there is easy and there are plenty of decent cars for around 5k or less. You just have to start looking, it's not going to come knocking on your door.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Try to find a subaru specialist. On some of the cars doing a headgasket means pulling the engine which may be leading to the crazy quote, but I think yours is old enough to have SOHC and enough clearance to do it in the car.
If no one want to do it and $2500 is still your best quote, you can get a new Versa for $9500... Put your $4k in and add the rest to the mortgage and your wife will only complain once for hopefully quite a few years!


Its a EJ22 in the Legacy not an EJ22G there is more than enough room to pop the heads, you need more room to remove the valve covers. this is really an DIY/amateur job.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
An old and experienced purchasing agent I worked with had several rules. The primary one was " Get 3 or 4 quotes " You can get this fixed for less than $2500.

As far as fixing vs new, I had the exact same situation with my wife's Mazda 626. The car was paid for and she loved it. We rebuilt the trans twice for about $1500 per time. Keeping the car going allowed us to get to a better place money wise.

Fix it and drive it.


Every situation is different, but that's a good advice
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