Buy new or used 3.8 Liter Engine?
 

Hey guys I need some advice. My car died as I was coming home. Dealership called me this afternoon and advised me that my engine needs to be replaced. The engine had 164k miles on it. The service rep will call me tomorrow with prices for new and used engine. I have a 2004 Monte Carlo SS. Should I go new or used engine?


Thanks in advance for your help.

There are some good used 3800 motors out there with lower miles. I just had mine swapped - put a 3800 with a supercharger and HD trans (aka the L67) that came from a 2004 Monte SS into my 2003 Monte SS that had 198k on it (the L36). 49k miles on the "new" motor. Have to keep the trans in mind too. If the dealer prices a new engine, they may be planning to bolt that up to your existing trans. I think that would be a mistake. Putting a new motor on a trans with 164k miles on it doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Nice part about the used ones is many of them were pulled with the engine and trans together and are sold that way. Mine was. I'd do some serious comparison between used and new.

Unless you have a warranty, the dealership will rob you blind. (Dealerships always overcharge their customers)

http://stores.ebay.com/Morad-Parts-Company

or your local junkyard, its your choice.

i believe zzpreformance sells new 3800s

personally if you have that much money i would put something else in there.

if a dealer tries to charge you more than $1800 to put a used engine in they are f******* you blind a used engine with around 50,000 miles on it should be around $550-$800 and no more than 12 hours labour to change it probably more like 10 hours. and if they change it with trans attached it should be less labour than that maybe 8-9 hours.

I hate to say it, but you're in trouble. A new engine is going to be stupid expensive- and I bet even their price on a used engine is going to be way over what they're worth- I totally agree that a used L67 (minus all the accessories especially) shouldn't be much over $500 used; but they're going to kill you in labor to put it in. I guess you don't have much choice if they've already got it all torn apart.

Did you ask them specifically what is wrong?

The engine died at 101,000 miles? I thought the 3800 easily lasted over 200,000 miles. I'd ask the dealer exactly what is wrong with the engine, sure there are oranges in everything, but 101,000 miles seems a little early to me.

I think that says 164,000.

Lemons?

+1 for Morad. Can't speak highly enough of my experience with them on my L67.

Ed Morad is the way to go for reasonable used 3800 stuff. Give them a call!