Cost of an engine/transmission replacement?

[Martinjmpr]

I keep seeing on CL late-1990's (1996 +) or even early 2000's (say through 2002 or so) domestic full sized 4x4 SUVs (Expedition, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, etc) going for really cheap.
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So it got me to thinking, at some point, wouldn't it almost be less expensive to buy an old beater even if you knew it would need a new engine or tranny soon, because the cost of replacing/rebuilding the engine or tranny would still be less than a newer comparable vehicle?
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But I have no frame of reference to know how expensive those kinds of repairs are. Last time I had a vehicle that needed major repairs it was a 1990 Mitsubishi Montero with the dreaded valve guide slippage that caused loss of power and excess oil consumption (although no other serious problems and I drove it in that condition for at least a year, including a trip to the Black Rock Desert and Death Valley.) that repair was $1500 in 1999.
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EDIT: Oh, my memory is going. 4 years ago I had the engine replaced in my little Mazda (1997 Protégé sedan) and the total cost, out-the-door for a 90,000 mile engine installed with a 12 month warranty was about $2400, but that was (a) an import and (b) just a little 1.5l 4 cyl. So, still, I don't have much of a frame of reference for a full size truck.
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Other than that I think I had a rear end go out in my '71 Blazer in 1983 and I think the repair was around $2k (which was a fortune for me back then!)
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So, assuming I'm not one of those guys who has the mechanical knowledge to just buy a motor and rebuild it in the garage with my buddies (because I'm not) and that I have to pay out-of-pocket, what would be the cost of either replacing or rebuilding a late-90's era domestic V8 engine or auto tranny? And if it was a replacement, what would be the cost to upgrade to a better/newer/more powerful engine?
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Not planning anything at this point, just trolling CL and seeing a lot of older vehicles out there that appear to be in decent running condition going for dirt cheap....

 

[ZMagic97]

Well, getting new parts and putting it in yourself is cheaper than paying someone. that's obvious.

Having someone else do it could run you $10K easily in a new motor, trans, and work by a reputable shop. Upgrading motors depends. For example, putting a GM motor in a GM is easier and thus cheaper.

For comparison, butting a Hemi in a Jeep JK by a shop runs your $20K. Depends on the mods needed and cost of parts.

 

[IPA]

It varies widely from shop to shop and model to model. I had a the 3.0 in my 1995 4Runner replaced with a clean, low mileage one for about $2200.

More recently I've been toying with the idea of eventually replacing the V10 in my 2002 Excursion with a diesel, and that's a whole other ballgame.

 

[goodtimes]

An engine or transmission rebuild isn't horrible on its own. A $800 truck with a blown transmission can be back on the road with a total investment of less than $5000. But if that transmission repair is followed by an engine rebuild, followed by a couple thousand $$$ worth of diagnostic work & sensor replacement, followed by a $1200 A/C repair, followed by wheel bearings & brakes, and tie rods and worn suspension bushings and ball joints and worn out seats, cracked dash, squeaks, rattles, clunks, ad nausium . . .

At some point they just become money pits and suck up all your free time.

IMO, if you're after a budget minded older vehicle, it's better to skip pretty much anything from the 80's and 90's, and go back to the 70's. The vehicles were much simpler, easier (therefor cheaper) to troubleshoot and repair (yea - that's a rather gross generalization). They still need regular maintenance (and in some cases, more frequent maintenance than newer vehicles), but when something goes wrong, its easier to overcome (financially).

 

[Paul B.]

I have a 2000 Chevy 1ton flat bed, small block V8. Needs new motor. I'm like the OP, not able to rebuild a motor myself, besides it's a fleet vehicle for my small landscape company. I don't work on those trucks, I have to focus on running the business.

My mechanic, who runs a reliable West LA shop, wants $2,700 for a used motor installed 30 day guarantee, $4,500 for a rebuilt installed, 10,000 mile warrantee.

I'm on the fence about fixing it, or buying a brand new truck. I'm only on the fence because money's tight and we don't absolutely need that truck. Like one person said, if you invest in the motor, then the automatic transmission goes, then an a/c unit, maybe a rear end after that.... And you have to pay a mechanic his shop rates every time to fix..... And now you have a ton of money in it so there's no turning back at that point....And you're still left with a used old beater? I've been down that road with company vehicles and don't want to do it again.

If you ain't a mechanic, and you can afford it, buy a brand new vehicle. My $0.02.

 

[rayra]

If you can't do most of the work yourself, it wouldn't be economic. I just recently bought my '02 K1500 Suburban with 118k mi in very good condition throughout for $6000, on that premise. I can do the needed work myself, and a replacement rebuild trans is ~$1200, and a rebuild on the motor might be twice that. If you have to pay somebody $75-100/hr on top of that to do the work for you, it wouldn't make much sense to go to the trouble, when you can just spend the total in the first place and get a vehicle half as old with ~80k mi.

 

[Paul B.]

..... when you can just spend the total in the first place and get a vehicle half as old with ~80k mi.

Ah, but this is a whole new conundrum....talking hi-miles older used vehicle vs. a low-miles newer used vehicle? At some point one is best off to just bite the bullet, and the payment, and buy new (nowadays $50K+).

 

[pappawheely]

I have a different view. I like to modify my vehicles. It makes no sense to buy new and throw away expensive parts. Plus, I have no interest in buying one of the new electronic nightmares they are selling for 50K. I can replace an engine or trans but when the electronic sensors get haunted, you're screwed!

 

[CountryHandyMan]

My 2000 Superduty with the 5.4 gas v-8 was $3300 to replace at a shop, including the $300 clutch kit. It came with a 4 year, 40,000 mile warranty.

 

[rayra]

Ah, but this is a whole new conundrum....talking hi-miles older used vehicle vs. a low-miles newer used vehicle? At some point one is best off to just bite the bullet, and the payment, and buy new (nowadays $50K+).

Well that transcends 'economic' into 'disposable income' turf. Some folks can't afford or choose not to pay for a brand new vehicle. Particularly taking it off-road and making a bunch of mods to it / drill / cut on it. Or buy an older vehicle for smaller cash and use that unspent $500/mo car payment for other things.

 

[Paul B.]

My 2000 Superduty with the 5.4 gas v-8 was $3300 to replace at a shop, including the $300 clutch kit. It came with a 4 year, 40,000 mile warranty.

That's an unheard of price here in Los Angeles.

 

[Paul B.]

Well that transcends 'economic' into 'disposable income' turf. Some folks can't afford or choose not to pay for a brand new vehicle. Particularly taking it off-road and making a bunch of mods to it / drill / cut on it. Or buy an older vehicle for smaller cash and use that unspent $500/mo car payment for other things.

The point is if one wants a good expedition/off road vehicle, and lacks mechanical skills, necessitating paying shop rates for every mod/repair, it may be cheaper in the long run to buy a brand new vehicle. (Edit: I know many people who've also paid multiple $K to Miller's Towing to get broken rigs hauled out of the Saline Valley. A newer vehicle can still break, but much less likely.)

Time is a factor too. If one is busy working and having a personal life, it may be prudent to pay the shop rates or buy the new vehicle. Myself, I'm kind of in the middle, I have some mechanical skills (nothing like most of you guys on here), but even if I was totally capable, I would likely be hard pressed to find time.

 

[Paul B.]

An aside to this, I guess 100 posts upgrades my Expo status from "Observer" to "Adventurer".

 

[Seabass]

Why does a vehicle have to break? Ok...let me clarify. Why buy a new 50k truck? Because it will break down less often? Really? If you don't have the cash to buy them how bout 700-1000 per month payment. But, you'll have a warranty! It better be a good one for that price. How bout a 25k used vehicle. Probably no warranty, a lot less payment. Still gonna break. But still got a payment. Every month. No exceptions. Broken or running. I bought a 97 F-350 with nearly 300k on it. Paid cash. No monthly payment. It's getting close to needing an engine. I can buy a 3yr 100k warranty engine for $2,600. I can buy a used running engine with 100k for $475. It's a good old truck. It fits my needs. Yes, from time to time things break. But my truck sees less down time than the new trucks my family and friends own. And they get to make payments-and pay repair bills at the same time. My math says fix em' and drive em. Paid for. Payments don't end till the note is paid off. Repairs only cost when it breaks. You have to be very cautious and thorough when buying an older vehicle- and lucky. Sometimes you get a turd. But of the last five I've owned only one was a turd. As soon as I realized it was a problem truck- I sold it. The rest were really no big deal. Usually someone offers me a big profit and I sell it. That's why I've had several. But this last F-350, I'm keepin it for a long while. It's doing too good for me. And monthly payments add up a lot faster than repair bills.

 

[Buliwyf]

That's got to be a used 5.4L. It's $2000 labor to swap long blocks. A reman'd long block Ford 5.4L is $3900. Transmission rebuilds are about $2000. It's so darn expensive, I'd recommend getting a quote for a factory new engine installed by a dealer, it might only be a hair more.

You should always budget for an engine and transmission on any used truck purchase. And as soon as yo'ure out of warranty on a new truck. I always have some $$ set aside for such repairs. I never buy a truck that can't move under it's own power. If it can't move, it may not be rebuildable. If it can move, but has engine rattles and knocks, or shifts wonky or hardly at all, that's likely a cheap vehicle to repair. Dealers often don't have time to repair blown up trade ins. That's how I got my 2008 F250 Superduty for $11,000 in 2012.

Ford, Dodge, and GM aren't very good at honoring their warranties anymore. Some areas are better than others. But any chance to screw you over, they'll take. Because where are you going to go? To GM? They'll do the same. Then you jump to Dodge, then back to Ford, and so forth. Warranties are great when they're honored. Sometimes if they do the warranty work, and half ******** it, and it fails again, and again, and again.....

I'm not sure a $50,000 truck is worth it. I'm likely going to buy my 2015 fleet work truck when it hit's 200,000 miles. That's 4 years for me.