Am I crazy?

[pragmatic]

My 2000 LS V6 MT has 188K miles runs well but is fairly well rusted underneath. My car plans were to drive it through the winter. After a fourth winter on my snows they would not be useful as snow tires. The summer tires should be good for all of next spring summer and fall. During that time I'd look for a replacement vehicle (4 door sedan, rwd with a manual transmission). When I found one I liked (new for around $30K or used for between $10K and $20K), I'd buy. I know I'd likely need to compromise on either the RWD or the MT. Leading new contenders were a Charger V6 (AT compromise) or Accord Sport (FWD compromise).

I just looked at another 2000 LS V6 MT with 53K that overheated (bad hydraulic fan) and somehow jumped a couple of teeth on the cam timing and bent two intake valves. The owner had started tearing it down to do the head gasket when he found the bent valves. He wants out and the body is solid. I'm considering buying it, throwing my drivetrain in it and going another 3 to 4 year at which time the body would have ~110K and the engine transmission would have ~250K.

So if I do this am I crazy?

 

[don-ohio]

I wouldn't throw the drivetrain in it,JUST the engine.His trans at 53K may be in great shape? don-ohio ^)

 

[LS4me]

I wouldn't throw the drivetrain in it,JUST the engine.His trans at 53K may be in great shape? don-ohio ^)

Or fix his engine and have a cream-puff!!!

 

[Deaconblue]

Either way its a no brainer - buy the clean low mileage car, then figure out which is easier - swap your motor or fix his.

 

[osmoalec]

I can't see how you can really go wrong buying the other one. Just play up the fact that it's got some serious issues to drive the price down. Even though it doesn't. And use the parts from your car to fix low km one as opposed to full swap. If those are his only issues then your looking at like days work.

 

[MrOptimistic]

Low ball him.. Lol the most you should pay is 1500 for it. I just bought an 05 for 1000$ in working condition.

 

[pragmatic]

I guess we are all crazy.

I was going to change everything because I thought it was easier. The last drivetrain I removed was the turbo 4 in my XR4Ti took all of 45 minutes to remove engine and transmission. Doing a little preliminary research shows the engine drops out the bottom and is booked as a 24 hour job. So I'm leaning on installing my heads on his block. Still deciding if I want to do the work or just screw it and buy a new (or new vehicle). Final decision by Wednesday.

I'll need to clean out the garage to make room and decide if I do the swap before or after ski season.

 

[1LoudLS]

what are the odds that he smashed a couple of valves and didn't damage the piston that smashed them?

 

[pragmatic]

what are the odds that he smashed a couple of valves and didn't damage the piston that smashed them?

I guess I'll find that out when the head comes off. I could change the one bad piston and rings. Fall back always just popping my drivetrain in (though I don't look forward to that work).

 

[Telco]

The odds are pretty low that the piston survived if a valve dropped in. Still and all, removing the engine from the bottom is not the issue you think it might be. Remove the hood, disconnect the engine, support the transmission onto the body, then use your engine jack to lift the body off the engine. If you want to see it in action, see if you can find some 4th Gen Camaro/Firebird engine swap videos, they have to remove the engine the same way.

 

[craigh]

I am on my second '00 MTX and I love the car. I bought my current car last year with only 64,000 miles on it and rust free. I expect it to last my at least another 8 years as long as I can find parts to keep it rolling. If I could have found that MTX that you are talking about fixing I would have bought that one and fixed the motor. That said, if the car is straight and relatively rust free, that is the route I would go. Low ball him, do the work on the motor over the next few months and roll out a low mileage MTX when the snow is gone. Depending on how much you drive you might have the next one for another 8 years also. What would be the down side to doing this? Worst case you have to find an entire engine for it and drop that in.

I read through your post and I feel the same way about compromises with another car. RWD MTX's are difficult to find. Some options are BMW of course and also the Infiniti G series can be had with a stick. Mustang is also an options. You can find a list of RWD cars on this website: http://www.rearwheeldrive.org/rwd/rwdlist.html I also had a XR4TI in the garage at one time. 5 speed or course and when it ran, it was an incredible car.

If you don't buy the MTX, post the listing here and give someone else a change at it. I suspect someone will snap it up.

 

[pragmatic]

I am on my second '00 MTX and I love the car. I bought my current car last year with only 64,000 miles on it and rust free. I expect it to last my at least another 8 years as long as I can find parts to keep it rolling. If I could have found that MTX that you are talking about fixing I would have bought that one and fixed the motor. That said, if the car is straight and relatively rust free, that is the route I would go. Low ball him, do the work on the motor over the next few months and roll out a low mileage MTX when the snow is gone. Depending on how much you drive you might have the next one for another 8 years also. What would be the down side to doing this? Worst case you have to find an entire engine for it and drop that in.

I read through your post and I feel the same way about compromises with another car. RWD MTX's are difficult to find. Some options are BMW of course and also the Infiniti G series can be had with a stick. Mustang is also an options. You can find a list of RWD cars on this website: http://www.rearwheeldrive.org/rwd/rwdlist.html I also had a XR4TI in the garage at one time. 5 speed or course and when it ran, it was an incredible car.

If you don't buy the MTX, post the listing here and give someone else a change at it. I suspect someone will snap it up.

I put in an offer lets see where it goes.

I've moved on from 2 doors. So the choices are BMW, G series Infiniti, or Cadillac CTS or ATS. All have their pluses and minuses.

Bought the XR4Ti (T9 manual) with 70K miles did a T5 swap (Ranger box from a junk yard) at about 150K and sold it with 280K. Rusted out, the engine ran well but had an uneven idle. The new owner ($250 sale) wrote that the idle smoothed out once he installed a spare set of injectors he had. That was replaced by a 90 Mustang 5.0 5speed. Bought the LS near the end of the Mustangs life and then cash-for-clunkerd the rusted out Mustang for a 4-cylinder rwd Ranger with 5 speed.

My LS needs to be replaced before the rust gets to any structural components and my plan has been to junk it after the winter. If the LS deal falls through I'll continue looking at other RWD MT Sedans.

 

[craigh]

If it doesn't work out, check out this one. http://westernmass.craigslist.org/cto/5325462415.html Don't know how to hyperlink this in a post. Only 80000 miles on it and not too far from you.

Our XR4TI started on fire. Don't know what the cause was, but in many ways it was a blessing in disguise. I didn't have to fix it anymore!

 

[pragmatic]

Saw that LS, no cats and lowered no sale. I need to get it through state inspections and 8 -12 inches of snow.

 

[pragmatic]

Got it home today. The four valves on #1 will open but do not close all the way. I need to more closely check the other cylinders. While they seem to work well I will measure valve clearance. For #1 I'll send a boroscope down the plug hole and see if I can spot anything.

 

[craigh]

Please keep us posted on this. I wish you the best of luck with it!