Should I pop for a new engine for my 1991 Legend?
07-16-2006, 02:11 PM
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Should I pop for a new engine for my 1991 Legend?
I'm in the process of selling a 1991 Legend couple with the original V6 and a five-speed manual transmission. It has about 150,000 miles on it.
(It turns out that I don't need a car in my current line of work and frankly, living in congested LA, I don't want to pay for the premium gasoline that this car requires. Public transit works for me.)
My Legend passed its CA smog check last year when I purchased it from a friend, its original and only owner. It drives well. There are small body irregularities -- the usual bumps and scrapes -- but they're easily repairable, if the new owner wants to. The interior's immaculate.
My problem: my Legend smokes. I discovered this after purchasing my Legend and driving it down to LA from SF. I took it into the local high-class repair shop and asked if they could fix it at the same time I replaced the timing belt. Without opening the engine, they recommended that I do neither. Just drive it as long as you can, they said.
Since I'm selling the car, that solution doesn't work for me. Per the Blue Book, my Legend is worth at least $2,500 and as much as $5,000 if it's in good operating condition. I'd like to realize its full value, even if it means putting in a new engine. But is this a viable solution? What might it cost me? If I leave it to the new owner to fix the car, how much of a discount should I expect from the price I might get if the car was in tip-top shape?
Maybe I should take it to another repair shop. I wonder.
Thanks for your comments.
(It turns out that I don't need a car in my current line of work and frankly, living in congested LA, I don't want to pay for the premium gasoline that this car requires. Public transit works for me.)
My Legend passed its CA smog check last year when I purchased it from a friend, its original and only owner. It drives well. There are small body irregularities -- the usual bumps and scrapes -- but they're easily repairable, if the new owner wants to. The interior's immaculate.
My problem: my Legend smokes. I discovered this after purchasing my Legend and driving it down to LA from SF. I took it into the local high-class repair shop and asked if they could fix it at the same time I replaced the timing belt. Without opening the engine, they recommended that I do neither. Just drive it as long as you can, they said.
Since I'm selling the car, that solution doesn't work for me. Per the Blue Book, my Legend is worth at least $2,500 and as much as $5,000 if it's in good operating condition. I'd like to realize its full value, even if it means putting in a new engine. But is this a viable solution? What might it cost me? If I leave it to the new owner to fix the car, how much of a discount should I expect from the price I might get if the car was in tip-top shape?
Maybe I should take it to another repair shop. I wonder.
Thanks for your comments.
