I got jacked. I need a mechanics help.?

Question

I bought a 1998 buick lesabre form an old man. He was like 87 years old. He buttered me up before he sold the car by buying me lunch and talking to me about my personal life and his. I bought the car for 3700 dollars. It drove great for the first 50 miles. Then I took it to get an oil change. About 20 miles after the oil change the engine began to knock loud. I checked the oil and the pressure and they were both fine. Took it to a mechanic and he said the rod is knocking bad and is about to go. Told me for a rebuild it's going to be about 3700 dollars. The cars only worth about that much. So I got screwed. What can I do to cut my losses. The mechanic told me to put some engine honey in it and try to trade it in. The trade in value is blue booked at 3700. I don't want to sell the car to anybody else because I think it is wrong. But I cannot afford to take a 3700 loss. WHat should I do? Any ideas will be appreciated and considered. Thanks.

I have no mechanical experience whatsoever.

Answer 1

it sounds like he might have got you a little there,you have a few options though,,but id fix it and drive it,that's about the only way your going to come out ahead on it,,if you sell it right now,you know it wont bring much,like it is, so id just repair or replace that engine,and drive it until i got my moneys worth from it,,good luck on your decision,i hope this help,s.

Answer 2

If you drove the vehicle 50 miles and there was no engine knocking when you went in for an oil change and then it started knocking shortely after, then I would expect the oil change shop did not add new oil but left it dry, it has happen many times at fast oil change shops, they also have a bad habit of using kids to do there work and not certified technican, oil pan bolts get stripped and oil filters have been left loose leaking the oil out. Did you check the engine oil level for oil after it was changed? If the engine was full of oil then you may have been took. A rod knock can be repaired by replacing the rod bearings if it just started by removing the oil pan and installing new bearings depending the crank has no scores or scratches, if it shows scratches or scored marks then pull the engine and put a crank kit in it , thats the cheep way. If you want to replace the engine its not hard. By the way, Its good to know your care about other people to not push it off by doctoring the engine. An engine re-manufactured is usually about 1200 to 1600 depending on the engine and most shops, but check the price of a new one there not much more than a re-man engine and better to use, the labor should be only 800. shop around, if you have mechanical knowledge you can R/R the engine in two days and be on the road, get a book there easier than you think to R/R. Take lots of pitcures before you start to see where parts go as a referance. Good Luck and GOD Bless

Answer 3

Sorry to hear about the B/S business deal...
Your best option is to suck it up as a learning curve, then go out to your local salvage yard, and get a good motor for it.
You can save some money by putting it in yourself, or having a friend that does mechanics put it in for you.
I have done a pull, drop and another pull in less than 6 hours.

Good Luck with it!

Answer 4

Thats awsomely sweet that you wnt sell it cause its very wrong. I really dont think it was th mans fualt if ran for so long. I would try to discuss this with the mechanic and his manager at the same time so you can maybe work it out because its probably their fault.

Answer 5

look for a replacement used motor that runs fine still, swap them out, sell the knocking motor to make some money back or rebuild it in your shed if your good

Answer 6

the cheapest way to get that sucker back on the road or in a suitable condition for re-sale would be an engine exchange at a wreckers lot.

Answer 7

trade it in to a dealer, then only the dealer will get ripped off they will be liable to sell it to another cust....by the way i do nto see how it can cost that much for a rebuilt enginei woudl think it woudl be alittle more than half that price

Answer 8

If you bought the car in a lemon law state and it has not been over 30 days you can ask for your money back.
Massachusetts and other states have a merchantability law that sates that any thing you buy must be servicable for a reasonable amount of time. In Mass a private sale vehicle must work for at least 30 days.
If that fails you can get a good used motor for about $750 and installation is about $350. Prices vary from state to state.







Massachusetts Used Vehicle Warranty Law

The Used Vehicle Warranty Law protects consumers who buy used vehicles from a dealer or private party in Massachusetts. (M.G.L. c. 90 s. 7N 1/4) The law requires dealers to provide consumers with a written warranty against defects that impair the vehicle's use or safety, and requires private parties to disclose any known use or safety defects.

The Used Vehicle Warranty Law provides you with protections and remedies, including mandatory repairs, refunds, or repurchases. It does not cover all vehicles or all defects, and not all problems will qualify your vehicle for repurchase. If you purchased a vehicle fewer than 14 days ago, the fastest way to get relief may be through the “Lemon Aid Law.”The law applies to used cars, vans, trucks and demonstration vehicles not covered by the New Car Lemon Law, and which:

are sold by a Massachusetts dealer or private party.

cost at least $700 (dealer sales only).

have fewer than 125,000 miles on the odometer when sold (dealer sales only).
Demonstration or executive vehicles are covered under the law under certain circumstances. You must first determine whether the vehicle meets the requirements of the New Car Lemon Law. You may use the Used Vehicle Warranty Law only if you do not qualify to be accepted for the New Car Lemon Law.

Vehicles Not Covered: The following are not covered under the Used Vehicle Warranty Law:

motorcycles, mopeds, dirtbikes;

leased vehicles;

auto homes, and vehicles built primarily for off-road use;

any vehicle used primarily for business purposes, or purchased by, owned by or registered to a business
Defects Covered
Only defects that impair your vehicle's use or safety are covered. Defects are not covered if they:

affect appearance only;

are covered by the manufacturer's express warranty and the dealer assures that the repairs were made;

are caused by negligence, abuse, vandalism, or accidents unrelated to the defect;

are caused by repair attempts made by someone other than the dealer, its agent, or the manufacturer; or

are caused by substantial change made by you to the vehicle (such as installing a sunroof that was not part of the vehicle when you bought it).
Warranty Length
The coverage depends on the mileage of the vehicle at the time of purchase as outlined below:



Mileage Warranty Period
Less than 40,000 miles: 90 days or 3,750 miles,
whichever comes first

40,000 to 79,999 miles: 60 days or 2,500 miles,
whichever comes first

80,000 to 124,999 miles: 30 days or 1,250 miles,
whichever comes first

125,000 miles or over: No express warranty
If the true mileage of the vehicle is unknown at the time of the sale, the warranty period is calculated according to the age of the vehicle as outlined below:



Age of Vehicle Warranty Period

3 years old or less: 90 days/3,750 miles, whichever comes first

More than 3 and less than 6 years old: 60 days/2,500 miles, whichever comes first

More than 6 years old: 30 days/1,250 miles. whichever comes first
Warranty Extension
Your warranty is extended by one day for each day the vehicle is out of service for repairs, and by one mile for each mile it is driven while repairs are being made. In addition, any repair performed on a covered defect during the warranty period carries its own 30-day warranty. This warranty begins the day the repair is completed and can continue after the original warranty on the car as a whole expires.




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Answer 9

Go to a reputable junkyard and get the parts you need from there.


Happy Hunting!