4wheelin

Hi, recently my son drove his '99 TA through some high water and sucked water into the engine, blowing a rod out the side of the block. Car only had 64K miles on it.

I will probably have the opportunity to buy the car back from the insurance company and was wondering if money wise it would be worth the trouble to replace the motor and keep it.

I'm sure I could part it out and reclaim more than I will have pay for it, but that's a lot of trouble too...

Any ideas? Comments?

Car is almost perfect otherwise, just the motor will have to be replaced.

Thanks in advance for any wisdom you can impart!!

mike171562

iTrader: (4)

is the insurance company going to total the car? personally I would buy it back and throw in a new motor.

4wheelin

Yes, they are. This will however make it a salvage title car. It's been my experience that that will decrease the value quite a bit when you go to resell.

mike171562

iTrader: (4)

I was rear-ended recently in my 97 v6 firebird, they totaled the car, but because the estimated value was just over the estimated cost to fix the car, they sold me the car back and gave me a blue title, It just depends on how the numbers work out.

4wheelin

Just for the sake of numbers, because I really have no idea what they are going to ask for it....

$2500 buy back
$1200 R&R (calls for 21 hrs)
$3000 used motor
--------
$6700 Invested
$7000 Value (Includes 2K loss of value w/ Salvage Title)

These are just my estimated numbers, but does seem to be more practical to part it out I would think.

Thoughts anybody??

mike171562

iTrader: (4)

I bought my 97 back for 600 bucks. Im not real sure, but 2500 sounds high for the buyback.


3000 for a used motor is way high, thats around what you would pay for a brand new complete motor. Your only replacing what got broken, unless the heads were damaged you could probably get a new bottom end for under 1500.

4wheelin

I have only looked on ebay for a motor, but I am open to suggestions on where to find a nice 5.7 block...

mike171562

iTrader: (4)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/parts-cla...ls6-block.html

check your local Craigslist or keep an eye out in the classified section here.You could also post in one of the regional forums here with what your looking for.

Nathan C

It would be a shame to part out an almost perfect TA. I would replace/fix the engine and keep the car if possible.

4wheelin

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions...and thanks Mike for the link.

Talked to insurance today and buyback is about what I thought; now it's decision time.

BashamWS6

iTrader: (8)

buy a 6.0L out of a chevy/gmc truck/van.
get it build=t, forged internals, h/c/i set up and get a racetronix 255 fuel pump

its what i shouldve done...