New Engine or New Car?

[operaflute]

My 1998 318ti (165K miles) left me stranded yesterday in Utah by overheating without telling me. (I was on my way home to Tucson.) AAA towed it to the dealer in Salt Lake City who declared it dead (aka - it needs a new engine.) Now that I'm (for the moment) finished hyperventilating, I'm researching options.

I found one shop that can locate a used engine and put it in for me all for $3500. I have to confirm a number of things (listed below), but, assuming I really CAN get this car running again for $3500, does it seem like a reasonable tactic? A car loan is out of the question for me, and I only have about $5000 to my name, which, I'm guessing won't buy much of a used new to me car.

FWIW - new clutch 3 years ago, new drive train this past May. Needs an alignment, drivers side air bag is questionable. (Whatever... safety is for people with money, as far as I can tell.)

Things I need to find out (what else should I be asking?):
What other work might be needed? (Why did the car overheat, and why did it not tell me?)
How many miles/condition on the used engine? What peripherals are included, if any?

Discuss, please!

[Budget M3]

Sorry to hear about that. You have the right idea on the questions...you need those answers. However...

My $.02...
$3500 is waaaaay too much for a used engine and installation, regardless of the mileage on the replacement engine. That likely does not include fixing whatever cooling problem made the car overheat in the first place--radiator? water pump? cooling hoses? etc, so it's gonna cost a lot more than $3500 to fix.
$3500 should buy a pretty decent and reliable replacement car, and leave you plenty of funds for repairs as needed. Finding another ti may be tough, but here is just one example of what looks to be another decent BMW from a quick search of SLC CL:

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/cto/2521847073.html

It may be difficult, but you have to try to forget about the sunk cost of recent repairs to your beloved ti. If I were you, I would scrap the ti for whatever you can get ($1000?), and buy another car, preferably from a private owner who has taken care of it.

Good Luck!

[operaflute]

Thanks for your thoughts! To be honest, I don't really have a great attachment to this car, OR to getting another BMW. Too expensive to fix them, and it didn't seem to need any fewer repairs than nice practical Japanese cars. In fact, I'd say it's needed more.
Keep the thoughts and ideas coming!

[operaflute]

The dealer will put in short block and peripherals for $7046 - a bit over what I have to spend, but seemed silly not to get all the info I can. (Part list copied below.) I have emailed them to confirm then that my cylinder heads have not been damaged.
The $3500 estimate from the independent shop was the entire engine, not just the "short block." As far as the peripherals go, (thermostat and water pump) that was an unknown - to be decided/figured out once we choose the used engine, and perhaps something to be considered in choosing which used engine.

Good gawd, a used Honda made in this millennium ain't cheap!

11-00-9-070-733 RMFD SHORT BLOCK 1 x 4410.48
11-61-1-734-684 GASKET AS 1 x 16.71
11-62-1-435-366 GASKET AS 2 x 15.93
18-30-1-711-969 GASKET AS 1 x 26.34
11-72-1-437-202 HEX NUT:1 12 x 1.07
11-53-1-743-679 CONNECTOR 1 x 17.21
11-53-1-743-017 THERMOSTAT 1 x 68.68
11-51-0-393-338 RMFD WATER PUMP 1 x 125.49
82-14-1-467-704 ANTIFREEZE 1 x 29.12
07-51-0-017-866 MOTOR OIL 7 x 6.75

[bullmand]

An M44 from just about anywhere that you could get one on short notice is going to cost about $2000 unless you get really lucky on eBay or craigslist. The most likely reason for you overheating was one of the two coolant fittings on the engine that are known to fail. They break, you dump most of your coolant, and the head's warped before you have time to do anything about it. The labor to swap an engine is not insubstantial either. I'd say for buying an engine and paying someone to swap it that $3500 is about right. Having said that, if it's a junkyard engine of unknown provenance that's probably too high. If you don't love the car or just want to replace it with an automotive appliance you could probably get a used Kia or Hyundai in the same price range you're looking at for the repair. Be prepared for a serious downgrade in the quality of the interior materials and the general build quality if you go that route. Good luck either way.

[slow_ti]

Buy everything needed for a swap from me for 800. EVERYTHING is there


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