Need some advice here...I know this isnt about a Vette, but nonetheless you guys are some of the best people to take advice from and I respect what info yall give me here!

I am getting, from my friend a free 1998 Isuzu Rodeo with 150k on it with a busted engine. Owner of the rodeo drove to my friend shop with the car sputtering...told the owner that he needed a new engine...car was either left or sold to my friend who owned the shop....Car was then sold for 500 to my other friend to fix...he never did...he has too many projects and wants to just give me the car if I fix it and let him take it sometimes to haul his RHINO to the dunes!

Some parts are missing on the engine so here is my predicament:

Dont have hardly any money (24 year old with heavy tuition bills...and a corvette..hah makes sense right?), but would be nice to have extra car.

-Dont know history of car
-Valves are crushed, parts missing on engine,


This website:

http://www.remarkableenginesinc.com/index.html

Will rebuild the engine for 1200 bucks
-1 year warranty on labor
-100k warranty on parts
-30 day warranty on oil leaks

OR

I can buy a used complete engine (ECU alternator, etc.) from a 99 Rodeo (totalled car) for 800 bucks...90 day warranty and have someone install it for roughly 500 bucks...comes with paperwork

Friend said that engine probably would not be a good engine to rebuild...but with the warranty that I get from it...does it matter? Also i know my friend (more like acquaintance) wants to install the engine for me...therefore he wouldn't want me to have it rebuilt anyways...

Dont know why it would be bad to rebuild this engine? Friend said that the valves were crushed due to timing on engine off...

But what do you all think? Need advice on which route would be best...

If everything goes well Im getting a working car for roughly 1300...praying that nothing else is wrong with it...it has been sitting for roughly 3.5 months.



SUGGESTIONS? COMMENTS? ADVICE?

I know some will tell me to run away from this car and not worry about it...but open to your input...Thank you all

 

Well look at it this way (before this gets locked) How much is it worth? I think for $1200-$1300 you can find a truck or old blazer that runs pretty good. Then you dont have to deal with trying to rebulid it. Most junk yards will give you $500 for a car and come pick it up. Thats the way I look at it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it.

 

On the contrary.....I think it sounds like a great idea, not to mention a sound investment. Everyone knows that 12 year old Isuzu Rodeos are fetching top dollar these days....and with only 150k on the clock...it's hardly broke in.

So you barely have any money...and many tuition bills...don't let that distract you. You need a second car....more importantly......you deserve a second car. So you go into a little more debt to fix up this 12 year old gem.....big deal.....you'll be the BMOC with two rides!

 

I don't know if this will work or not, but once upon a time the Rodeos had chevy engines. I had a 93 and it had the newer isuzu twin cam engine, but my buddies rodeo had a chevy v-6 in it. Of course this mod would require the whole computer and accessories to work right so I don't know if it would be any cheaper.

Personally I think putting a used engine in is usualy cheaper than rebuilding and they can usually be had for pretty cheap. The hard part is pulling the old one out. Check a used engine out closely. There was a recall on the seals on the back of heads popping off and leaking oil out. This actually happend to me and I got a ticking bearing noise from that. That's why I sold mines.

 

not worth it. sell the thing in scrap metal.. save your money to buy something that is actually worth more money than you'll be putting into it.

 

Perspective time:
That car is worth maybe $1800-2000 if it were running.

So you get a free car, and have to spend $1300-1500 to see it run again. Then you have to deal with the 150k miles...

Run, don't walk, away from this "deal"