Repair or replace?

When buying a used car with about 200 miles on the meter, one must be prepared for the need for many repairs in the near future.

Buying a used car that is 10 years old and has about 200 XNUMX on the counter. km is associated with significant risk and you need to be prepared for the need for many repairs in the near future. Unfortunately, the engine is often in an unsatisfactory condition, and then many drivers ask themselves the question - overhaul or replacement with a used one?

A few years ago, there was practically only one answer to such a question: of course, repair. These were the times of the Polonezes and the Littles, so the cost of repairs was acceptable, and the availability of second-hand engines was very limited. In addition, there was a high probability of buying an engine in the same condition as ours.

If at that time it was said about the overhaul of the engine, then the mechanics meant a complete overhaul, i.e. cylinders for so-called. honing, pistons, rings and bushings for replacement, crankshaft for grinding. The head was also repaired, the valves were ground and the seats were milled. Today the situation is definitely different. Major repairs are a thing of the past, but not because we drive more and more new cars, but because the cost of repairs is very high, and in some cases even exceeds the cost of the car (the average age of a car in Poland is 14 years). The work itself is expensive, because the engine has to be removed, disassembled, diagnosed, individual elements are taken to specialized workshops, many new parts are bought and assembled back. The cost of such a repair for a popular gasoline engine can be from 3 to 4 thousand. zloty. However, in the case of a diesel engine, in addition to the crank-piston system, the injection system and turbocharger can also be repaired. Then the costs will grow exponentially and the entire repair can exceed even 10 thousand. zloty. You must also add a minimum of one week for repairs.

If the engine does not show signs of complete wear, a partial, incomplete overhaul can be carried out, which should improve the condition of the engine. When the engine "takes" oil, you can simply replace the piston rings (without replacing the pistons), valve stem seals and possibly bushings, without grinding the shaft. Such repairs cost from PLN 800 to 1500 and are not always effective, since the improvement of the technical condition depends on the degree of wear of the cylinder.

An alternative to remanufacturing is to buy a used engine. The cost of such an operation can be half the cost of a major overhaul. A used petrol engine for a popular European car with a volume of 1.0 to 1.4 liters without accessories costs from PLN 800 to 1000. A larger engine (petrol 1.8) with a full range of accessories costs between PLN 1300 and PLN 1700. Diesel is much more expensive. A VW engine with pump injectors costs about 3 thousand. zloty. This is a large amount, but still much less than repairs. The prices shown are approximate, and the cost of a particular engine depends on its age, mileage, condition and configuration. Unfortunately, buying a used engine comes with the risk that the engine you are buying is in good condition. It is very difficult to determine the technical condition of the removed engine. We will learn about its condition only after installation on the machine and launch. Something for something. However, in many cases these engines are in decent condition and you can take a chance.

Replacing an engine does not require a replacement of the registration certificate if the new engine has the same power and the same fuel. When we have an old ID, it is necessary to report the change to the communication department, because it contains the engine number and after the replacement it will not correspond to the actual state.