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Help! Have a 2002 Dodge Dakota 100,020 miles. Just found out the rocker arm screwed up the engine. Have been advised I should just get a new engine with a 100,000 mile warrenty for a cost of 7100.00! Just put new tires on and shocks and the car is in great condition. Do I fix it and hope it lasts another 50 to 100,000 miles? Can you even get any money for a car without a working motor? Money is an extreme issues. Any help or advice is appreciated!
It all depends if you need a truck or not. The estimated value of a 2002 'Fair' Dakota truck is $3900. A not running Dakota truck is much much much less than that. Say $2000 if someone is interested in it for parts or to swap a motor.
The value of this truck is dropping by the hour so you really have to ask yourself what does $7100 get you? if you look on Craigslist you will find many trucks for $7100 that have much less miles than yours and may in fact work.
One suggestion well two actually are:
1. Place your non working truck on Craiglist as a barter for another vehicle. Someone in the wreck business may want the ve-hick-le for parts and have a another car to swap with. This solves the money issue you mentioned.
2. Sell the ve-hick-le for parts on Craigslist you can always find someone looking for a project if the rest of the ve-hick-le is good. Than you can offset the cost of another ve-hick-le with your proceeds.
You can always wait for one of those dealer sales where you can push/pull/or drag in a ve-hick-le and they will give you a tradein value for it. But typically a dealers vehicles are more expensive than from a private owner.
So the good news is you do have options. Good luck with your decision.
How did the rocker arm screw up the engine? What size engine?
Who gave you this quote of $7100? (I'll bet it was a dealership...doesn't surprise me any)
We need more info on what kind of damage was caused. Chances are it may not be as bad as they say....and they just want you to spend the money. But it all depends on what happened.
You could probably find a used engine out of another Dakota or Durango for less. Probably wont come with a 100k warranty, but it *might* come with a 30 day one. You'll have to ask your local recycling yards.
You can get money for a car without a running engine, but not as much as one with.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deez Nuttz
How did the rocker arm screw up the engine? What size engine?
Who gave you this quote of $7100? (I'll bet it was a dealership...doesn't surprise me any)
We need more info on what kind of damage was caused. Chances are it may not be as bad as they say....and they just want you to spend the money. But it all depends on what happened.
You could probably find a used engine out of another Dakota or Durango for less. Probably wont come with a 100k warranty, but it *might* come with a 30 day one. You'll have to ask your local recycling yards.
You can get money for a car without a running engine, but not as much as one with.
Post back.
Good questions....Also,a NEW Dodge Dakota is not worth $7100.00 imo so if you can sell it and get a good truck, I'd do that.
The maximum damage from a screwed up rocker arm is usually limited to bent valve(s) and a damaged piston in one cylinder only.
Find out specifically what damage has been caused, then get quotes from independent repair shops. I have auto repair estimating software on my PC and I priced out the cost of rebulding the valve train for one cylinder and replacing one piston/rings/conn rod.
My estimate (not knowing what engine you have, what the damage is, or other limitations) is: $270 for parts, and 24 hours of labor. I am NOT a professional mechanic so my estimate may be very wrong, I use the software to double-check prices for work I cannot do myself.
Thanks for all the imput. They found that the rocker arm was caught in the cam. The cam is damaged and needs to be replaced. Two valves have visibly been sucked in and heads need to be removed and sent out for reconditioning. The estimate for this is 2500.00 with no knowledge of what might be happening in the lower half of the motor. The truck had limited compression in 2 cylinders and no compression in another one and this was on bank one. The top half can be redone but no warrenty was offered on the bottom half. This is a service station not a dealership (we hoped that would have kept the cost down). A 12 month 12,000 mile motor would be like 6500 and they said with install 7100 for 100,000 mile motor. They refuse to but in a used motor because they can't guarentee work.
Can't tell you how much I appreciate all your posts!
Find a good, used engine as suggested. You should be able to get it back on the road for a 1/3 of the quoted price.
Go to a good independent garage and stay away from the dealer.
Find a good, used engine as suggested. You should be able to get it back on the road for a 1/3 of the quoted price.
Go to a good independent garage and stay away from the dealer.
Looks like the run about $2k for a warrantied used motor on ebay, figure another $800 to pay a mechanic to swap it out, that's kinda a lot of money. Why are those engines so expensive?
You could always buy another truck like yours that needs TLC, keep your current truck for parts and away you go.
buy a new truck and hope it won't grenade on you like that dodge?
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