New question:

Trying to sell my car but just blew a bearing. Need a new engine. Should I get a rebuilt enginge for $1500 or one from a junkyard for $800? Would a car with a rebuilt engine demand a significantly higher resale value over a junkyard engine with around 150K miles? Or is the extra money for the rebuilt not worth it? I can't part the engine out cause I live in an apartment and have nowhere to store the engine so the junkyard people will take it and will not charge me a $200 core.

Thanks.

 

hmmm... I'd say rebuild, a rebuilt engine, if done properly, is almost as good as an engine right off the showroom floor, you could easily get your $700 back by advertising an engine with only 100 miles on it (or 5 miles, however far you drive it before the sale)

a z28 with 150k miles on it won't go for much at all

 

I'd go with a rebuilt one for peace of mind over the junkyard one, because you never know what condition the junk yard one is in internally.

 

Most think a new engine is way better and will pay more.

 

Thanks. So the extra money spent on a rebuilt engine should be easily regained? How much is the average rebuilt LT1?

 

Wow, tough call- save all reciepts and proof of engine rebuild, and, even then, most buyers will take that 'with a grain of salt'- It is tough to get money back out of a car- just like a heavily (and expensively) modified car- some buyers may like what you have done, but most will shy away, and almost none will pay you what you paid for the mods-

As long as you are honest up front, potential buyers should be okay with either- A salvage yard engine usually will come with some sort of limited warranty, like, 30 days, to give you time to find out if the engine is okay- pull the valve covers off to check condition of oil and see what kind of maintenance it received- if it is a low-mileage motor out of a well maintained car that got hit, might be a good deal-

 

Before the blown bearing, the bluebook value was 3380 for FAIR. With a rebuilt engine I would think it would put the car in the GOOD catagory which is 3850. It would also help get it sold I would think.

 

i think you're reachin...

 

You could part it out and make more.

 

I think it depends on who you're selling it to, and what they plan to do with the car. Not many people are in the market for a '95 Z28, regardless of the condition of the motor. Find your buyer first.

 

Why wouldn't a car in the FAIR category and a ton of mods claim $500 more with an added rebuilt engine?