1997 Toyota Tercel Repair or Replace Engine or Buy New Car

Tiny
AMIDGE
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 TOYOTA TERCEL
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 98,000 MILES
Earlier tonight, while I was driving on the highway, a smelled a faint burning scent and a minute afterwards, my car broke down. I pulled off to the side of the road, yet it took at least a minute (going down from 70 miles per hour) to get across the lanes of highway. After AAA towed the car back to my home, the guy took a look at it and told me I had no oil in my tank (mine and another's fault. Long story). He added two quarts of 30 oil, after which I started my car and drove very slowly around the block. It was not making as horrible a noise as it had on the highway, but it was still pretty bad.
I know the inside of my engine is probably wrecked terribly, which leaves me with the options of either repairing the engine, replacing it with a used engine, or buying a new car altogether and selling my own for whatever I may get for it or its parts. My questions are, what would you suggest I do and can you inform me on the possible prices for repairing or replacing the engine? If at all possible, I would like to keep the car, everything else in it works well and I get amazing gas mileage with it, but if it's not worth it then I would like to know sooner than later to do something about finding new transportation.
Thanks a bunch.
Monday, February 11th, 2008 AT 4:59 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
BLACKOP555
  • MECHANIC
  • 10,371 POSTS
Im thinking it may have just scored the piston sleeves pretty good, if thats the only problem with it then id have it rebored and be on my merry way, basically unless you can find an identicle motor, then id replace it if not you have to mess aroudn with all the wiring. If you cant find a identicle motor then id fix it, have a look at it first. Its hard for me to say without seeing the motor.
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Monday, February 11th, 2008 AT 7:26 AM

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