New engine or new vehicle ?

My 03 5.4 has 230k

it’s already had its fair share of work done on it, I’m pretty sure I’ve spent $3k in parts alone over the past few years. Not a huge deal considering the average car payment

that being said, let’s say I had to replace or rebuild the engine. That can run anywhere from $4-$6k depending on who and what.

I’ve done my fair share of research and a lot of people have mixed reviews here about putting money like towards an older vehicle.

my bang for your buck question is this

is it better to spend...

$6k on new engine and have a reliable vehicle for several years? (Even though said vehicle is almost two decades old)

or...

spend $15k on a relatively decent mileage vehicle like an F150 or something with 130k miles and have a vehicle that’s newer... but may or may not also have its fair share of problems.

thoughts ? Opinions ?

Unless you are doing all the work yourself, it's seldom worth (i.e. never ? ) putting a new engine in a 20 year old SUV. Next it'll be the tranny, the suspension, the rear end, the heater core (pulling the dash...), the AC, and on and on. That money is better spent on a new, or new-ish vehicle with low miles and a known maintenance history. How's the roof on your Expy ? Most have rust, pit holes, in the roofing channels. That's a killer. What's your Expy engine doing now that you need a new engine ?

I would be very reluctant to put $6k into my '11 w/ 188k on the clock. The Expedition has been one of the less reliable vehicles I have owned, a good amount of money went into it last year, the paint is falling off the aluminum panels (just like millions of other Fords produced between 2000 and 2020) and my rockers are corroding. In 5 years it will probably rust apart just like my last Ford. My Expy is also an income-producing work truck, but I just can't see dumping $6k into it - let alone one nearly twice its age.

Thank you guys for saving me from myself !

You can add me to Man Up's and Ham's opinion. I agree completely. It's hard to say goodbye to an old truck sometimes, but no 20 year old truck is truly dependable, no matter how much you dump into it.

6k would likely be a no go from me as well and I'm the keep it as long as possible crowd. I have an 03 with the exact same miles and basically no issues. If I was paying a shop 6k for a replacement engine it would be sold as is...

Granted there us no guarantee what you buy will be trouble free but the fact is you can buy a decent 170 expy for 3-3.5k and bank the rest for repairs you can't perform. Keep yours for random parts if you have the space and you'll never need to buy anything again unless the motor in it goes as well. Could also just sell yours for whatever you can get. 1k, perhaps more? Just need the right person.

What is everyone‘a opinion .I have an 04 exp and it is one thing after another . I have been looking at F150s and here in Okla it is not uncommon for a 2 year old truck to have over 100 thousand miles on it and they are asking ten thousand dollars less than a new one. What do you think about this many miles on it.

Dump it and move on, I’m realizing as I approach my mid twenties working on vehicles and dumping money into old is for the birds. The next truck I buy won’t be older than 1-2 years old. Buying new is looking like the best option. No worries with maintenance and no down time. The truck needs to stay up and running to make me money.

Aspen03 said:

Could also just sell yours for whatever you can get. 1k, perhaps more? Just need the right person.

Click to expand...

Easy sale in the current used car market. I just sold my wife's '09 sedan with a likely bad trans, shredded interior, multiple deployed airbags and body damage on just about every panel. However, it was running. I sold it for $500, but had multiple offers in the $1,000-1,500 range (The buyer and I had made a deal though and I detest people that don't keep their word, so he still got the car.). Anyway, the used car market is crazy.

Aspen03 said:

6k would likely be a no go from me as well and I'm the keep it as long as possible crowd. I have an 03 with the exact same miles and basically no issues. If I was paying a shop 6k for a replacement engine it would be sold as is...

Granted there us no guarantee what you buy will be trouble free but the fact is you can buy a decent 170 expy for 3-3.5k and bank the rest for repairs you can't perform. Keep yours for random parts if you have the space and you'll never need to buy anything again unless the motor in it goes as well. Could also just sell yours for whatever you can get. 1k, perhaps more? Just need the right person.

Click to expand...

I agree with your take: it's not worth putting $6k into an 18-year old SUV with 200k+ miles. But when you find: a newer than 2003 Expedition 4x4 with 170k-ish miles for $3000-3500, please send them all my way. I'll take them all, then possibly double my money reselling them.

Here the cheapest 2004+ on Craigslist currently is a 2008 with 241K that needs exhaust manifolds for $4000. On marketplace, the cheapest legitimate one (not "needs work" or "new engine" or junkers in a 'hood you wouldn't drive thru, much less shop for a car listed 38 weeks ago) is a 2005 with 184k for $4500 out in the boonies. Next is a 2008 XLT with 173k on it, for $5000. That's the one I'm picking up tonight. They go up from there...sharply. And they all have rusted-out rockers.