Car broken - What would you do?

[DOHC 281]

My daughter (Andrea) goes to school at ASU and my son at Mesa Community College, also in Phoenix area. You already heard about our fuel pump failure on the Sable wagon in middle of Nebraska. Now, it's Andrea's car (actually mine). It is a 1995 Contour SE, with the 2.5 DOHC V6. I purchased this car new at Griffin Ford. Andrea named her Cody Elizabeth Contour. (BTW, the 1992 Sable wagon is Sally Ann Mable). It seems Cody is very ill. When I was down this past week to see the kids (and the very cool Scottsdale Good Guys Hot Rod meet), I found that the cold start rattle in Cody is now full time. Evidently, she was 3 quarts low on oil. Marv says that it is a lube failure to the cam chain tensioner. The local dealer in Tempe suggested a reman engine install since the fix requires an engine pull. They said at 131,000 miles, it would be better to replace the motor. A Ford remanufactured motor is $3900 installed. I could do a junkyard motor install for half this, but that would mean that I would need to get the car home. It drives fine, but makes a noise like a PowerStroke at idle. My options:
1. Junk it in AZ (charity write-off) – This is hard for me to do, given recent expenses four new tires, new struts, new alternator, new battery, and a new water pump. Besides, I expect my Fords to go 200,000 miles [Tommy Taurus has 272,000 miles :beer: ]
2. Trade it - This means my daughter would have to cut a "best deal", without my immedaite advise or presence.
3. Loan her my 2000 Sable (Herc the Merc) - Andrea and Eric will fly home for Christmas, they can dive Herc back 2200 miles to Tempe. Mom and Dad drive Ruby and Tommy, respectively (Ruby is the Mark VIII that I ran at GLD).
4. Buy a "Phoenix" car on eBay - Andrea likes Herc, so maybe this is the time to buy a "reliable", low mileage car for her new job, which she anticipates in Spring. The 2000+ Tauri and Sables are really cheap in Arizona, due to flood of lease returns and rentals.

Options 3 and 4 allow me to keep Cody, drive it home, then install a junkyard motor for my use when Tommy finally dies. I think Cody could make it home :confused: A Ford never let me stranded to the point of abandonment or towing :) .

Sorry for the long story, but which option would you do? BTW - I already tried to convince the wife to buy a 03 Cobra, and rent, sell, or loan Herc to Andrea - but she says that is out of the question. :(

[347Cobra]

Get it home and do the junkyard motor swap... If you trade this car in on a new car, the depreciation from driving from the dealership out onto the street will be more then the junkyard swap....

I vote for the boneyard special!!!

What about a Jasper engine???

Greg

[BlueOvalBolt]

I vote for getting it home and replacing the motor too.


Originally posted by DOHC 281
BTW - I already tried to convince the wife to buy a 03 Cobra, and rent, sell, or loan Herc to Andrea - but she says that is out of the question. :( [/B]

Now this plan was perfect. Discussion was your big mistake here. Remember, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission." . . . . . of course I'm divorced . . . . . well, nevermind.:rolleyes:

[priority#2]

I have already forgiven too many times.:o

[priority#2]

Yep - now my wife is on the board. Can't imagine why I need to be forgiven.:rolleyes:

Thanks for the replys. Those were my sentiments exactly. First the hunt for a good, reliable, cheap Ford. Then the challenge of getting Cody home. :beer: [Hot damn, I like that icon]

So, who wants to fly down and RIDE BACK WITH ME IN A CAR WITH A TICKING MOTOR? :)

Hey 46Cobra - you have one of dem Escort ZX2. They be cheap in PHX. What are you experiences? [I can only imagine the name that car would get :rolleyes: ]

[CSCOBRA]

Sorry to hear about your Contour problem:bash: .I had a siimiliar problem with one of my sons last summer . He took one of my old Taurus sedans on a long trip, it had about 150000 miles on it. The car stopped moving on the x-way in southern Ind., the trans went bad. I told him to remove the plates and take the bus home. We sent the title to the man who towed the car off the highway. The differance between your Contour and my Taurus is that I only had 300. dollars in it.
Contours in my experience are not one of Fords better ideas, however the 2.5 V6 was a very good engine and should run 200,000 miles with normal maintance. You also have spent considerable money on this auto,its a tough decision. If it were me I would not try to drive it home. you may not make it back. I think that I would donate it to some organization and cut my losses. Buy a different car with a powertrain warr. as you are not close enough to help her in the event of a problem with the car:( .

[DOHC 281]

I passed up a 2000 Taurus on eBay with 34,000 miles so that I would have a shot for other cars by the same seller - a wholesaler of corporate leased vehicles. These guys sell their cars near Sky Harbor airport (close to Andrea's houle), with No Reserve. The Taurus sold for only $6700! :eek: Wholesale value was over $8200.

At Andrea's request, I was tracking two red 2001 Grand Am Pontiacs, and this evening they were pulled from the auction. :mad:

One remains, but it has front end damage. Well, maybe I can still salvage a used Taurus out of this - unless they pull those too.

[SteedaSVT]

Get her a SVT Contour.. They never have any problems:rolleyes:

Hahaha theres one on Ebay right now For a buy now of 3800 or something like that. 98 salavage title he says it runs but its Silver with a Red hood. Just a thought

[DOHC 281]

Thanks for the advice guys! Well, Cody is stuck in a library parking lot. The way it is described to me, the cam chains jumped gears, or broke. So much for drivng it home!
:eek:

Meanwhile, Andrea needed a car. Fortunately, several lease firms listed Tauruses on eBay, with No Reserve auctions. Last Sunday, I focused on four and got the third one up. Her name is Violet - a 99 Taurus SE with 76,000 miles for only $4150.

:)

Wow, I just realized that I own three vulcans. I might have to change my handle to OHV 183!

BTW, despite Wisconsin's reputation for high taxes, we are one of the lowest when it comes to registration fees (and sales tax). It cost $300 more to register car in Arizona, compared to Wisconsin. :confused:

Now, what to do with the Contour? Well, like you said, I'm getting prices from charities, evaluating "mechanic special" sales, and obtaining junk yard engine install estimates. At least now, there is no pressure (unless the library say "move that car out of here!").
:bna:

[thhodges]

If you can get you car back here, there is still mone more option. That would be to rebuild the motor!!. That is if you have the space and time to do it. Now that the main pressure is off about a replacement car. Now you have to determin how you going to get it back.:cool:

[DOHC 281]

It so happens that my daughter found out that Mesa Community College is looking for a fwd engine swap project for their auto tech class. All we have to do is find a salvage yard motor, and the College will install at no cost to me.

Very Cool