It just hit 150k last week..Q451990 wrote:I hate to hear that. How many miles are on your engine?
Either option seems to require a ton of money which I just don't even have right now. I'm in the process of trying to move so a lot of my money is going towards that and to say that this situation has thrown a wrench into that is an understatement. I still haven't fully wrapped my head around this whole thing yet. All I know is my car is stuck at Infiniti in Massachusetts and I'm back in New York and I can only leave it there at the dealership for 3-4 days said the service manager. So I realize I have to make quick decisions here and I just don't know what I'm gonna do right now.Q451990 wrote: If it's "just" valve damage on one cylinder with no damage to the head, then replacing those valves is probably better than a take-out engine if yours was in otherwise good shape. That said - a loose bolt clacking around in there probably scored the cylinder wall, valve seats, etc.
That said, anything you do at this point is going to be measured in $1,000's - not hundreds. A used replacement isn't going to be cheap either.
I don't see a ton of great options here...
Heath
That's the thing, I have no way to part it out. It's 300 miles away from me right now and it'll cost me about $600-$700 to have it towed here and that's in addition to the $600 I've already spent in the past 24 hours. I just don't know if it's worth it. Plus I rent an apartment and I don't exactly have an empty yard that I could store it in either so I can thoroughly think this through and figure out what to do with it. This is pretty much the worst situation I have ever found myself in with a car and I have no clue what to do from here.3Q Jay wrote:yeah, very sorry to hear. you did good to get the expert opinion (though it cost you a bit of tech time) so that you can now evaluate. Unfortunately Heath is right---recovery will be expensive (anything is possible--but is it advisable) If you have the time and space, I would suggest you recoup what you can by parting it out. Other options might be finding a rotted out running frame with good mechanicals and doing a swap.....
I don't know if I would be happy with a replacement engine knowing how well maintained and smooth mine was. The only reason for me to go that route would be to get it back on the road so I could resell it and recoup some of my losses and so that it could still live on in someone else's hands. I put in a quote this afternoon for a local junkyard and they offered me $150 for it. What a joke. I really loved this car. I just bought an ECU from you a few weeks ago (and didn't even get a chance to install it yet), added a new subwoofer to the trunk, got tints, all done recently. What a waste.elwesso wrote:The dealer is right, your best bet is going to be to get a new engine. It's not really as big of a deal as it sounds, a used engine will probably run you about $500, plus another $800 or so to install it, plus any additional work like replacing plugs, gaskets/seals, hoses, knock sensors, etc. All things said and done, you're looking at $1500-$2000 or so. If you were going to open up the engine, you'd be looking at least at that much because EVERYTHING has to be taken apart.
Guess it just depends if you want to call it quits now, or put that much extra into it. Right now scrap is about $200/ton, so the car is worth $400 in scrap alone, plus maybe some extra. On the other hand, what could you buy for $2000 that would be a reasonable replacement for the Q?
I'd say you'd have to have a pretty clean car to justify fixing it, clean Q can be had for $3000 whenever you can find one. If the car has no rust, and a clean interior, it's probably worth saving.
All we can do is help you look at options, but really you have to decide what your car is worth to you right now.Q45Owner wrote:That's the thing, I have no way to part it out. It's 300 miles away from me right now and it'll cost me about $600-$700 to have it towed here and that's in addition to the $600 I've already spent in the past 24 hours. I just don't know if it's worth it. Plus I rent an apartment and I don't exactly have an empty yard that I could store it in either so I can thoroughly think this through and figure out what to do with it. This is pretty much the worst situation I have ever found myself in with a car and I have no clue what to do from here.3Q Jay wrote:yeah, very sorry to hear. Other options might be finding a rotted out running frame with good mechanicals and doing a swap.....
There's so many issues going on right now at once. First off, I don't have the capability to change an engine myself. If I had that capability, I wouldn't have brought it to a someone else to do the work for the knock sensors. Secondly, my car is sitting at an Infiniti dealership right now in Massachusetts while I'm back here in New York trying to figure out what to do. The service manager there said I could keep it on their lot for 3-4 days, which would be until Friday. I'm already out $600 between everything I went through the past 2 days (hotel, towing, diagnostics, taxi to Amtrak, Amtrak ticket). If I have the car towed back to New York, it will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $600-$700. And even if I did that, I would already be out $1200-$1300 and still have a dead car sitting in front of my house.paranoidjack wrote:That sucks man! So sorry to hear it.
Grab a used motor for $500. Rent a hoist. Go get some nice stands and some good tools and change the motor...no magic to it, electric, exhaust, transmission, mounts...unlucky situation but you roll the dice when doing a job like this with someone you don't know. Accidents happen, but who's to blame when an accident occurs? Sorry to hear it but drop a motor in there and you'll be fine. Says the guy who put a junkyard motor in and has a horrible lifter tap now...
That car is long gone. Yea, I looked at it cuz it was close by and I wanted to just check it out and see how it ran compared to mine, etc. It was close enough to take a look at, so why not. But honestly, looking for a replacement Q45 is the furthest thing from my mind right now. My main focus is getting myself out of this mess first and figuring out the next course of action.3Q Jay wrote: All we can do is help you look at options, but really you have to decide what your car is worth to you right now.
weren't you test driving a different '94 a few weeks ago (trans thread)? is that an option if you really love the G50 platform?
Having Infiniti replace the engine is not an option. They will not put a used one in, and if they did they would charge you several thousand dollars. They won't do it, or they'll charge you so much you'd laugh it off. Can't say I blame them.Q45Owner wrote:
There's so many issues going on right now at once. First off, I don't have the capability to change an engine myself. If I had that capability, I wouldn't have brought it to a someone else to do the work for the knock sensors. Secondly, my car is sitting at an Infiniti dealership right now in Massachusetts while I'm back here in New York trying to figure out what to do. The service manager there said I could keep it on their lot for 3-4 days, which would be until Friday. I'm already out $600 between everything I went through the past 2 days (hotel, towing, diagnostics, taxi to Amtrak, Amtrak ticket). If I have the car towed back to New York, it will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $600-$700. And even if I did that, I would already be out $1200-$1300 and still have a dead car sitting in front of my house.
I'm taking all your opinions very seriously because I'm in such a rough spot right now. The consensus seems to be to either junk the car or replace the engine. An engine take down seems to be the more expensive option and there's no guarantee that the problem could be fixed anyway if the damage is beyond fixing. So that's not a valid option. Having the car towed back here is not an option either, cuz then I would still have to decide whether to junk it or spend the money out of pocket to buy a used engine and find a shop that will do the work to replace it.
So the logical options seem be to either to have Infiniti replace the engine with a used engine, or have another qualified shop do the work up there, or just junk it. Either option is going to cost me lots of money out of pocket (either the parts & labor + the $600 I already spent or $600 I already spent + the current value of my car). I do not feel like I should be financially responsible to pay for any of this, because I trusted a mechanic to do the work for me and it was his error for dropping the bolt into the runner that caused this situation. I realize this was an accident, but I feel this person needs to take responsibility for this situation because it was his mistake. If I even thought for one second that this was a possibility of happening, I never would have had him or anyone do the work. So while I realize I'm going to have to pay out of pocket right now to get myself out of this mess, I don't feel like I should be financially responsible for any of this.
Anyway, I'm going to make some phone calls tomorrow and see what I can find out. But this situation couldn't be much worse right now
The work was done by a mechanic at a dealership, in their service department.qship96 wrote:who did the work on your engine,a licensed and insured repair shop,or a "shade tree" type mechanically inclined individual? If it was the former,they should be obligated to pay for the repair......if you had it done by a "shade tree" individual....chances are any repair costs are your responsibility- the risk you assume when going this route to try to save a few bucks on the initial work you wanted completed.
I appreciate your opinion on this. The car is in fantastic shape though for 21/22 years old and was garage kept by the previous original owner. Is it perfect? no. But the interior is "immaculate" (as the mechanic who worked on my car described it as) and the body is in great shape too. Some dings here and there, but the paint is still shiny, no peeling or anything like that. Thanks for your input, I'm still weighing all my options right now and taking everyone's opinions into consideration.qship96 wrote: Personally,at 22 years old,and being a NY located vehicle subjected to road salt,my gut says to cut your losses and junk it and start over with a newer,more fuel efficient car that is more easily serviced considering its your only vehicle and your current financial ability to absorb this and future major expenditures these older q require.
I know. Just for the hell of it, I asked them what they would charge just for the labor of putting in a used engine and they quoted me a price of $2500-$3000. So they would do it, but it's just too much money to go that route, so that's not an option.paranoidjack wrote: Having Infiniti replace the engine is not an option. They will not put a used one in, and if they did they would charge you several thousand dollars. They won't do it, or they'll charge you so much you'd laugh it off. Can't say I blame them.
Well here's the thing. The job was done by a mechanic at the dealership that he works at. For argument's sake, let's say he works at Mazda (he doesn't, but I'm just using that as an example). I brought my car into "Mazda's" service department which is where he did the work.paranoidjack wrote: As for saying you are not financially responsible because you trusted a mechanic, please understand I know how screwed you are right now and I am not trying to stir you up, but you didn't trust a mechanic. Sounds like you trusted one guy that you don't know from a hole in the wall that said he could do it. The distinction between a shop and a person is liability coverage for the customer. When you go to a shop, they pay for insurance, registration of their business, they pay taxes, they have everything in line required for an official business such that they can provide proper liabilty insurance in the event they get sued.
Oh, I have plenty of proof, trust me. I really would hate to go down this road that you're describing, but based on the phone conversation I had with this person yesterday, he doesn't seem too remorseful over what happened, nor does he seem to want to take any responsibility for the work that he did to my car. He actually almost seemed to be blaming me for what happened, picking apart my car, saying I needed new tires, I should go buy a crappy replacement Q locally, etc etc. He offered me to "maybe" have the car towed to his home so I could store it there for a few days and within the same sentence said he "wouldnt be responsible if anything else happened to it".paranoidjack wrote: This guy doesn't have that. So if you sue him, you'll be into a court case for some time, that will cost you money, and require several trips back to MA, and you may not win. First of all, you have no proof HE did it. He could easily say you did something. The burden of proof is on the accuser, especially in small claims (respectfully) like this. You surely had the thought cross your mind that driving to another state and having a non-certified stranger perform work in his driveway might be a bad idea?
I know and you're right. I'm really just trying to figure out the best solution right now and I'm running out of time.paranoidjack wrote: I am really not trying to throw salt in your wounds, but you play with fire, and you know how it goes. When we do things like this we roll the dice.
Anyway, enough of that, I am not trying to make you feel bad, I am just trying to paint a clear picture of your options. And they are as follows:
1) Replace engine (your expense or his expense)
2) Repair engine (horrible idea, very laborious, no telling what damage is done, motor isn't worth it)
3) Scrap car or sell for parts to someone on this board.
I think we all know that option A is the best. The fact your engine was well treated with good oil changes etc is no longer relevant. Painful but let it go - I had a motor blow in my Q that I replaced, so I know how you feel. I really do.
I'll deal with all of that after I make my decision on what to do with the car. But you're right, waiting 6 months would just be wasting time.paranoidjack wrote: That being said, TIME is of the essence for you. If this takes another six months, we all know that is a crappy option for you and may as well never be done.
Sooooo...if you approach the court system...that WILL take a long time, cost you money and time, and personally I feel will not work out for you.
I'm sure if I had them do the KS's and valve cover gaskets to the new motor, it would add even more money to the situation.paranoidjack wrote: The only option is to pony out the cash for a motor (http://www.car-part.com) and get it changed. Have them take the KS's from the current motor and do that BEFORE it's installed, eh? Also a great and easy time to do valve cover gaskets prior to motor installation.
Sucks, but it is what it is, and we don't always win when we gamble.
Best of luck!!! Let us know how you proceed.
Well it costs me $125 just to tow it TO Infiniti (and it was located ridiculously close to there). So to spend another $125 or more just to get a second opinion from another shop is not worth it at this point. I don't have time. If the car was here in New York, that would be a different story. But it would just be a waste of time and money at this point.paranoidjack wrote:And of course, this is assuming you trust the diagnosis of Infiniti that the motor is junk. If I were you, I'd pay for a tow to another close by shop, and get a 2nd opinion. I'm sure it's right, but for $70 tow you MIGHT get lucky, and even if not, buy a spot to keep your car for another 3-4 days or so.
Thanks for your input. Does he do engine replacements? If so, I'll call him tomorrow and get an estimate. Right now the estimates I'm getting are ridiculously high. I'm just trying to get this done as affordably as possible, without wasting time in the process.masshead87 wrote:Call Dana at Upton Foreign Motors 508 529 4040, he's the only guy I trust when I can't do it myself. He had a '92 Q himself up until 6 months ago or so. He did my plenum job (mines a '96) about a year ago and it's still running perfect. Worth a try, if he says the engine's toast then at least you won't find yourself without a car at a car dealership. Tell him Harrison recommended you.
I just don't have the time or money to do all that. I have to make my decision by tomorrow. I've narrowed it down logically and its either replace the engine or junk it. If my car was sitting in front of my house, I would have a lot more options (maybe part it out, get a second opinion, etc), but I just don't have those options. I'm not gonna spend another $600-$700 to have my car transported to New York when I already spent $600 while I was up there dealing with this. Just too much money.3Q Jay wrote:another opinion by someone actually looking at the car is not a bad idea.
another, maybe?, option we havent talked much about---get it running on 7 cylinders and drive it gingerly until she blows.
Not yet. I'm waiting for this person to take responsibility for what happened first. I'm trying to be a nice guy here and let him step up to the plate and do the right thing. Right now I'm just trying to deal with this situation as quickly as possible and save every receipt in the process.qship96 wrote:"The work was done by a mechanic at a dealership, in their service department."
I dont see the problem here then,have you contacted the shops owner/manager and discussed the issue? The shop should be obligated to repair your car if they screwed up?
Yes, the work was done inside the dealers service department. I was told by the mechanic that he had authorization to use their service department. They were certainly aware that he was doing work on my car there, because other workers at the dealership were coming in and out of the service area while he was working on my car.qship96 wrote: Yet, your quote below does not sound like you were using a dealers service department?
was this employee of this dealer performing this work "off the clock" "after hours" unauthorized ?
Sure he does engine replacements. He does everything except alignments and paint/body work. And he'll tell you like it is, too. I went through no fewer than 5 shops before I went to him and now he's the only guy I trust or recommend to people. Just make sure you tell him everything that happened yesterday. Don't want to get your hopes up too high but he might even be able to improvise something, which he did when my idler pulley exploded 6 months ago. You should know that no matter where you go, this won't be inexpensive. And once Dana starts a job, he won't stop until its done right. So you had better be sure you love this car enough to drop at least a couple grand into getting it going again.Q45Owner wrote:Thanks for your input. Does he do engine replacements? If so, I'll call him tomorrow and get an estimate. Right now the estimates I'm getting are ridiculously high. I'm just trying to get this done as affordably as possible, without wasting time in the process.masshead87 wrote:Call Dana at Upton Foreign Motors 508 529 4040, he's the only guy I trust when I can't do it myself. He had a '92 Q himself up until 6 months ago or so. He did my plenum job (mines a '96) about a year ago and it's still running perfect. Worth a try, if he says the engine's toast then at least you won't find yourself without a car at a car dealership. Tell him Harrison recommended you.
Yea, I realize it's gonna be an expensive fix. Just based on the information and estimates I got today, it's a big job. Alright, I'll give him a call tomorrow and see what he says, Thanks.masshead87 wrote: Sure he does engine replacements. He does everything except alignments and paint/body work. And he'll tell you like it is, too. I went through no fewer than 5 shops before I went to him and now he's the only guy I trust or recommend to people. Just make sure you tell him everything that happened yesterday. Don't want to get your hopes up too high but he might even be able to improvise something, which he did when my idler pulley exploded 6 months ago. You should know that no matter where you go, this won't be inexpensive. And once Dana starts a job, he won't stop until its done right. So you had better be sure you love this car enough to drop at least a couple grand into getting it going again.
If it was my fault, my mistake, I probably would cut my losses. But this was not my fault. I trusted a mechanic who works for a very well known dealership to do this work. He agreed to do the job and I left their shop with a busted engine, no car to drive, paying for a hotel out of pocket, paying to have my car towed from his dealership to Infiniti out of pocket, spending money on a diagnostics at the Infiniti dealership out of pocket, spending money on taking a taxi down to Boston so I could spend over $100 on an Amtrak ticket so I could get home. Not to mention I also lost a day's worth of pay at my job. These are all losses I've suffered as a result of a mechanic who made a mistake while working on my car. Like I said, I'm willing to let him right this wrong and do the right thing and help me here, but so far he hasn't said he would. We'll see how things go. But I won't rest until I get reimbursed for my losses. Thanks for your input.masshead87 wrote: TBH, a car that old with that many miles, aesthetics aside, I dunno if I would. The only reason I had the plenum job done was because mine was just a hair over 100k when I did it. I understand where you're coming from with this because my Q was my graduation gift to myself and it's an awesome ride. But honestly if a major component failed right now I would probably cut my losses, see if I could sell it for parts to another NICO member and move on. It's your call, and I feel your pain. For whatever it's worth I've had licensed, insured shops screw up my ride before and in all but one case never saw a dime in restitution.
I checked and you're over 150 miles away from where the car is currently located. Thanks for the offer though.BCC93QT wrote:You drove to Massachusetts from NY? I am literally on the border of NY (Canaan NY & Berkshire MA) You probably drove within 2 miles of the shop when you crossed the thruway into MA. I-90? If you can get the car to 12029 (Canaan NY) I would be willing to give it some love if the cosmetics are worth it. Am all over this area, day and night....
Oh, is that right? So if I went to a surgeon (a specialist) and he accidentally sliced an artery and killed me, I would have gotten what I deserved?qship96 wrote:I still do not grasp why you have not already discussed the issue with the dealers service manager and the GM/owner of the dealership where you had the work done- they are the ones ultimately that will either make it right or tell you tough luck.Thinking the mechanic of the shop has any individual power to further work on the car or reimburse you is is just nonsense- the mechanics only perform work approved by their service manager,and any financial compensation to you comes from way above the mechanics level.You are wasting time trying to get anything from the mechanic himself.
But,somehow I dont think you are being upfront on the arrangement you made with this entire ordeal.......I have a STRONG impression you did not take your car to this dealer as a customer of the dealer,but instead you paid a discounted rate to a individual,and this individual just used the dealerships space to independantly do the work himself,and he pocketed all the money you gave him- in otherwords,you were a customer of his,not the dealers.If so-you got what you paid for,the dealer has no obligation to even listen to you,and the loss is yours to absorb alone.