So when does a Metric Motors Engine make sense? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brian Carlton · #16 06-13-2010, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieseldan44

Hi all,

My '82 is a Texas rust free car (a rarity up here). It has low compression on 2 cylinders (220 on #4, 240 on #5) and a lot of blow-by. The real issue is that it doesnt start below 32 degrees w/o a block heater. Right now I don't drive it in the winter to keep it rust free (and it doesnt start anyways in the cold).

I have reworked and rebuilt nearly every other car system back to new. I am now pondering getting an engine (new or used) for it so it can be reliable in the winter (and not smoke the rest of the time). The goal is to keep and drive the car as long as I can.

Who has bought a Metric longblock before? Why you'd go that route over rolling the dice on a used motor?

dd

It makes sense if you pay for the R & R and cannot afford to have the vehicle down for more than three days and absolutely are unwilling to do it twice (or thrice).

Otherwise, a roll of the dice on an engine with 150K would probably be a better financial decision.

aaa · #17 06-13-2010, 06:23 PM

You don't install it if it's not good. These things can run outside of the car, plus you do a compression test.

Joseph_Conrad · #18 06-13-2010, 06:27 PM

For the price of MM you could buy a nice 123 and a good used engine, use the 123 you just bought while you're paying to have the engined installed in your car, and then sell the other 123 you just bought to have while you were waiting to have the used engine installed in your car (or keep it and still be money ahead of MM).

That MM engine is a lot of moolah.

dieseldan44 · #19 06-13-2010, 11:31 PM

Thank you all for all the opinions and points of view. I really appreciate it.

Yeah, I can get a lot of stuff for $7800. I guess it doesn't make sense, at least not now. Plus if i got a new motor...wouldnt i want a new transmission and turbo anyways? It could become $12k REAL fast.

I just haven't seen a lot of good low-ish mileage engine donor type cars. Time to look harder...time is on my side. Theres no rush. Thats why i'm thinking about this now, and not when it's an emergency.

Cr from Texas · #20 06-14-2010, 01:59 AM

Can you buy, and if so how much, a new crate 617 from MB?

#21 06-14-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

It makes sense if you pay for the R & R and cannot afford to have the vehicle down for more than three days and absolutely are unwilling to do it twice (or thrice).

Otherwise, a roll of the dice on an engine with 150K would probably be a better financial decision.

I agree that a used engine will always be cheaper, but I wouldn't do it again. Messing around with junkyard engines (and the crooks who sell them) is just more trouble than it's worth. I spent too many hours on the phone to justify the savings. Also, I don't really know how much life is left in my "new" engine (it's doing fine after 100k, but you never know). It is getting pretty difficult to find a good 150k mile engine, most have closer to 300k.

Honestly, if I wasn't willing to pay for a reman engine; I would probably just buy a newer car (and you know how much I dislike newer cars).

noah brinkman · #22 06-14-2010, 09:17 AM

If you buy a long block you could swap it in and out of cars

after the other systems die around the reman engine for the next 30 years

part the cars keep the engine

If it's me I would buy a used one (after checking it over good)
pull my engine and rebuild it myself while I drive on the used one.

Or as I will do in the future
If my body is in great shape ECT.

and the motors bad

put a 383 stroker or an LS in there it will be cheaper than a 8K long block

I want to put a LS in a wagon ....sleeper!

Junkman · #23 06-14-2010, 09:38 AM

I'd look for a good used engine. Many cars are available on Craigslist with perfectly fine running engines at much less than the reman engines. They are easy enough to check out before you spend the cash. Besides, doesn't everyone need a parts car or 3?

soothappens · #24 06-14-2010, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman

I'd look for a good used engine. Many cars are available on Craigslist with perfectly fine running engines at much less than the reman engines. They are easy enough to check out before you spend the cash. Besides, doesn't everyone need a parts car or 3?

I agree , I looked on craigslist for 6 months . I finally found the 83' with a blown transmission for 600.00 engine runs great (knock on wood ). The wife doesn't even mind the parts car being around when she seen how much parts cost.

If your weighing the engine against a new car think Kia Rio for that price

For that matter I would definitely take the engine.

The engines are not to bad to change so your existing car would not have to be the final resting place.

Stevo · #25 06-14-2010, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I agree that a used engine will always be cheaper, but I wouldn't do it again. Messing around with junkyard engines (and the crooks who sell them) is just more trouble than it's worth. I spent too many hours on the phone to justify the savings. Also, I don't really know how much life is left in my "new" engine (it's doing fine after 100k, but you never know). It is getting pretty difficult to find a good 150k mile engine, most have closer to 300k.

Honestly, if I wasn't willing to pay for a reman engine; I would probably just buy a newer car (and you know how much I dislike newer cars).

I totally agree with both you guys. I would rather spend 8K on a new engine for my nice rust free MB than buy one of the little "disposable crapmobles". When your done with the engine install you have something that will last and be comfortable and enjoyable to drive.

Skid Row Joe · #26 06-14-2010, 03:32 PM

I've done both - that is I had one engine overhauled, (472 c.i. Caddy) and it started running like cr@p soon after. And, I had a long-block, (351 c.i. Ford) re-manufactured engine installed. The re-manufactured, was the better choice versus the overhaul for me. And the long-block at the time, not all that more money. However, I suspect an MB re-manufactured engine to be sky-high in dollars. On junkyard/donor car's engines, it's a dice-roll, but cheaper.......way cheaper.

frontwheel · #27 06-14-2010, 03:48 PM

i would purchase a new VW golf TDI with 6spd manual transmission and drive the crap out of it.

Jeremy5848 · #28 06-14-2010, 04:10 PM

The consensus seems to be that if you found a really cherry car with good paint, no rust, nice interior, good transmission, and all accessories working but a trashed engine due to some failure (oil pump?) and you could pick up the car for under $1000 and you planned to keep the car for many years, then it might be worth spending $8000 on an engine.

Interesting that we haven't heard from charmalu in Soquel [Santa Cruz, CA]; he put a Metric Motor in his 300D and has been very happy. His signature reads, in part,

"85 300D Turbo 330949 miles eng. go bang

7/4/07

new Metric Motor engine yeah.

29,651 mi so far"

Jeremy

ah-kay · #29 06-14-2010, 04:19 PM

It only makes sense if money is NO object. Even if you intend to keep the car for a long long time and try to amortize the costs, there are many risks that could derail you.

You have an 'upside down' car, i.e., the engine is worth more than the whole car and you will never get an insurance company to pay out the money if you total it. The other part of the car may break before the engine. You may need to consider full insurance coverage instead of just 3rd party for an old car. No major accident for the rest of the life of the car. In short, it is not worth it.

#30 06-14-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevo

I totally agree with both you guys. I would rather spend 8K on a new engine for my nice rust free MB than buy one of the little "disposable crapmobles". When your done with the engine install you have something that will last and be comfortable and enjoyable to drive.

To me it's simple, I would rather pay $8000 for an engine than write a $60K check for a new car that will depreciate by $20K in a couple of years. If you are looking for cheap transportation, find a nice used ricer.