I just blew the engine in my 1991 Mazda Navaho after 170,000 miles The Mazda dealer quoted me a price of $3200 for installing a used engine ( 90,000 miles). Do you think this would be throwing good money after bad since the transmission, etc. is all origional and that this vehicle has probably outlived it;s useful life.

Also Since the dealer was having diffiocult time finding a Navaho engine could we install an engine from a 1991 (or newer?) Explorer Sport since the Navaho and the Exployer Sport were the same vehicle in 91

 

the navaho and explorer engines were the same. I think 3200 smackers is way outa line for a used engine. Your vehicle may only be worth 2500 bucks in really good shape, so the math should be easy. I got the engine for my 93...same engine....for 650 and put it in in the driveway. It's the only way I could afford to keep the truck, and I couldn't do without it. By the way...my 4.0 came out of an aerostar....there's lots of em in the junkyards. ......best of luck

 

If you can't find a better price than that, I would say donate the Navaho to "charity" and take the tax deduction. Or, "part it out" to get enough for down payment on something driveable.

 

As a follow up I found an explorer engine for $600 ( 44,000 miles) and the auto service dept will install it for another $1000 so things are looking up but I am still unsure if it would be better to just send her to the junkyard.after 170000 miles... How much should I let her go for if I junk it or should I just give her away. Someone told me to donate the truck to charity.... Any thoughts.?

 

This is the "impossible-to-answer" question. Let me give you my situation. 1) 1989 Grand Marquis, 77,000 mi. This vehicle rarely needs any work. Runs and runs and runs. When I do need to fix something, it's relatively cheap. When you talk about true cost of ownership, this is the cheapest vehicle I've ever owned. I can't afford to get rid of it. 2) 1994 Ranger STX 4x4. In the past month I've replaced the clutch/ slave, front half-shafts and hubs, all the rear springs, and the starter. The A/C doesn't work, the CD player is gone, and both bumpers are rotted out. In addition to a lot of dents and dings, I left some tree sap on the hood and roof. The sap ATE THROUGH the paint, right to the bare metal. So now I have 2 patches, each the size of a baseball, of bare metal on my truck. Do I keep putting money into it? I pretty much have to at this point.

My big question is always: is the truck safe to drive? Around here, metal rusts pretty quick, and if the frame/ floors/ body are seriously corroded, then it's time to do something new. These problems cannot be fixed for any reasonable amount of money. You want to know if it's worth putting more money into an old truck? We need a crystal ball for that one, I'm afraid...

 

Thanks Mark....It is a tough call since I have no crystal ball but since his vehicle really is my beater , used for beach running and fishing I have concerns, especially the transmission once the engine is replaced. I know there are outliers but in general is 170000 miles alot to ask of it...While this car ran well prior and was in pretty good shape otherwise, it has had years of sometimes hard Beach miles... sand up in the engine compartment,etc.....I think I might have talked myself into junking her....