MeteorBurn
Proven Member
- 53
- 10
- Jan 9, 2016
-
Columbia,
Maryland
Hello guys,
I haven't frequented these forums all that much, but I have gone here for advice on doing my timing belt, fixing my water leaks, and bleeding my brakes.
Unfortunately, the car has had a serious oil leak since I bought it. I did some diagnosis and found the head gasket is leaking at the driver side rear corner.
I do all the work on my family's cars (my personal car is a 1996 mercury cougar), and I can do simple to moderate difficulty repairs. However, since I have a family member who relies on this car, I figured that it would be best to have a mechanic look at it first. It's the first opinion, but according to the mechanic its got a leak from both the head gasket and the rear main seal.
I would keep driving it otherwise, but the leak drips onto the exhaust and smokes pretty badly.
I'm pretty attached to it, I just got the A/C repaired, along with replacing front and rear brakes and inner/outer tie rods myself. Last year I did a timing belt job on it.
I'm just not sure what to do. I'd hate to let it rot in a junkyard, but I'm not sure I can handle both of those repairs if do them myself, assuming what the mechanic says is accurate (I'm not convinced about the rear main seal). Mechanic says car is not worth it. Repairs would be upwards of 2k.
The engine has just over 100k on it, not much at all. Paint is good, besides a few dents and dings. It's a 1998 RS.
Should I just ground the car and find another while I make this one a project? Sell it to a forum member who'd be willing to buy it and fix it up? Take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion? I just don't know what to do. I'd just feel really sad if it went to a junkyard cause I didn't have the skills to fix it. Mechanics are just not economical. Since I'm on my summer break, I'd only have about a month left to fix it if I tried myself.
If you DSM gurus could give me some advice, I'd really appreciate it. Heck, if someone could help me out with fixing these repairs myself that'd be wonderful.
I haven't frequented these forums all that much, but I have gone here for advice on doing my timing belt, fixing my water leaks, and bleeding my brakes.
Unfortunately, the car has had a serious oil leak since I bought it. I did some diagnosis and found the head gasket is leaking at the driver side rear corner.
I do all the work on my family's cars (my personal car is a 1996 mercury cougar), and I can do simple to moderate difficulty repairs. However, since I have a family member who relies on this car, I figured that it would be best to have a mechanic look at it first. It's the first opinion, but according to the mechanic its got a leak from both the head gasket and the rear main seal.
I would keep driving it otherwise, but the leak drips onto the exhaust and smokes pretty badly.
I'm pretty attached to it, I just got the A/C repaired, along with replacing front and rear brakes and inner/outer tie rods myself. Last year I did a timing belt job on it.
I'm just not sure what to do. I'd hate to let it rot in a junkyard, but I'm not sure I can handle both of those repairs if do them myself, assuming what the mechanic says is accurate (I'm not convinced about the rear main seal). Mechanic says car is not worth it. Repairs would be upwards of 2k.
The engine has just over 100k on it, not much at all. Paint is good, besides a few dents and dings. It's a 1998 RS.
Should I just ground the car and find another while I make this one a project? Sell it to a forum member who'd be willing to buy it and fix it up? Take it to another shop for a 2nd opinion? I just don't know what to do. I'd just feel really sad if it went to a junkyard cause I didn't have the skills to fix it. Mechanics are just not economical. Since I'm on my summer break, I'd only have about a month left to fix it if I tried myself.
If you DSM gurus could give me some advice, I'd really appreciate it. Heck, if someone could help me out with fixing these repairs myself that'd be wonderful.