Hello:

I'm a newbie in a bind. I brought my '03 Disco II SE-7 (4.6 liter, 69,000 miles) to a local 'Series' specialist because there was a long-standing but very slight stumbling when running at about 1700-2200 rpm in 4th gear. I wanted to sell the Disco but hoped to clear this up first. I was worried, too, about the fact that in the couple of days prior I wasn't getting any warm air from the heater, and that I'd occasionally get a whiff of burning coolant on shut down...

I'll bet you know where this is going. While they were checking it, there was apparently a serious failure that precluded any further driving. FOUR WEEKS after I brought it in, the heads were finally pulled off and I was told that a liner had slipped.

OK. I had been planning to sell, but I'd done some soul searching during the endless period during which they had my only car (happily, I can bicycle to work) and decided there wasn't anything else I could buy that would satisfy my needs as well as the Discovery. Let's get a Turner Engineering "top-hatted" block, address the possibility of a grenading oil pump, and while the engine is out replace the original driveshaft. It will cost a pretty penny but the peace of mind will be worth it. The Turner short block is 2045 pounds sterling, and after shipping and duties is, what, $4200?

So imagine my surprise when I got a call today with an estimate for $12,000. No, not Pesos, US Dollars. And were not talking about a gas-flowed, blueprinted labor-of-love, but the bottom line, which shed things I'd originally requested like new engine mounts and doesn't include the driveshaft project. This cost is 50% more than I paid for the car in the first place. Is there any way in the world that that's considered reasonable?

What would you do? I'm ready to move the car and get a second and third opinion (I am assuming, even so, that the liner really has slipped), but I can only imagine that I'm left parting-out a car on which I still owe $6k.

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

Kris Hicks-Green
Olympia WA

2003 Discovery II, in limbo

 

I think you need to get a second opinion, I mean if you pay 12k you're gonna be in the hole 18k? I mean, I bought a 2004 with 64k miles yesterday for 11k. You can buy a whole new car with those 12k.

I'd say try to get it fixed cheapest possible and sell it and to pay off the 6k, then get an '04 or anything else that you'd like.

Regardless you need some other people to look at it before making a decision, don't let them fool you with the scare tactics as if they were the only option cause they're not.

 

WOW, that is crazy!! I can't imagine paying 12K for a new engine.. I don't believe that.. I don't think you are getting a good deal on that one man, sorry. I would most def go and get another opinion if possible and see what comes of it..

Let us know how it turns out alright!

Best of luck buddy,

 

Kris,

$12K? NO way. I'm guessing you took it to British Pacific in Tumwater??? I've never had any experience with them, but I got the feeling they would turn their noses up to your Disco since they are a "Series" shop.

Give the guys at Biggs in Bellevue a call, also try Lamorna Garage in Seattle. The price of the tow up North would be worth getting the cost down significantly. Both those shops have websites that you could check out.

 

i paid 10k for a engine once,,,

but it was for a hand built rotary engine for my RX7 turbo that made 450hp in pump and would spin to 10,000 rpm

 

i paid 10K for my bachelors degree...

that is way too much money. You can get a cheaper engine from Atlantic British. If I were you I would either A) part out the truck for everything its worth and eat the loss. or B) buy an engine out of a wrecked truck if you can find one that had rear end or roll over damage and do the work yourself. the labor is what is going to kill the cost of a replacement.

 

Yeah, but 12K, come on.... Not happening on my end folks!! sorry....

Just my thought...

best of luck...

 

From what I have heard the stealerships usually charge about 10k.

 

A brand new engine is $7,000.
I would buy a used one.
www.autosportsunlimited.com

 

I am with Spike, get a good used one and have a local shop do it. Nothing really hard about it.

I think it really sucks that it had a catastrophic failure while THEY had it. Someone would for sure see some part of my naked a$$ in their face.