Car flipped a chain, now what?

[Anonymous]

My 2015 Equinox flipped its timing chain and now the engine is toast. We did maintain the car but it had two maintenance items come up. I fixed the intake manifold which was cracked and this one was supposed to be fixed next week with the kids out on break. Well, too late. Car is gone. Do I sell it to a scrap car service or donate it? The car does not start nor run and probably never will. Now, on the hunt to search for a car at the absolute wrong timing. Everything is super expensive and I trust none of these newer cars with missing sensors and add-on's. What a terrible December.

[Anonymous]

That stinks; I’m sorry.

[Anonymous]

Buy a used engine. Like $1,650 or rebuilt for $3k.

[Anonymous]

Yes, either re-engine it, which can be done at any competent shop, or donate it to a local high school for their auto tech classes. In MoCo, Edison HS has an amazing program for this. The students will pull the engine and install a rebuilt one that they assembled, and will fix anything else with the car that needs fixing, detail it, and put it up for auction, with the proceeds going to scholarships for students in the program.

This is a much better option than scrapping it.

[Anonymous]

It's a fairly simple calculation. What's the value of the vehicle in running condition, and what would it cost to get it into that condition, including however you value your the time and effort involved?