My friend has a 2009 Acura tsx wit the timing chain messed up(2.4 L 146k Milkes), the car wont start. Now he is selling the car as is, and I am wondering if it would be a good investment for me to buy it and to pay someone to swap the engine? I dont really know the downsides of swapping the engine and only see benefits from it.
No. Run away.
Run away.
Is it an investment?! Hell no. Investments are potentials to make money money. You’re not remotely making money with this car. Only very few cars can make money, and this is not one of them.
It has timing chain problems at LESS than 150K miles?! TMK, that is very rare on a Honda, and more common for BMW’s.
It must have been driven hard, or NOT well maintained.
It really depends. Do you know what type of shape everything else is in? How much is the car? How much is cost to do a swap? I would probably say it.is not worth it
The car cost 4500 because it has vossens, coilovers, and a subwoofer, he is willing to give it to me for around 3k. The cost to do the swap is 2k. The body is good, and the car just needs freon.
Automatic trans or stick shift? Mileage? If it "just needs freon" it might be from normal seepage over the last 13 years (there's always a little), or it could mean an expensive-to-repair leak somewhere (like the evaporator) and other problems. Aftermarket suspension mods like coilovers are frequently of poor quality and should be regarded as suspicious.
You could be walking into a minefield here. I'd pass.
For a first car, that’s a bad way to start (swapping in an engine). I would pass on it, as who knows what other issues await you once that swap is done. Also, whenever someone else works on your car (especially if you don’t have an established track record with them) you run the risk of it not being done right.
Cars bought as an investment are cars that you and I cannot afford, ever.