I have a 2011 Subaru Tribeca, a seven seater AWD crossover SUV, with 125,000 miles on the clock. It developed an oil leak at the bottom of the timing chain cover. To fix it for good, it is an engine out job at the cost of 4,000 dollars. I still have to pay 12 installments of 138 dollars to settle this car I bought 3 years ago.
For the past three years, it had normal wear like tires, breaks, shocks, etc. I replaced it all for brand new parts. I even installed myself an Android Auto head unit. I know this car top to bottom, it is me who does the maintenance, the only issue it has is that oil leak. It runs and drives like a dream, but I'm not able to do the engine reseal myself.
I started to do some math and it seems it doesn't worth it to trade in my Tribeca for a new vehicle, for example, a 2016 Toyota Highlander. I know, everybody wants a seven seater AWD SUV. I live in Montreal, Canada, so the AWD is important for us during winter.
Let's say, instead of doing the full engine reseal, I take those 4.000 dollars and use my Tribeca as a trade in for another 4.000 dollars. I will have to pay 48 installments of 450 dollars for the Highlander, which is way more than I pay now for the Tribeca (more than 3x actually).
So the question is: to trade in or to full engine reseal? What is the better choice?
Thank you.
At that rate, $5-$10 bucks for oil every 2.5k miles isn’t so bad. Assuming the leak doesn’t get too bad, you can go 100K for $200-$400 bucks of oil.
Save and invest the rest of your money for your next vehicle, while nursing the Subie, if you don’t mind adding oil every so often.
If you’re not the hands on maintenance type, then maybe get rid of it now.
I am the former type, and word nurse it. I have some friends that are the latter type, they just don’t want to deal, so that works for that.
Seems like a big risk putting that much money into a 12-year-old Subaru. You could well spend that to reseal the engine then have the transmission go out on you not much later.
Specifically for the transmission, the 5EAT is a good one and I already serviced it last year with brand new genuine Subaru ATF 🙂
Here's a video of the timing cover reseal without taking the engine out. $4k? You cannot be serious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHYfQQsKu3w&ab_channel=AlexTunjic
OK, $4k is too much, so if I find an honest mechanic who can do the full engine reseal for $2k it is better than trade in for the Highlander, right?
If the vehicle is otherwise in good shape I'd say it's not unreasonable to put $2K into it. Though since I'm a cheapskate, at the rate of leakage you're reporting I'd just keep adding oil. (You can buy a lot of oil for $2000, let alone $4000.)
woah who said $4000? Seems way too high.
Have you only taken it to one place? Id consider a 2nd opinion if so.
It is an engine out job, 20 hours just for labor, than pulleys, oil, coolant, taxes, etc.
But is that just one guys price? Id ask someone else. You didn't mention independent shop or a dealership. I know its not a cheap job, but I wouldn't even expect the job to be half that.
How bad is the leak? A quart every 5K? Every 2K? Every 1K? Etc???
a quart every 2.5k
OK, $4k is too much, so if I find an honest mechanic who can do the full engine reseal for $2k it is better than trade in for the Highlander, right?