Kia Sportage - Engine gone

Mimojo

We have a 131 Sportage, mileage is just under 230k. We have had the car just under 2 years. Running like a dream, only issue we had was with an injector that has been torqued incorrected and we had to have it retreaded, and we had the 4 done at the time (about 6 months ago) to make sure they were ok.

Our NCT was due this month, so brought the car to a local garage for a service. Have used this garage over the years an no issue. Car was serviced, no major issued, put through NCT and failed on brake pads and steering rods, no big deal. Car when back to the garage the next week and had same replaced. This was on a Saturday. On the Monday there was a weird noise from the car and brought it back to garage, he said hand brake was tightened too much so he adjusted it and all good.

On the Thurs we thought we would hear a faint ticking in the engine, barely audible, no warning lights showing. Didnt think much of it tbh as had just been serviced. Had booked NCT for Saturday morning. Went out to the car that morning and there was a red engine oil light on. First time it had come on. Turned on the engine and it did not sound good at all. Texted garage and asked could I drop car in for 9am and said ok, didnt go to NCT but did drive approx 7 miles to the garage. Engine did not sound good but car was driving fine.

2 hours later prognosis was not good at all. Told engine was gone, and not work repairing and that the damage had been done in driving to the garage after that light came on. Most likely the timing chain had been stretching for some time and had likely now broke, so no oil getting to the engine, and major damage done. Towed to another mechanic (family friend) and told the same. He is telling us is it just not economical to repair, either replacing with second hand engine or stripping and reconditioning our own engine will cost a few thousand, and no guarantee that all will work well and wont be more stuff to replace after that.

Neither of us know anything about cars, but this just seems crazy. Looking like the car is scrap and just buy a new car.

As it stands is there any value in our car? Even for parts? And if so where do we sell it? I have called the kia dealer where we bought the car 2 years ago a number of times at this stage and cant get a call back for love nor money. Would a garage take the car and give us some amount against another second hand car?

Really dont know what to do, live in rural Ireland and wholly reliant on the car for work, already a week is gone and nothing is progressing, not sure what to do for the best.

Anyone I have spoken to, including mechanic said it is really unusual for this to happen in a car of this age and this mileage.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

User1998

The car is worth close to €10k. I’d imagine repairs would be no more than €2k. Not sure how that is uneconomical?

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835819#Comment_120835819

All depends on how much damage was done by driving it the 7 miles with no oil.

It should not have been driven with a red oil light on it at all and you probably did more damage than the chain just slipping.

My own thoughts are that its probably not repairable but definitely would have been repairable had it not been driven with the oil light on.

However in saying that if it was me Id put a new chain on it and see how it goes.

The chain is an easy enough job on these - about 3 hours for a good mechanic but budget for around 5 hours.

Chain and tensioner is around 200-250 but you might need a cam gear which is usually what fails on them so add another 50-100.

Id say for chain and tensioner fitted you`d be under a grand.

At that price its worth doing.

As @User1998 says its a 10k car. You`d still get 5-6k for it with the engine gone and more than likely a mechanic would buy it to repair either by an engine rebuild or a second hand engine.

You could also try IVI for an engine replacement which I would say would be around 4-5k.

bazz26

Assuming it's the 1.7 diesel engine then I think these and Hyundai have a known issue with the oil pump failing which sounds to me like what may have happened here. I think your fatal mistake was driving the car with the red oil light on. The engine is probably seized due to oil starvation. I'd say forget about Kia, they won't want to know anything about a blown engine on a 10 year old Sportage with 230k km on the clock and that's even if you hadn't driven the car for 7 miles with the red engine light on.

Your only option might be to find a replacement reconditioned engine. I'm afraid a 10 year old Sportage with a fubared engine is only going to be worth scrap value. The cost of a replacement reconditioned engine will be alot cheaper than scrapping the car.

Hellrazer

I checked the price of a replacement engine in IVI - €3900+ vat fitted.

Its still a 10 grand car all day long.

Well worth getting the replacement engine fitted and then driving it for another few years.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120838109#Comment_120838109

Smash the sump with a hammer and ring the insurance company.......................

Not condoning this in any way what so ever.............. :-)

Mimojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120838109#Comment_120838109

Thanks for this information, we literally wouldnt have a clue!

Mimojo

Thanks everyone for your really helpful comments, as I said we havent a clue about cars so this is really helpful.

Mechanic is saying its about €4k repair, and he cant guarantee that that will all the work that is needed, there is potential that other parts may need to be repaired.

He feels to trade in the car we would get about €7k against another car, so feels it would be uneconomic to do the repair if other parts also need to be repaired it could be a lot more than 4k

Was in touch with dealer today to see if they would take it as is against another car, so waiting on an indication of the price they would give. Hopefully a couple of grand?

My worry with getting it repaired ourselves is that the cost goes way about 4k, and we will need to just keep spending on it if we are 4k in already, and will end up costing a fortune.

If we would trade it as is, and get a somewhat decent price for it, just cut our losses?

Mimojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842025#Comment_120842025

I wish!

selectamatic

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.donedeal.ie/carparts-for-sale/kia-hyundai-1-7-crdi-engine-supply-and-fit/31547876&ved=2ahUKEwjqrbDK84mAAxXvUaQEHQftAS0QFnoECCEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1oBCC56CVVQ3D2JaRzkwgq

Could try giving this fella a ring for a price.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120843394#Comment_120843394

I know folk that have done it. :-)

blackbox

I'd steer clear of the mechanic who didn't check the brakes or steering when he was servicing the car.

celtic_oz

ask for a quote

2ndcoming

€10k sounds awful strong to me for a 10 yr old Sportage with 230,000 miles on the clock lads...

There's one on Donedeal with 220 for €8k, another with 170 for €6500 and I wouldn't be rushing down to the credit union over either.

I'd be inclined to agree with the assessment that the €4k spend on repair would mean you might get €7k for it when repaired, if you can get €3k as a trade in now you're losing nothing. The car sounds clapped to be honest so if you spent the €4k on a new engine and kept it and then the clutch, gearbox, running gear start going it would turn into a moneypit very fast. I'd cut your losses and get out now tbh.

greasepalm

I agree oil light on and driven is not a timing chain as it would not start.

Lack of oil pressure to head and camshaft bearings will get stripped and pistons glazed and damaged rings + metal particles around the engine which you may not get out.

Mimojo

Thanks so much to everyone for your input. Having agonised over it for almost 2 weeks now and finally decided just to cut our losses on it. Spending 4k is all well and good, but really it could turn into a total money pit, and we are 100% reliant on the car for commuting to work, we live in the middle of nowhere so we just cant go down that road of it needing more and more work, and of course money. Could be working grand for a bit, but really dont want to end up in the middle of winter with no car, again, and just keep having to pump money into it.

Tried to deal with our local Kia dealer who said they would take it for a decent price, but it was an utter nightmare to deal with them. So in the end went to Skoda who have taken the car against another, we prob got 2.5k for it, but have sorted a replacement that we are picking up tomorrow, and just to draw a line under this whole sorry affair! I know we maybe could have gotten more for it, but we just dont have the knowledge, contracts or time to try to get rid of it ourselves.

cpoh1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862327#Comment_120862327

Jesus thats a serious hit financially v repairing and selling after 😨

Mimojo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862728#Comment_120862728

It sure is. But we are absolutely stuck without the car, surviving with our second car just isnt an option, its almost 3 weeks of dropping and collecting my OH from work (2 plus hours of driving) in order to keep the car to drop and collect from childcare, and work full time in there somewhere, its been a total nightmare, we just dont have the time now to wait around in the hope of getting it fixed. Its a total sting I have to say, cost us a lot more to get out of, but we just have to chalk it down now and move on with a working car.

pah

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862728#Comment_120862728

Is it though? 4 to 5k to repair it (if that does the job and "hope to sell it for 10k. Seems like a smart move to me.

User1998

If it makes you feel any better, you probably would have only got €5k or so for it as a trade in if it was fully working, so if you reckon you got €2.5k for it as is its not all that bad.

cpoh1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120867307#Comment_120867307

Depends on how you value money - it would gall me to trade a car for 2.5k thats worth 7-10k in good order. An engine swap here from a decent indi should be well under 3k. Thats a hit of anywhere between 1.5-4.5k over the deal they got.

Understandable when the personal circumstance is taken into account but that hurts

pah

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120867703#Comment_120867703

Fair enough, I'd be erring on the 1.5k side of cost and cutting my losses

Mimojo

Thanks all, think we made the right call for us. I know its a hit that is for sure, we just couldnt take the chance on the repair not working out and having to spend more money, better to walk away and get something more reliable.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120871033#Comment_120871033

What car did you get?

Split47

On this subject kind off, which of these Kia Hyundai diesel engines give the most trouble? I have heard horror stories about the 1.6 and 1.7 diesel engines,

every mechanic I speak to has a different spin on it, I have heard though that the new versions 1.6 diesels say from 2021 on are very bad.

Also what car did the original poster here end up buying? was it a Skoda?

horse7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862327#Comment_120862327

You get another Kia?