Kickstarter for an Engine (repair?)

"Seitz" (Seitz) 10/31/2013 at 17:59 • Filed to: Kickstarter, Celica, Toyota, Repairs

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There comes a point in every car enthusiasts life when, no matter how much they know about cars, they become stumped.

Enter Ben Seitz, a 20 year-old college student, out for an Associates degree in a commuter college on the outskirts of Cincinnati. Ben was on his way to his Wednesday morning class, glad to be free from traffic on the normally busy I-71 North, when the worst happened; the oil temperature gauge hit the unholiest of territories: the red zone. Knowing better, Ben switches his heat to full blast, and opens the flaps, eases down to 2,000rpm, and eases off the throttle. Normally, for anyone, this is a quick fix, enough to buy time for a safe place to check fluid levels and make sure this anomaly is simply that. However, Ben Seitz, young college student and Advertising hopeful is about to take a ride through...the Check Engine Light Zone.

Cold air, colder than any Rolls Royce A/C has ever claimed to produce, came rushing in through the vents in this poor Toyota Celica. Instantly I knew this was going to be a problem, pulling over as quickly as possible in a gas station just 1 mile away from the College. after 20 minutes and ensuring the fluids were ok, I went to the radiator. "AHA!" said I "The fluid levels are dangerously low, simple fix!" After scouring the entire 15 feet of the Mobil gas station, I settled on a jug of water as the best fix to get the car moving again. But in vain! be it not 1 full mile away I could tell the temperature was not up to the task. "Damn The!" shouted I, pulling quickly into a shopping centre to retrieve the sacred fluid of the Automobile: Peak Coolant. The odds were against me, as Peak, or any other peasant level fluid is not recommended in my car, but 'tis the only option I had at the juncture. Once the Sacred Fluid was drunk, I, ever so carefully, willed on the love of my life to make it safely back home.

After many searches, estimates, and professional inspections, It had come down to the one option that no real Auto Enthusiast wishes upon him, his car, or his wallet: The Toyota Dealership.

Yes, I called up AAA, asked them to tow it to a dealership, and told them the problems I had experienced, suggesting it may be a broken Thermostat. Toyota, like any American surgeon, did exactly what I, the patient, said and replaced the Thermostat without even looking at the car ($500 repair, mind you. $271 for labor)

Alas! All was well! But then, tragedy! In that same god-damned Mobil station, my car once again suffered the same crippling action that it had succumbed to not 1 week earlier! AAA showed up, again (This time at a not so free $80 fee) and took it back to the same dealership. This time I was told it was not only my fault for suggesting that it may be the Thermostat, but also either my Head was warped, and even worse, possibly the Engine Block.

Enter Ben Seitz, a still 20-year old College student, out for nothing more than to be reunited with his best friend, Geoff. (I seemed to have neglected to inform you, the reader, that I have developed a very very close relationship with my good friend and car, Geoff. Geoff is a 2001 Toyota Celica, yes the ones with the lovely sounding 2ZZ engines that were also put into the equally as beautiful Lotus Elise.)

What is it that I ask of the? The reader? I ask nothing more than pity for my car. I also ask for an opinion. Do you think a Kickstarter would be shameful? I'm running out of rope here, and my car is needed not only for College but for a job. Estimates for a new engine, Should it come to it, are as high as $5000! hopefully, I only need a new Head, which costs a not-sound-gut-wrenching-but-still-gut-stinging $1300, all without labor.

What does Opposite Lock think? Shameful? I understand, in another life I would have ridiculed any man who had neglected his car to this point, but today?

(Please Note: I am not asking for money (not yet?) I'm asking opinions of what people would think if someone in a situation such as mine would Crowd Source a repair.)

Frank Grimes > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:02

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Go to LKQ take old motor out and put in used motor. Done.

Seitz > Frank Grimes 10/31/2013 at 18:04

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The $4000 estimate was, believe it or not, for a used motor with 66k miles. Geoff's chassis has 122k.

Casper > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:04

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That's not really what Kickstarter is for. You could try, but I think it would be rejected. Looks like you will learn to do the work yourself or have to abandon the car. Personally this is why I keep an emergency stash of cash and an emergency credit card handy. Everyone should have contingency plans.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:09

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Yes it would be a bit shameful unless you don't have friends or family to help. Even if it's just to borrow an old car they might have while you save up some money to replace the engine or scrap it and get something different. I don't remember the user, but someone on Oppo has been getting good deals on driveable cars at copart.com.

I looked and a late 90s grand cherokee that looks like it tapped a mailbox is being sold with a "runs and drives" guarantee. Current bid is ~400 and bidding ends tonight. In a similar ~1000$ ballpark you can get an old camry, a dodge work van, an old audi wagon, a late 90s lumina, and others with a "run and drive guarantee" some of which have no damage and all with clear titles.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:09

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When you got the car repaired was there anything that you got as an "inspection" sheet? Showing that after doing the initial work that they inspected everything to make sure that it was fixed?

Because if so, you can lawfully take it back to them stating that their inspection was obviously not done to par.

Frank Grimes > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:20

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There aint no way in heck a used motor would cost $4k including to install. LKQ has a motor near me for $1,400 its a 2zzge from a GTS.

Seitz > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. 10/31/2013 at 18:22

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Nope, over the phone I was told there was going to be one, but none on the receipt. They've done this sort of thing before, don't you think?

Squid > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:25

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I don't think Kickstarter is an appropriate venue for that.

I would look closely at the repair order that they wrote up and charged you that much money for a non repair. If there is anything about a diag fee it should be on them that they didn't correctly diagnose the problem. Granted they will not shoulder the bill for you but they should lessen the blow. But honestly, coolant doesn't evaportate from the system, it leaks on to the ground or into the motor. Sucks to hear it, but you got to pull the head and find out what got warped. You had two major overheating incidents and now the only thing you can do is pull the head and hope you can get it rebuilt.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:26

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Definitely seems like it. I've never been to a dealership that didn't give you a sheet saying "blah, blah, X-point inspection, blah". Even if it was all marked without actually being checking (it most definitely was).

I myself would call them and ask why wasn't there an inspection done last time? And how could the conclude the work was "complete" if it was never tested and/or driven to make sure it didn't leak after it got up to heat.

Seitz > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. 10/31/2013 at 18:36

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They claim it's because I demanded that it be a thermostat and flush and fill. I merely suggested that was the problem.

Bozi Tatarevic > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 18:54

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I am seeing quite a few on car-part.com in Ohio for $1100 to $1400 with low miles for the whole engine. The heads are showing $350-450.

Seitz > Bozi Tatarevic 10/31/2013 at 19:56

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MWR has some for 2k. which have half the milage the dealership is telling me.

Eazy-O > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 20:13

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I hate to be a downer, but if you can't afford it, it may be time to part ways with Geoff. I did the same with Darlene, when nobody would tolerate her rusting corpse in their vicinity, with nothing but my promise of "I'll fix it one day" to go with. I cried when they towed her away, she was basically my first car. But sometimes life gets in the way.

When my girlfriend needed a car, she bought one for 330 euro. It was a ratty-tatty '94 Hyundai Accent, which served her faithfully for 2 years and still runs fine to this day. Never let her down. When money was tight again, she sold it for 300 euro and now we share my 9000.

As for Kickstarter, how'd you come by this idea? I never would go down this route, not for something like this, anyway. Maybe I'm uneducated in this regard, but I'd imagine people expect something in return for giving you money when it comes to funding.

You'd be better off setting up a regular donate page via paypal or something and spreading the word thusly. Plus, you don't lose Kickstarter's percentage.

Orrrrrrrr... Here's an idea. Sell ad space on your car. Simply measure the size of areas where you'd be willing to put stickers, allocate cost per area, based on percentages and factor in the fact that you need stickers printed and fitted. One year ad-deal? Sounds fair for a running engine. Now, this you could feasibly put on Kickstarter. Maybe. Plus you can have a donation for people who don't want ad space, but just wanna toss a few coins your way out of good will. And don't go hiding your intentions, be honest about where the money's going.

Seitz > Eazy-O 10/31/2013 at 20:41

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I'm not disagreeing with you, KickStarters only work when there is incentive. For someone to say "Hey, give me money and i'll give you nothing in return" does not work.

I did come to the idea of a KickStarter, however, because I've seen people actually ask for their monthly rent and it's worked in the past. I imagine some people just see stuff on kickstarter, and say "hmm, I can spare 5 dollars", which adds up to 2000 or 5000 or whatever.

Eazy-O > Seitz 10/31/2013 at 20:51

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Outta curiosity, what did the people asking for rent money (successful ones) offer to their benefactors? :) This is interesting to me from multiple standpoints.

Seitz > Eazy-O 10/31/2013 at 22:58

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Nothing, that's the surprising part.