Advice, sell it or fix it?

[VAExploder]

Alright guy, my "new" explorer has put me in a sticky situation.
I currently live in virginia, (mandatory state inspection)in an apartment complex where I can get towed for not having an inspection sticker. Not only that, but I can only work on the explorer so much w/o getting complaints from mgmt.
I just got this explorer, and am dying to do some work on it.
That said, the contents of my radiator continuously leak out of my exhaust, and I overheat VERY often. Also have a storm of white smoke coming out exhaust as well. It is both mine, and several friends mechanic's opinions(none have actually checked out the vehicle) that it's a blown head gasket. sighhh...
Other than that, engine seems ok, haven't taken apart too much though.
There's also a few things that need to be fixed, it'll cost roughly $250 to get up to insp. standards, not including the gasket.
My cash right now is very limited, and currently do not own another vehicle.
So, it seems I have two options,
1) Store the car somewhere else, and slowly get work done until I can get it on the road legally/safely. Problem is, short on cash and that could take months, it's also hard to work on a vehicle if you dont have access to it :/

2) I have a friend that wishes to purchase it for $2500, thats with the damage. He's gonna use it as a plow in the winter, so it pays itself off for him to fix it, as its still cheaper than getting one from a dealer. If I go down this route, My fiancee takes the $ as a down payment on a car, and I get hers.

So as you can see, I'm in a bind here. Whats the average cost of having a shop replace head gaskets? Is it worth it just to give up the ex?

 

[willindsay]

I would say sell it cause you are probably lookin at a grand to get the head gasket fixed at a shop and that must be a really good friend to purchase it for 2500 cause around here in TN you can get a 2nd gen for that much 1st gen's usually go for 1500 in great condition and with a blown HG they normally only go for 500.

 

[Willard]

If you can get $2500 from it, sell it now. There's no way in hell you could ever get that much from almost any first gen still on the road. Take the money and run. You could then buy another one and probably come out ahead.

 

[Iron Weasel]

Book time to replace the head gasket on both banks is 10.3 hours. Figure most shops charge around $80 per hour for labor and you're looking at about $825 plus parts, taxes, and anything else that needs to be replaced. Now, if you wanted to do it yourself, the head gaskets run around $40 each and you'll need a set of new head bolts, that's another $40. Figure around $160 for just those items, of course you'll probably rack up another $100 in miscellaneous items as well. Assume $300 or so if you did it yourself.

If you don't have the facilities to do the work yourself in a timely manner, I'd say go for the "sell it" option. We picked ours up for $600 and it needed a new clutch slave cylinder and some other little things fixed, but it was in good condition overall. If someone offered me $2500 for it, I'd jump all over it.

 

[Maniak]

Also, you should get the heads checked. Head cracking is somewhat common when a head gasket is leaking (in other words, it not normally a gasket, its the head).

If they are good you don't "need" to do anything to them. If they are cracked (somewhat likely) then a pair of new heads is about $500. Repairing them is an option but if the repair + valve job cost more than $250 each you might as well buy "new".

~Mark

 

[SparkyJeff]

Somebody offered you $2500 for a 94 sport with a steam engine, and you let that person out of your sight long enough to change their mind?

 

[hunter930]

Im in NC and I got one I will take 2500 for if he wants it, and its a daily driver.