“It’s been a great car, but the engine needs major work. Maybe now is the time to go car shopping.”

Trading vehicles not only is a hassle, it’s expensive. Beyond this, parting with something that’s been in the family for years is not always an easy decision. For people faced with major engine trouble, the alternatives usually boil down either to buying another vehicle or fixing the one you own.

“Consider the economics of replacing a vehicle: loan payments for a new car now exceed $500 a month for more than four years,” according to Dave Deegan, of Automotive Repower Council. “Further, interest and depreciation account for more than half the operating costs.

“Do the math,” he suggests. “It will help you decide whether or not to repair or replace.”

The decision to fix up the car you own leads to several other considerations. Should you:

• Install a used engine from a salvage yard? You could be gambling on a high mileage engine that’s been driven hard and whose maintenance has been neglected. Considering that the labor to install a “junk” engine is the same or even more than what is required to install a remanufactured engine, this option offers little trade-off for the risk involved.

• Invest in a new engine? This is likely to be a more costly alternative with limited availability.

• Install an engine that’s been completely rebuilt? If you’re driving a vehicle that, otherwise, has years of life ahead of it, a rebuilt or remanufactured engine makes both practical and economic sense. For a fraction of the cost of replacing the vehicle the owner has many more miles of dependable transportation.

A typical rebuilt engine comes with an excellent warranty covering both time and mileage. Some are available with an extended warranty as well.

Engine rebuilders have meticulous standards, often exceeding those under which the original engine was produced. “In fact,” says Deegan, “a rebuilt engine often outperforms and outlasts the engine that originally came in the vehicle. Many of the new components are from the same production lines that supply the vehicle manufacturer.

“Technology keeps improving, so every engine from our assembly procedure benefits from that updating. Another important factor: reputable rebuilders employ highly trained specialists who take pride in their work. This caliber of technician treats an engine as if it were his work of art. Indeed, it is,” he concludes.

Rebuilding offers environmental advantages, too. A rebuilt engine is likely to be more fuel efficient, use less oil and produce fewer emissions than a malfunctioning engine. Further, this a recycled product, in that most blocks and heads are machined and reused instead of being discarded and melted down in energy-hungry furnaces.

Information on this subject is provided in an illustrated publication from the Automotive Repower Council, an industry alliance for consumer awareness. Appropriately entitled “Sticker Shock?” the text weighs the various factors to consider, citing the costs of buying a new car vs. having a rebuilt engine installed.

Visit Neco Engines at http://www.necoengine.com or Automotive Repower Council’s web site at www.repower.org or send for their informative brochure. For your free copy write Automotive Repower Council, Department SS1-SS, 42 Park Drive, Port Clinton, OH 43452 or call toll free 1- 866-4REPOWER.