Car is f***ed. Need Advice...

[dj_patm]

So my car is fucked.

It started a while back when I got into a small fender bender. I clipped the side of a Grand Vitara and while the car was mechanically fine, the bumper, hood, fender and passanger side headlight all sustained damage and my windshield washer fluid reservoir broke. Thanks to terrible timing, I wasn't able to get any of it fixed as I didn't have any money and was going back to school. Since I've finished school I haven't needed the car very much as I've only been driving it to the train station a couple minutes away and to this point it was running fine, so I've continued to neglect fixing any of that.

Fast forward to the last month or so, the car started hesitating and stuttering under wide open throttle. I figure it's something to do with the fuel pump. I was hoping it was just a filter or something and tried booking a couple appointments to get it fixed but could never fit it into my schedule right. No biggie, it was still driveable and I was going to call again next week to try and get it in. Well that is until last night.

Last night I turned on to 22x, pinned it a bit to get it up to speed and then I heard what sounded like knocking. I've never actually heard a car knock so I wasn't sure at first but now that I've googled it I'm 99% thats the case. Its a distinct sound, almost like sticking a baseball card into bicycle spokes and it matches the revs (increases under acceleration and vice versa).

Obviously, it's time to get it fixed, the thing is, I'm pretty fed up with this car at this point and I don't know if I want to sink anymore money into it as I planned on selling it within a year anyways (once I move out).

So the way I see it, here are my options...

Try and sell the car as is as a project car or whatever, go buy a pos to get me by until I buy a new car and use whatever money I can get from this as a little extra to help me with my downpayment on the house.

- How much could I get for a 2006 Mazdaspeed 6 with approx. 90,000 miles (US car) and the above damage? (Also has a Cold Air Intake, Downpipe, Turbo inlet pipe and Accessport and winter rims)?

OR

Fix it...

- If I go this route then I want to get it all done at once and I want the car to be back in tip top shape. Basically, if I fix it then the plans to sell it after I move out go out the window and I'm keeping it and maybe modding it some more. How much am I looking at getting it back to proper shape? Any shops that anyone would recommend?

Well any advice is appreciated. I'm so fucked.

[G-ZUS]

Is your CEL on?

[spikerS]

well, you could try running an oil stabalizer like lucas oil to it, and see if that will help.

The accident you described won't cause an internal engine knock. Engine knocks are usually when internal parts start to wear out and get some play in it, like timing belt stretches, or bearings get a little thin ect.

Honestly, there are a lot of things that can cause engine knock that trying to pin point it is really hard, especially not being able to see it in person, and can be a quick easy fix to needing an engine tear down.

Best bet is to bring it in to a shop and have them diagnose it.

[dj_patm]

Yeah CEL is on. I'm going to run the code when I get home.

Yeah I definitely need to get it diagnosed by a shop. The worry I have (and the main reason why I haven't got the washer fluid thing fixed) is that if they need to take the bumper or fender off, I don't know if they'll get it back on.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

In my opinion you would probably only get $5000-6000 as is.

[rhoang]

i have a MS6 as well, the hesitating and stuttering under WOT may be from the sensor on your cold air intake. try taking it out to see if its dirty or wet.

[revelations]

Without knowing the engine specs, knocking can also be cause by valve lifters that have gone bad. Lucas oil helped in my case once - I'd check if your engine uses hydraulic valve lifters and then if so, add a bit to the oil.

edit - stuck lifters will tick at idle and go away at throttle generally - prob not the case here

[dj_patm]

I'd actually be content with 5 or 6 I think.

I'd obviously need to see how much a shop would quote all the repairs to see if it's worth it but if I got 5-6 at this point, I'd be fine with it. Cut my loses and move on. Put some money towards a down payment and buy some shitbox to get me by until summer.

I'll unplug the CAI sensor when I get home and wipe it down. Oh and definitely add some oil

[NRGie]

This is probably one of the more obvious suggestions but you never know. Did you check the oil level?

[G-ZUS]

Originally posted by dj_patm
I'd actually be content with 5 or 6 I think.

I'd obviously need to see how much a shop would quote all the repairs to see if it's worth it but if I got 5-6 at this point, I'd be fine with it. Cut my loses and move on. Put some money towards a down payment and buy some shitbox to get me by until summer.

I'll unplug the CAI sensor when I get home and wipe it down. Oh and definitely add some oil

Check the oil, is it low?

[dj_patm]

Yeah thats the first thing I did.

Oil was halfway between min and max. Looked like a bad color though which is suprising as I only got it changed a couple thousand clicks ago.

I'm going to re check it when I get home though cause I didn't let it sit very long when I checked.

[DeleriousZ]

As with most turbocharged 4 cylinders, they will consume oil for sure. The card in bike spokes sounds more like top end chatter like lifters or something, which will be noisier without enough oil in there.

An exhaust leak in or around the manifold area will also sound like an engine tick.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
In my opinion you would probably only get $5000-6000 as is.

Dude, you'd be able to sell ice to eskimo's if you could get $5-6k for a crashed problematic 06 MS6. :nut: Id give you around that, maybe a bit more if it was mechanically and ascetically perfect. Mazda's have had serious design flaws with their lifters since their first start with their '89 Mazda MX6. It was especially bad in the early to mid 90's. I wouldn't be the LEAST bit surprised if that is in fact that knocking sensation you hear. Thats still about a $1300-1600 fix though. I've owned 4 mazda's over a 7 year period (Biggest autmotive mistake I've ever made by far), and three of the 4 had valve lifter issues.

Given a damaged front end, a potentially knocking engine and other issues, Id give you perhaps $2k or so for it. That car needs.... a *LOT* of work. :nut: WAY more then I'd ever think of investing in such a car.
Which would be fine in some cases, but its not exactly worth a boat load of money even if you were to sink all that into it.

Id cut your losses and get what you can for it. Id advertise it as is for $4k, and keep lowering it until you finally find a buyer. But to sink $6-8k into a car thats barely (more like not-at-all) worth that, you're really splitting hairs trying to break even.
Whats worse? its a US car, which lowers its value furthermore.

[ddduke]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M


blah blah

Best response I've heard yet. There isn't a single hope you'll get 5 or 6 for it. Most people who are willing to buy it will either be good with body work OR mechanics. Most body guys will see it and instantly be scared away due to mechinical issues and vice versa.

If you're not in a rush to sell then post high then drop your price regularily like graham said. But with that I'd expect lowballs because most people willing to buy a car like this creep kijiji quite regularily and will see you keep dropping making them think you're getting desparate.

[Graham_A_M]

Oh, "Blah blah" eh? Oh I see how it is.... I see how it is. :rofl: :rofl:

[geoffreyjames]

If you decide to get rid of it, i'll buy your AP. And maybe DP.

Let me know!

[euro_racer]

Drive it around a lot on our Calgary roads (especially during rush hour) and HOPE someone rear ends you so you get it written off... That's your best bet LOL!

On a more serious note, I think you are SOL and in a lose/lose situation no matter what you decide to do. $5k is impossible to get for that car as is and parts are also hard to come by so most of the front end will have to be bought from the dealer, mechanicals too. I know that isn't any solid advice but if you are going to be accepting low balls I know a few people who might want to take it off you for the shell and misc parts, but for sure not at the 5k mark. Unfortunately being sold for parts is the only solution for this car as even if someone wanted to fix it, it would be sitting around for a while until used parts surface and not many people (that are smart at least) would want to invest in something only to have it sitting

[dj_patm]

Yeah, I'm leaning to the "fix it on my own terms" side cause if I can't get more then 2k for it, then selling it is just a waste as I'd still have to buy a beater to get me by until I buy a house.

I think I'm going to either take apart the block and rebuild it with stage 2 or 3 parts or say screw it and drop a new block in it thats already built to stage 2 or 3 :)

Need to crunch some numbers though cause then I'll need a clutch and new mounts as well as the body work (unpainted).

If I can afford it, I'm going to use this as motivation to live out the 18 year old version of me's dream and turn the MS6 into a beast :love:

I don't like any of the new awd options that are in my price range anyways :guns:

[Nitro5]

See if someone will trade for a B5 S4.

[DeleriousZ]

Originally posted by Nitro5
See if someone will trade for a B5 S4.

As a former B5 S4 owner, I find this offensive...


And completely accurate lol. :rofl:

[ercchry]

when was your last oil change prior to the one you just got?

when did you do the spark plugs last?

turn on the car and pop the hood, rev motor and feel around for air escaping

[dj_patm]

Last oil change before that last one was a while ago. 8 months-ish? I just changed the spark plugs maybe a month ago because I thought that may have been causing the hesitation but it made no difference.

[ercchry]

8 months and how many kms? synthetic or mineral? on a turbo car its very possible that you spun a bearing if you went that long!

[dj_patm]

Don't remember how many clicks but not much. Like I said, I don't drive the car much since I started working at my current job.

At this point I don't even care anymore.

I just want a properly functioning car. Bah.
I still think I'm leaning towards a rebuild or dropping a completely new block in there. Stage 2 or 3

[slammedfc]

ill trade you my 02 civic lol

[dj_patm]

Got a diagnostic done. Spun main bearing.

Also got an offer for 3 G's from my dad lol may take him up on it.

[Graham_A_M]

^ You should. The engine is toast. Dunno why he'd want it but........

[G-ZUS]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ You should. The engine is toast. Dunno why he'd want it but........

:werd:

[revelations]

Dumb question, but how often did you change/check the oil ?