When to say no

[Camino LS6]

My neighbor sent me an email asking if I'd be interested in replacing a bad head gasket in his Subaru wagon.

I did a little quick research online tonight.

I'm thinking no.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Camino LS6

[G. David Felt]

Right Answer, that is a big pain in the ass and very time intensive.

[balthazar]

I spent the better part of today replacing the fuel supply/return lines and the fuel cooler on my DuraMax. No way I would want to be a mechanic on modern, post-computerized stuff.

[daves87rs]

No way.....

[caddycruiser]

My father has had this done once or twice now in the '96 and '00, and both are still having issues.

I should have given him the '96 I had where they were all fixed perfectly and then some. Subaru annoyance, but alas. More a pain.

[Camino LS6]

I convinced him to dump the car.

[caddycruiser]

I convinced him to dump the car.

This is such a strange thing. When fixed 100% like the '96 I had, no worries. Other times...it's hit or miss. Hence both of my father's current ones with continual issues. But that's also because he spends $$$ to fix things 85-90% and then complains.

Tough otherwise, and nothing like a Subie.

[PurdueGuy]

I spent the better part of today replacing the fuel supply/return lines and the fuel cooler on my DuraMax. No way I would want to be a mechanic on modern, post-computerized stuff.

IMO it totally depends on the car. My S-Series have a computer, and they're cake to work on.

[Camino LS6]

I convinced him to dump the car.

This is such a strange thing. When fixed 100% like the '96 I had, no worries. Other times...it's hit or miss. Hence both of my father's current ones with continual issues. But that's also because he spends $$$ to fix things 85-90% and then complains.

Tough otherwise, and nothing like a Subie.

This was really a no-brainer. He only paid $1,500 for the car and got 25,000 miles out of it - no sense in spending the time/money to fix the thing. I told him to sell it as is: runs, new battery, decent tires, inspected, needs head gaskets.