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Comment by rrr_oh_man | Hacker News Reader

> Just had my trusted 2009 Mazda 5 blow a head gasket outside of Santa Fe over the winter break. I'm grieving. But no, I'm not going to buy a new engine for that car and probably had spent too much already on it over the years. Sigh.

...why would you need a new engine if your head gasket fails? Did you keep driving after it failed?

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Apples/oranges/not my car, but I had a similar situation in my 2011 Impreza and was staring at a $3500 repair bill for the head gasket. If you get the work done, there’s a litany of other things you really ought to do while you’re there (water pump, belts, etc). Sure, it’s not a new engine, and it’s certainly less than a new engine would cost, but either would be nearly as much or more than the vehicle is actually worth. For a 16 year old vehicle, almost any repair other than basic tires/brakes/etc can be “fatal” if you’re not doing your own wrenching. If you do opt to pay, you’re gambling on what else might be lurking around the corner.

You are effectively paying $3500 for a car. If you want a new car now you have to pay for it, probably more than $3500 I'm guessing, and it too will amount to a gamble of what else is lurking around the corner just with a different car.

My take on this has made it usually worth paying the $3500, since I know that otherwise, maintenance and repairs are up to snuff.

Exactly. I am the only person I know who actually keeps a maintenance log. I've never bought a car that had one before either. Never seen one advertised with one. It has always been guesswork when you buy a car even new considering issues out of the factory and the headache of dealing with the recall process if they even sufficiently offer one.

Hi! I keep a maintenance log too. The next owner probably won't benefit from it though, since I plan to run my vehicles until they're ready for the scrap heap.

When a head gasket fails, it's usually accompanied with the engine overheating, which often warps the engine block.

We were on the interstate. It happened so quick. Coolant somehow mixed in with the oil, engine seized. The car had almost 180k miles on it. It is what it is.

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