asking for a friend

so a friend of mine blew the engine in his Optima (turbo, tunred up the boost) and had an engine built. Well, I should say "built". Engine "builder" shady as fu..... well he's shady. 300 miles and the oil looks like a milkshake. Takes it to the local dealer, they do a leak down and have 80% in cylinders 1 and two.... pressurize one, it leaks to 2. flip it and hte same happens. Likely head gasket. His local dealer offered him a stock long block (first engine was under warranty, they are basically offering the initial replacement) for free. But he doesn't want to lose the rods/pistons from the "built" engine as he spent money on those. 

So.... to get the free engine he needs a core. 2011-16 2.0T's are 1500-2000 for a used engine right now. All he needs is a blowed up one for a core. Is there a good place to find such things? 

Without knowing the scarcity of that particular engine, that sounds like a job for your local you-wrench-it yard.

In reply to JohnInKansas :

It’s still too new. 

Car-part.com.  Look for a core. 

Edit to correct address

www.car-part.com

Buy the highest mile version they have.  Or, find a shop with a car that took a hard front hit (like engine hit.)  They wont have the engine listed since it might be bad but if you call them they might sell it to you for near scrap.  

To find such thing search for trunk lid.  This will more assure that the car got scrapped from a frontal hit since the trunk lid is still good.

Question: If the engine builder is so shady and can't even figure out a head gasket, what is the likelihood that the pistons and rods your friend paid for are *actually* in the engine and undamaged?

Just let the dealer have the E36 M3 "built" engine and move on.

I'm with Javelin

So why is the dealer warranting a motor built by  someone else?  The more I read this the less it makes sense. 

Javelin said:

Question: If the engine builder is so shady and can't even figure out a head gasket, what is the likelihood that the pistons and rods your friend paid for are *actually* in the engine and undamaged?

Just let the dealer have the E36 M3 "built" engine and move on.

That's part of the reason I want him to find a core. He's planning on pursuing legal action because the dude ignored all contact. I have a sneaky suspicion they're not there.

In reply to dean1484 :

Long story made short: original engine under warranty blew up. Dealer offered to warranty this engine back in april. Instead, owner decided to build it out of pocket to makde more power and had said dealer install engine (paid out of pocket). Problems occur, takes back to the same place that has treated him well, find "built" engine is junk, dealer offers to do what they originally offered (warranty) engine so he can have his car back and on the road. It's a combination of good service, loyal customer. 

I'd just take the new engine from the dealer, as speculated, I doubt there are any parts or that the builder actually did anything......and move on with life.

In reply to z31maniac :

so this "builder" is still doing business, and part of his hope is he can shut this down. He has at least 4 other customers with similar experiences that are out thousands from same crap. Along with misrepresentation of products, selling knock offs as real etc.... 

bobzilla said:

Javelin said:

Question: If the engine builder is so shady and can't even figure out a head gasket, what is the likelihood that the pistons and rods your friend paid for are *actually* in the engine and undamaged?

Just let the dealer have the E36 M3 "built" engine and move on.

That's part of the reason I want him to find a core. He's planning on pursuing legal action because the dude ignored all contact. I have a sneaky suspicion they're not there.

And what legal action would that be perchance? Is the engine builder an actual licensed shop? Was there a written estimate? Itemized invoice? Written warranty? 

I think John's got some good advice. A few phone calls might net him a good bad motor. Is the manufacturer not going to notice a VIN mismatch? I guess if the dealer is aware of the shenanigans it must be okay.

Let the dealer install the new engine and have the "built" one. Chalk it up to lesson learned. Legal action against the shady builder probably won't get any return and be wasted time.

In reply to Javelin :

there is currently a breach of contract that I am aware of. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Your friend has an actual signed contract with the engine builder? As far as I know there are no legal protections for verbal contracts on automotive repairs, that is why shady shops do not provide written repair estimates.

Assuming there is an actual contract, was there a warranty of any type? If not, the engine builder could have easily satisfied the bare minimum of requirements as spelled out and can stand on the fact the car ran when it left him.

You still haven't answered if this is a physical location and whether or not he has a business license. The answers to those will drastically change your range of realistic and legal options.

In reply to Javelin :

I don't have all the details. I know there is a written estimate and guarantee of some form. The engine was shipped and installed locally so the "builder" had never seen this engine run. As for his other info, I don't know the answers. I'm not involved with any of that. I'm just trying to find him a super cheap core so he can hold onto the "built" engine for whatever he does from there. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Did your friend provide his original engine to the builder as a core or to be rebuilt?

Is this the same motor that was in the Veloster or Genesis Coupe? 

Does the dealership have to actually send the core back or does KIA just want them to verify it and then scrap it?

iirc this was his engine that they removed and shipped up there. 

This engine is shared with the Optima, Sante Fe, Sorento, Tucson and sportage. The block is the same as the Genesis Coupe but the top end, turbo, intake are all different. 

They have to hold the engine until warranty pays up. Whether Kia calls it back is up to the warranty dept but with the amount of failures they have had with the US Built 2.0T (think Toyota 3.0 failures) it's highly unlikely. 

In reply to bobzilla :

Your friend is very fortunate. Through some freak quirk, he’s gonna be made whole by the dealer and not have to pay for the mistake he made hiring a shade tree. He needs to be thankful, and move on. 

Its not his job to put the guy out of business or cause him pain. It’s not his job to save others from the same fate. Vindictiveness will only hurt himself. It won’t put the guy out of business. 

He can leave some bad reviews, tell his friends on FaceBook, and move on. That’s it. 

Or he can spend LOTS more money and still be pissed off. 

Wow!  That's some really impressive customer support on the part of the dealer! 

Has me thinking Kia is a dam good company. 

I got a Kia of some sort as a rental. What ever there mid size sedan is. It was a decent car. 

In reply to dean1484 :

Optima likely. Although interior space on the Koreans isn’t the same as Japanese cars. You can actually put an adult in the back sears comfortably in their compacts.