[Quickurt]

How about 2.7 or 3.2 motors? I would think they are somewhere between the 11k and 15k figures?

Just more options.

The car is probably worth, as a roller.....hold onto your ass... what you paid, minus what it will cost to fix it, divided by two. The mechanic is not going to buy it for the difference in what it's worth and what the motor costs him. Why invest the money to risk just getting what he would get if you pay him to fix it?
So, if you paid 20 and it will cost 11k (and it's always more) you're looking at probably four grand for the car, as is.

I was looking the same route, but spent my cash as a down payment and financed 20k to get an '06, certified car, warranteed out to 5/2012 and another 89k miles.

Speaking of warrantees, what is the deal if an indy puts in a new motor and what is the deal if the dealer does it? You will at least get some kind of warrantee on the new motor from the factory and it may be quite alot more difference from the dealer than the extra cost.

decisions, descisions.....