i need some major advice

[frusciante fan]

ever since i've had my car almost, i've had misfire problems with it ('98 V6, 97k miles). i've done had it to four different places and nobody can really seem to figure it out. the last shop i've had it at figures that it's a bent valve or something or that nature since the compression on that cylinder is a lot lower than all the others. anyway they want $1600 at least to replace and fix that. since i just bought the car 3 months ago (warranty expired today, but there's still an open work order on it), my parents and i today went to the dealership, *****ed, asked for our money back, and were basically told there's nothing that can be done for us. i've spent $563 having it looked at and it's just been a huge pain in the ***. plus there's no guarantee that the warranty will cover any of it because no one knows what's wrong. so it looks like the best option is to just replace the engine. swapping an LT1 or LS1 seems to be a lot of work and a lot of extra cost, so i would stay with a 3.8.

here's basically what i'd like to know. about how much would a motor from a boneyard, with less than 20k on the clock cost ($600-800?). how much would a factory rebuilt be ($1500-1900?) then the biggest question. am i better off buying a factory rebuilt instead of one from another car? my budget is $2000-4500, depending when i sell my other car. i would not be able to do the swap myself, due to my work schedule and to my lack or knowledge.

any suggestions?

*edit* the one thing the dealer would do for me is give me the motor at cost, if i did get it through them.

[BobbyZ72]

Sorry to hear this, this same thing happend to me, and its everyones wrost nightmare. This missfire, is it all the times, or every once i a while? Here my story, i had a 99, it would missfire bad every once in a while. No one know what the problem was, i spent about twice the amout that you have changing parts and having diffrent mechanics look at it. I ended up getting pissed one day and selling it to a young girl down the street oh always admired it. I told her and her father of the problem of course. Basicly i gave the car away. Anyways he pulled the engine out to replace it and found a shored wire back behind the engine, put the engine back in and its ran like new ever since.

[BobbyZ72]

What im saying is reach back behind the engine and shake all the wires, see if anything happens.

[frusciante fan]

the misfire seems to only be at idle and compression is low on the third cylinder.

[SpeedingFirebird]

What about taking some place besides the dealer for a valve-job? Spent your grand or two and get this car fixed up. Could save you some headaches.

[frusciante fan]

the only reason i had at at this shop was because it's the only place in town that works with my warranty company.

and because nobody actually knows what's wrong with it, i'd just as soon say screw it. spend a little more and get a new crate 3.8 put in and drive it till the wheels fall off.

[frusciante fan]

i was just looking back at some old notes i took from the lady who had it after the previous owner and she said that say paid $2500 for the car. that's not a trade in price, that's how much the dealer was asking.

the body and interior are in good shape, but i guess if the engine is **** that would justify that price.