I think I'm done for
 

I'd recently identified exhaust gasses in my coolant, so was looking at at least a head (probably cracked). Also, a scope of the cylinders showed some scoring, so the previous owner probably ran it low on oil (lucky me).

The latest is that the engine ingested the end of one of the spark plugs, with significant bore scoring and loss of compression in one cylinder.

The car is an '08S with 100k miles.

Here's what I see as my options, so if you've better info, let me know:
1) sell it as-is. Maybe $1500?

2) Get a junk yard engine for about $2k. Some claim to have warranties. It's interesting to note how few of the 07- engines are out there. 'Have to wonder why.

3) Get a rebuilt engine (3500-6000 depending). I can find a running car for a little more than $6k, so this is probably not an option.

The only thing I can say, is for a $30k car, with an engine that uses oil, and has a supposed 15k mile oil change interval, to not have a "low oil level" sensor is downright irresponsible. The enthusiasts know to check often, but your average driver is woefully ignorant.

I had the oil consumption problem on my 2008 MINI Cooper S....and it was a hassle. Yes, the oil change interval was strange, but really after the oil consumption problem started it didn't matter because I was continually topping off the oil.

There were times that I just changed the oil (and filter) rather than deal with trying to read the poorly designed dipstick to ensure the proper oil level. Good luck to you!

Unless the rest of the car is exceptional, I would move on. At 100k I would worry about the clutch or auto trans as well.

Mike

take your chances and practice your skills on it if you have time. get a repair manual and start taking it apart one bolt at a time.

option 1 unless you are handy and can DIY a swap or repair, unfortunately it's not gonna have any return on investment otherwise

Maga is correct...It really boils down to a DIY thing...if you can fix the car yourself it may be worth keeping.

Where are you from' am from eau Claire '