Ok, here goes. My girlfriend put a piece of black electrical tape on the dash, to cover the check engine light. In addition to that, she also covered the oil light. Needless to say, the engine does not start now.

 

It cranks and turns over, but doesn't sound too good. It's a 2000 forester S.

 

I'm not a mechanic, and have no idea how to fix it. I have a friend who can, and he is rather inexpensive.

 

A friend has a 97 forester, with 200k he is willing to just give me, he is getting a new one. He states there is something wrong with the trans. Some switch/spring problem that would require dropping the whole thing.

What should I do?

 

Thanks,

Scott

Well... Yours needs an engine.

Probably looking at $1500-$2000 total to have one installed, even if your buddy is cheap on labor. But if the rest of the car is in good shape, then fixing what you have is usually the best way to go.

 

 

The other car (Forester wasnt available until 98, could it be a 98?)

could be a simple fix, but transmission problems are usually expensive. And there's also an issue of what else does the car need? Worn out tires, brakes, suspension, steering parts, rusted out exhaust, all possibilities. One at a time, these are not too expensive, but if everything is worn out (usually is at 200k) they all add up to $1,500 or more in parts and labor. If you can do most of the work yourself (most can be done with a basic set of hand tools) then it could be a cheaper option, but it would be wise to find out exactly what it needs beforehand.

If you live in an area that does emissions testing and requires it to pass before it can be registered, it can get really expensive really quick if it doesn't pass.

Covering over an oil warning light with tape, is as effective as covering over skin cancer with a band-aid. Both courses of action are likely to kill both you, and your motor. I hope your girl friend has learned her lesson, and has better judgement in other aspects of her life.

 

You could buy a used motor from a wrecking yard for the Forester, or a tranny for your friend's car. Figure on spending $1,000 for tranny, or up to $2,000 for motor installed.

You can get the car help here.  Suggest you try Car Talk on public radio to get advice about the GF.

easy fix, just buy 14 rolls of black tape and cover the engine.