so i have found a brand new mitsubishi 380 series 3 engine for $2500 at my local mechanic $3000 fitted incl engine at mates rates, its still in its box on a wodden pallet, is it worth doing a conversion in my 99 TH wagon 4spd or should i save a few extra $$$$ and buying a 380 or hold onto my old girl buy the engine store it away for awhile before she kicks the bucket as shes at 655,000kms on the clock with the original motor still going strong, just cant make my mind up

Depends on what you want ultimately.
If you want the space and practicality of the wagon, keep it and buy the 380 engine for fitment now or later.
If you want something more modern, get the 380.

I'd hang on to the wagon and put the 380 engine in it, but I'm partial to wagons :)

As mentioned it is ultimately up to you.
Personally I wouldn't spend $3,000 on a car barely worth $1,000 (if that). Plus you will then need to spend more on brakes, maybe suspension, ATF cooler etc, but if you really want to keep your car then I guess you can justify it.

The only option I would completely delete from the ones you provided is buying the motor and keeping it stored until your current one gives up. What is the point to this when the 380 motor will likely last 655,000km as this one has? Might as well start enjoying it from now.

just cant make my mind up


Answered your own question. If I can't make up my mind about something, it usually means there is no convincing reason to do something!

If you have that money to buy that 380 engine currently as spare cash, keep it in the bank and use it to buy something newer when the current car dies.

For me it would come down to the condition of the rest of the car, or what it would cost to get it to good condition. Let's say you spend $3000 on the engine and another $3000 on the body/brakes/suspension/running gear etc., you'd have a damn nice wagon (I'm also partial to wagons!) for bugger all money that, in theory, could give you another 600k, assuming the rest of the car is in reasonably good nick and wouldn't need much more spent on it. If you can live with a sedan (*shudders*) buy a 380 and save yourself the hassle.

Putting the 6G75 into the magna doesn't mean you'll get another 600k out of it.
There's the transmission, suspension, steering, brakes.

plenty of stuff that will fail.

here's a thought...get rid of the magna.

Buy a 380 with 300k's on it and fir the motor to it.

im a wagon guy myself i use to own a 94 magna ts se 3.0l auto sedan ( was my first car and was in love with it at the time ) however since getting the wagon ill never get a sedan again, the wagon is in really good shape mechanically she is great except for a small oil leak from the dizzy face other then that body is in great condition with regular service i could see her lasting alot longer, maybe even hitting that 1 million mark * touch wood * :D

but in saying all that i do already have all the things required for the 380 brakes upgrade just havent gotten around to it, i would be able to the conversion myself if only i had a engine hoist i am also aware you need to use practically everything from the old motor on to the 3.8 including the sump cause the 380 engine's sump sits to low and i know the correct way of getting the magna sump to bolt on which is a big plus. i think i will end up doing it just need to get my hands on an engine hoist and ill have the perfect 99 TH solara wagon 3.8L sleeper ;) not only that would be great for the amount of towing i do

Engine hoists can be hired from most hire places (eg. Kennards) pretty cheap.

I echo what Spetz and zilo have said.

I was debating a 6G75 conversion on my old TJ as it was approaching time for a major service, but I couldn't justify spending half the car's value (at that time) on a new engine. The fact that I wasn't entirely satisfied with the handling and that it had some impending age-related maintenance issues (of various significant expense) led me to sell it in favour of a 380 (which I'm very, very happy with).

But it sounds like you don't really want to part with the wagon and you're happy to spend some money on it.

keep the magna. keep driving it.

at auction, wreckers, or for sale find a very cheap low k's 380 with a seized, damaged engine. buy an engine hoist (I bought a good hoist and stand for 200). take your time to rebuild the 380 with the new engine.

You've then still got the magna, with honest mileage, with the freedom to switch to the 380 (register) while doing an overhaul of the magna (deregistered).

At the end of this you will have two good cars and you will have spent the time getting very familiar with both and gotten all the tools you are likely to ever need to maintain them and very likely have worked out an advantageous to you plan of what to do with them.

I'd say go for it. You are obvously quite fond of your wagon having done 655kms and wanting to do more. Is the body in good solid condition? (no rust or repairs?). Mechanical parts like suspension etc can all be replaced relatively cheaply and easily and sounds like you can do it all yourself. The only thing in my mind that would make it not worth doing is if the body was getting rough.

You can also justify this financially. Just because a car is worth $1k on the open market doesn't mean you shouldn't spend $1k on it to keep it on the road. Rego and insurance alone can add up to that each year, but you need to pay these for any car you own, new or old. I've worked out for a new ordinary car depreciation of about $2-3k a year is reasonable, so if you're spending less than that to keep your Magna on the road you're ahead. Depreciation is the biggest running cost of a car, and Magnas have now reached the end of their depreciation so there are no more losses there. If you spend $3k on a new motor and enjoy the car another 3-5 years you are well ahead of the usual running cost of a car.

Buying another second hand car (especially one thats done a few kms) exposes you to the risk of buying a car with problems. You would know your wagon well by now and know there are no hidden gremlins.

...Just because a car is worth $1k on the open market doesn't mean you shouldn't spend $1k on it to keep it on the road. Rego and insurance alone can add up to that each year, but you need to pay these for any car you own, new or old. I've worked out for a new ordinary car depreciation of about $2-3k a year is reasonable, so if you're spending less than that to keep your Magna on the road you're ahead. Depreciation is the biggest running cost of a car, and Magnas have now reached the end of their depreciation so there are no more losses there. If you spend $3k on a new motor and enjoy the car another 3-5 years you are well ahead of the usual running cost of a car.

Buying another second hand car (especially one thats done a few kms) exposes you to the risk of buying a car with problems. You would know your wagon well by now and know there are no hidden gremlins.

These are excellent points, you will be up for maintenance and upkeep regardless of whichever car you end up with.
At 655,000km I assume you have sorted most of the maintenance/repair issues that a new car would potentially be faced with.

TL wagon and ammerty you guys are both exactly right, i have worked out all the gremlins out of the car and know the in's and out's of her like the back of my hand at the moment its just replacing the usual perishables belts, spark plugs, pads, oil changes body is in great condition a small amount of clear coat has started flake away in one spot on the front bumper no bigger then 20c coin but other then that paint is great and gets a polish every fortnight, she does several trips a year from wollongong to tamworth home and hasent missed a beat very fuel efficient in long trips last time i went was a few weeks ago and the trip meter was reading 8.8L/100kms and i get on average 10.5L/100kms city driving quick stops and start runs to the shops or when i go fishing and taken the young one to school ( the daily life trips )

I just couldnt see myself buying a different vehicle that i know nothing about and not having the advantages of a wagon is definitely a let down, if they made a 380 wagon i would seriously consider it but they didnt so thats out the window haha, so as of today i have put a deposit on the engine i did manage to get him down on the price to $2000 and he will even lend me a hand doing the conversion in his spare time cause he has done it before without any drama to his own verada wagon, so hopefully in a months time ill have a new 3.8L in my maggie at the total cost of $2000 and a few cases to share between while we work haha :D

I blame you guys for talking me into it :D

I've easily spent upwards of $5k in mods on my KH Verada, at the end of the day i couldn't be happier with my car. I never bought it with the intention of making money off of it or worried about its value all the time. Sure with a new car it pays to stay ahead of the game and sell when the time is right but i think i speak for a lot of people here in saying that we don't have our Magna's/Verada's/380s for financial reasons we have them because we love them and they are worth the effort of keeping on the road.

TL wagon and ammerty you guys are both exactly right, i have worked out all the gremlins out of the car and know the in's and out's of her like the back of my hand at the moment its just replacing the usual perishables belts, spark plugs, pads, oil changes body is in great condition a small amount of clear coat has started flake away in one spot on the front bumper no bigger then 20c coin but other then that paint is great and gets a polish every fortnight, she does several trips a year from wollongong to tamworth home and hasent missed a beat very fuel efficient in long trips last time i went was a few weeks ago and the trip meter was reading 8.8L/100kms and i get on average 10.5L/100kms city driving quick stops and start runs to the shops or when i go fishing and taken the young one to school ( the daily life trips )

I just couldnt see myself buying a different vehicle that i know nothing about and not having the advantages of a wagon is definitely a let down, if they made a 380 wagon i would seriously consider it but they didnt so thats out the window haha, so as of today i have put a deposit on the engine i did manage to get him down on the price to $2000 and he will even lend me a hand doing the conversion in his spare time cause he has done it before without any drama to his own verada wagon, so hopefully in a months time ill have a new 3.8L in my maggie at the total cost of $2000 and a few cases to share between while we work haha :D

I blame you guys for talking me into it :D

$2000 to get a brand new motor, and an upgrade as well, super bargain. You will also get a few bucks for your old motor if you decide to sell it.

I've got two TJs...one that barely gets used (wife's limo) and the other that is used all the time. The "in-use" one is a car I bought from an old bloke who had to give up his licence. It had 120k on the clock and was in really good nick plus, at the time, my TS 3L wagon had blown its head so it was a beneficial happenstance. But, you know what? I love the TJ....its power and quietness, etc... but I have a hell of a time getting doggy (a StaffyX) into the back seat...she tries to jump in the boot! She remembers the wagon and was happy in it. So if I had my time over I would have probably fixed the engine in the TS and just kept the wagon because it was strong, had heaps of room for doggy and other stuff and drove really well.

If you have the dough and can afford the motor...buy it and put it aside until your current donk carks it. Your wagon is a known quantity and if all the other bits are AOK then why not do the thing up?

I had a good laugh reading this thread. No more depreciation on the magnas -so true. That means we get to spend 3k /year on upgrades with a clear conscience and we're still technically ahead ;)

By the way, any progress on the 3.8 conversion?