told I need to replace the whole engine

First
Where are you?

(As a newbee post five times for quicker replies)

 

Local community resources: ask family, friends, church, gym buddies, dinner club... whatever your local social scene is, that's by far the best way. Better than anything you'll find on the internet, anyway.

 

Ouch, first of all, ask around and find a better place to get your car worked on. From my experience, the "chain" places (Midas, Firestone, even some dealerships) are just out to sell the most expensive service they can in order to pad their bottom line.
Do you have the Neighborhood App on your phone? Post a local question about auto mechanics and you will get a LOT of replies....and you want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly! The best mechanics I've found are usually honest older guys with their own shop and once they make you part of their family, you are set. (I've had a few like that...SUCH a blessing to know they are speaking the truth about what the car really needed.)

Concerning the original head gasket repair, talk to the manager and talk about the warranty on the repair...which Midas DOES have on all their services. (All mechanic shops do...it's usually 12 or 24 months.) So that money you originally paid should be either refunded or they deduct any ADDITIONAL work from that.

Keep us posted...

 

Don't even think about getting an engine from Midas! Another head gasket for free or a refund only.

Most local mechanics have never seen or worked on a Prius head gasket. If it was bad enough for Midas to diagnose it, it needed an engine then. These engines have several design flaws with piston rings being the biggest. Massive carbon and egr problems as well.

A professionally rebuilt and installed engine for $4k all in is possible. Keep that is mind.

 

PM from Op:

"I am in Flint, Michigan. I called them, they said the work they did was not on the part of the engine that is now malfunctioning. I don't have enough knowledge to argue against that so I took their word for it. I asked if their warranty at all applied, they just gave me condolences and said its understandable im frustrated but they can't do anything."

 

How many mi after the head gasket repair did it start acting up? You drove approximately 30k mi a year the last three years…

 

Midas stores are mostly franchises. Talk to their corporate offices to see if they can assist.

Talking points; If the rods and bearing were shot; why did they sell you a head gasket repair? Any rookie mechanic should've saw this a mile away. You don't sell someone an expensive "patch-job"; because this is what happens. Now everyone's upset.

When I was working in my dad's independent shop; we would send customer packing - if they want to cheap-out. Ie. bring in their own parts and expect us to warranty their cheap, knock-off, and sometimes defective parts. Quality matters in a big, expensive, build - something as small as a bad or out of spec. washer, means your doing the job again - on your own dime...

Hope this helps........

 

Check out Te Car Care Nut's video on YouTube. This is what you really needed. He is, however in Chicago - about 300 miles from Flint,

It might be worth the wait and the transport to Chicago, though, if you really want the job done right,

 

Poor guy, he's going to end up spending Way more than needed there. $6500 is about $2k higher than Hybrid Pitstop can do the Gold engine swap for him...but there's the problem of distance. Maybe CCN will charge him less labor if he doesn't have to fully rebuild an engine for him in house.

 

Sigh. Do you have any info about Midas’ warranty policy on repairs? (Their website says ask the manager).

It honestly sounds like they failed to repair your engine properly but don’t want to be responsible for it…