Volvo 850 Seized engine - advice appreciated

[mdiehl]

Hello everyone! What a great Friday it was turning out to be until my '93 850 2.4L decided to leave me stranded on the road. Engine just stopped, and wouldn't turn over.

After talking to the shop, they attempted to turn the crankshaft with a 4' long prybar and couldn't get it to budge. Now I'm finding myself in a quandry.

The car had 157,000 miles on it when the odometer stopped working 16 months ago. the AC has always had problems in the hottest part of the summer, and the overall age of the vehicle is starting to show.

I'd like to get the advice of other people who have faced similar situations, and whether it's worth my time (and money) to replace the engine or not.

Obviously budget is a big concern. (Otherwise I'd be driving a XC70! ) I want to know if it's realistic to try and fix this, or just save the $$$ and purchase something of similar vintage.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[matthew1]

Unrealistic to fix, unless you're a mechanic and have free time.

Otherwise you're talking about putting in $3000+* into a car that, in its current state, is worth maybe $1000.

* assuming you need a new engine