I have had a 2009 Vibe GT since I bought it new. It has 188,000 km
A few months ago the engine overheated. The radiator cracked and melted. Thermostat was replaced. Later on the thermostat began leaking again and ii was replaced again. Now the car seems like is leaking oil as there is oil residue on top of the heat shield in the middle top area of the engine. I also use up about a quarter of a jug of coolant per gas fill up.
Mechanic is suggesting that the coolant is leaking internally due to internal engine damage and may need a new engine or to junk the car. The car is in good shape. Regular synthetic oil changes, new tranny, also rust proofing.
I'm in Toronto Canada.
Questions
Is it worth either rebuilding the engine or replacing it with a used one as I assume a new engine is not an option.
Are coolant issues like this common and is there a fix?