What shall I do? New turbo, 2nd hand turbo or reconditioned turbo?

[Reeceyy]

I've got a huge crack in my turbo and I'll need to sort it asap. I'm not the expert here so id like to know what my best option would be? My options are the following:

1. But a new compatible turbo from autodoc (which one I don't know yet)
2. Buy a 2nd hand turbo
3. Recondition my current turbo

What would youse do?

Thanks

[ZoliWorks]

I'd buy a new turbo but I would go for original Borg Warner, not any of these aftermarket suppliers. If it's a K03, any used turbo you buy will most likely have the same issue as yours does or will fail not long after. There's a reason why they are under $200. Reconditioning it is another moneypit I'd avoid because they are very hit or miss and in most cases cost as much as an aftermraket Autodoc turbo. Between recoditioned and new aftermarket, go with the latter.

[bacillus]

where are you located mate as I have a low mileage K03 in my loft...

[K03MK5]

Buy new allways I recently learnt the hard way.

[SANDEGTI]

Not sure what the cost of a new K03 is but probably a considerable amount. Personally I'd go for a second hand lower mileage K03 from a reputable seller.

[ZoliWorks]

New BorgWarner K03 will be around 1.2k euros. New aftermarket replacement part K03 will be 600-800 euros. Used should be under 180-250.

[pudding]

For my Edition 30, I got a new Borg Weiner K04 from TurboZentrum for £950.  It was the exact same unit VW used, just less the VW branding.

I wouldn't trust a cheap aftermarket one personally if you want it to last.

[skkane]

Buy new. I reconditioned my K04 after I torched the engine and noticed there was alot of play in the shaft when taking it all apart. It cost ~300 euros total for new core and balancing, nice china core I bet as original BW K04 core is around 750-850EUR. Lasted a good 6 months before it seized completely a few weeks ago. You could only spin the shaft in the opposite direction to what it was supposed to... nice 3 weeks with NA 50HP.

I wanted to get a new one from turbozentrum but decided to spend some extra for a tte420. Either way, not reconditioning turbos again. Might work for diesels or stock cars I guess, those china cores they use.

[pudding]

Refurbished stuff is never as good as brand new, or in the case of TTE, completely reworked with a brand new OEM turbo as a starting point.

Same applies to the injectors. Just replace them with new ones. DI injectors don't refurbish well.