I bought this 2005 Mercury Mariner Premier with a V6/3.0L FWD SUV new off of the lot in 2005 (when I was able to work) and have never abused it in any way.

I had to replace the starter and battery, after repairs my SUV would not turn over or start. A mechanic diagnosed the problem, he told me the engine has seized and I would need to have it replaced or rebuilt.

I asked what caused this since it has less than 36,000 miles and I have changed the oil every 3,000 miles and done all required maintenance? He said that the problem that caused it is unknown, he may be able to tell me if I have him rebuild the engine. I was quoted $700 for a used 'untested' replacement engine with 136k miles, and not sure about the labor.

I have been without a vehicle for 6 weeks now, and I don't have money to fix it since I am disabled and live on a small disability check. Now I have no transportation for going to doctor appointments, grocery store, etc…

I really don't know what I will do to solve this problem at this point.

Update from May 19, 2019: *Turned out the problem was in my choice of mechanic, he wanted to rip me off for a new engine replacement when all I needed was a starter. I found a good mechanic and got a 2nd opinion, found out that the starter had seized up due to corrosion, the replacement of the starter was a huge pain. The steel skid plates were in the way, they needed to be removed to do this repair, (I had spent time up north where they put salt on the roads, this made the repair even more difficult due to the corrosion). I had been quoted $2500.00 by a ford repair shop, but the new mechanic was a family friend so I got it fixed for $350.00 instead.