Hyundai Repair: Hyundai Elantra Timing Belt Broke, hyundai elantra, valve components

Question
Hi,  My Elantra Timing Belt broke yesterday morning when I started the car, put it in reverse, then backed up 5 feet.  I took it to the Mechanic who said that the valves are damaged and he could repair the cylinder heads and valves for about $1800 (CDN) but my best bet would be to replace the entire engine for $2500 (CDN).  Should I be looking for another mechanic?  Do I honestly need to replace the engine due to this problem?  The car has 276K km on it.

Answer
It wouldn't be unusual for the valves and head to be damaged.  In some severe cases, pistons and cylinder walls can be damaged as well.  I cannot say for certain whether this damage has occurred without looking at the vehicle, but everything you report is plausible.  

I think the reason the mechanic has recommended the entire engine is the amount of mileage on your car.  If you simply repair the damaged head and valve components, you may have significant engine troubles in the block in the near future because of the amount of use on the engine.

You should also assess whether your car is worth spending the amount of money necessary to repair it.  Assess what your car is worth to you and call a few other places and find out what they'd charge for the same repairs.  You'll need to know what specific repairs need to be done to the cylinder head.  Most likely, all the valves will need to be replaced.