Used Car - New Engine Fitted...Good or Bad?
Used Car - New Engine Fitted...Good or Bad?
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Discussion

wiliferus

Original Poster:

4,201 posts

221 months

Monday 20th February 2012
quotequote all
Currently looking around for a new car, I've come across a few which the ad states its had a new engine fitted recently. Now I automatically look over them as I view that as a bad thing...I can't get my head around why someone would go to the expense of fitting a whole new engine and then sell it on unless

1. It's a bodge job and the car will never be the same again.
2. It's a friday afternoon car and it wil be riddled with niggles so they've got fed up and are getting shot.

Now the adverts obviously sell the new engine as a good thing, and I can see why. If I knew nothing about cars then the ads with this selling point would probably appeal, but it just doesn't sit right with me. I'm not talking old cars which have been restored either, basically 4-5 year old euro-boxes.

Am I missing a trick?

Dilligaf10

2,431 posts

233 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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My neighbour has just had a brand new engine fitted to his 2006 Sedona under warranty after the oil pump failed.

He is thinking of selling it as he wants a smaller car now so perfectly legit reason for sale.

andy-xr

13,204 posts

227 months

Monday 20th February 2012
quotequote all
I've sold a couple of cars on with new engines. They left me in better nick than they arrived, it was a selling point. These were around 10-15 years old though

I think if I saw a 4-5 year old car with a new engine I'd want to know what happened and whether it's likely to happen again, but would think it generally OK

Rubin215

4,200 posts

179 months

Monday 20th February 2012
quotequote all
A workmate had a whole new engine fitted in his Mazda after the original started going "clonk" at first start up.
Everything was done under warranty and he sold the car less than a year later when he was promoted and didn't need to travel as far.

Another workmate put a reconditioned engine in his girlfriends focus after she hadn't checked the oil in a few years and it seized.
He then convinced her to flog it straight away as it was also going to need a lot of other work before its next mot.

Lots of reasons why an engine might have been changed; some good some bad.

T16OLE

2,964 posts

214 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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I think it depends on whether it was replaced under warranty, if so can see it being a bad thing.

Although personally I`d prefer to have the original engine fitted

I paid £1k for a recon engine in my Alfa GTV, waste of money crap "recon" engine.

SMcP114

2,916 posts

215 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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People usually lose heart in a car when the engine goes, so they cut their losses, fix it, and sell it on. It's no big deal for me.

Fish981

1,441 posts

208 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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doogz said:
If it's just had a new engine fitted, it should have some sort of warranty.
Which will only apply to the original owner, not the new one.



wiliferus

Original Poster:

4,201 posts

221 months

Monday 20th February 2012
quotequote all
Fish981 said:
doogz said:
If it's just had a new engine fitted, it should have some sort of warranty.
Which will only apply to the original owner, not the new one.
Interesting point, hadn't considered that. If the new lump was fitted at a main dealer would the warranty not carry?

Decky_Q

1,971 posts

200 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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Depends entirely on the history available for the new engine, if its an ebay job then it could be a bag of nails, as I found out on a recon alfa engine that I had to have recon'd myself after its first rattly start up (40k my arse) frown

joewilliams

2,004 posts

224 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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They may well have bought a new car whilst the old one was being fixed - I've had to do that before.

carreauchompeur

18,303 posts

227 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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SMcP114 said:
People usually lose heart in a car when the engine goes, so they cut their losses, fix it, and sell it on. It's no big deal for me.
Very true...

I bought a Primera from auctions ages back. Through a combination of poor maintenance and a botched oilway clearance by a garage, the big end went.

Found an engine from a place in Salford. First one they fitted was an utter dog, belching white smoke. The next one was a peach.

Once you go fitting s/h engines it's pot luck. The only ones I would generally trust slightly more are Jap imports which may have failed the Shaken. Random engines from crashed cars, etc? Aaaahm oot.

Davel

8,982 posts

281 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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Had an XK8 once and jagura had replaced the engine themselves as a warranty job.

The engine came with a new warranty so no issue.

I think that I'd be happy with a manufacturer or dealer engine replacement and warranty but not a back street garage job.

Denis O

2,141 posts

266 months

Monday 20th February 2012
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Sold a V8 Disco with a new LR engine in it because the original had a slipped liner/porous block. Totally genuine and had receipts for the work from a reputable LR indy.

In those circumstances it wouldn't have put me off.