Should I Buy A Car With A Rebuilt Engine?

Maybe your like

Where was it rebuilt?

should i buy a car with a rebuilt engine

Our expert for this article, Troy Snyder, is the chief operating officer of NADA Guides, a publication that follows the transaction prices of used cars. The folks at NADA Guides offer great insight into the value of used cars. “A rebuilt engine can be as good as the OEM one,” Snyder said. “Sometimes a rebuilt engine can maintain the original engine warranty.”

If you’re looking at a car with a rebuilt engine, he said that you should look at where the service was performed. “Certain organizations (like a dealership) are trusted to handle such a job,” she said. “If you go down to your regular mechanics shop there’s more risk involved.”

Even so, Snyder said vehicles with rebuilt engines aren’t necessarily something you should avoid. “I wouldn’t put a rebuilt engine in the same realm as a salvage title,” he said. A salvage title could have many underlying problems like flood damage or a serious accident history, while a car with a rebuilt engine has just one concern: the motor.

Correcting Defects

Snyder also said a rebuilt engine isn’t necessarily a sign of abuse or overuse. He once owned a car that needed an engine rebuild after 20,000 miles. The service took place under warranty by the automaker and the engine is still covered under the original guarantee.

“Most of the reported rebuilds for cars with fewer than 120,000 miles are for high oil consumption,” said TrueDelta owner and creator Michael Karesh. TrueDelta shares the real-life reliability history of vehicles, reported by actual owners of the car. Karesh has a lot of data to sift through and sees whether a certain car is problematic when it comes to repairs and service. Reports also detail how old or worn a car is when problems arise and even how much to expect when it comes to a repair.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Best Engines of 2019: WardsAuto

The data at TrueDelta also shows that engine rebuilds are highly unusual at an early stage of ownership.

“I don’t see why anyone would be more concerned about these than the same model without a rebuilt engine” Karesh said. “Buyers should possibly be less concerned, as the new rings should prevent the problem [of high oil consumption].”

Context is one of the most important aspects in deciding whether you should buy a vehicle with a rebuilt engine or not. Consider how old or worn the car is and where the rebuild took place. If it happened after 120,000 miles or more, a rebuilt engine shouldn’t necessarily be surprising. A vehicle with fewer miles may still be covered under its factory warranty even if it has a rebuilt engine. Above all, be sure to get a pre-purchase inspection before buying any used car and get the details behind why the engine rebuild was performed.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Best Torque Wrenches

As a rule of thumb, we’d suggest buying certified pre-owned vehicles directly from the manufacturer or cars with a warranty from a reputable used car dealership. If you want to save a few bucks buying a car with a refurbished engine, this will at least ensure you have a certain amount of insurance should things go wrong. You should always ask for a certified vehicle history as well from a company like CarFax.

In conclusion, we’d say that older cars with rebuilt (or entirely replaced) engines are not uncommon. Should you come across one you are thinking about buying, you might want to take it to a trusted mechanic for a brief inspection before you buy. These engines might not last as long as one that hasn’t been rebuilt, though.

If it’s a newer vehicle or a vehicle with low miles and it has a rebuilt engine, we’d be very suspicious of the vehicle and would probably stay away.

Share Print #EngineRebuild #RebuiltEngine #ShouldYouBuyACarWithARebuiltEngine #WhatIsARebuiltEngine #DoesMyCarNeedAnEngineRebuild Add/Edit + Add Hashtags

Sami Haj-Assaad

Sami has an unquenchable thirst for car knowledge and has been at AutoGuide for the past six years. He has a degree in journalism and media studies from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto and has won multiple journalism awards from the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada. Sami is also on the jury for the World Car Awards.

More by Sami Haj-Assaad

Published March 6th, 2015 3:58 PM Autoguide Insurance 2 of 9 comments See more

Shira Erista on Jun 28, 2022
Hi Sami! your article is quite interesting and informative. I found lots of useful information that to my knowledge. I was confused about the rebuilt engine but now it's all clear. Thank you! Keep posting new articles on rebuilt or used engines.
Like Reply
Mary on Mar 06, 2023
I was looking at a 1989 Jeep Grand wagoner. So nice with the side paneling and roof rack it does have $152,000 and a rebuilt engine a 316 Cid. Anyone know if this is decent?
Like Reply