Nicci

When looking at a car for sale, should the price be much lower if the car has had a new engine?

I notice this feature sometimes cropping up in the adverts.

(No there isn't a particular scoob I am after, as my car hasn't been sold yet).

I wondered if these cars should be excluded from my search, as my feeling is that the car has been thrashed. I suppose some could just be faulty engines.

So how would the value be affected?

jjones

loads of engine failures owing to other things other than being thrashed - e.g. incorrect oil change procedure. or MAF sensor failure (in particular on 99/00 models).

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

My MY00 suffered a big-end bearing failure back in February and had to be rebuilt. It was a lovely car and certainly hadn't been thrashed or abused - seems like it was just a manufacturing or servicing problem.

Of course, a buyer doesn't know that's the case - but it should be possible to tell if the car has been driven hard by looking at the condition of the brakes, clutch, gearbox and suspension, so if they're OK then there's no reason for the car to be any cheaper just because it's had the engine repaired.

The chap who bought my car got a 9000 mile engine instead of a 70,000 mile engine after all, and that's got to be worth something too.

ozzy

The fact it has a new engine shouldn't really affect the price - you're getting something newer that you would on an original car.

The only thing to ask is who did the rebuild and do they have a good reputation for such work. Also, it's worth asking if it was a rebuild or a complete new engine, whether the know the exact cause and how long ago it was.

If the engine blew due to a MAF or ECU fault and they just changed the engine, then it may have suffered damage on the new engine.

I guess the only thing it does it ask more questions, which could put some potential buyers off as the seller will always be trying to convince them it's OK.

Stefan

comic cuts

If it's had a complete engine slotted in I'd say the price would be higher than usual. If it was rebuilt from, say, short motor, I'd want to know who built it. I still wouldn't expect price to be lower though.


CC

rossi_p

iTrader: (26)

sorry the steal the thread here but what is a MAF sensor failure? I have a MY00 which is regulary serviced (at subaru), not thrashed and generally well looked after so would feel hard done by if it just blew out on me.

Eprom

MAF stands for mass airflow, there is a sensor after the air filter, and this measures the amount of air the engine consumes, and then alters the fuelling
To match to obtain the correct mixture. If this sensor starts to read incorrectly you can get under fuelling problems and the fuel to air mixture ratio is incorrect, normally to weak, this can lead detonation and eventually the death of your engine.
A simple way of telling whether your MAF is on the way out, is to perform an ECU re-set if the car then won't idle properly I would change the MAF.


Hope this helps

2000TLondon

Don't know about the price differences, but any new engine or rebuild would put me off buying at all....

scoobyboy

i'm just rebuilding a turbo after a maf failure it blew a hole in no.2 piston and left melted piston on the cylinder walls and some fairly deep grooves as well. unfortunatly no warranty so it's going to be expensive.
as long as the v5 gives the new engine no. then i wouldn't be worried at all

Stephen Pope

If it is s full new engine, then it should be cool. If however you have a new short motor etc, then you will have an engine with partially worn components and new components which i understand will not last as long as a new engine. That said, my car has a new engine and I consider that it would sell for less. I would not buy a car with a new engine.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

I dont see why. Say a car is worth 10k normally. You see it advertised as 10.5k with new engine. A decent engine rebuild or new unit is going to cost anything between 2 and 4 k. So the engine is only costing £500. Performance cars do go pop every now and then, not just because they are thrashed or not properly maintained.
Besides, you can tell if a car has been thrashed by looking at tyres, brakes, amount of stone chips etc.
A car with a new engine should not put you off. How are you supposed to tell if a car with its original engine isnt about to go pop?

Stephen Pope

Chris - I agree with you, but I would still personally be put off by the new engine issue.

rossi_p

iTrader: (26)

Thanks for this... at least I know a little more than before

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

[QUOTE=Stephen Pope]Chris - I agree with you, but I would still personally be put off by the new engine issue.[/QUOTE
The issue may make me look abit harder at other areas, but not put me off.
why would you be put off? just curious thats all