The average price for an engine rebuild is between $2,500 and $4,000 while replacing an engine will typically cost between $4,000 and $7,000 depending on the make, model, and year of the car. Although an engine rebuild can do the trick for smaller fixes, like replacing bearings and seals, it might not do the job if there is extensive engine damage. If this is the case, you need to ask yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it?”
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Even though an engine rebuild is cheaper than replacing the engine, if your engine has too much damage, the rebuild may actually do more harm than good. When fixing the engine, you want the repair to last a long period of time. If there is severe damage to the engine, like holes, overheating, and potential fire risks, an engine rebuild will not be a long-term solution.
In this case, an engine replacement is your best bet. Although It is more expensive when asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” it will be a long-term solution that can eliminate any concerns with engine longevity and durability.
Let’s see the pros and cons of engine rebuild vs. replacements, each fix’s total prices, and what repair job is best for your current situation.
Engine Rebuild vs. Engine Replacement
When asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” you need to know the pros and cons of each fix. Since the transmission and engine are the two most expensive vehicle parts, car owners will have to pay thousands. With the average engine replacement cost coming to between $4,000 and $7,000 on most cars, the total price may not be worth it!
Although there is no clear-cut answer to these situations since every car is different, we will go over the pros and cons of engine replacement vs. fixing the one you currently have.
Engine Replacement Advantages
Firstly, even though engine replacement can cost owners around $7,000 on the high end, it could be worth it for a fairly new vehicle and in good working condition. You will be hard-pressed to find a long-lasting, durable, and high-quality vehicle for less than $5,000 when it comes to reputable cars on the market.
Secondly, rebuilding an engine that has extensive damage is not an option. For example, if you have a failed torque converter, this will cost you between $3,000 and $7,000 to repair at a dealership. If this is the case, you will have to spend much more than $7,000 to replace the converter and the engine. In this server scenario, an engine replacement will SAVE you money!
Lastly, rebuilding an engine does not guarantee that the parts will not continue to fail soon after the fix – so why risk it? You may eventually have the same problems you’re currently experiencing since the rebuild won’t actually repair the problems but just postpone them a few months or a few years. Sometimes spending less money initially seems like a good idea, but if the fix is not long-lasting, it can end up leading to a higher cost in the end.
Engine Rebuild Advantages – Is It Cheaper To Rebuild An Engine Or Replace It
If you decide that your engine only has minimal damage, as the O rings or seals, the rebuild is a safe and cost-effective option for your vehicle. When finding out “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” you will find that a rebuild will save you thousands of dollars!
The advantages of choosing this option involve recycling engine parts and reducing the stress and environmental harm from replacing an internal car mechanism. Furthermore, the best benefit of choosing a rebuild is the compatibility with the electrical system. Keeping the original parts increases the electrical connectivity and communication system.
In an engine rebuild, the most common parts that have to be replaced due to friction damage and wear-and-tear include the O rings, bearings, gaskets, timing belt, timing chain, valve springs, oil pump, and seals. If your engine has extensive damage, then the mechanic may also have to replace the crankshaft and pistons.
If your engine has damage with wear-and-tear parts, like the O rings and bearings, then a rebuild will most likely take care of the origin of the problem. In this case, when asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” you’ll see that a rebuild will remedy the initial cause and save you a few thousand dollars in the process.
Engine Rebuild Disadvantages
When asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” you may find the damage is too extensive for an engine rebuild. If expensive parts are damaged or malfunctioning, like the crankshaft and pistons, a rebuild may take more time and effort in the long run.
If your engine has extensive damage to the pistons and crankshaft, a rebuild may not be the best choice. The engine block may have to be bored to align correctly, meaning that the total labor time may override the money you could save from an engine rebuild.
In this case, you have two options – pay for the engine replacement or sell your car to a local and reputable junk car dealer like CashCarsBuyer. Once you find the answer to “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” you can decide which path is best for you to take. When analyzing the benefits and negatives of an engine rebuild vs. a replacement vs. selling your car, it will all depend on the make, model, year, and condition of your car!
Is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it?
Engine Rebuild
The average engine rebuild cost will drastically differ depending on what kind of engine you are building, your make and model of car, and your mechanic or dealership location. An older car, like a used Volkswagen, could cost you only between $300 and $400 for the engine rebuild kit. However, a water-cooled four-cylinder engine kit can be rebuilt to the desired specifications for between $400 and $500.
More performance-oriented engines will obviously cost more, with a six-cylinder engine costing between $500 and $600 and an eight-cylinder engine ranging between $600 and $700. If you plan on doing a rebuild on a high-performance or luxury cars such as a Chevy or Ford truck, you can spend upwards of $1,200 on a kit to do the rebuild yourself.
In addition, blockwork and repairs on the head machine can add around $300-$500 for the total engine rebuild cost. When asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” this can also depend on the severity of problems and if you decide to do the labor yourself!
Even though the engine rebuild kits are quite cheap for fixing engine issues, the labor cost will add thousands of dollars to the previously quoted price. The average time for an older or used vehicle will be between 10-15 hours of billed time. For more modern cars, drivers should expect between 15 and 20 hours of labor for a typical replacement. Since labor prices are generally between $80 and $100 per hour, the total cost of labor for an engine rebuild will be between $1,200 and $2,000 in the mid-range price estimate.
Engine Replacement
On average, expect to pay at least $1,000 on the low end, while a high-end garage or dealership will generally cost around $4,000 on average for the replacement cost. New engines will typically run around $4,00 for a 4-cylinder engine, while you can expect to pay closer to $5,500 for a V6 engine and $7,000 for a V8 engine.
Since the engine is such a complicated and complex mechanism, drivers should expect the labor costs to cost at least $1,000 – and that’s on the low end of the price spectrum. A basic garage could charge as little as $50 an hour, while a specialized mechanic or dealership could be triple the price.
For those calculating “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” the average time for an old vehicle will be between 10-15 hours of billed time. For more modern cars, drivers should expect between 15 and 20 hours of labor for a typical replacement.
The Bottom Line – Is It Cheaper To Rebuild An Engine Or Replace It
As you can see, when asking yourself, “is it cheaper to rebuild an engine or replace it,” there are many variables that can affect the answer. If your engine has minimal damage, like O-ring wear and tear or seal concerns, then an engine rebuild kit can be the way to go. Spending around $1,500 on labor and $1,000 on parts will cost much less than spending between $4,000 and $7,000 on a replacement.
However, if there is more extensive damage that can only worsen over time, an engine replacement could be the best choice for your car. If you have a well taken care of and you like everything else about the car, paying for an engine replacement will be able to keep your car on the road for a long time. In this situation, paying between $4,000 and $7,000 is worth it!