What does a replacement engine or rebuild cost?

There are a huge number of variables involved in an engine swap, depending on the model of vehicle. If you take your car to a dealer, they will only fit new, genuine parts, but an independent repairer can offer you a new engine, a reconditioned engine or a second-hand engine.

This could be the difference between a $28,000 brand new engine, a $12,000 reco engine or a $5000 engine from a salvage yard. The price for a second-hand unit will depend on the mileage travelled, whether it's a common model, and how often the engine fails.

The benefit of fitting a new engine is the manufacturer warranty, which is likely to cover the engine for either 12 or 24 months limited kilometres.

A reconditioned engine will come with a similar warranty while a second-hand engine will come with (up to) a three-month warranty. Some salvage yards will offer you an extended warranty if you pay an additional amount.

Repairers largely rely on a combination of manufacturer guided repair times and experience when they work out the labour required to remove and replace an engine. In addition to the time involved in removing the engine, there will also be time added to replace other components depending on what caused the engine to fail in the first place.

Most quality repairers will recommend that in addition to the engine being replaced, the timing components should also be replaced. That could mean the timing belt with tensioner, pulleys and water pump or timing chains (typically a more complex and expensive set up).

Expect a higher quote to include engine gaskets, an oil change with filter and potentially an air conditioning re-gas if the system has been disconnected and drained as part of the engine removal.

Request a full break down of the labour and parts outlined for the repair. Ask if the quote includes fluids and what kind of warranty is supplied with the repair.

If the engine is second-hand, then ask how many kilometres it has travelled – you ideally want an engine which has travelled less than the one that’s failed.

A complimentary oil change and inspection once the car has travelled 1000-1500km on the new engine is not mandatory, but is welcome. It doesn't hurt to ask the workshop whether it will come to the party for that.

Shop around. If your car has been towed to a workshop, you don’t have to get the work completed there if you’re not happy with the quote.

When comparing quotes, make sure you’re comparing apples with apples. If one workshop is considerably cheaper, then ask yourself why? Are they suggesting that some components don't need to be replaced? If so, why? If one workshop has extra components listed for replacement, again, ask why.

The workshop you choose to go with will obviously be dependent on your budget, and potentially how long you plan to retain the car.

Get a quote for a new engine versus a second-hand engine. The difference charged might be more manageable than expected and the extra spend may be worth it if you intend to keep the vehicle.

Many customers worry that they're being taken for a ride by their mechanics, but as often as not there's a reason why the quote for an engine replacement or rebuild is higher than expected. If you're worried that the quote is excessive, obtain another quote and compare notes.

Declaration: in addition to being a contributor to carsales, the author of this advice guide is the co-owner and operator of an independent repair workshop.