Rebuilt engines - good or bad?

I'm looking for an older, inexpensive station wagon (Corolla or Camry,
if I can find one). A lot of the cars I'm seeing have rebuilt engines,
even when they're not that old ( a friend is selling a 1997 Escort with
97,000 miles and a rebuilt engine and transmission).

Is a rebuilt engine a plus or minus? Does it mean the car had problems
or saw a lot of use, and needed a new engine? Or does it mean I'm
getting a new engine with plenty of life? My father always told me not
to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
rebuilds as if they're good things.

SB

[email]skybearer@gmail.com[/email] wrote:[color=blue]
> I'm looking for an older, inexpensive station wagon (Corolla or Camry,
> if I can find one). A lot of the cars I'm seeing have rebuilt engines,
> even when they're not that old ( a friend is selling a 1997 Escort with
> 97,000 miles and a rebuilt engine and transmission).
>
> Is a rebuilt engine a plus or minus? Does it mean the car had problems
> or saw a lot of use, and needed a new engine? Or does it mean I'm
> getting a new engine with plenty of life? My father always told me not
> to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
> rebuilds as if they're good things.
>
> SB[/color]

I agree with your father, rebuilding and installing an engine is a big
task, lots of room for new problems to crop up (non engine related
too), I had a tempo with over 300K on it with original engine and
transmission, but it had 30 oil changes, so something with original
engine and 120-150K serviced miles on it should be your preference, in
my opinion.. .

<skybearer@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1167849528.060384.278680@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> I'm looking for an older, inexpensive station wagon (Corolla or Camry,
> if I can find one). A lot of the cars I'm seeing have rebuilt engines,
> even when they're not that old ( a friend is selling a 1997 Escort with
> 97,000 miles and a rebuilt engine and transmission).
>
> Is a rebuilt engine a plus or minus? Does it mean the car had problems
> or saw a lot of use, and needed a new engine? Or does it mean I'm
> getting a new engine with plenty of life? My father always told me not
> to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
> rebuilds as if they're good things.
>
> SB
>[/color]
I look at it as a minus. A good car engine well maintained should go over
100,000 miles. If it does not, it may be because the previous owner did not
take care of the engine and probably not the other parts of the car.

I have had 2 cars, both Datsuns that had just over that on them and nothing
had been done to the engine or transmission other than standard maintaince.
Just retired a 1991 Camry I bought new with 190,000 on it and the only
engine work was the timing belt and a water pump. That was not a breakdown
but just the required maintanience. I also bought a Dodge RAm 50 with about
130,000 on it and it now has 160,000 on it. The previous owner had only put
a clutch in the 5 speed transmission.
Some cars just seem to have problems. I had a 84 GM product that the timing
gear went out at 40,000 and again about 90,000. When I bought the car a
friend told me I would be replacing that gear about every 40,000. Friend has
a Ford truck transmission and he cant get but about 40 to 50 thousand out of
it before the transmission goes out. This seems to be about standard for
that modle.

<skybearer@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1167849528.060384.278680@s34g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> I'm looking for an older, inexpensive station wagon (Corolla or Camry,
> if I can find one). A lot of the cars I'm seeing have rebuilt engines,
> even when they're not that old ( a friend is selling a 1997 Escort with
> 97,000 miles and a rebuilt engine and transmission).
>
> Is a rebuilt engine a plus or minus? Does it mean the car had problems
> or saw a lot of use, and needed a new engine? Or does it mean I'm
> getting a new engine with plenty of life? My father always told me not
> to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
> rebuilds as if they're good things.
>
> SB
>[/color]

Whether a rebuilt engine is a plus or minus depends on the skill of the
person doing the rebuilding and the quality of the parts used in the
rebuild. Since there is no real way to determine the skill of the person
who did the rebuild, IMO, buying a car with a rebuilt engine is a toss of
the dice.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

[email]skybearer@gmail.com[/email] wrote:
[color=blue]
>My father always told me not
>to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
>rebuilds as if they're good things.[/color]
I agree with your father: IMO, a "rebuilt" is a definite minus in a
used car with which one is otherwise unfamiliar.
--
HTH,
Derald

On 3 Jan 2007 10:38:48 -0800, [email]skybearer@gmail.com[/email] wrote:
[color=blue]
>I'm looking for an older, inexpensive station wagon (Corolla or Camry,
>if I can find one). A lot of the cars I'm seeing have rebuilt engines,
>even when they're not that old ( a friend is selling a 1997 Escort with
>97,000 miles and a rebuilt engine and transmission).
>
>Is a rebuilt engine a plus or minus? Does it mean the car had problems
>or saw a lot of use, and needed a new engine? Or does it mean I'm
>getting a new engine with plenty of life? My father always told me not
>to get used cars with rebuilt engines, but some of the cars talk about
>rebuilds as if they're good things.
>
>SB[/color]

Two things - One, a rebuilt engine is a red flag at 97K Miles - If
they didn't cook the old engine (ignored blown head gasket, etc.) I'll
bet you that's closer to 150K - 200K miles if it needed one. It's
very illegal, but people still clock (rollback) cars odometers
regularly - that's what CARFAX is supposed to catch but doesn't
always.

Two, it's only a plus if the engine work was done by a competent
shop that you can go check out, and the rebuild has a warranty with it
that is transferable to you - should give you 3/36 at the least. The
quality of the work done and parts used could be all over the map.

If you can't check it out, a new engine alone is not a plus. You
still want to have a mechanic check over the car before you buy.

--<< Bruce >>--