New Motor Vs. Rebuilt One
by Jen Davis
No vehicle owner looks forward to the day when he learns that he will need a new engine for his car or truck. The benefit of replacing the engine with a new or rebuilt engine is that the car can be expected to run for many more years. Replacing the engine is almost always less expensive than buying a new car. Benefits and disadvantages come with both new and rebuilt engines.
New Engines
New engines are factory manufactured replacement engines. They contain all brand new parts, and as long as you purchase a brand new engine that is the same type/size as your previous engine, the engines will be completely identical to your old engine and will work perfectly with all the parts in your vehicle.
New Engine Considerations
A newly purchased engine is guaranteed to arrive in perfect condition and run well as long as it is installed properly. New engines are almost always covered by warranties. The downside to a new engine is the cost, however. New factory engines will often cost you several thousand dollars ,and higher end, more powerful engines can cost well above $10,000 as of 2011.
Rebuilt Engines
A rebuilt engine is an engine that has been used for the majority of its useful lifespan and has been completely overhauled to extend its lifespan. A rebuilt engine has been taken apart completely and had its internal components either repaired, refinished or completely replaced with new parts. A rebuilt engine is not a new engine, but when an engine is rebuilt properly it can significantly extend the lifespan of your vehicle. A rebuilt engine is not the same as a re-manufactured engine. A re-manufactured engine has all new parts and has been completely overhauled to original factory or high performance specifications.
Rebuilt Engine Considerations
Rebuilding an engine takes a decent amount of mechanical skill, and not all rebuilt engines are built equally, which can make buying a rebuilt engine or having your existing engine rebuilt a bit of a gamble. To ensure success, verify that the person or company you are having rebuild the engine or are buying the engine from has a good reputation for rebuilding engines and offers a solid warranty on its work. You will also want to ensure the engine was fully rebuilt; sticking a new head gasket on an engine does not constitute a full rebuild as the pistons, rods, crank and cam will still have 200,000 or so miles on them. Rebuilt engines are often significantly less expensive than new engines, but you need to do your research ahead of time before you make a purchase.
References
Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
