Any mechanic or gearhead will tell you that when it comes to engine swaps and finding cheap engines, there are a lot of moving parts that need to line up just right for the project to be a success. Luckily, finding the right cheap engine for your project is much easier than actually installing them.
Ten Places to Find Cheap Engines
First and foremost, when searching the web for cheap engines, it’s important to decide just what type of engine you wish to purchase.
Are you looking for a diesel engine or a gasoline engine? What is your budget? Would you prefer a new cheap engine or a used engine?
What is the make of the vehicle? Dodge, Chevy, Ford, Subaru, Mazda, Land Rover and even Oldsmobile and Saturn engines flood the online engine market, which is why it’s essential to have a set engine in mind before beginning your search.
If you are on the prowl for a replacement engine, it is important to write down your vehicle’s VIN, the engine code, and the production date of the vehicle. Engine dealers and engine resale websites may ask that you provide some or all of that information to find the right cheap engine for your car.
If you are an old-school type of guy/gal, then finding the right cheap engine for your project might involve scouring the local junkyards or cracking open the phone book under “Auto Parts – Used and Rebuilt.”
The phone book and the junkyard are always an excellent place to start your search for cheap engines, but if you are like most people, the internet will be your preferred search method.
Luckily, there are hundreds of new and used auto parts dealers online. Even if your prefer scouring the junkyard for parts, most junk and scrap yards catalog the parts they salvage these days and make them available for purchase online.
No matter where you are in your search, the internet is going to be your best bet to find all of the used auto parts and cheap engines you will need for your project.
eBay
eBay really does make the engine shopping process easier. You can buy anything on eBay, including cheap engines, used engines, and diesel engines. On eBay, you can sort by the type of engine you’re looking for by engine make, year, available warranty, delivery method, condition, and price.
In fact, simply typing “eBay engines” into Google will yield the different categories of cheap engines that they have to offer, even before you click on the link.
Once you have found the cheap engine you would like to purchase, eBay gives you the option to buy it outright at the price listed or bid on the engine.
eBay provides all of the engine’s important information and answers any questions you might immediately have right on the page, including seller information, the price of shipping and the condition of the engine.
Facebook Marketplace
One of the more inconvenient aspects of searching for a cheap engine for sale is communicating with the cheap engine dealer. Facebook Marketplace makes communicating with engine and auto parts dealers a breeze and removes a significant amount of hassle from the engine buying process.
According to Facebook, “Marketplace is a place for people to discover, buy, and sell items listed on Facebook within their local community.” This feature conveniently makes the platform perfect for finding and purchasing cheap engines and locating hard-to-find auto parts and engines for sale.
Facebook marketplace allows engine shoppers to filter results of their search by location and proximity, as well as by price and category. There are thousands of listings on Facebook for every city including gas engines, diesel engines, and engines for nearly every make and model.
LKQ Online
LKQ Online is one of North America’s largest online providers of recycled and original auto parts for cars and light-duty trucks.
LKQ Online mainly markets their products to buyers looking for replacement parts for damaged vehicles and collision repair, however, their extensive inventory makes LKQ Online an excellent website for finding cheap engines, used engines, and refurbished auto parts.
LKQ Online is a terrific resource for engine shoppers looking to rebuild and refurbish an existing engine. Their website conveniently breaks the engine compartment of the vehicle down to different categories which can then be filtered in order to find the exact engine part that you are looking to purchase.
GotEngines.com
GotEngines.com is an online wholesaler of cheap engines and transmissions. Their website makes it easy to select the exact engine for your project.
Gotengines.com makes finding your cheap engine easy because they have an extensive inventory that is continuously updated for the most aggressive pricing on cheap engines for every make and model, including foreign cars.
Gotengines.com offers a five-year parts warranty, free shipping, and a live customer service line which offers technical know-how and advice to customers who have questions as to which engine is right for them.
GotEngines.com urges customers to call and speak with one of their techs to make sure they are entirely satisfied and purchase the exact engine they need for their project.
They claim to have the most knowledgeable techs in the business who “don’t make empty promises” about the services they can provide and the types of cheap engines they have available.
SW Engines
SWEngines claims to have the largest, most comprehensive database of used engines in the country and boasts a 99.4% customer satisfaction rate on their website.
SW Engines is similar to GotEngines.com in that their website allows shoppers to sort by make and model of vehicle in order to find the cheap engine that is right for their project.
Furthermore, SW Engines provides product and engine reviews so that you can be certain of your engine choice as well as a three-year part and labor warranty on every engine that they sell.
Automotix
Automotix should be on the list of shopping destinations for anyone looking to purchase cheap engines, used engines, and engines for nearly every make and model still on the road.
Automotix offers a comprehensive website that enables the shopper to filter through thousands of engines by make and model, but also provides local options for purchasing cheap engines.
The local purchasing options allow for faster shipping of gas, diesel and even hybrid engines for your car, truck or SUV, which means your car is off the road for less time.
AutoGator
AutoGator is a full-service auto recycler that makes finding the right cheap engine for your project as easy as scrolling a web page. They offer thousands of used, cheap and recycled engines available for nearly every make and model and ship to anywhere in the continental United States.
Weller Auto Parts
Weller Auto Parts is an auto salvage company that offers an extensive selection of cheap engines as well as used and refurbished engines and engine parts.
Weller Auto Parts can be found at their website, but also at their store on eBay. Weller guarantees that if you cant find the right engine for you on their website that one of their 1500 industry partners will be able to provide it.
UsedEngines.Org
If UsedEngines.org isn’t on your cheap engine shopping list, it should be. UsedEngines.org offers shoppers used car engines at more competitive rates than many of their competitors.
If you are not sure as to which cheap engine to purchase, UsedEngines.org provides a webpage of their most popular and sold engine makes and models so you can see what other cheap engine shoppers have purchased for their project.
Powertrain Direct
Powertrain Direct supplies cheap engine shoppers with cheap engines for sale. They offer the industry’s widest range of replacement car engines as well as crate engines, rebuilt engines, and remanufactured engines.
Powertrain Direct offers refurbished engine warranty coverage and industry-leading low prices on refurbished motors, which makes them an ideal choice for cheap engines and cheap engine parts regardless of the vehicle you’re working on or the size of your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of cheap engines?
A cheap engine refers to the price, rather than the quality, of a specific engine. All of the above-listed options offer quality engines for every price range. Every car and engine replacement project is different and may call for a different type of engine which is why we’ve given you access to just about as many engines as there are cars.
New Engines – New engines offer several benefits over other options cheap engine options. New engines are typically more expensive than remanufactured engines but are also likely to have fewer issues. In general, new engines provide peace of mind from the guarantee that the new engine contains nothing but new engine components that have never been used in a vehicle before. New engines also typically come with the best warranties.
Crate Engine – Crate engines arrive nearly ready to run straight out of the crate. Crate engines come fully assembled, which allows you to avoid the hassle of rebuilding an entire engine.
Remanufactured Engine – Have been fully disassembled and rebuilt from the ground up by the manufacturer or certified third-party. May offer limited warranties.
What information do I need in order to purchase the right cheap engine for my vehicle?
It’s always a good idea when shopping for cheap engines to know the VIN of your vehicle, the make & model, as well as the production date of the vehicle.
Engines are often rebuilt and refurbished, and smart shoppers looking for cheap engines should consider writing down the specific features they would like included in their engine. This might allow you to avoid the purchase of what you thought to be the right engine only to find it lacking the desired component.
How do I find cheap engines for foreign cars?
Foreign car engines are generally a little harder to find than domestic engines. However SW Engines and Got Engines both provide foreign engine listings as well as EBay and Facebook Marketplace, all of which have hundreds of foreign car engine listings that are available for purchase.
I don’t know anything about engines, how do I know I’m buying the right cheap engine for my car?
The short answer is to ask an expert. Most of the above-listed engine dealers offer online, over the phone, and in person support. Engine dealers want you to buy their engine over a competitor’s, which is why they will take the time to educate you on the engines that you are considering and ensure that you are buying the right cheap engine for your project.
What are some questions I should ask before I buy a cheap engine?
Shoppers looking for cheap engines should ask the engine dealer about the history of the engine, if it has ever been refurbished, rebuilt or remanufactured at any time, and if it has ever been involved in a collision.
Once those questions have been answered, the next questions to ask are whether the engine comes with a warranty, a parts guarantee, and how much it will cost to ship the engine to your shop.
How much does it cost to ship an engine?
The answer to that question will depend on where you are shipping the engine and from where it is shipped. However, most engine dealers offer free shipping as an incentive for you to buy from them over a competitor.
Cheap Doesn’t Mean Poor Quality
Now that you know how and where to shop for cheap engines, you can hit the web and begin searching for the right new or used motor for your project. Be it a Jeep engine or a Jaguar engine, the dealers and shopping platforms listed here can and will provide you with the best possible cheap engine options available on the market.
Don’t forget to do your research. Compare and consider all of your options before making an informed decision. There are so many to choose from that no matter the engine that you are searching for, you’ll likely find other options available for much less than you think, so don’t go with the first one you find!
