How to price a running used engine?

[GavinT]

If looking at a used replacement fully dressed engine which appears to be healthy, how would one arrive at a fair price?.  1/3 or even 1/2 the cost of a rebuild? Engine has 50k on it and supposedly has been well maintained. Thanks in advance!.

[andydclements]

Rather than just rebuild cost, you'd have to factor in the value of the parts that would be retained, such as the block, head and ancillaries. In an Esprit they are probably now getting more rare so increasing in value. 

[Guest]

Used engines are risky, so taking the gamble must be factored into the price.   If a rebuild on my current engine is say $6000 would it not be logical to say pay no more than $3000 for the used running engine. On the basis that paying more than $3000 edges closer to the cost of the rebuild and then that becomes the better option. 

[Chillidoggy]

I considered buying a spare engine some time ago. I found only one or two S4s engines for sale, one of which was priced at about £3,500 from memory. It didn’t make economic sense to me, but I’ll let you know when I finish the current rebuild, although I suspect it won’t be as much as that. What I do know is after 75,000 miles, my cylinder head needed a lot of work, although the remainder of the engine wasn’t too bad and would have soldiered on for perhaps another 10,000 miles. However should be noted that the S4s boosts at 1 bar, more than other models apart from the S300, and I suspect wear could be more pronounced as a result, more so than less potent units.

Personally, I wouldn’t give any more than £1,500 for a dressed, running engine, for the reasons stated above, unless it was very low miles and came with some kind of verifiable history. You really never know what you’re getting, and who’s been in there before.

[Escape]

To be able to do a rebuild, you need something to start from. With parts getting harder to find, that will push the prices of used engines upwards I think. Main problem is how to evaluate an engine if it's out of the car. Unless you can strap it to an engine dyno...

Filip 

[Guest]

Appreciate all the feed back. Conclusion, a take out engine with no supporting documentation of a recent evaluation is not worth a huge heck of an amount. Certainly not in the $3000 - $5000 spread.  That money is better spent rebuilding the power unit I already have.