How Much Does a Used Engine Cost? Real Prices From 17,303 Engines
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A tested used engine usually costs between $1,200 and $2,900 depending on size, with diesels running $2,200 to $3,800. A used automatic transmission typically starts around $1,040 and runs to about $1,650. Those are not estimates — they are measured from our live stock of 17,303 used engines and 14,814 used transmissions, counted the day this page was written.
Most pages that answer this question quote a single number, which is useless, because a 1.8L four-cylinder and a 6.7L diesel are not the same purchase. Here is the real spread.
Used engine prices by engine size
The from column is the entry price in each class — that is the higher-mileage option. The typical column is the median across every unit we hold in that class. Lower-mileage units of the same engine run above the typical figure.
| Engine | From | Typical | Units measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2.0L four-cylinder | $1,180 | $2,000 | 3,877 |
| 2.1L to 2.5L four-cylinder | $1,180 | $1,870 | 2,899 |
| 2.6L to 3.5L V6 | $1,280 | $2,070 | 3,330 |
| 3.6L to 5.0L V6 and V8 | $1,280 | $1,970 | 3,600 |
| Over 5.0L V8 | $1,290 | $2,850 | 2,748 |
| Diesel | $2,200 | $3,830 | 849 |
One thing in that table surprises people: the 3.6L to 5.0L band is cheaper on average than the 2.6L to 3.5L band. That is not a mistake. Supply drives used part pricing more than displacement does. America scrapped an enormous number of full-size trucks and SUVs, so 5.3L and 4.6L V8s are abundant, while some mid-size V6 applications are comparatively scarce. A rare 3.0L can cost more than a common 5.3L.
Used transmission prices
| Transmission | From | Typical | Units measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | $1,040 | $1,650 | 11,340 |
| Manual | $1,120 | $1,920 | 2,096 |
| CVT | $1,220 | $2,000 | 608 |
| Diesel application | $1,510 | $3,590 | 770 |
What actually moves the price
Mileage. This is the biggest single lever and it is the one you control. The same part at three mileage points typically spans 40 to 50 percent. On a 2015 Ford Taurus transmission in our stock right now, the three options run $1,014, $1,264 and $1,520 — same unit, different odometer readings. If the vehicle has five years left in it, the cheapest option is often the rational buy.
Supply, not prestige. Used part pricing follows how many came into the salvage network, which follows how many were sold twenty years ago and how many crashed. This is why a Honda Accord engine is inexpensive and a low-volume European engine is not, regardless of what the cars cost new.
Diesel. Diesels cost roughly double a comparable petrol engine. They were expensive new, they are heavier to ship, and the trucks they come out of stay on the road longer, so fewer reach the yards.
Freight. Worth checking before you compare quotes. An engine ships on a pallet and residential delivery is a common surcharge — $150 or more at many suppliers. We do not charge it, which can be the difference between two quotes that look identical.
Used, rebuilt or remanufactured?
| Tested used | Rebuilt | Remanufactured | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $1,200 to $2,900 | $2,000 to $4,000 | $3,400 to $6,700 |
| Lead time | 3 to 5 days prep, 2 to 4 days transit | 1 to 3 weeks | Often 2 to 4 weeks |
| Mileage | Read off the donor odometer | Varies | Reset to zero |
| Typical warranty | 6 months, extendable | Varies widely | 12 months |
| What you are buying | A complete engine that ran, tested before shipping | Worn parts replaced, the rest reused | Machined back to spec with new wear parts |
The honest rule: remanufactured makes sense when you are keeping the vehicle for years and can wait several weeks. Tested used makes sense when the vehicle is off the road now, when its total value does not justify a $4,000 engine, or when you want documented real mileage rather than a rebuild you cannot inspect. The gap is $1,500 to $4,000 — on a vehicle worth $6,000 that gap decides the question by itself.
How not to overpay
- Get the engine code, not just the year. The eighth character of the VIN encodes the engine on almost every US vehicle. Quotes for the wrong code are not comparable, and a wrong-code engine is a return, freight both ways and weeks lost.
- Ask what test was done. Compression and leak-down on an engine, pressure and solenoid readings on a transmission. A supplier who cannot tell you the result has not done it.
- Ask whether freight is included and whether residential costs extra.
- Price the install too. Labour is frequently more than the part. Changing the timing belt, water pump and spark plugs while the engine is out costs almost nothing in labour and a great deal once it is back in.
- Check for an open recall or extended warranty first. Hyundai and Kia Theta II engines, Ford DPS6 transmissions and a number of Nissan CVTs have all had coverage extended. Your replacement may be free. We would rather tell you that than sell you a part you do not need.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a used engine cost?
Most tested used engines cost between $1,200 and $2,900. Four-cylinder engines up to 2.5L typically run about $1,870 to $2,000, V6 and small V8 engines about $1,970 to $2,070, large V8s about $2,850, and diesels about $3,830. Entry prices in every class start near $1,180 for the higher-mileage option. These figures are medians measured across 17,303 used engines in live stock.
How much does a used transmission cost?
A used automatic transmission typically costs about $1,650, starting near $1,040 for a higher-mileage unit. Manuals run about $1,920, CVTs about $2,000, and transmissions from diesel applications about $3,590. Measured across 14,814 used transmissions in live stock.
Is a used engine cheaper than a remanufactured one?
Yes, usually by $1,500 to $4,000. A tested used engine runs $1,200 to $2,900 and ships in days. A remanufactured long block runs $3,400 to $6,700 and often takes two to four weeks. Remanufactured buys a longer warranty and zeroed mileage; used buys speed, a lower price and a documented odometer reading.
Does a higher mileage used engine cost less?
Yes, and it is the biggest lever you control. The same part at three different mileages typically spans 40 to 50 percent of its price. If the vehicle has a few years left in it, the higher-mileage option is often the rational buy rather than the cheap one.
Why do some small engines cost more than big V8s?
Because used part pricing follows supply, not displacement. A great many full-size American trucks and SUVs have been scrapped, so 4.6L and 5.3L V8s are abundant and inexpensive. A lower-volume V6 with fewer donors in the salvage network can cost more than a common V8.
What should I have ready before asking for a quote?
The VIN, the engine size, whether the vehicle is two-wheel or four-wheel drive, and the transmission option or RPO code if you are buying a gearbox. The VIN alone settles most of it, because its eighth character encodes the engine. Without it, two quotes may be for different parts.
Browse current stock and live prices: used engines by vehicle model, used transmissions by vehicle model, or our engine buying guides for what fails on each engine family and which years to avoid.