How It Works
Six steps between a failed engine and a running car, including the two that most listings leave out.
- 01
You tell us the vehicle
Year, make, model and trim, plus a ZIP code and a way to reach you. The engine code is optional. Most people do not have it, and supplying it is not a prerequisite for anything.
- 02
We identify the engine
The generation and trim identify the engine family and usually the specific variant. Where the VIN is supplied it removes any remaining ambiguity. This is the step that most listings skip by assuming you already know.
- 03
We check what is actually available
Availability is checked with suppliers for that specific engine rather than read off a stock page. If the honest answer is that the engine is hard to source right now, that is what you get told.
- 04
Fitment is verified before anything is confirmed
Transmission, engine management, immobiliser, accessory layout and, where relevant, emissions equipment are checked against your vehicle. This happens before a price is confirmed rather than after payment.
- 05
You get a quote with the detail in it
What the engine is, what is attached to it, what the warranty covers, and what delivery or collection involves. A number on its own is not comparable to another number, so the inclusion list comes with it.
- 06
Delivery or collection, then installation
An engine arrives on a pallet and needs somewhere to go. If you need an installer we can point you toward shops that do this work, and the installation page covers what belongs in that quote.
Where the process can stop
Not every request should end in a sale, and pretending otherwise would make this page marketing rather than a description. There are three points where the honest answer is to stop.
- The engine is not what failed. On several vehicles, Nissans with a CVT particularly, a transmission problem presents as engine trouble. If that looks likely, the advice is to get it diagnosed before spending anything.
- The vehicle does not justify it. If the transmission and other major systems are also near the end, the arithmetic often does not work, and saying so is more useful than a quote.
- The engine cannot be sourced sensibly. Some variants are genuinely scarce. Being told that quickly is better than being offered something that nearly fits.
Common questions
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on the engine and how complete your first message is. A request carrying the year, model and trim can usually be answered in one pass; one carrying only a year needs a conversation first. We are not going to publish a response time that has not been measured.
When is the engine verified against my car?
Before a price is confirmed, not after payment. This is deliberate. Once money has moved and an engine has shipped, your options narrow sharply, and freight on a returned engine is expensive. Verification costs an email exchange and prevents the expensive version of this mistake.
What if the engine does not fit when it arrives?
That is what the verification step exists to prevent, which is why it happens before anything is confirmed. If a supplier ships something other than what was agreed, that is a matter between you and them under their terms, which is one reason those terms are worth reading before you buy.
Do you hold the engines yourselves?
No. This site identifies the right engine and checks availability with suppliers who do hold stock. It is stated plainly because a site that implies it has a warehouse it does not have is misleading you about who you are dealing with.
Related pages
- Engine FinderTell us the vehicle and we identify the engine before quoting it.
- Engine InstallationWhat installation involves in Phoenix, and how to choose a shop.
- Delivery & PickupGetting an engine to you across the Valley, and what collection involves.
- How to Buy a Used JDM EngineThe order to do things in, and what to settle before money moves.
Find the right engine for your vehicle
Tell us the year, model and trim. We identify the engine your vehicle takes and come back with current availability and pricing.