Guide
Engine rebuild quote: exactly what to ask for in writing
Updated
Most engine rebuild disputes come from things nobody wrote down. This is the short list that prevents them.
Ask for the quote in four sections
- Parts, itemised, with genuine, aftermarket or made-to-order marked against each, and lead times on anything unusual.
- Machining, with each operation listed and priced: rebore and hone, crank regrind, head skim, valve seat and guide work, pressure test, line bore.
- Labour, with the hourly rate and estimated hours stated separately, and removal, refitting and commissioning either included or shown as separate lines.
- Ancillaries and consumables, listing what is being replaced alongside the engine work: water pump, thermostat, belts, hoses, filters, oil and coolant.
Then ask for the four things that are not prices
- The exclusions
- A written list of what the quote assumes is serviceable. The turbo, injectors, oil cooler and clutch are the usual suspects. This is the single most useful paragraph in the document.
- The authorisation process
- What happens if more damage is found once machining starts: who calls whom, whether you approve in writing, and whether there is a threshold below which the builder proceeds without asking.
- The warranty
- What is covered, for how long or how many miles, whether labour is included as well as parts, what invalidates it, and whether it is transferable if you sell the car.
- The running-in requirements
- Any oil change at a set mileage, any restrictions in the first period, and whether a required running-in service is included in the price or extra. Missing it can void the warranty.
Questions worth asking out loud
- How many of this engine have you rebuilt? Experience with your specific engine family is the best predictor of a job that lasts.
- What do you think caused the failure, and what stops it happening again? If nobody addresses the cause, the rebuild inherits it.
- Is the machining done in-house or subcontracted, and is the machine shop's cost inside this figure?
- What is the realistic completion date, based on the slowest part rather than the fastest?
- What would you do if this were your car? Builders answer this one honestly more often than people expect.
Two things to keep in mind
First, a pre-strip quote is an estimate and it can move. Accept that rather than pretending otherwise, and make sure the authorisation process is agreed so movement never comes as a surprise. Second, the total cost of getting the car properly back on the road includes recovery, the strip charge, the rebuild, ancillaries and any other work the car needs while the engine is out. It is worth having that whole figure in front of you before you decide between rebuilding, an exchange unit and letting the car go: see rebuild vs replacement.
If the car will be off the road for an extended period while the work is done, you can declare it SORN rather than continue taxing it (gov.uk). Check the MOT history too, since advisories often reveal what else the car will want (gov.uk).