How do you know who to buy good used engines from, and who not to buy from? There are several basic methods you can use.
The first is to utilize the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Check out the engine company. Don’t go by their rating, go by the number of resolved and unresolved complaints that the company has. For example, it would make more sense to buy a used engine from a company with 3 complaints annually than it would to buy from a company with 100 complaints.
The second method is to go to www.google.com and search for the company, both by their name and by their domain. Read complaints about them. The key thing to look for is the volume of complaints. There is always going to be the occasional customer who will not be satisfied or the competitor out to slander a company, so what you want to do is make sure there is not a high volume of complaints and that the complaints are responded to adequately. If there are a lot of legitimate complaints against a company, steer clear of them since they will not treat you any differently than any of the customers they’ve sold used engines to in the past.
Next, understand that only about 50% of used engines are able to be started before they are sold. Wiring harnesses, starters, and fuse boxes can all be damaged in ways that leave a good engine that can’t be started until it is reinstalled in another vehicle. You want a supplier who is experienced in inspecting engines. You might also want to consider purchasing a labor warranty in case something slips by inspection. Yes, that can happen even with great companies!
Finally, when buying used engines make sure that you understand the warranty you’re getting. The standard warranty on used engines is 30 days parts only. This means the engine is warranties for 30 days, and that if it fails in that time, you will be supplied with another engine but not with any reimbursement for installation charges. This is by far the most common warranty offered in the nation on used engines. It is my opinion that quality used engines come with a quality warranty. Demand at least a two year warranty on engines with under 50,000 miles, and a year on engines with over 100,000 miles. If the supplier won’t offer that, why would you want to buy an engine from them? You don’t.
Hopefully this article will help those needing Saab used engines make their way through the overload of options available and know what to expect from best engine suppliers, saving you time and money.
GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664
