The short version
The quick answer
A reconditioned engine in the UK typically costs anywhere from a few hundred pounds for a small city car diesel to several thousand for a large, high-output van engine. Across our own store at the time of writing, prices start at around £560 for compact 1.3 diesel units, most van engines sit between £1,500 and £2,500, and the largest biturbo units reach around £4,100. The middle of the whole range is around £1,900.
Those are real figures from our live catalogue rather than industry guesses, and because every price is displayed openly on the product page, you never need to ring around for a quote just to find out what an engine costs. This guide explains what moves a price up or down within those bands, what the engine price does and does not include, and how to pin down the exact figure for your vehicle.
What drives the price of a reconditioned engine
Engine family and size
The single biggest factor is which engine your vehicle uses. A compact 1.3 diesel from a Fiat or Vauxhall city car is a smaller, simpler unit than a 2.0 biturbo diesel from a large panel van, and the cost of parts and machining scales with it. That is why knowing your exact engine code matters so much: the same van, in the same year, was often sold with several engines at different power outputs, and each has its own price. If you are not sure which engine you have, our guide on how to find your engine code walks you through it.
Long engine or bare engine
Prices also depend on how complete the engine is. A bare engine is the core unit, the block and head assembly, without ancillaries. A long engine includes more of the components already fitted, which raises the price of the unit but can reduce fitting time, because fewer parts need to be swapped over from your old engine. Each of our product pages states what the listing covers, and if you want a different specification it is always worth asking, because we can often accommodate it.
The exchange basis
Reconditioned engines are supplied on an exchange basis, which means your old engine is returned to us after the swap. That old unit is the raw material for a future rebuild, and the exchange system is part of what keeps reconditioned prices so far below new. If the old engine cannot be returned, or has severe damage beyond normal failure, that can affect the overall cost, so tell us up front if your old unit is missing parts or has been stripped.
What is included
Every reconditioned engine we sell has been stripped, cleaned, inspected and rebuilt with worn components replaced, then tested before sale. A 6-month warranty is included as standard. Delivery is charged once per order by area: £80 to England, £110 to Wales, £140 to Scotland and £195 to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. The details are on our delivery information page, and you can read how the rebuild process works on our reconditioning page.
Typical price bands by vehicle type
These are the ranges our own catalogue covers at the time of writing, rounded for readability. They are indicative store ranges, not quotes, and the live price for any specific engine is always on its product page.
| Vehicle type | Typical current range | Examples in stock |
|---|---|---|
| City car diesel (1.3) | From around £560 | Fiat 1.3 MultiJet, Vauxhall 1.3 CDTi |
| Mid-size car diesel (1.5 to 2.0) | Around £1,000 to £2,000 | Peugeot and Citroen BlueHDi, Vauxhall CDTi |
| Medium van (2.0 diesel) | Around £1,500 to £2,500 | Ford Transit Custom EcoBlue, VW Transporter TDI |
| Large van, high output | Around £2,500 to £4,100 | VW Crafter biturbo, Transporter BiTDI |
Every engine in our store shows its live price. No call-for-price games.
Browse engines and pricesWhat the engine price does not include
The figure on the product page is for the engine itself. To budget for the whole job, allow for the following on top:
- Fitting labour. An engine swap is a significant job and garages charge for it by the hour. Labour varies widely with the vehicle, the engine's accessibility and your local rates, so get a fitting quote from your garage alongside the engine price.
- A timing kit and water pump. Fitting a fresh timing belt or checking the chain assembly while the engine is out is standard good practice, and most installers will insist on it.
- Fluids, filters and sundries. Fresh oil of the correct specification, coolant, an oil filter and gaskets are all part of a proper installation.
- Ancillary checks. If your old engine failed, the parts around it may have contributed. Turbos, injectors, the EGR system and the DPF should be checked before they are bolted to a rebuilt engine, which we cover in our pre-fitting checklist.
How reconditioned compares with used and new
A used engine pulled from another vehicle is usually the cheapest option up front, but you inherit its mileage and wear, so its remaining life is a gamble. A brand-new engine from the manufacturer lasts longest but often costs more than an older vehicle is worth. A reconditioned engine sits between the two: worn parts have been replaced and the unit tested, so you get predictable life at a fraction of the new price. We compare all three routes in detail in our guide to reconditioned vs used vs new engines.
The cost logic is worth spelling out. If a used engine fails a year in, you pay for a second engine and a second fitting bill, which together usually cost more than one reconditioned engine fitted once. Paying a little more up front for a rebuilt, warrantied unit is usually the cheaper path over the life of the vehicle.
How to get the exact price for your vehicle
Because pricing depends on your exact engine code, the fastest route to a real figure is to identify the code and look it up in our store. Enter your registration on our homepage and send it straight to our team, and we will confirm the exact engine, price and availability, usually the same day. If you already know your code, search for it directly or browse by make: Ford, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault and Fiat.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 0800 208 8928, message us on WhatsApp or email enquiries@enginehub.co.uk and we will do the matching for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a reconditioned engine in the UK?
At the time of writing our reconditioned engines start at around £560 for small 1.3 diesels, with most van engines between £1,500 and £2,500 and large biturbo units up to around £4,100. Every product page shows its live price.
Does the price include fitting?
No. The price is for the engine itself, supplied on an exchange basis. Fitting labour, a timing kit, fluids and filters are arranged with your garage and budgeted separately.
Why do prices vary so much between engines?
Engine size, complexity and completeness drive the difference. A small city car diesel needs fewer and cheaper parts to rebuild than a high-output biturbo van engine, and a long engine costs more than a bare unit because more components are included.
Is a reconditioned engine cheaper than repairing my old one?
Once an engine has serious internal wear, repairing it piece by piece usually costs more than a full reconditioned unit, because each repair pays for labour on an engine that still has other worn parts. Our guide on the signs an engine needs replacing explains when that line is crossed.
How do I find out which engine my vehicle needs?
Enter your registration on our homepage and send it to our team, and we will confirm the exact engine, price and availability, usually the same day. You can also find the engine code yourself on your V5C logbook or stamped on the engine block.