Exchange engine: how it works
An exchange engine is a fully remanufactured engine that swaps places with your old one. You get a thoroughly gone-through engine with a 12-month warranty and no mileage limit, your old engine is handed over in exchange as the core for the next remanufacture, and the core deposit is paid back once it is approved. That is how prices are kept down and engines stay in circulation. In this guide we go through what you are actually buying, what is included and not included, and how the whole flow works from order to deposit back.
Four routes to a working engine
When the engine in your car is done for, there are in practice four options on the Swedish market.
Cheapest to buy, roughly from about 5 000 kr and up, with large variations. You buy the engine in whatever condition it was in the car, with an unknown history: nobody knows how the timing drive is holding up or how it was driven. The right choice when the car's value is low and the risk is acceptable.
Your existing engine is stripped down, fixed and built back up again. You keep the car's original engine, which has a value on less common cars. This has been Meksta's own craft for many years.
Read more about engine reconditioningA fully remanufactured engine of the same type as yours, built to order according to a standardised remanufacturing programme, delivered with a warranty. Your old engine goes back into circulation. This is the product the rest of the guide is about.
A brand new engine from the manufacturer. The most expensive of the options: new prices are typically well above the equivalent remanufactured engine. We sell remanufactured exchange engines, not new engines.
Want to work out the alternatives in kronor: What does an engine swap cost?
What is a long block, and what is included?
Almost all exchange engines on the market are sold as long blocks, ours too. A long block is the heart of the engine: the block, crank assembly and cylinder head, with the timing gear fitted and set. We will say it plainly: it is a bare engine. The sump, turbo, injectors, EGR and ancillary equipment such as manifolds, alternator, starter motor and AC compressor are not included, but are transferred from your old engine during installation. That keeps the price down and means the engine matches your car's existing equipment.
What is included in the remanufacture, though, is a standard scope of new wear parts, for example pistons, bearings, oil pump and cylinder head gasket, the exact scope per engine family is on each product page. Every engine is quality assured to Meksta's standard and goes through a final check in Tyresö.
How much is actually reconditioned?
The remanufacturing scope is described in plain terms on every product page, and it looks different for different engines:
Exactly what is new and what is reconditioned for your specific engine is on the product page, for example BMW B47 or VW 2.0 TDI.
How the purchase works, step by step
The whole flow, including the installation and the core return, is described in detail on the page How the exchange system works.
VIN verification is the quality gate
The same engine code can exist in several configurations. A BMW code like B47D20 occurs, for example, in several different configurations, and the wrong version is an expensive mistake. That is why we always verify the exact engine version against your VIN or reg number before the build starts. The reg number search shows which engines fit your car; the exact version is not yet a definitive "guaranteed fit": the green light only comes once the version is confirmed against the VIN. You can order right away and add the VIN afterwards, the build only starts once the version is confirmed, and until then you can cancel free of charge.
The core deposit in short
Exchange engine means your old engine is handed over in exchange. The deposit is added at purchase and refunded in full once your old engine has reached us and been approved, the requirement is that the block is intact: no holes, no cracks, no broken-off pieces. You arrange the transport of your old engine yourself, and the return must happen within 30 days of delivery. The deposit amount is always on the product page before you order. Everything about the deposit, including the mistakes that cost money, is in the guide Core charge and deposit on exchange engines.
The warranty in short
All exchange engines are delivered with a 12 month warranty with no mileage limit, including an installation warranty: if a warranty fault is confirmed on the engine, the installation work is also compensated under the warranty terms. Faults caused by incorrect installation, or by reused ancillary components that damage the engine, are not covered. The warranty never limits your rights under the Swedish Consumer Sales Act. We explain the terms in detail on the page Warranty and complaints.
This is, incidentally, a point where the market varies: some overseas sellers explicitly exclude installation work from their warranty, so you carry the workshop cost yourself even when the fault is in the engine. Always read the terms, wherever you buy.
FAQ about exchange engines
Ready to find your engine?
Search by your registration number and see which engines fit your car, with the price right away, or browse makes and engine codes across the whole range. Not sure what is right for your car? Request a quote and we will normally get back to you within one working day, and we will guide you honestly even if the answer is that you do not need a new engine.