Time really is money, and nobody knows this fact more than fleet owners. For every second that a job is delayed, money is being lost. This is why it’s paramount to keep every truck on your fleet in tip-top shape.
Having a vehicle break down presents a danger to your drivers, delays your shipments, and often costs boatloads of money to fix. Engine issues especially are often a huge problem for fleet owners.
This is why it’s so important to be able to quickly replace faulty engines whenever they rear their ugly head. For this, you will need to enlist the help of remanufactured heavy duty truck engines.
Remanufactured engines are a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to get a truck with a faulty engine back on the road. In this article, we’ll go over why remanufactured truck engines are a great solution and some tips that will help you find the best ones for your fleet.
What Exactly are Remanufactured Engines?
The term remanufactured is sort of a broad one. There are actually three different types of engines that can be considered “remanufactured."
Rebuilt:
A rebuilt engine is a reconditioned engine that was severely damaged, worn, broken, or otherwise out of order. Rebuilt engines have worn parts replaced with new or less-worn parts.
Component quality varies with rebuilt engines, and most of the time these are sold with limited time warranties.
Used:
Used engines are typically pulled out of trucks as-is. The unfortunate reality of these engines is that they are rarely cleaned, calibrated, or inspected before being sold.
Buying used diesel engines is a mixed bag of quality. Some engines could work great, others could be on the verge of catastrophic failure. You don’t really know until you take a look at it yourself.
Remanufactured:
The point of remanufacturing is to take a used engine and make it as close to new as possible. Every core internal component is carefully inspected to ensure that they meet industry standards.
Any problem found with an internal component is fixed and rigorously tested. Remanufactured engines are the real deal when it comes to buying aftermarket truck parts.
With remanufactured heavy duty truck engines, you can get a brand new engine for a much cheaper price. Additionally, remanufactured engines can be put together relatively quickly, so that your fleet can get back on the road.
Tips for Buying Remanufactured Engines
Remanufactured engines are a great solution for truck fleet owners and truckers alike, but there are a few things you need to know before moving on buying one of these. Here are a few tips that will help you get the best deal on a remanufactured engine.
Buy from a Reputable Vendor:
It’s important to look into sellers of remanufactured truck engines before diving in. Buying from an established, reputable vendor is beneficial in many ways.
The first is ensuring quality. You are more likely to get high-quality remanufactured engines from reputable sellers instead of shady ones. Additionally, the quality of customer service improves exponentially the better the seller is.
Experienced engineers should be able to answer any questions you may have about the engine, they will be honest with you about the market value of the engine, and they can provide expert advice about your engine.
One way you can probe sellers indirectly is to search for online reviews about the company. Do a little digging and see how their past transactions have gone. You can also contact some of your peers and see if they’ve bought from the vendor before.
Get a Warranty:
It’s important to make sure that the engine you’re buying comes with a warranty. Absence of a warranty is always a bad sign when buying heavy duty equipment.
With a warranty, you are essentially covered if something unexpected happens to the engine. It is a great way of establishing trust between you and the seller.
Ask Questions:
It’s also important to ask the seller some questions. It’s important to know exactly what you’re buying so that you can negotiate your way to the most fair price possible. Here are some of the questions you should ask your seller:
How long is the warranty, and what does it cover?
Is the engine remanufactured, used, or rebuilt?
Has the engine been tested? If so, what were the results?
Does your quote include freight-in?
Testing Matters:
Testing remanufactured engines is very important. Do not buy any aftermarket engine that has not been tested. If you do, there is no guarantee that the engine will work at all.
The best remanufactured engine sellers perform Dyno testing to their engines. A Dyno Test is a comprehensive test that simulates the engine in question. The test will immediately indicate whether or not the engine is in working condition.
Choosing the Right Remanufactured Engine for You
Once you’re sold on the idea of investing in remanufactured engines for your fleet, it’s time to start looking at options.
Here are a few considerations you need to make before buying an engine:
How Scarce is Your Engine Type? Depending on the kind of truck you have, the engine you’re looking for may be rare. Factor this into your budget.
How Urgently do you Need an Engine? If you need an engine immediately, you’re probably going to spend more money on expediency.
Remanufactured engines are an incredibly cost effective way to keep your fleet up and running in the event of engine issues. As long as you find a reputable vendor and ask the right questions, you should have no problem finding a great remanufactured heavy duty truck engine.