For which cars can you find inexpensive low-mileage engines?

[Xist]

I have previously found 1996 - 2000 Civic (non-HX) and 1998 - 2002 Accord engines for something like $300, shipped from Japan, with around 50,000 miles. Of course, I have never found anything of the sort for Chorizo. Is it easy to find these deals and for which cars are they available? I tried finding one for a Forester like the one that I had and they were expensive, as were Civic engines. I did not look for Accord engines just now because I really need to be doing other things, but had I been able to find a $500 forester engine when I was replacing the head gasket I might have just swapped in the lower-mileage engine. After all, many people remove the engine before replacing the head gasket.

However, while I initially advertised that I had replaced the head gasket and other components, it seemed that worked against me, and simply stating that the car worked great and I did not have any problems was what worked in the end. The guy who ended it up purchasing it took it to his mechanic, who did not find anything significant, and money exchanged hands.

If I advertised that the car had 120,000 miles, but the engine only had 50,000, I would have needed to answer many questions.

What do you guys think?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

There is no such thing as a "cheap" engine in my country... Well, some engines may be less expensive than others, but the electronics are the real PITA. No wonder some folks are using carburettors on engines that were locally available only with EFI.

Originally Posted by Xist

I tried finding one for a Forester like the one that I had and they were expensive

I'd look at it as an excuse to make experiences with a Harley-Davidson engine swap

Back on topic: when it comes to JDM engines, are you sure your local DMV won't screw you for using an engine with a different emissions rating?

[Xist]

I had not realized they would have different emission settings!

I honestly do not know about where I am, they do not have emissions testing.

[oil pan 4]

If they don't have strict emissions testing, don't worries about it.

[Xist]

I easily found several $500 Accord engines with around 50,000 miles. What about Toyota engines? Nissans?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

What about Toyota engines?

Probably you might find some Toyota engine cheaper... Well, there was a guy in Aruba who swapped a 4A-GE into a Brazilian-made Chevrolet Celta.

[oil pan 4]

Air cooled VW.

[me and my metro]

I have installed several JDM takeout engines in customer cars over the years. I have stripped them to long blocks and installed all the US emission equipment. Some of the Isuzu engines don’t have the egr ports drilled but they can be.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Air cooled VW.

I've already seen some cars repowered with air-cooled VW engines, mostly French ones from the '30s to the '70s, but recently there were some relatively modern cars such as a 6th-gen Civic and an Opel Corsa B sedan also retrofitted with the entire powertrain of the VW Beetle in Brazil. Not to mention the early VW Gol which had the boxer engine mounted upfront.

But anyway, it wouldn't surprise me to see some redneck adapting a Harley-Davidson engine into some random econobox, considering they're more easily available there than the VW boxer might be nowadays

[Ecky]

From Hondas, I’ve observed Accord and CR-V engines are the cheapest.

Chevy 350 maybe?