Remanufactured Head (ebay), Need you all experts advise Options

[msk59]

In the near future, I plan on redoing the valves etc on the head and came across some ebay sites that sells remanufactured heads. all work done with cams etc for under $300. Engine is 7A-FE and my car is 1996 Celica ST (AT-200) with manual transmission.

What is your experience with these heads and what advise you can give me that can help me decide.

Thank You
MSK

This post has been edited by msk59: Jun 13, 2014 - 8:09 AM

[VavAlephVav]

the first book I ever read was the uncut version of The Stand.

I totally agree, and rather than try and do too much diy I'd rather give my money to local people who do good work, the shop that will do the labor are people I trust and the machine shop has been building racing engines for people since the '70s.
I want people like this to stay in business so I take them my money. and I'm still coming out way less than if I took it to the dealer and got hosed.

This post has been edited by VavAlephVav: Jun 17, 2014 - 8:45 AM

[Langing]

the first book I ever read was the uncut version of The Stand.

I totally agree, and rather than try and do too much diy I'd rather give my money to local people who do good work, the shop that will do the labor are people I trust and the machine shop has been building racing engines for people since the '70s.
I want people like this to stay in business so I take them my money. and I'm still coming out way less than if I took it to the dealer and got hosed.

Never read The Stand, but have read other Stephen King novels. Great writer. When I think of The Stand, I hear the word "tome."

I applaud your sentiment and wholeheartedly agree with your approach. Wish I knew of a shop nearby that I could trust the way you trust yours. I also think it is important to help businesses that good stay alive and thrive.

On the other hand, looking at this question purely in dollars and cents terms, stripping away our better values and ideals, none of these shops can compete with mass produced rebuilt heads, so when someone is on a strict budget or happens to be hard up for cash and cannot afford to act 'generously' they would most likely save money by using a big remanufacturer. The truth of this seems self-evident to me.

But, that isn't all that needs to be known about them. I'd surely like to know what their quality standards are, and if I put one in my car, would it last as long as the first engine did. That's really important to me because if I put one in at $300, and it only lasted, say 50,000 miles, then the cost based decision reverts to favoring a local shop, not to mention the hassle of multiple replacements done at times that are not of your choosing.