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Sell a car with engine damage – even if the engine no longer runs

Describe the damage and send photos and the vehicle registration document. From these, we calculate a firm offer for the car as it stands today.

Rated “very good” by our customers

Enter your vehicle data now & get an offer

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  1. 1Car
  2. 2Details
  3. 3Your offer

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  • The engine doesn’t have to run anymore
  • Sale without prior repair
  • Binding price based on details and pictures
  • Deregistration by us

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48haverage time to sell

0 CHFfor valuation & deregistration

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Engine damage: what you need to know first

The garage has given its verdict, or the engine died on the road and won’t start again. Now the question is: sell a car with engine damage or repair it after all? Three things up front. Selling is allowed, even without a valid MFK (vehicle inspection) and even if the car no longer runs. It is usually not worthless, because the body, gearbox, suspension and interior are still there. And you have to disclose the damage openly to the buyer.

Engine damage means that parts inside the engine are so damaged that it no longer runs at all or only runs with limitations. Well-known causes are a broken timing belt, overheating that attacks the cylinder head and gasket, or a lack of lubrication that leaves the bearings running dry. Signs include the red oil pressure or coolant warning light, hard metallic noises, heavy smoke from the exhaust, significantly less power or coolant that disappears without a visible leak.

If one of these red warning lights comes on, the TCS advises you to stop and switch off the engine. If you keep driving, you risk turning a limited defect into a major one. Then have a garage determine exactly what is broken. Only with this diagnosis can you tell whether the repair pays off or whether you are better off selling the car as it stands.

Enter your vehicle details now and get an offer right away.

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We buy cars with this damage

  • Broken timing belt
  • Timing chain has jumped
  • Engine won’t start
  • Engine overheated
  • Defective cylinder head gasket
  • Seized piston
  • Bearing damage
  • Engine knocks or rattles
  • Oil in the coolant
  • Defective turbocharger

You don’t need to know the cause yourself. Describe in the form what happened and what the garage said.

Sell a car with engine damage in four steps

  1. 1

    Request a non-binding offer

    Enter your vehicle details in our online form. Your advantage: with just a few details, you get a very accurate initial offer (in practice often accurate to within +/- 1’000 CHF), because we use real market data.

  2. 2

    Send photos & vehicle registration document

    Send us photos of your car and your vehicle registration document conveniently online. This allows a precise assessment without you losing time on appointments.

  3. 3

    Get a guaranteed offer

    Based on your photos, you receive a firm, guaranteed offer – conveniently online, with no on-site viewing appointments. No renegotiation, 100% transparent.

  4. 4

    Vehicle handover & payment

    Your car doesn’t have to be roadworthy for the handover. Once you have accepted our offer, we arrange the handover together with you. It includes a quick comparison of the car with your details and pictures; if everything matches, the amount stated applies without renegotiation. The money is paid out by instant bank transfer, and deregistering the car at the road traffic office is then our job.

How you get your money

Right at handover, with no waiting.

Instant bank transfer Recommended

We transfer the purchase price during the handover itself. The money is usually in your account within seconds, secure and traceable.

Cash payment

For smaller amounts, for example for export vehicles, we can also pay in cash on request.

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Repair, replace the engine or sell as it is?

The decision starts with a figure. Ask the garage for a written cost estimate and clarify beforehand whether it costs anything: according to the TCS and AGVS fact sheet, if the garage has to dismantle parts for an accurate diagnosis, it may charge for this work, provided it told you so in advance. Ask for three options: repairing the existing engine, a rebuilt exchange engine and a used engine.

Compare this figure with the value your car would have without the damage; the free car valuation gives you a point of reference. The calculation behind it: value after the repair minus repair costs. If the result is below the offer for the car in its current condition, you are better off selling. Also bear in mind that a different engine doesn’t make the car any younger: the clutch, suspension, rust and the next MFK remain.

If you decide to sell, the engine damage belongs in the sales contract. By law, a seller is liable for defects that significantly reduce the value or fitness for use of the car (Art. 197 CO); if the buyer knew about the defect at the time of purchase, this liability no longer applies (Art. 200 CO). If you fraudulently conceal a known defect, even an exclusion of the warranty won’t help you (Art. 199 CO). The guide Car sales contract shows how to word this.

What helps with the valuation

  • Diagnostic report or cost estimate from the garage
  • Whether the engine still starts, turns over or is seized
  • Service booklet and invoices, for example for the last timing belt change
  • Photos from all sides, of the engine compartment and of the instrument panel with the warning lights
  • A short description: what happened and whether you kept driving afterwards
  • Photo of the vehicle registration document

Why verkaufedeinauto.ch?

Because our customers matter most to us, verkaufedeinauto.ch gives you a platform where you can conveniently – at any time of day – have your car’s value estimated from home. Our team supports you personally from the valuation to the handover – for a fast, smooth sale and immediate payment. If you’d like to find out more, visit our About us page.

  • Guaranteed offer

    You get a firm offer for your car in no time, based on your photos. No negotiating and no obligation whatsoever.

  • Hassle-free

    Fast and stress-free: upload your photos, and we’ll take care of the rest. No lengthy appointments and no tough negotiations.

  • Fair

    A fair offer based on your photos – no hidden costs, no obligation whatsoever.

Selling your car made easy

Selling a car with a defective engine: the options compared

Criterion Private sale Selling to a dealer Selling via verkaufedeinauto.ch
Price high low medium-high + guaranteed offer
Effort high medium very low
Risk high low zero risk – secure payment
Duration 3–12 weeks 3–10 days 24–48h
Deregistration do it yourself sometimes included

Private sale

Price
high
Effort
high
Risk
high
Duration
3–12 weeks
Deregistration
do it yourself

Selling to a dealer

Price
low
Effort
medium
Risk
low
Duration
3–10 days
Deregistration
sometimes

Selling via verkaufedeinauto.ch

Price
medium-high + guaranteed offer
Effort
very low
Risk
zero risk – secure payment
Duration
24–48h
Deregistration
included

Buying cars with engine damage: who buys, and what does export have to do with it?

For private buyers, a car that doesn’t run is hard to assess. That leaves mainly garages and dealers who fit a different engine and resell the car, as well as recyclers who dismantle it. According to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), specialized businesses sell the working parts as spare parts. Even with a dead engine, a car is therefore more than scrap.

Export plays a role because a large share of Swiss used cars go on being driven abroad: according to the annual report of the Stiftung Auto Recycling Schweiz, 154’315 passenger cars were exported in 2025, while 35’197 were shredded in Switzerland. A buyer who knows these markets calculates with the amount a car brings in there once it has been repaired. So selling to a car buyer can pay off where the repair no longer makes sense for you. According to the FOEN, however, only roadworthy or slightly damaged vehicles may be exported as used cars. You can find out more about this sales channel under Sell your car for export.

Sources

  1. Code of Obligations (CO, SR 220), Art. 197–200: Warranty for defects in the object of sale (in German)
  2. TCS: Overview of important warning lights (fact sheet) (in German)
  3. TCS and AGVS: Cost estimates in the garage trade (fact sheet) (in German)
  4. Stiftung Auto Recycling Schweiz: Annual report 2025 (in German)
  5. Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN): End-of-life vehicles (in German)
  6. AXA: Fully comprehensive insurance, section “What does fully comprehensive cover not include?” (in German)

What determines the value of your car?

The most important factors in a vehicle valuation:

  • Make & model

    Premium brands hold their value better

  • Mileage

    The lower, the more valuable

  • Features & engine

    High-end features and a powerful engine increase the value

  • Technical condition

    Body, engine and transmission are assessed individually

What our customers say

Reviews on ProvenExpert from people who have sold their car to us.

Very good

Average 5-star rating

Recommended by customers 2026

All reviews

“Finally, a sale where I felt I was treated fairly. The offer was binding, and the whole process was quick and hassle-free.”

“I’ve sold several cars before, but never this stress-free. Everything was prepared digitally, and all I had to do was show up for the appointment. No haggling, no paperwork – the team took care of everything.”

“Professional team, transparent processes and fast payment.”

Engine damage and selling: answers to the key questions

Can I sell a car with engine damage if it no longer runs?

Yes. To be sold, a car doesn’t have to run or have a valid MFK. What matters is an honest description: whether the engine still starts, what the garage found and how long the car has been sitting. A firm offer is based on these details and your photos. If you accept it, we arrange the handover together with you.

What is a car with engine damage still worth?

An honest figure only exists for your specific car. The starting point is the value it would have without the damage; from that, deduct what a buyer has to factor in for the engine, labor and their risk. Brand, model, model year, mileage and the condition of the body and interior therefore still count. You find out the amount with a free, non-binding offer that you can calmly compare with the garage’s cost estimate.

Is an exchange engine worth it?

That depends on the rest of the car. An exchange engine is more likely to pay off for a younger, well-maintained car that you want to drive for several more years. With an older car, high mileage or other repairs coming up, you will hardly get the money back when you sell later. Get the quote in writing, agree on a maximum amount and ask what warranty the garage gives on the engine and its installation.

Do I have to state the engine damage in the sales contract?

Yes. Known engine damage is a significant defect, and you must not conceal it. Write in the contract what is defective and what you know about it, ideally with the garage report attached. This protects you, because you are not liable later for a defect the buyer knew about at the time of purchase (Art. 200 CO). An exclusion of liability in the contract, on the other hand, won’t help you as soon as you fraudulently conceal something (Art. 199 CO).

Does insurance pay for engine damage?

Usually not. Comprehensive insurance policies cover events such as collisions, hail or marten bites. AXA, for example, expressly excludes operational damage caused by wear, operating errors or material defects from its fully comprehensive cover. Still, check two things before you sell: whether a factory or used-car warranty that includes the engine is still running, and whether an insured event caused the damage. In both cases, it’s worth asking while the car still belongs to you.

Engine broken: should I have the car scrapped right away?

Get an offer first. It costs nothing and shows whether your car as a whole is still in demand. If it really has reached the end, the next step is a car recycler. According to the FOEN, businesses that accept end-of-life vehicles need a permit from the canton; they drain all fluids from the car, remove usable parts and send the rest for shredding. Ask beforehand whether the recycler pays or charges anything, and remember to deregister the car.

Other damage, old cars, good photos: related pages

These pages help if something else is wrong besides the engine or if you want to prepare the sale.

Engine damage? Find out what your car can still fetch

  • Free, non-binding valuation
  • A price for the car as it stands
  • Even if the engine no longer starts
  • Paid at the handover: instant bank transfer
  • We take care of the deregistration for you
Request an offer now

Prefer to talk to someone?

Call us or message us on WhatsApp. We’re happy to answer your questions about selling your car.

062 557 74 48
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