241+ engines profiled

Know your engine before you buy.

Real-world failure data, repair costs, and community warnings — sourced from Reddit, specialist forums, and NHTSA. No marketing spin.

Follow the process on TikTok →
Find every engine for your car
See all 241 engines →
Search by make, model, year, or engine code above.
Results show reliability scores, known issues, and buying advice.
BMWAudiVolkswagenToyotaFordMercedesHondaNissan
241+
Engines profiled
32+
Makes covered
12k+
Forum posts analyzed
NHTSA
Recall data included
Verdict breakdown, across 240 engines
EXCELLENT 1% (3)
GOOD 22% (53)
SOLID 29% (70)
RISKY 45% (109)
AVOID 2% (5)
From the blog
All articles →
buying guide
Car Years to Avoid: The Worst Model Years by Make and Model
Generic “avoid the 2012 model” lists don't tell you why. Here are five specific engine codes with verified reliability scores in avoid-or-close-to-it territory, and the exact years that matter.
29 Jul 2026
recalls
Buying a Tundra, Sequoia, or Lexus GX/LX With the Twin-Turbo V6? Read This First
The V35A twin-turbo V6 has been through multiple recall waves since 2024, expanding again in May 2026. Here's exactly which years are affected and what to check before you buy one used.
29 Jul 2026
buying guide
What I'd Actually Buy If I Wanted Something Reliable and Cheap to Maintain
Reliable and cheap to run aren't the same axis a 90-scoring Porsche flat-six isn't cheap. Cross-referencing both numbers in our own database narrows it down fast.
29 Jul 2026
Recently added
How it works
01
Data from real sources
Reddit threads, specialist forums, NHTSA complaints and recalls collected and cleaned for each specific engine, not just the make.
02
Patterns extracted at scale
Thousands of owner posts are cross-referenced to identify failure modes, real repair costs, and the km ranges when problems typically appear.
03
One honest page per engine
Reliability score, known issues ranked by severity, buying checklist, real oil intervals. Same format every time so engines are actually comparable.
The problem with used car buying

Most engine reliability information online is either a single owner's bad experience, a forum thread from 2009, or a dealer's sales pitch. None of it tells you what percentage of these engines fail, when they fail, or how much it actually costs to fix.

What enginecreep does differently

Every engine page on this site is built from thousands of real owner reports Reddit threads, specialist forums, and official NHTSA complaint data cross-referenced to find patterns, not outliers. The result is a reliability score, a ranked list of known issues, and a buying checklist for the specific engine in the car you're looking at.

Before you sign anything

A timing chain that fails at 90,000 km is not a surprise if you know to check for it. A DPF that costs €1,800 to replace is not a dealbreaker if you factor it into the price. enginecreep exists so that information is in your hands before you buy, not after.

Common failure categories tracked across all engines
Timing chain failureTurbocharger wearDPF blockageEGR valve failureOil consumptionInjector failureWater pump failureCarbon build-upPCV failureHead gasket failureVANOS / VVT issuesCambelt intervals