Buy a used car with problems [Diesel]
August 14, 2024 7:43 AM Subscribe
There is a car I like with a specific engine (diesel). O2 Sensor (yes, some Diesel cars have this) shows warning. In my state, this car will never pass inspections.
So, should I consider buying it with the hope it can be fixed?
Older Gran Cherokee with German Diesel Engine.
Older Gran Cherokee with German Diesel Engine.
I don't have specific advice about the O2 sensor, but this is a thing I have some opinions about!
I assume this is a 2007 or 2008 model with a Mercedes diesel. This is a nearly 20 year old vehicle with one of those engines that has a reputation for being bulletproof, but at that age, I'd really start to worry about *non-engine* things going wrong with increasing frequency, as well as the difficulty of finding someone who can source parts and work on the engine competently if necessary (if you don't have the know-how, garage space, and backup transportation to do it yourself).
I've owned cars with similar reputations, including a '70s Mercedes 220D and Volvo 240s with >300k on the odometer. I don't do this anymore, because it's a sort of golden handcuffs. The engines might have run forever, but at a certain point it becomes increasingly tough to maintain the parts that don't last. (Ask me how many times I had the overdrive repaired on 240s with automatic transmissions, or how many times I had to source my own parts on ebay, or how often they were in the shop for two weeks or more.) For me, the final straw was my longstanding mechanic's rapid death from pancreatic cancer. I simply wasn't up for finding someone else who knew their way around the quirks of a 20+ year old moderately exotic car. We now own an EV.
So, if this is your dream car and will be more of a hobby or something to tinker with than a daily driver, go for it. If you're looking for something you can depend on to drive forever with minimal maintenance it's probably not the thing for you, and you should view the oxygen sensor as a bellwether for future issues.
posted by pullayup at 8:17 AM on August 14 [2 favorites]
I assume this is a 2007 or 2008 model with a Mercedes diesel. This is a nearly 20 year old vehicle with one of those engines that has a reputation for being bulletproof, but at that age, I'd really start to worry about *non-engine* things going wrong with increasing frequency, as well as the difficulty of finding someone who can source parts and work on the engine competently if necessary (if you don't have the know-how, garage space, and backup transportation to do it yourself).
I've owned cars with similar reputations, including a '70s Mercedes 220D and Volvo 240s with >300k on the odometer. I don't do this anymore, because it's a sort of golden handcuffs. The engines might have run forever, but at a certain point it becomes increasingly tough to maintain the parts that don't last. (Ask me how many times I had the overdrive repaired on 240s with automatic transmissions, or how many times I had to source my own parts on ebay, or how often they were in the shop for two weeks or more.) For me, the final straw was my longstanding mechanic's rapid death from pancreatic cancer. I simply wasn't up for finding someone else who knew their way around the quirks of a 20+ year old moderately exotic car. We now own an EV.
So, if this is your dream car and will be more of a hobby or something to tinker with than a daily driver, go for it. If you're looking for something you can depend on to drive forever with minimal maintenance it's probably not the thing for you, and you should view the oxygen sensor as a bellwether for future issues.
posted by pullayup at 8:17 AM on August 14 [2 favorites]
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posted by theora55 at 7:56 AM on August 14 [2 favorites]