Hi, I'm new to the boards here, but not to fixing cars.

I'm thinking of buying a car off a friend, and wondering if it's worth it.

He says the catalytic converter, radiator, and oxygen sensor need to be replaced. KBB still values the car at over 2,000 for fair condition. And he wants to sell it for 1,700. I'm in California, so the converter needs to be replaced (and not just knocked out). I've never replaced any of those things before.

I'm not stupid when it comes to doing things under the hood, but I've only worked on a 95 Merc Villager and a 2000 Ford Ranger. So I'm not afraid to tackle this, just not sure where to start.

So do you think this is worth it?? And where should I start with the repairs??

 

I just paid $2200 for my 95 LX Coupe accord less than a week ago so I guess its comparable. Mine has 157,799miles. I love the car. Its a great driving car and I have no complaints. So depending on the condition of the car outside of the problems you've listed I'd say it could be worth it.

 

that seems like an okay price if the mileage isn't too high. Replace the radiator first. if the car overheats and the engine is ruined, then there's not much point in replacing the cat and o2.

Also, verify that the cat and o2 are bad before replacing them. since this car is OBD2, you should have access to some good info when diagnosing them.

 

Well the radiator isn't totally gone yet, but the car does overheat when it idles too long. I've had to deal with that in the villager ages ago. So it could just need some new hoses or something, worst case scenario is that it needs a radiator. But yeah, I know the dangers of driving with a car that can overheat.

Mileage doesn't bother me too much. The Merc was at 225,000 miles and the Ranger at 175,000 miles. So I'm pretty good with running a car into the ground and then reviving it.

 

if you're not sure it's the radiator, it could also be the water pump, bad cooling fan(s) or circuit, thermostat, etc. I'd do a timing belt/water pump job anyway and throw in a new thermostat for peace of mind.

 

Well sounds like a decent investment at the moment. It's better than the alternative car that was offered to me, a really old stick shift bug with a broken windshield. Cheaper for the car, but probably more expensive in the long run with getting it fixed before I can even use it. And I've never driven stick.

 

it's a good idea to stay away from VW.