Should I buy this car (04' dodge durango 4x4 4.7l)

pbeyer2010 · 11-30-2016, 01:33 PM

Hey All,

Looking for some advice from my C5 friends. I am looking at buying a 04' durango SLT with the 4.7L V8 as a beater to drive my German Shepherd to and from the park in. It has 170k on it and is in fair condition overall. I'm not scared of mileage, my 02' Ram 1500 has the same engine with 278k on it.

The problem is the seller listed it as "mechanic says may need new motor or motor work. It starts, runs rough and stalls out". I asked the guy to tell me what codes it was throwing, P2074. Should be a simple swap of the TPS and/or IAC valve both of which i have done on my Ram.

More background, the seller is an autobody shop that flips cars regularly. I found that he paid $2,000 at auction for it in April and he claims he needs it gone dosent have time to work on it and is willing to take a bath an sell it for $800. My fear is if it was really just a couple hundred bucks in sensors why wouldn't he fix it himself and recoup his money. On the flip side if it will start, should i take an $800 gamble and scrap it if i cant fix it....... Thoughts?

hrpiii · 11-30-2016, 01:39 PM

something is just a bit to fishy for someone to take a $1200 loss "just to have it gone". Maybe he replaced the sensors and more stuff was wrong with it, then he put the original sensors back on hoping to unload it.

That is a BIG risk, but could come with BIG reward if that is the ONLY issue. Me, I would be looking for other great deals with less risk involved.

pbeyer2010 · 11-30-2016, 02:05 PM

I would tend to agree with the fishy-ness. I flat out said to the receptionist on the phone, "I am not a mechanic but i am mechanically inclined. I have to believe an autobody shop would know how to change a sensor or two". The woman said they sub out 100% of their mechanic work and do not do any in house.... They did send me a photo of the work order from their mechanic showing the P2074 DTC code written on it and nothing else. It doesn't prove much but maybe they are ignorant when it comes to mechanics work and figured a few hundred bucks in sensors plus a couple hundred in labor was not worth their time for minimal profit.

I should have prefaced this with im not strapped for cash, i more dont want my wife to say i told you so ! haha

hrpiii · 11-30-2016, 03:18 PM

I understand that for sure. But she has to be a little lenient knowing the vehicle will be high mileage and probably need a little work here and there. But I'm not trusting that just a sensor is bad when trying to unload a truck for $800.

11-30-2016, 01:33 PM	#1
pbeyer2010 Drives: 2015 Camaro 2SS Join Date: May 2016 Location: Nanuet, NY Posts: 165 View My Garage	Should I buy this car (04' dodge durango 4x4 4.7l) Hey All, Looking for some advice from my C5 friends. I am looking at buying a 04' durango SLT with the 4.7L V8 as a beater to drive my German Shepherd to and from the park in. It has 170k on it and is in fair condition overall. I'm not scared of mileage, my 02' Ram 1500 has the same engine with 278k on it. The problem is the seller listed it as "mechanic says may need new motor or motor work. It starts, runs rough and stalls out". I asked the guy to tell me what codes it was throwing, P2074. Should be a simple swap of the TPS and/or IAC valve both of which i have done on my Ram. More background, the seller is an autobody shop that flips cars regularly. I found that he paid $2,000 at auction for it in April and he claims he needs it gone dosent have time to work on it and is willing to take a bath an sell it for $800. My fear is if it was really just a couple hundred bucks in sensors why wouldn't he fix it himself and recoup his money. On the flip side if it will start, should i take an $800 gamble and scrap it if i cant fix it....... Thoughts? __________________ SS MOOSE

11-30-2016, 02:05 PM	#3
pbeyer2010 Drives: 2015 Camaro 2SS Join Date: May 2016 Location: Nanuet, NY Posts: 165 View My Garage	I would tend to agree with the fishy-ness. I flat out said to the receptionist on the phone, "I am not a mechanic but i am mechanically inclined. I have to believe an autobody shop would know how to change a sensor or two". The woman said they sub out 100% of their mechanic work and do not do any in house.... They did send me a photo of the work order from their mechanic showing the P2074 DTC code written on it and nothing else. It doesn't prove much but maybe they are ignorant when it comes to mechanics work and figured a few hundred bucks in sensors plus a couple hundred in labor was not worth their time for minimal profit. I should have prefaced this with im not strapped for cash, i more dont want my wife to say i told you so ! haha __________________ SS MOOSE

11-30-2016, 01:39 PM	#2
hrpiii AKA "Beefcake" Drives: 2023 ZL1 Sharkskin Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indy Posts: 8,575	something is just a bit to fishy for someone to take a $1200 loss "just to have it gone". Maybe he replaced the sensors and more stuff was wrong with it, then he put the original sensors back on hoping to unload it. That is a BIG risk, but could come with BIG reward if that is the ONLY issue. Me, I would be looking for other great deals with less risk involved.

11-30-2016, 03:18 PM	#4
hrpiii AKA "Beefcake" Drives: 2023 ZL1 Sharkskin Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indy Posts: 8,575	I understand that for sure. But she has to be a little lenient knowing the vehicle will be high mileage and probably need a little work here and there. But I'm not trusting that just a sensor is bad when trying to unload a truck for $800.