Looking at a 2011 Santa Fe 3.5 AWD for a young woman my family is helping. It has 252K miles but looks clean, with new brakes, tires, and regular service records. Seller seems honest and straightforward.
The car does have some issues:
An oil leak (seller thinks it’s the rear main seal, but oil on the intake makes me suspect it’s the oil pressure sensor). Leak is minor—only a 3-inch spot after a month.
Rear differential isn’t working. Seller says Hyundai told him the solenoid (probably the actuator) is bad, quoted $900 to fix it. They unplugged it three years ago, and it’s been running as FWD since then.
He says the car uses about 1 quart of oil between changes (every 3 months). I’m leaning toward thinking a rear main seal would leak more than that. I don’t want to dump $2K into it since she doesn’t have the money, and we’re limited in how much we can help financially. Price is $1,000-$1,200. Any advice on the oil leak or differential issues? Thanks!
Buying a car with over 250K miles and known issues might not help her much. It could easily become a debt trap. I’d look for something more reliable, even if it costs a bit more.
Tan said:
Buying a car with over 250K miles and known issues might not help her much. It could easily become a debt trap. I’d look for something more reliable, even if it costs a bit more.
I hear you, but this is what we can afford right now. My mechanic friend checked it out with me and said, “If you don’t buy it, I will.”
Agreed. Worst case, I’m out $2K on a dud. But I feel like the seller is being upfront about the issues. He hasn’t even listed it online, just put a sign on it, so I think he’s trying to avoid dealing with lowballers.
I wouldn’t risk it. Cars with 250K+ miles and existing problems can turn into money pits. Maybe look for a buy-here-pay-here place? You could find something with lower mileage and no major issues.