Should I go ahead with this purchase?

Should I go ahead with this purchase?

Hi, I’m buying a used BMW 320i SE Coupe. The car has 140k km on the clock. I’m buying from a SIMI approved dealer, however, they told me the car Failed NCT just there and they need to replace the catalytic converter on the car. So my question is should I abandon this sale based off this or is it a common problem that once fixed the car will be fine? Thanks

Our answer:

Hi Sean,

It’s not unheard of but we’d look for a 320i elsewhere, given they’re reasonably common cars. Under normal operation, the cat should last the life of the car, so the fact it is damaged suggests the BMW has had a misfire or other fault previously – this may or may not be fixed, so there’s no guarantee you won’t damage a new cat.

Shane O'Donoghue

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