For starts, my car has error codes that an upper and lower O2 sensor have gone bad.

A friend mentioned that I could get 'spacers' for the O2 sensors and that may stop the codes. He said they'd be $5-15 USD a piece.

I'm tempted to try the spacer route because the cheapest I can find O2 sensors for is $68 each from RockAuto.

Are there any downsides to using spacers? Can I buy cheap 'universal' O2 sensors and just change the wire connectors?

 

Steven. Spacers?... Really??
And NO, you have titania sensors, not zirconia, so unless you get a titania "universal", it will not work.

 

A friend recommended spacers, but I wanted to check here since the auto parts stores didn't seem to know much about them. I guess I"ll see if I can't find titania sensors, or just shell out the money.

 

Never heard of such a thing, not on 02 sensors. Just buy the senors new and be done with it.