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Worried...think I might of screwed up buying this truck...

3K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  bobus8 
#1 · (Edited)
Been looking for a frontier for months and finally found an awesome deal on one (or so I thought). The used car place I bought it from made me weary but I was willing to check it out. Upon buying the car I got the carfax and it said it was in a frontside impact with airbag deployment....I looked over the truck best I could (straight body lines, panels all the same color, doors and hood close solid and clean, drove good, heavy acceleration and breaking we're fine with no noises or jerking or pulling). I decided to take the chance. I ended up paying about 7k less out the door than a comparable truck without the wreak. The other day I realized the quarter panel on the drivers side had 2 bolts in the door jam that where half way out....finger tightened them then went home and put a wrench on them...got worried and crawled under the truck to see 4 bolts that hold a portion of the lower bumper on where only half screwed in, also I'm missing 1 tow hook. I wish that was the worst of it. I noticed the hose at the bottom of the radiator on the drivers side had a small drip of antifreeze hanging from it and there is an oil leak somewhere that seems to pool (it's not enough to pool but that's where theite drip is) at the .... Don't know the name of it (the pumpkin thing , drivers side that the axles go into) and gets the portion of the frame that goes parellel with the axles wet...the oil is always super clean and fresh when I wipe it. So I'm freaking out a bit because for me I just dropped a **** ton of money on a 2013 truck with less than 15000 miles and it's leaking and bolts are lose. I was comforted knowing the accident happened when the vehicle had 10 miles on it so it's been driven for 14500+ miles after the accident. I check the oil level and antifreeze daily and neither levels have changed. I've wiped everything down and degreased it only to find it back the next day. I'm taking it to my uncle (he's a mechanic) on Friday for him to asses what's really going on. Called nissan today and the truck is still under warranty however I doubt they would warranty any of this stuff. Anyway I don't know what else I can do but wait till Friday and try not to freak out. Definetly bummed...hoping it's not a big deal and maybe it's just some gasket or something but my head always goes to catostrophic failure. I'll keep y'all up to date...if anyone has any input or insights I'm open to it.

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Well I can give you a small ray of sunlight... They only come with one tow hook : )
Sure hope the rest works out for you.
 
#3 ·
Just wait it out till Friday and hopefully the diagnosis is not something major. My bud bought an accord almost exactly like your talking about. but after going over the car for a couple weeks i think we got it all fixed, now he has a pretty awesome new car
 
#11 · (Edited)
That's the best advice. No need to panic until you have an expert evaluate it.

I/you/we don't know for a fact that these leaks are related to the accident. So its in your best interest to not mention it. Take it to the Nissan dealer, tell them you've noticed a spot or two on the concrete in the mornings and leave it at that.....
Also good advice. The leaks could be something entirely different so no reason to assume they are the result of the accident.

Someone has to be a real dufus to wreck a vehicle with 10 miles on it.
May not be the owner who was the dufus though. Could be the guy who hit him. When we lived in Denver I used to call my wife the "Denver demolition derby champion" because her Subaru was in the body shop so often. Three times in the 5 years we lived there and every single time it was someone else who hit her. The Subaru of course went another 120,000 miles before we traded it.
 
#4 ·
you know, honestly, it sounds like a few bolts were missed upon reassembly after the accident. Not ideal, but more than likely not a major worry. Most car owners would never notice but you did.

I would check every bolt on the body from the doors forward and check to make sure the hose clamps are snug on the radiator hoses and drive it.

it sounds like you got a deal based on the accident repair, so some minor repair or once over is not unexpected.
 
#5 ·
Have your uncle ensure that the air bag has been replaced. They are expensive, unscrupulous repair shop might leave out and pocket the $$$. Which is illegal, of course.
 
#6 ·
Don't freak out yet.
I bought mine with the carfax in hand, supposedly clean carfax btw.
It was raining the day I bought my truck so visual inspection was limited.
It drove straight, body lines were good and it only had 11,500 on the ODO.
After getting it home and dried off, I could see where there was overspray on the undercarriage.
Meaning paint work had been done for sure.
Everything has been just fine with the truck to this day, 59,xxx on the ODO right now.
Have your uncle go over it thoroughly before you get too worked up.
If you got a great deal and minor things need to be addressed, you still got a great deal.
 
#7 ·
Some body shops do a very poor job of putting things back together again. Once you get the oil leak fixed and tighten or replace the lose and missing bolts you may end up with a good dependable truck. Sounds like a fun project. Be sure to have the alignment checked, that may not have been done and if not it could cause rapid tier wear.

If you save 7K you can afford to spend a little to put it right again.
 
#12 ·
Thanks guys...definitely put my mind at ease...I got a tendency to get worked up when something important to me gets a little funky.

Good to know there is only one tow hook (Doh!)

I'll hold out for the pro to tell me what the reality is

I'm not used to turning a wrench on a car or truck (especially a new one) but turning a wrench is something I enjoy...this is my other hobby...all home built....



Oil changes and brake and rotor stuff is one thing but I'm not sure if I should start messing with stuff while its still under warranty since its my daily...thoughts? (I've already been looking at exhausts and a 6" lift haha but 2k for a lift will have to wait till at least summer!)
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't be too worried about the bolts. My truck got rear ended and the body shop forgot to bolt the bed back to the frame. The bolts were there but no nuts...which is nuts. Bad joke, but it just goes to show that the body shops do forget to tighten things up after reassembling. I actually drove around for a month and then shipped my truck to Hawaii before my girlfriend bumped into a concrete pole at the gas station and the bed shifted several inches. Had to take pictures of the missing bolts and nuts before the original body shop agreed to pay to have a shop in Hawaii fix it. Sure glad she didn't come off the frame while driving at speed, THAT would have been nuts.
 
#16 ·
Sometimes, new vehicles will get dinged in shipment and need some minor body work which is too bad but it does happen.

7K for 2013 sounds like a really good deal. I would be very pleased even if there were a few things that needed to be corrected.
 
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