GREAT NEWS...Right after filming this video (before it was released), the customer took our findings to the seller. They were unaware of the QX60's condition. They graciously refunded the buyer the FULL purchase price! There are good people in the world today!!!

@Bigdawgtj

Ай бұрын

Wow, not going to question how they did not know the condition, but good on them for doing the right thing, the customer should learn a good lesson from this, and hopefully the video will also teach that lesson to thousands more.

@SplosionMovies

Ай бұрын

Love to hear of folks doing the right thing! Thanks for telling us Wizard

@midend

Ай бұрын

They will probably dump it on another poor soul

@Bigdawgtj

Ай бұрын

@@midend sadly the case more than likely, i find it hard to believe that THEY bought it without an inspection, unless perhaps they got it at some auction. But got to give it to them, its not free to process all that financing and refund the customer, good on them, but hopefully this QX60 is junked.

@aarg2609

Ай бұрын

Your customer DODGED a bullet.

Don't buy vehicles like Hoovie does unless you want to start your own KZread channel.

@MK-bv6wn

Ай бұрын

Unless you all ready have sucessful YT channel

@encinobalboa

Ай бұрын

Weee-zird!

@uncleremus3211

Ай бұрын

Even Hoovie wouldn't buy one with a welded transmission link

@BluePlanetDrone

Ай бұрын

And unless you have a car wizard | car ninja and huge wallet

@porcelainthunder2213

Ай бұрын

@@uncleremus3211 never underestimate Hoovies ability to make poor decisions.

I can understand why the other shop came up with the highball 20k$ estimate, it was a get this nightmare out of my shop quote, they didn't want to deal with this POS.

@garykeith1048

Ай бұрын

Exactly!😆😅🤣🥵😵

@georgemartin1436

Ай бұрын

Yes I agree. I'd estimate it for a new transmission, new engine wiring harness and assume THE WORST on anything else that looks odd. It's the labor time that costs the shop, not the parts and I'd certainly want to avoid this vehicle.

@efil4kizum

Ай бұрын

Sounds like a hackshop, yes?

@jamesredman1263

Ай бұрын

​@@efil4kizum- not necessarily. Just people who didn't want this job.

@billd66

Ай бұрын

Yep, then they return the car to the customer and something else breaks and "Well YOU had it last!" Best not to touch such things with a 39.5 foot pole.

I work at a reputable Japanese brand dealership in the southwest and we’re completely okay with pre-purchase inspections on our used inventory. Do your homework, people.

@james2042

Ай бұрын

By a third party I presume

@SolamenteVees

Ай бұрын

@@james2042 Of course. They choose a shop to do the inspection.

@james2042

Ай бұрын

@SolamenteVees man I wish I wasn't in NY, here you're lucky if anyone allows a ppi. 9/10 times you mention it they straight up will not sell to you anymore.

@ianriggs

Ай бұрын

@@james2042 that's just weird. And sketchy

@james2042

Ай бұрын

@ianriggs they just don't want to be bothered, no shop will do one even same week. The moment you mention one you're now a pain in the ass and someone else will buy the car without one.

I don't know if everyone caught that. Wizard says service your CVT trans every 30-50,000 miles regardless of what the dealer of manufacturer says. That is 100% correct and that goes for all vehicles. Thanks Wizard for sharing your wisdom.

@thomasbossman

Ай бұрын

On this particular SUV it's 30,000 mi on the dot. At 37,000 miles you feel a decline in power delivery do not recommend going to 50,000 without a flush

@JBM425

Ай бұрын

Any time a manufacturer says fluid is “lifetime” or you only need to change oil every 10,000 miles, they are trying to make sure the car doesn’t last more than 5 years or 60,000 miles/100,000 km.

@ferrarimatt1

Ай бұрын

I have a CVT in my mitsubishi outlander sport SE. Mitsubishi has me change mine every year regardless of miles so I change mine every 10k miles. My CVT has 88,000 miles on it got new no issues.

@paulparoma

Ай бұрын

Best way to avoid CVT problems is to not buy a car with one in the first place.

@828findadventure

Ай бұрын

@@paulparoma Sometimes that is unavoidable and will be for everyone in the future. CVTs are more effient at getting good gas mileage and performance.

A loan on a 9 year old car.1st mistake,2nd mistake buying a nissan.

@Hubjeep

Ай бұрын

I didn't know leans were available on private-party car sales.

@SpeCifiC0507

Ай бұрын

@@Hubjeep I'm thinking the car was a private dealership with astronomical interest rates, not a regular branded dealership. One of those "buy here, pay here" types. That said, you can get a loan from your bank to then take to the private seller for purchase.

@_3tr1k_

Ай бұрын

⁠@@eleyasbtseamlak9102Look up who makes Infiniti

@norontboyz5949

Ай бұрын

​@@eleyasbtseamlak9102yes it is. Infiniti is just rebadged nissan. Like acura to honda and lexus to toyota

@Pienimusta

Ай бұрын

@@eleyasbtseamlak9102 Glorified Nissan/Datsun

a mechanical inspection is always worth the dollars, even if there is nothing wrong with the car, so you know as a fact. If you cant afford that, you cant afford the car, and if they don't let you take it to a mechanic that is the biggest red flag to run.

@ChrisMospaw

Ай бұрын

Exactly this. I have paid to have every car used I've purchased inspected prior. If the seller objects, that's a red flag. Walk away. And I have had major issues found on cars during these inspections. You can either walk away or use it to negotiate. I'm not a fan of issues, so I usually walk. Far better to spend a few hundred dollars on the inspection than many thousands on unexpected repairs.

@unhandled12345

Ай бұрын

100% this. I just called a shop last week, because I saw a 40-year old convertible, and they quoted $65 for a PPI. That's cheap insurance.

@universalassociates6857

Ай бұрын

Absolutely unless it’s a $1000 car and you have some knowledge and a scan tool and are prepared to fix it!

@universalassociates6857

Ай бұрын

About a year ago I purchased a 2012 4runner from a new car dealer. I absolutely insisted that I be permitted to take it to an independent shop nearby to get it checked out. They said, no but you can have your mechanic check it out and use our lift. I insisted and actually started to get up to leave, and they reneged. Tuned out the vehicle checked out fine. But then a few months later, the knock sensor code came on and I decided to sell it because of the cost to repair and for other reasons. But I got my inspection!

@garykeith1048

Ай бұрын

@@universalassociates6857 I would have told them to take the car and shove it. I'm not to popular around used car dealerships. I buy my cars from private sellers and if they're afraid of a pre-purchase inspection, I walk away into the sunset. I've done that on some BS temp assignments too.. You really need to do more than a scan tool tool. Do a leak-down compression test and pull out all the spark plugs. If they say no, than I say see ya. Also check oil in the exhaust tailpipe.

As a person who has done a LOT of bodywork I can tell you without a doubt, 4 minutes in, that everything B pillar forward has been painted. This is a job for vehcor.

@jblyon2

Ай бұрын

I don't have a trained eye, and before he even got close enough to see the gaps it was clear the light reflections from the B pillar forward were different than the rest of the vehicle. I would guess that's a pre-painted aftermarket bumper cover too? I know a few people who got one to save some money and they never look right, the color is always noticeably off.

@ppeters480

Ай бұрын

That vehicle should have gone to Vehcor, he would have made it right and disclosed it was damaged goods but will get you from Point A to Point B, for awhile before it ended up at the Pull and save yard !

@samholdsworth420

Ай бұрын

Does vehcor peddle Nissan?

@cantwealljustgetalong2

Ай бұрын

just because a car was in an accident or has been painted doesnt mean its junk or unsafe

@samholdsworth420

Ай бұрын

@@cantwealljustgetalong2 correct but this car is

I’m glad the seller did the honorable thing by refunding the customer’s money but I have a hard time believing they didn’t know about the car history, especially with just water in the radiator.

@gnomiefirst9201

Ай бұрын

IDK, sounds like a flip by someone honest .

@mikefixescars

Ай бұрын

Having car dealerships is actually not the greatest business in the world. They barely look at these cars sometimes. Dealerships frequently get lemons, but they can usually return them. We, however usually can't. That's why it's stressed so much on Good KZread channels like Scotty kilmer to not buy a car at a dealership. You are paying a premium there for absolutely nothing, and sometimes it's for garbage

@Eyem1337

Ай бұрын

@@gnomiefirst9201 Saying sod as-is doesn't make anyone a scammer. If your selling a car that doesn't have a factory warranty why the hell would the seller warranty it? It doesn't work that way. My 2017 civic's warranty just ended, if I go to sell it it's sold as is (then again I have the entire history of the vehicle and all service records)

@rustystubbs242

Ай бұрын

Probably got bought at auction to resell and sellers didnt know. I’m sure after refunded the buyers money, this car is back at some auction to be resold to another unsuspecting buyer.

@gnomiefirst9201

Ай бұрын

@@Eyem1337 I stand corrected and edited it.

I used to sell cars way back in the 80s. I remember the used car manager could spend five minutes inspecting the car abd tell if it had been in an accident. Today CarFax will usually tell you if the car has been in a wreck. I think that Infinity was a salvage title and the woman who bought it didn't know.

@Sashazur

Ай бұрын

The key with CarFax is “usually”. My partner rear ended someone at a stop sign, the car was fixed all above board with insurance involved etc, but it never showed up on CarFax.

@robertbell525

9 күн бұрын

Yeah Carfax can help, but don't totally rely on it. A close visual is imperative. I do my own inspections I have a two page checklist and I crawl all over and under for an hour before even turning the key.

Even CarFax is not always complete - a pre-buying inspection is absolutely essential.

@jkoorts

Ай бұрын

Before buying inspection

@SBCBears

Ай бұрын

Just had a pre-purchase inspection on a used Toyota van from a BMW dealer. Indicated repairs were 2/3 the asking price. No sale. Car Wizard deserves his million plus subscribers.

@silvercommander

Ай бұрын

Yep. I bought a car and the owner only had liability insurance. His daughter wrecked it. Knocked off the front end. Bought it for pennies on the dollar. Nothing showed up on carfax since it was never turned into insurance. Put a new front end on. Sold it. Went on a cruise. Car is still running good 5 years later.

Odds are this was an auction buy (most likely salvage auction) patched up just enough to sell.

@alexapexgod4643

7 күн бұрын

Clash of klans?

I did a before purchase inspection when buying my current car, the shop told me the car was well maintained, so i bought it. I'm still rocking this car 7 years later, never had issues. A year after this, i bought another used car as a second car. Didn't inspect it before buying. 2 months later the engine blew up, and when I took it to the shop, they discovered that the frame was rusted beyond repairs. ALWAYS take the car to a shop for an inspection before buying, if they refuse, walk away.

@elnyoutube123

Ай бұрын

I usually only buy cars that have the service history and replaced items listed in the ad. I've always had luck buying cars that way. The only times I've gotten burned on cars is when I bought them from ads with little to no information other than "runs and drives".

@MikeKayK

Ай бұрын

How did the rusted frame cause the engine to blow up? Or are they unrelated? Why did the engine blow up? How could the internal condition of the engine been noticed during a pre-purchase inspection?

@chazzcoolidge2654

Ай бұрын

​​@@MikeKayK It's unrelated but it may show the level of maintenance (or lack of..) that was done by the previous owners.You can infact check the condition of the engine via compression tests or even going as far as taking a bore scope to inspect the internals,by the way.

@muyoso

Ай бұрын

Or like, look under a car before you buy it. . .

@MikeKayK

Ай бұрын

@@chazzcoolidge2654 Dude, if the engine seems to run fine, no one is going to do a compression test or sticks bore scope down the cylinders during a pre-purchase inspection. And if the engine doesn't run fine, you walk away, you don't keep throwing money at someone else's car to diagnose the issue for them.

I only had a FEW customers come in for me to inspect a car BEFORE they bought it. And I was more than happy to do so because that is absolutely how you buy a used car.

We’ve never bought a used car without having it inspected first. If the seller balked we immediately walked (good rhyme to remember! 🙂) and we had our longtime mechanic do the inspections 👍

@muyoso

Ай бұрын

I've never gotten a pre purchase inspection because I know how to use my eyes and look at things and to do the most basic of checking on fluids and things. Of course I also don't buy garbage like Nissan's or Dodge.

Why don't do people a BEFORE-PURCHASE inspection instead of a POST-PURCHASE inspection?

@bellybell542

Ай бұрын

Yes indeed

@emgriffiths9743

Ай бұрын

Either the seller is pushing for a quick sale or the purchasor is naive-

@peacem8574

Ай бұрын

Because the sellers don't allow it.

@Derek8487

Ай бұрын

It's usually a 1 1/2 week wait at the shop I use. That could cause a problem on a private sale if the seller gers multiple offers or phone calls. Why wait if you don't have to.

@emgriffiths9743

Ай бұрын

@@Derek8487 yeah that happened to me trying to get an inspection from somebody who knows the brand I bought a car with 'issues'

i bought a 2016 versa note, hail damaged car with 15k miles. i did the cvt transfluid change every 40,000 miles like you said, and the car now has 160,000 miles going strong and my niece now owns it.

@jasonj8470

Ай бұрын

Those are known to go 300k well maintained, even with cvt

I’m an autobody technician and speaking from my perspective the front bumper cover sometimes they just don’t match You have to remember when bumpers are painted for a car usually do them a bunch at a time They don’t paint two bumper covers every car rear bumper covers at a time So that paint might not particularly match because the bumper might’ve gotten shot with a different batch of paint. It might be the same paint code, but it could be slightly off variant.

Based. A coworker once asked me if I wanted to buy his 01 chrysler minivan. We took it to the mechanic together and it went on the lift....the entire undercarrage was rotted out. He had no idea it was so rusty and said he wouldnt sell it to me he was gonna junk it cuz it was obviously unsafe to be on the road.

I can't imagine actually taking out a loan for a used full-size luxury SUV. If you need something that big (doubtful, honestly), and don't have the money for it, you really shouldn't be buying something like that. There are much better options out there that will be easier on the wallet.

@Braxton-xk5bi

Ай бұрын

Good advice when you consider the terrible fuel economy on these beasts you almost need a loan just to keep gas in these things 😂

@NalaRichenbach

16 күн бұрын

Yes there is, such as a light pickup truck. I have one and I love it more than the over sized SUV I had. It's nice having a truck...even if it's not a full sized one. They're nice. i love the one I bought...a 2024 Ranger and i use it like it's a mid sized SUV. I love it.

"No one ever sells a car because it runs too good" I went with one of my troops to a local buy here, pay here lot to look at an RX7 he was in love with. Shiny and clean inside and out, looked great. The car pulled to the right really bad. I noticed when we parked it, it was impossible to line the wheels up with the parking stripes. When I looked under the car, we discovered this car was actually 2 cars that had been welded together just behind the B pillar!

Under most circumstances I agree, a before purchase inspection is wise. In Decrmber I was forced to replace my old Volvo 240. My late mother's next door neighbour was forced to stop driving at the age of 95. I bought her 20 year old, always dealer serviced Toyota Corolla. When i agreed to buy it, she had her son take it to the dealer for its mandatory safety inspection. It failed because they claimed it had 2 rust holes. Her son went to 2 body shops. One said scrap it. The other said they would buy it. I took it to a fruend who does body work. He could not find holes anywhere. I took it to a shop I know is very famous for finding problems that really should be overlooked. They found nothing at all wrong, not even a warning about surface rust! The car drives like new despite 20 years and 100,000 miles. Even before purchase inspections can be seriously misleading.

@ozarkliving7263

Ай бұрын

Very smart, a lot of the issue is people’s pride. They want to look impressive to others. They want to have a bunch of bells and whistles, so they purchase a high mileage vehicle, when, if they were smart and humble, they could have spent that same money on a basic Toyota Corolla that would serve them perfectly for decades. Pride goes before a fall.

Car wizard and Scotty k have taught me so much about cars. I have a car on its last leg, but I am doing due diligence on buying another car. Thank you for your time and effort making these videos.

Unfortunately, Infinity is just a fancy Nissan and recent Nissans are JUNK...🤬

@demri123

Ай бұрын

this is definitely false. infiniti has some great cars in the 2000s and 2010s. they are sedans tho, and everyone wants suv. buy a q70 with 3.7L v6 and non-cvt. they are awesome cars

@Evan2

Ай бұрын

So quick to blame the manufacturer instead of the methhead owners this thing has had. Outside of the trash Xtronic CVT, Nissan has actually been pretty solid.

@arnoldziffel4943

Ай бұрын

@@demri123 The 7 speed auto in the G37 ain’t so hot. Still a great car besides the transmission, and it was worth replacing it. But it was not cheap.

@hokie9910

Ай бұрын

Nissan is really not a good car company any longer. When a car depreciates as fast as they do, there’s always a reason.

@michaelmaas5544

Ай бұрын

@@demri123that’s why the op said recent

There are only 2 cases in which paying for a BEFORE purchase inspection is not necessary. 1. The car is brand new 2. You're handy and knowledgeable enough to do so yourself.

@Ray-dv1md

Ай бұрын

Maybe not but you are not always safe buying a new car. Purchased a brand-new Ford Escort from a Ford dealer in Australia. Was ordered from the factory which was just down the road from the dealership. Delivery time was much longer than quoted and was fed the story on the factory waiting on parts. Car showed up and I drove away. Months later I started noticing paint issues and parts that should not have paint on them. Turned out because the factory was just down the road the dealer sent someone to pick it up and they rear ended a vehicle on the way back to the dealership. The delay was the dealer waiting on parts from the factory to repair the car. Brought this up with the dealer and they basically gave me the middle finger.

@SkylineFTW97

Ай бұрын

@@Ray-dv1md I know. I work at a Honda dealership myself. We've been getting issues with the new Civics, Pilots, and Odysseys a lot. But there isn't anything there that's gonna be able to be remedied by an independent mechanic yet, so there's no point. If it's bad enough, you can always have it lemon lawed (I'm not sure what the Australian equivalent is)

@georgebettiol8338

Ай бұрын

@@Ray-dv1md You have piqued my interest. Assuming you are refering to the Campbellfield Ford plant - i.e. not Geelong - then the closest dealer could possibly be Bayford located in Coburg North or possibly Epping. In any case it's not surprising the dealer arranged for a 'cheap repair' to the new Escort - sad really.

@Ray-dv1md

Ай бұрын

@@georgebettiol8338 Actually was the Ford plant in Homebush NSW. Ford dealer has gone now, was in Church Street Parramatta, as this was forty years ago. Sold it to a dealer, who pointed out all the other signs I missed, as now had a company car.

@Ray-dv1md

Ай бұрын

@@SkylineFTW97 Bit late now, as this was over 40 years ago, and consumer law was pretty poor. But I am sure dealers are still doing the same thing.

Car dealers sometimes get caught out themselves. I used to work with a girl in the UK who bought a Suzuki Vitara from an independent dealer. At some point in the future she took it in for some work, and they loaned her an identical Vitara which they had taken in as a part-exchange. When she went back to collect her car, she parked the loaner next to her own car. It was only when one of the staff went out with her to give her car back, they noticed that both cars had the same licence plates on them. Turned out some low lifes had seen her car when it was for sale at the dealership, gone and stolen an identical car, and cloned her car's identity, including false VIN plates. Then they were cheeky enough to trade the stolen car in at the same dealership. Her car was legitimate, but the dealer had inadvertently accepted the stolen car as a trade-in.

I looked at a car once because it looked like a good deal online. When I checked it out in person I popped the hood and it had a replaced engine from the junkyard. They definitely didn’t mention that online and I basically had to interrogate the salesman and manager to get them to admit the engine wasn’t original.

@Watcher3223

Ай бұрын

Why bother interrogating the salesman and the manager? If I saw that the engine in a car I was interested in was a junkyard swap, I would have just thanked the dealership for their time and left. There's no arguing nor negotiating with them for anything if the car for sale was presented in bad faith in the first place.

@georgejames6376

Ай бұрын

What's wrong with a replacement engine, they fail and you replace them

@Watcher3223

Ай бұрын

@@georgejames6376It's not that the engine was replaced by itself, but that such a fact about the car was not disclosed without prodding. If the seller isn't forthright about what's being sold, then that's a red flag with regard to who you're dealing with. If an engine was replaced, why? If it was due to neglect, well then what other parts of the car could have been neglected? Also, if the engine was replaced with a salvaged one, what's the condition of the replacement and is there a warranty? Adding to the uncertainty is not knowing the quality of the work that was done; was it done by someone who really knows what he's doing? Plus, the fact that the engine is not original to the car can negatively impact the residual value since the engine will not be numbers-matching. As a buyer, you have a right to know what it is that you're buying into, especially as many used vehicles are sold as is. If something goes wrong with the engine after you buy the car, you will be the one who has to deal with it. _Caveat Emptor_

@GLARebel

Ай бұрын

@@Watcher3223 Right. It's like meeting a pretty girl and going on a date with her and then you find out it's a trap. Like you should have disclosed what parts you had down there from the start. Not trick me.

The painted letters/numbers on the front subframe prove that the original subframe was replaced by one from a wrecking yard. That Infiniti was in a substantial front end accident that damaged the original subframe. Look at the subframe at the 7:30 point and following.

@TalismanPHX

Ай бұрын

Yep, noticed that too

Mismatched tires will destroy the transaxle in a Subaru. I learned that the hard way before knowing this is an issue. Now I am religious about keeping them matching.

@kimblem.w9952

Ай бұрын

Or ditch having an AWD vehicle lol.

@beauthestdane

Ай бұрын

@@kimblem.w9952 Where I currently live it is more practical for winter driving. I also drive a rear wheel drive vehicle when the weather permits.

@kimblem.w9952

Ай бұрын

@@beauthestdane for me having a FWD with a solid set of winter tires is more than enough. I rarely get stuck unless I get caught in a major snow storm and even then I just stay indoors those days.

@beauthestdane

Ай бұрын

@@kimblem.w9952 Yep, and I managed for years driving a RWD Miata, but AWD is safer in those conditions.

@raydemos1181

Ай бұрын

just take the awd fuse out and run on fwd,

It's very good you put these vids out for people.

That look under the hood is very informative. Your trained eye spotted things that the untrained eye would miss. That wiring harness is definitely alarming.

@ToddLandholm-ch2ng

Ай бұрын

That’s all good but with today’s car you have to take all the plastic off to see anything and you would have plastic laying everywhere?

I bought my 2 latest cars MX- (or Miata in the US) & CX-5 both completely unseen from a trusted mechanic. With the latter one I had 2 warranty issues, fixed without any discussion. And for free. Repeat customers, repeat business & stand for your reputation and integrity as a mechanic shop. Where people work like in a shop, things can go wrong & errors will be made of course BUT if it does, help your customers out & they will come back. And spread the word, best marketing tool ever.

Thank you so much for looking out for the the people my dude. We are blessed to have a teacher with knowledge. 🙏🏼

I heard that expensive sound the second You started that thing. Classic drying JENCO crapmission…. That sound at one point cost me 3500$ thanks NIssian….lol😊

@scottgoodson5132

28 күн бұрын

Jatco is the manufacturer of Nissan CVT’s, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan.

With all of these scamming shops and stealerships around, I'm curious what The Car Wizard would do to find a shop that isn't a scam. I think it would be a great video for those of us who wish we could be your customer. Personally, I would love if there was an "Omega Certified" or "Car Wizard Certified" award that shops could earn so that we know what shops around the country are trustworthy.

@fhd3715

Ай бұрын

Wouldn't really be ethical, would it?

Thank you Car Wizard for sharing your wisdom! 🙏

This is a great warning to people not omly buying used cars but aftermarket parts on eBay and Amazon!! If the price is too good to be true it probably is!! No it definitely is!! You can no longer trust anyone selling something at way below market value!! Great video

I felt pretty lucky with the Mechanic that my father knew for decades as my old 01 Merc started rusting out at the wheel arches. Really went beyond the value of the car to fix, Hooked me up with an audi estate diesel for a great price, no rust issues and took the merc off my hands for trade, It only had some worn badges with the age/UV wearing them down and needed a few replacements. Mechanically great for 110k with the full service history. About $100 later and an afternoon with a heat gun the things looking absolutely fantastic and the saving going from premium octane petrol into a diesel has saved me some crazy cash. If you've a family mechanic i'd always ask what kind of stock they've got if they do keep some cars in stock or know any customers trying to sell. He's no Wizard but the man knows what's reliable and hasn't let either of us down in all these years. 4 months in and so far so good. Videos like these make me so darn thankful to have someone like that. Couldn't imagine buying a car, nevermind taking a loan out and then finding out it's been in a wreck. That's just terrible for everyone involved. Last news you'd wanna give a customer at the shop too i'd imagine. So glad the buyer managed to get a refund on the thing! Not often you see a happy ending to this, That's the Wizard way!

Love the Accura NSX in the background.

Thank you for your blatant honesty. There aren't a lot of automotive technicians and shops that can give a reliable assessment.

Refreshing upisode ! NO COMMERCIAL ! Bless your heart !

Thanks a lot for your blatant honesty 😊

Thanks Wizard. This is why I always advise a private seller that I am going to take a car guy (me) to go over the car before I buy a used vehicle. If the seller says no then I pass cause that is a warning sign. If they allow it, I still proceed with caution. I once had a car that had the ECM bring up another VIN when I scanned it. Seller denied anything being done, I walked away. With all the shady people out there, just never know who to trust.. Tip: Always go with 1 or 2 additional individuals when meeting and have one stay in the back seat with phone ready in case something pops up. Never know nowadays.

Usually if you google the VIN and it was at a salvage auction it will show up- first easy and free step

@jeremybennett5547

Ай бұрын

Yup! 100%

Yep avoid the older JX35/QX60 and first couple years of newer Pathfinders (mid-20teens). CVT was not good. Late 20teens of QX60 and Pathfinder is much better and then the '22 up went to a regular 9 speed trans.

@ozarkliving7263

Ай бұрын

Avoid Nissan/Infiniti altogether

@robertrussell4035

Ай бұрын

So 2019 nissan pathfinder is the better years for them.

@chadwickwhite1889

Ай бұрын

@@robertrussell4035 Yes from everything I've seen I believe above '16 is better for the CVT years. Still need to service them every 30-50k miles though.

@chadwickwhite1889

Ай бұрын

@@ozarkliving7263 Some of us are addicted to them but you have to know which ones to get. I avoid anything with CVT to start.

@mydimeisup5103

Ай бұрын

@@ozarkliving7263 Q50s with the 3.7 are bulletproof just like the prior G37. Q50 and Q60 with the 3.0T are awesome (besides the 7-speed transmission being slow), but turbos can go and waterpump is a PITA. The QX60s are pretty good because of the 3.5, though be religious about the CVT. Even then I'd avoid QX60, just not worth what you're paying for a "luxury SUV". New QX60 uses almost exact same 3.5, but with ZF 9-speed and a much much more updated interior, I'd def get that if you're looking for a nice luxury SUV. QX50 and QX55, just avoid them. Not unreliable, but just another crappy crossover SUV with a CVT, unlike the prior QX70 and FX35/FX45. QX80, that thing will just go and go forever. I just serviced one with 350k miles last month. I wouldn't say to avoid Infiniti, but to find the right car, which rn is the Q50, QX60, and QX80 (Q60 was discontinued and Q50 is getting the axe at the end of this year ☹ )

"They should be all identical". Reminds me of my 1983 Olds Cutlass that had both metric and American standard. I needed three wrenches with both measurement systems to change the alternator. Yes, it did come that way from the factory.

Good tire shops have a tire lathe - so if you have 3 tires that say have 70% tread - you can get the "replacement" tire milled down by a few 32nds to maintain the same outside diameter (or maintain the same revolutions per mile for a less rounding prone measurement).

@amduser86

Ай бұрын

what on earth. once i have spend the money to lace all the 3 tires i can almost buy 3 additional tires. america is just wierd. here in europe no one would do that. tires are cheap and most import part for your safety.

@lastotallyawesomebleach204

Ай бұрын

​@@amduser86on vehicles with full-time AWD, you could damage the transmission and other parts if all four tires aren't the exact same size. If only one tire gets damaged and the rest still have most of its tread, it doesn't make sense to replace all of them.

@shivermetimbers9316

Ай бұрын

​@amduser86 it's OK that you don't know what you are talking about from whatever country you are from. The fact you would replace 3 good tires instead of milling one shows that.

@Nick-ue7iw

Ай бұрын

30 percent tread tires are far from "good" and shaving a new tire to 30 percent is just LMFAO stupid.

@nwalker8866

Ай бұрын

@@Nick-ue7iw Please read before you spout off - I was making a suggetion that did not apply to the 30% situation that the Car Wizard spoke of. I agree - you have to do the math before you do this. But if you are keeping 3 tires that have 10/32nds and the tires came with 12/32nds new, it would be the only smart move.

Whoa!!! 1 million subscribers….you’re a legend, Mr. Wizard!

Just had a customer get screwed on a 2013 Ford Explorer Sport with the 3.5 Ecoboost. 2 weeks after purchase it started pouring smoke out of the exhaust. 2 turbos, 2 front lower control arm assemblies, pass front CV shaft, PTU shaft seals, and front pads & rotors later it seams good for now.

@RSProduction18

Ай бұрын

I had a 2015 3.5 ecoboom that blew up. I swapped the engine and after a bit it started to make cam phaser rattle on start up, sold it for 15 thousand :D. Luckily the PTU was still going without a fluid swap and transmission was good as I changed oil in it every 30k.

@richardkraneyum5406

Ай бұрын

@@RSProduction18 Those PTUs are as bad as the LS4 transmissions. Ticking time bomb

Thanks for these videos Wizard.

When I worked at a major German car dealer in the Seattle area, we had numerous customers bring in late model expensive cars with a "Clean" Carfax, yet had obvious major previous crash damage. Apparently, these cars were (usually poorly) repaired out of the customer's pocket, and no report went to the insurance Co. A lot of them were lease cars previously. Beware!

Bumpers are hard to tell paint wise, my bumper on my brand new highlander is a shade darker than the body. Almost every single gen 4 blizzard white pearl I've seen has the same problem, very noticeable. Same with my wifes rav, it's the maroon-ish color and it's a shade darker than the body, again brand new purchaced Friends shop does alot of work for someone who sells to the low credit scalpers like Byrider. The amount of work they do that will NEVER get reported is astounding.

@col888881

Ай бұрын

bumpers are not painted on the same line as the car body they are normally just a bit off. I don't know why the wizard was giving that advice it's not correct.

@gregambrose2566

Ай бұрын

My 2010 highlander has the same problem, bumpers front and rear of the pearl white don't match. I talked to a body shop guy and he said that pearl white is a bitch to match.

@jordanrudler2120

Ай бұрын

The problem is more due to the material differences, as the bumper is plastic and the rest of the body is metal they reflect the light differently and therefore make a difference in color even using the same paint, the worst offenders in this topic are the Peugeot from the 2000's especially the yellows or light greens, where you can see the difference between the bumper and the rest of the body from a mile away

@CRAPO2011

Ай бұрын

​@@col888881Also a resprayed bumper doesnt equal a horrible wreck ive talk to picky perfectionst car owners that have their bumpers resprayed due to minor scratches from parking.

@robertbell525

9 күн бұрын

I also wouldn't let just a bumper cover deter me. If they are even tapped they break or fall off. It's a red flag but not a deal breaker. Do a closer inspection. Also don't be surprised if the windshield has been replaced. Where I am, non-cracked windshields are the exception. But all the other glass should match.

WOW, GREAT VIDEO WIZARD 😊

a 10 year old Nissan? not no, but "hell no!"

@604h22a

Ай бұрын

Depends on the model, xterras, frontiers are decent

@bikeman1x11

Ай бұрын

my 2011 xterra still runds drives excellent with no issues but Cam sensors brakes and tires and oil - of counrse no crappy cvt

@bikeman1x11

Ай бұрын

riikerman anything without cvt is usually good-

@onlyrog5

Ай бұрын

​@@bikeman1x11Loved the look of the Xterra.

@SF.Automotive

Ай бұрын

I still see a ton of Nissans from the 2000s all over Canada.

Thank you, I seen a video about "Omega" it bought a tear to my eyes. When I bought my ZR1 in 2005 I did a PPL before purchase. I had ppl's done on 4 ZR1's and was told don't buy. One seller refuse to let their ZR1 get PPL. I don't care what anybody say, get a ppl it will save thousands of dollars. Mr.Wizard is right on. Nice video.

Fascinating! Thanks for posting!

Infiniti tech here, one thing I'd check is the lower A-arm bushings. We're starting to see the bushings crack and tear on the JX35/QX60s, causing a clunking when stoping while turning. You'll have to go aftermarket, as the OE either isn't available or is back ordered to hell. We use aftermarket at our dealer since it arrives next-day.

@Sashazur

Ай бұрын

I’ve got a 2016 3.7 AWD Q70 with 65K miles, needed to replace front upper control arms, and I’ve been told the steering rack is a little loose (can’t align the car perfectly) but it’s never been in an accident. Anything I need to watch for?

@mydimeisup5103

Ай бұрын

@@Sashazur I haven't heard of much with them, especially with the 3.7 I'd say you're good. Just do 5k oil changes and it'll keep chugging. Sunroof on the older M35/M45 had problems where the motor would just stop working, but haven't heard of it happening on the Q70s. It is a heavy car so makes sense the bushings will crack earlier, but other than that it should last you awhile. Oh and tranny and diff (AWD) fluid every 60k miles. If you never service the tranny fluid, the transmission will be horrible at 120k+ miles, so follow 60k.

Love to see more of that NSX!

Thanks for your knowledge Weezard

100% truth preach it brother.

@carwizard I thought sure you were going to say Buyer Protection Inspection!!!

Hi wizard from England, love your vids, we tend to do all this before as normal over here, even checking reg num for problems thru a app, but ye we all fully check cars and really hard to sell to much crap, somebody will spot something, seems you guys don't do any diligence

Hi from 🇬🇧. I bought a MK1 focus RS some years ago, it pulled awfully under hard acceleration, had it tracked, reset nothing fixed it. Changed front tyres it was fine. Had mismatched front tyres. Must do on performance cars.

Another option for the transmission and the missing/mismatched bolts. The pan was crushed in the accident and was replaced. I had a drunk hit my Corolla in 1999 and after it rolled it hit the ground hard enough to flatten the pans.

@james2042

Ай бұрын

Or punctured, which could also be the source of the trans problem

@unhandled12345

Ай бұрын

I bet you could see if this car had rolled ;)

@Noah_E

Ай бұрын

@@unhandled12345 i know you're being snarky. Plenty of pans have been flattened/punctured by running over parking islands, medians, road debris, etc. the roll over was my personal experience with it.

The transmission shifter cable came on earlier JX35. Later on QX60 from 2016 came with shift solenoid not the transmission shifter cable. It is totaly different desing.

What wizard said is 100% correct, I have a 2014 pathfinder and replaced transmission, shortly thereafter (within 1000 miles) the next one caused problems, thankfully it was under warranty, just past 30,000 on the most recent one and got it serviced out of sheer paranoia

You a bad dude. Man we need more honest mechanics like yourself. God Bless 🙏🏿

My practice has been to buy vehicles new and then drive them till the vehicle wears completely out(to recover as much of the depreciation as possible). With the exception of one that was totaled by a rear end collision(the other guys fault), I have gotten over 200,000 miles each out of each one. I even got 170,000 miles out of the totaled one. With this, there is no worry about previous wrecks, etc. Now my 2017 white Nissan Frontier has the paint issue you mentioned. A deer ran in front of it last fall causing over $3000 in damage.

Want to learn what happens when you don't properly inspect a vehicle before purchasing, watch a couple Hoovie videos and learn from him.

I really love the acronym "BPI", it really makes it clear that the inspection is for BEFORE the purchase, I'm going to start using that

I’m happy to hear that things worked out for the buyer but as a suggestion and especially if you’re taking out alone on a used car and I say this from personal experience, always get a pre-purchase inspection. Number one it’s a nine-year-old car and anything can go wrong with it. I say that from personal experience I had a 2014 CRV that I bought a couple years back after my previous 2014 CRV got totaled and make a long story short and had Warren piston rings and was going to need a complete engine rebuild, however just before I got done paying off the car this one got totaled as well after an oncoming vehicle failed to yield the right of way to me at a busy intersection when they were making a left turn. Thankfully, nobody was hurting both cases except my pride and the cars themselves. And I was able to recuperate all the money I had invested into getting the car repaired throughout my ownership, plus the residual value of the car minus the remaining balance on the loan after insurance paid it off, but back to my point if you take out a loan on a car like this and you find out that it’s mechanically totaled that can get very messyfor you and the seller even if they did reimburse the buyer if they decide that they want to fix up the car and then sell it for a profit that can get very complicated to deal with if there’s any outstanding issues or liens on the title

People think they are car experts because they drive one every day. 🤦‍♂️

Problem is once I find a car I like my mechanic is usually scheduling 2 weeks out, sellers are not going to wait for u, and by then someone else will buy the car.

@redbaron6805

Ай бұрын

There are dozens of mechanics, check reviews. Find any reputable shop to check it out. I found like 5 in my area after looking for 2 minutes...

This is a great video and highly topical with what happened with a car I was looking at at work (car sales/engineering). The car - a VW Polo GTi initially looked fine but after spotting the battery not secured in the trunk raised my suspicions. And the damage to the bulkhead, suspension struts, the floor and sills was horrendous and it had been doctored up to look nice to unsuspecting people. With research we found pictures from a year ago of it being seriously smashed at the front and it really should not be on the road.

Yep! I agree. 👀 over that vehicle before you buy it. And! Because i used to work at 3 dealerships long ago. Ask your salesman if you can get a technician there to raise the vehicle in the air so you can get a GOOD L.E.D. white light and look over the underneath the vehicle. Yes! The dealership is obligated to do so. Its the law.

Any chance you could do a video review of an eclipse 4g. Really would like to hear your take on those cars.

@unhandled12345

Ай бұрын

I haven't seen one of those since April 8th

Hey wizard for Kenya 🇰🇪👍👍

Im with you on those charcoal canisters, my Outback has one that's clogged, everything is so rusty that there's no way to get it off without breaking all the bolts off and they're so expensive (and the car is 25 years old) that I just disconnected it so that the fuel filler works properly again.

I had a car inspected recently before even test driving it. I found out that the seller was trying to hide many issues like oil leaks by pressure washing under the hood, he somehow passed a smog check even though the scanner picked up an engine issue and the light engine was not on. I also found out the air bags did not work. The seller never mentioned any of it and was definitely trying to hide the issues in order to sell the car at a higher price. I turned down the car and left. Pre purchase inspections are a must.

That's why I never buy a car ready to drive... when the car is advertised with problems, usually there's no hidden bs...

Buying an Infiniti is like buying a Nissan, dont.

@williamfrench9973

Ай бұрын

Not “like” buying a Nissan… it is buying a Nissan

Love your insights!

It's somewhat counterintuitive, but white is a very difficult color to match after collision damage. So many shades of white.

My wife got a JX35 right during the start of lockdowns from out of state. Qx60 is the same. What a pos. Of course the CVT went out after a year. Carfax was clean but there was obvious water damage in the trunk. Rusted a lot of stuff. Still has it but we replace the fluid and filter for the CVT every year

Carfax first. It will tell you which dealership(s) serviced it, from there you can get a service (or lack of) history on it. It'll show any major complaints that were not resolved also. "Customer reports transmission problem. Advised new transmission needed. Customer declined repairs."

@KhanJoltrane

Ай бұрын

The dealership will rarely give you any in-depth information, citing privacy. I’ve even tried getting service history on a car I’VE owned. I wanted to see if the previous owner replaced the transmission fluid. Ended up getting it done anyway.

FYI even brand new cars on the dealer lot can appear to have different colors for the bumpers and the body. The reason is because plastic and metal reflect light differently. So don't judge just by that. Otherwise great video. Thanks

That is great news Wizard. I was thinking that the welded steering link was highly dangerous, what if it failed on a curve in the mountains. I think that car is a parts car! The more I see of "modern" cars with complex systems, the more I think it is better to consider the older "tank" Mercedes from the 1980s-90s, get a pre purchase inspection, put $5000-8000 into it if necessary,, and drive it forever! The W123,W116, etc. A 300CD coupe from the early 80's mechanically restored, is a timeless work of art, and practical.

The only time I would recommend against a pre-purchase inspection is if you are buying a toy car or side project for less than $5k and you are either OK with the car sitting useless for a long period of time, or OK with spending money right away to fix it up. If you’re buying a car from a private party for less than $5000, you are knowingly taking on risk, you are expecting things to be broken, and you’re probably savvy enough to check for the most critical and important things that would make it dangerous to drive the car away. where people really get screwed over is when they’re buying a car they intend to use every day, that they will have to fix as soon as it breaks, and especially if they are financing the purchase, because the expectation is I pay a given amount of money and get a given amount of utility. But without a pre-purchase inspection, you may be signing up to pay double or triple what you thought just to get a useful car

My question to nissan is...why did you put a cvt in something this heavy?(they didnt later if i recall)

@occckid123

Ай бұрын

I liked driving my dads 2014 pathfinder. Especially.from a.roll it.was.quicker than.most other suvs with similiar power and it was smooth. Traded it at 170k for something smaller.

Great video Mr. Wizard. Many clues tell us the story of a car, just like evidence at a crime scene. It takes exposure to spot the clues. A PPI can help the novice from making a big mistake. But many don't want to pay $200 to be told the car they were going to buy is fine; or pay $200 to be told to reject the car. Both are a waste of money in the eyes of most buyers.

Be aware relying on a Carfax report. If major damage repair is done by a shop that doesn't belong or report to Carfax, it won't appear on a Carfax report. I bought a used RAV4 that had a "clean" report, only to find 5 years later that it had been wrecked. The shop that did the repair had recently started working with Carfax. I had no recourse for this unreported repair. Be careful!

@Jeff-sp7bg

Ай бұрын

Carfax is a scam

@tim3172

Ай бұрын

What "recourse" were you expecting on the purchase of a used vehicle made 5 years prior?

Looking to buy a Nissan product was the first mistake, second one was not a pre purchase inspection

It never ceases to amaze me the fools who don’t do a Pre Purchase Inspection. Absolutely amazing. My old saying, you can’t fix stupid!

Buyer beware, as you well know not all accidents are reported even the worst are not reported sometimes.its imperative you lay eyes on it get help if it’s not your area of expertise. Thanks John from Arizona

Every 6-7 I buy new Toyota Highlander, never any problems and peace of mind.

@davepaturno4290

Ай бұрын

We bought a Lexus RX400h (hybrid), 19 years ago. It's never failed us and has saved us thousands of dollars in fuel costs over all those years. Why buy every 6 or 7 years when there is no need?

@ProtoType99468

Ай бұрын

i like toyotas too but i dont buy them new , my 98 celica has over 250k miles and my 00 tacoma over 170k miles 🚖🚔

@onlyrog5

Ай бұрын

​@@davepaturno4290I'm with you. Wasting money.

@MikeKayK

Ай бұрын

@@davepaturno4290 Technology. I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander V6 Limited fully loaded, which is very similar to your Lexus. Great cars but dinosaurs when it comes to technology, especially the safety tech. I much prefer taking my family in our newer car that has cross-traffic detection front and rear, pedestrian and cyclist detection, safe exit alert, blind spot warning, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, driver attention warning, radar cruise control, leading vehicle departure alert, collision warning and auto braking, etc. Yes it's absolutely important to still pay full attention when you're driving, of course, but there are so many crazy drivers out there. Additionally, all the convenience features like keyless entry, wireless phone charger, USB ports everywhere, separate driver's profiles, etc. just make our crazy, stressful, jam-packed modern life a little bit easier.

@bsgarey

Ай бұрын

nice to have that money. I never get a new till it has over 200,000 on it.

This is why i don't buy used cars regardless of what financial experts say. I am a car enthusiasts and new cars make me happy, problem free

@killingtime3114

14 күн бұрын

Well not everyone can afford new cars genius

“You better have time for it! You better have the money, too!” 💯💯💯 pre-purchase inspection!!!

Good advice on the tyres, I don’t do many miles on my vehicle, so the tyres I had the tread was great but they were many years old. But I ended up getting a nail in a tyre, so I swapped on the spare tyre, but I organised to have new tyres because of the age of the tyres rather than just patch or just get one tyre. I replaced the lot including spare tyre.

Bizarre that someone spending $ thousands, won't spend $100 to $150 on a pre-buy inspection. Highest recommendation for a mobile/on-site inspection by "Your Mechanic". Of course, if one lives near the Car Wizard - that's tops of the tops :)

How many sellers would allow a pre-purchase inspection? Giving up the car for a day when other buyers might be willing to purchase without it? And you've seen firsthand what other mechanics might do (hyperinflate mechanical issues/costs) It would be great if there were a nationwide chain who performed only vehicle inspections (but not repairs), but of course there's no money in that. Buying from a private party will always involve risk; this woman was very, very lucky - but she was the rare exception that proves the rule. Caveat bloody emptor.

@davepaturno4290

Ай бұрын

If they don't allow a pre-purchase inspection, then don't buy the vehicle. That could be a red flag.