Why shouldn't I buy this truck?

SeñorAmor · July 2017

Thread title change

I'm in the market for a new truck and I've found one I like. I'm not really good with cars (my dad and father in law were helping me out) and I'm looking for reasons why I shouldn't buy this truck. I'm doing my own research, of course, but I'd like additional help with finding potential issues or downsides that I may have missed.

Here is the info about the truck:

2012 Nissan Frontier 4WD Crew Cab SWB
51000 miles
Automatic
4.0L V6 Engine
Keyless Entry
Spray on bedliner (short bed)
Premium (Rockford Fosgate) speaker package
Sliding rear window
Power locks/windows
Front airbags, front side airbags, front/rear roof mounted side airbags

I got the dealership down to a price I can afford out the door.

I really like the truck and am looking for recalls, major issues, personal experiences and that sort of thing before I fully commit. I want to make sure I don't miss a thing regarding this truck.

Any help, links, anecdotes would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

~

Elvenshae · July 2017

You'll get bad fuel economy?

SeñorAmor · July 2017

Elvenshae wrote: »

You'll get bad fuel economy?

Yes, but that's pretty much a given with a truck.

I'm talking about super bad things about the 2012 Frontier like recalls and stuff.

My 2005 Frontier had transmission problems due to a leaky radiator. It's why I'm looking for a new truck. I have to admit I'm slightly scared about getting another Frontier, so I'm being super cautious about this purchase.

knitdan · July 2017

You have no idea what kind of treatment the previous owner put the truck through.
You'll almost certainly pay more than the truck is worth.
Do you really need a truck or are you just considering it because that's what you had before?

SeñorAmor · July 2017

knitdan wrote: »

You have no idea what kind of treatment the previous owner put the truck through.
You'll almost certainly pay more than the truck is worth.
Do you really need a truck or are you just considering it because that's what you had before?

Carfax is clean. One owner, took it in for oil changes every 4k miles and did one other thing that I can't remember (drained something).

Dealer price is right in line with what I can afford so I'm not worried about that. KBB shows it worth a little more than I'm paying (though that can't be right).

My other truck took a shit on me so I need a new one. I don't need need it right now -- I can borrow my in-laws' spare car for as long as I need it, so I'm in no real rush, but I also don't want to pass up a good deal.

bowen · July 2017

That's a good truck, you should buy it.

BlindZenDriver · July 2017

SeñorAmor wrote: »

I don't need need it right now -- I can borrow my in-laws' spare car for as long as I need it, so I'm in no real rush, but I also don't want to pass up a good deal.

That is the reason why you shouldn't buy it. Putting money into something you don't really need that is gonna cost money to own and will lose value is a bad financial choice. New deals will come along if needed.

BlindZenDriver · July 2017

Double post - just ignore this one.

Enc · July 2017

Some things you might want to verify you have solid answers on:

1) Why do you need a truck rather than an alternative, more economical vehicle? Because you like trucks, or because you need a truck for work? I loved my trucks and large SUVs back when I had them for work, but the money involved as a personal vehicle is dumb unless you constantly use it everyday (as in, use the bed each day in a way you can't on a smaller car rather than just driving it). My current tiny car carries everyone I need, most common cargo, and is still way cheaper even with occasionally renting a U-Haul when I need to move large things occasionally. However, if I were still doing shipping and deliveries I would 100% go back to the truck because it actually is required for the job. Etc.

2) Why do you need a truck from a dealership rather than from another used source? Can you verify that this truck from this dealership will be a better value than buying something either 1) cheaper and used or 2) new and fresh off the lot?

3) What is the total cost to repair your old truck, and have you gotten multiple quotes on it? More likely than not it will cost less to repair than buying a new truck outright, and if so that may be the better path if you aren't going with a new truck you can get 10+ years out of..

Edit: To clarify here, I'm not asking you to justify to us. Just to ask yourself these questions. If you have solid answers that you are satisfied with, go for it.

djmitchella · July 2017

We have a Subaru, and the online subaru owners forums are a goldmine of info one way or another -- it looks like http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/ might be the equivalent for this truck; also http://www.frontyspot.com/fronty/forums.php and http://www.nissanfrontier.org/ .

tinwhiskers · July 2017

1) It's not a Hilux, or a Ranger.

2) It's a V6, rather than a V8. That's like cutting 2" off your dick.

3) Not a diesel so you can't roll coal.

4) You didn't mention a lift kit...it is lifted right? Otherwise that's money your gonna have to spend right off the bat.

5)Not American, why do you hate freedom?

I actually don't know anyone with a Nissan, but all the guys at the shop that have had non-US brand trucks(mostly toyota's and a few honda ridgelines) have had no complaints about them. That said idk where financing and such is at now, but for quite a while it was cheaper to buy a new car with the super low APRs and incentives than to buy a used car.

But like others are saying you should consider whether or not you actually need a full size pick up, rather than something that will save you 20% or more in gas. But hey it's your car, you do you.

mRahmani · July 2017

Without the actual price I couldn't tell you if that's a good deal or not. What I can say is that while the Frontier isn't bad, it dates back to 2004 and won't have the safety or efficiency of a newer truck. The Toyota Tacoma isn't really any newer, but I believe has the edge in efficiency and reliability, so if you're set on a small truck I would find one of those to compare against and see which you like better. Depending on the area you live, you may even find that a single cab/short bed F150/Silverado/Ram can be had for the same price, without much of a size or efficiency penalty. (The full size trucks are updated with much more frequency than the midsizers.)

Other general things to watch out for, and run away if you see:

- signs of rust
- crawl under the truck and check for any wet or oily surfaces. Leaks are bad.
- check the brake fluid, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid. If any of these are dark/black or smell burnt, the truck has probably been run pretty hard, and you should try to find a cleaner example.
- run through all of the features. ALL. 4WD, AC, heat, fan blower speeds, radio, power seats, power mirrors, make a check and make sure every single thing is working. Take notes on any that are not and argue it as a reason to cut the price further.

SeñorAmor · July 2017

Ok I'm gonna try to respond to everyone in one post. Pre-emptive apologies if the formatting is hard to read..

BlindZenDriver wrote: »

SeñorAmor wrote: »

I don't need need it right now -- I can borrow my in-laws' spare car for as long as I need it, so I'm in no real rush, but I also don't want to pass up a good deal.

That is the reason why you shouldn't buy it. Putting money into something you don't really need that is gonna cost money to own and will lose value is a bad financial choice. New deals will come along if needed.

Well I do need a new vehicle eventually. While I appreciate my in-laws loaning me their car, I can't expect to use it forever and I'm doing them no favors by taking my sweet time trying to find a truck. What I meant was that I don't need to rush into buying a car -- I have time -- but I'm not going to pass up a good deal if one is in front of me (which I think this truck might be).

Enc wrote: »

Some things you might want to verify you have solid answers on:

1) Why do you need a truck rather than an alternative, more economical vehicle? Because you like trucks, or because you need a truck for work? I loved my trucks and large SUVs back when I had them for work, but the money involved as a personal vehicle is dumb unless you constantly use it everyday (as in, use the bed each day in a way you can't on a smaller car rather than just driving it). My current tiny car carries everyone I need, most common cargo, and is still way cheaper even with occasionally renting a U-Haul when I need to move large things occasionally. However, if I were still doing shipping and deliveries I would 100% go back to the truck because it actually is required for the job. Etc.

2) Why do you need a truck from a dealership rather than from another used source? Can you verify that this truck from this dealership will be a better value than buying something either 1) cheaper and used or 2) new and fresh off the lot?

3) What is the total cost to repair your old truck, and have you gotten multiple quotes on it? More likely than not it will cost less to repair than buying a new truck outright, and if so that may be the better path if you aren't going with a new truck you can get 10+ years out of..

Edit: To clarify here, I'm not asking you to justify to us. Just to ask yourself these questions. If you have solid answers that you are satisfied with, go for it.

1) We have a more economical vehicle (minivan) that my wife drives mainly and that we use when we all drive together (like on the weekends). This is for me to drive mainly to and from work and for use when the van is already occupied. I'm also a homeowner so I'm constantly hauling stuff around and having a truck really comes in handy. Having my truck die and being forced to use a standard car has been something of an inconvenience.

2) I don't need a truck from a dealer and I have been looking at private sellers as well. I'm asking about this truck in particular because I feel it's the best value I have found thus far. I'm not in the market for a brand new car and have set myself a budget.

3) Between $4000 and $5000 based on at least three estimates. I'm not looking to put that much money in my current truck. If I'm going to spend 5 grand, I'd rather get a different vehicle.

tinwhiskers wrote: »

1) It's not a Hilux, or a Ranger.

2) It's a V6, rather than a V8. That's like cutting 2" off your dick.

3) Not a diesel so you can't roll coal.

4) You didn't mention a lift kit...it is lifted right? Otherwise that's money your gonna have to spend right off the bat.

5)Not American, why do you hate freedom?

I actually don't know anyone with a Nissan, but all the guys at the shop that have had non-US brand trucks(mostly toyota's and a few honda ridgelines) have had no complaints about them. That said idk where financing and such is at now, but for quite a while it was cheaper to buy a new car with the super low APRs and incentives than to buy a used car.

But like others are saying you should consider whether or not you actually need a full size pick up, rather than something that will save you 20% or more in gas. But hey it's your car, you do you.

1)

2) Still leaves me plenty to spare.

3) Screw the ozone layer.

4) Yup. It comes with a 25' extension ladder to reach the 10' ladder they welded to the side of the truck so I can get in.

5) It's a Nissan. There's a very good chance it was made in the US anyway.

I liked my current Frontier. They're very good trucks, with the exception of the radiator/transmission fiasco that plagued them from '05-'10. It seems they've cleaned up their act since then.

mRahmani wrote: »

Without the actual price I couldn't tell you if that's a good deal or not. What I can say is that while the Frontier isn't bad, it dates back to 2004 and won't have the safety or efficiency of a newer truck. The Toyota Tacoma isn't really any newer, but I believe has the edge in efficiency and reliability, so if you're set on a small truck I would find one of those to compare against and see which you like better. Depending on the area you live, you may even find that a single cab/short bed F150/Silverado/Ram can be had for the same price, without much of a size or efficiency penalty. (The full size trucks are updated with much more frequency than the midsizers.)

Other general things to watch out for, and run away if you see:

- signs of rust
- crawl under the truck and check for any wet or oily surfaces. Leaks are bad.
- check the brake fluid, transmission fluid, and power steering fluid. If any of these are dark/black or smell burnt, the truck has probably been run pretty hard, and you should try to find a cleaner example.
- run through all of the features. ALL. 4WD, AC, heat, fan blower speeds, radio, power seats, power mirrors, make a check and make sure every single thing is working. Take notes on any that are not and argue it as a reason to cut the price further.

I'm not so good with cars, but my dad is and he's checked everything so far and from what he can tell, it looks to be in great condition. I trust his judgment on that front.

Thank you everyone for the help so far. It's much appreciated.

JusticeforPluto · July 2017

Do you have a mechanic you trust to look it over before you buy it? Other wise you might end up putting a lot of money into your truck on mechanical issues.

Djeet · July 2017

At 5 years and 50K miles I'd look at the wearables: tires, brakes, bulbs, battery (not sure how you'd go about testing that, though there may be a date indicator on the battery itself), etc. These things do add up and should be considered in your negotiation.

Also, if this is just for commuting and hauling things around for the home, do you really need 4WD? It's another component with moving parts that can cause issues and needs fluid that wears.

SeñorAmor · July 2017

JusticeforPluto wrote: »

Do you have a mechanic you trust to look it over before you buy it? Other wise you might end up putting a lot of money into your truck on mechanical issues.

Yes, my dad. While he wasn't able to get it up on a lift (something I'm going to insist before I buy the truck), he didn't see anything concerning.

Djeet wrote: »

At 5 years and 50K miles I'd look at the wearables: tires, brakes, bulbs, battery (not sure how you'd go about testing that, though there may be a date indicator on the battery itself), etc. These things do add up and should be considered in your negotiation.

Also, if this is just for commuting and hauling things around for the home, do you really need 4WD? It's another component with moving parts that can cause issues and needs fluid that wears.

Tires are actually new. All lights work. Didn't look for a date on the battery, that's a good idea. Didn't get the tires off to check brakes, but a visual inspection didn't seem to show any problems.

Regarding the 4WD, no, I don't really need it. I do live in WI, however, where 4WD can come in handy during particularly bad winter weather, so it's something of a mixed blessing.

mRahmani · July 2017

4WD is usually good to have in northern states even though it's rarely needed, because 4WD trucks are much easier to resell than 2WD.

SeñorAmor · July 2017

I bought the truck. This can be locked.

zepherin · July 2017

Good purchase, my company uses Nissan Frontiers as fleet vehicles. They are pretty good trucks, reliable, not super feature rich, and the ride is rough, but for the cost.

WiseManTobes · July 2017

Now that you have a truck, I got some stuff you can move for me

Penny Arcade

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