Buying a used car can be enough of a hassle that you won’t want to commit time or effort to a PPI. However, skipping the inspection can lead to a nightmare of unseen damage and expensive repairs. Just look at this low-mileage 2024 Nissan Altima. 

A seasoned mechanic says the state of a 2024 Nissan Altima with fewer than 11,000 miles ‘gives car lots a bad name’

A pre-purchase inspection (PPI) can save a would-be car buyer from a pricey, disheartening headache. Incidentally, a PPI saved me thousands in necessary repairs on a prospective car purchase a couple of years ago. And I’m far from the only proponent of an independent PPI. One seasoned mechanic in Georgia highlighted the importance of a PPI with an 11,000-mile 2024 Nissan Altima.

Sherwood sees a lot at Royalty Auto Service. However, the mechanic seems particularly disturbed by “the kind of stuff that gives car lots a bad name.” And that’s exactly how he felt about a 2024 Nissan Altima with 10,820 miles on the clock. According to Sherwood, a customer brought the late-model sedan in for a few issues after purchasing it from a local dealer. However, the owner wanted the shop to take a closer look at the car, citing that the dealer is a “train wreck.”  

A closer look under the hood revealed haphazard wiring, with tape-wrapped portions rubbing against other components. “That’s a little weird,” Sherwood said. “It’s a red flag.” He added that the little red flags, like clearly out-of-place hardware, may point to a wreck. “This is why you get a pre-purchase inspection done.”

It didn’t take long for the Georgia mechanic to orbit the Nissan Altima, pointing out panel gaps, shotty filler, unsanded finishes. “That thing looks like it’s been sanded with a rock,” the mechanic said. He highlighted paint coming off one of the Altima’s skirts, unsightly creases and even an obscured portion held on by zip ties. Worse yet, the cratered roof paint job was something akin to the surface of the moon. “Horrible paint job,” he said while inspecting it at an angle. 

Sherwood was right. The 2024 Nissan Altima had a previous crash. He then pulled up the CARFAX for the low-mileage Altima. It showed an accident with “very minor damage.” Moreover, the accident report said the vehicle had hit an animal. The hit caused damage to the right side front, the front, and the roof of the car. Incidentally, the CARFAX said the airbags didn’t deploy, but the vehicle required a tow from the hit. 

Troublingly, Sherwood said the Georgia dealership could be within its rights. Depending on the damage. “They do not have to disclose damage unless the damage is equal to 5% of the total value of the vehicle,” he said. “This is shameful,” he said of the half-assed repair attempts. It’s a sobering reminder to get an independent PPI before buying a used car.