You are buying an INFINITI (not Infinity). The I30 is a reliable car, provided previous owner(s) has maintained it properly and did not abuse it.First, you must have a copy of CarFax report and if possible, a maintenance history of the car. Watch out for flood damaged cars. Passing a Smog check is mandatory in most states prior to car sale. Brake pads should be 50% or better when buying from a dealership.
CarFax reports only what is available to them so it's really up to you as a buyer to be methodical with your car inspection. Check the body/paint for signs of collision repair. If equipped with sunroof, check for sign of water leak. Check the fluids - engine oil, transmission fluid (pinkish red when new), brake fluid, etc and the general condition of the engine compartment. Check all the lights, airconditioning and sound system. Test drive the car on city streets and listen for noise/rattles indicative of problems with suspension, engine mounts, exhaust mounts, bearing failure etc. Take it to the highway and check for basic alignment, unusual noise, vibration/shimmy at certain speed and when SAFE, do a high speed braking (>45 MPH) to check for any warped rotor or defective pads.
Transmission flush (Nissan Matic-D preferred but Dexron III and the newer Dexron VI should work) is highly recommended to keep the transmission life longer. However, some shops may refuse to do a flush beyond 85K if it is a first time flush (liability issue). After the flush, add a bottle of LubeGard Red (not black) ATF Protectant, available from Napa and the likes @ $14.
