07 Murano - should I purchase?

[thatnewcarsmell]

I have found an '07 Murano with 4,500 miles on it. The carfax is clean - 1 owner, no accidents or anything else alarming.I asked the dealer why there were so few miles and he seemed to think it was from an estate sale but didn't know for sure. He has contacted Nissan to find out the name and address of the previous owner, as well as any service records.

I took the Murano home for the day last week (extended test-drive) and noted everything that I wanted addressed. There was something wrong with a wire that controlled power mirrors, back-up camera, heated seats, and the airbags. They knew about that and had already ordered it.

I discovered that the rear wheels "skip" when turning at low speeds. It's almost like the wheels aren't turning like the front wheels.I told the salesman, and the manager took it for a test drive. He told me that was not normal and they would look into it.I got a call today saying that it was due to a warped tie rod and would be ready on Thursday.Does this sound right to any of you? I would still have a warranty for over a year, but I'm a little aprehensive to purchase this vehicle (although it has everything I want at a price I can afford).Thanks for any suggestions!!!

[kerrton]

Sounds like the dealership is great to deal with, which is half the battle. You took the vehicle home for the extended drive, other than the minor issues that will soon be fixed, what did you think of the vehicle? That is really the question here that only you can answer. If your question is "is this a good deal", then you should provide the price so you can get feedback on that, but if your questions is "is this a good vehicle" that is mostly your opinion and in terms of reliablity I think the 07 Murano is rated excellent, and I think the majority of owners love the vehicle. I wouldn't worry too much about the low miles for the year, it happens and I doubt anything devious or deceitful has been in this vehicles past, low miles are a good thing!! If you were buying it privately you'd obviously want to be a little more careful but the dealer sounds like they're on your side and if there is anything more wrong you'll discover it in the next year before warranty runs out. Just make sure you negotiate a really good price!

[thatnewcarsmell]

Thanks, kerrton!

I love the vehicle and really want to make it mine. It's like it's new - very little wear on anything. I just wasn't sure if a "warped tie-rod" was something that was a common problem in the 07. The electrical problem scared me too.

Specs:AWDGlacier PearlBeige cloth interior (didn't want leather, but wanted everything else)SunroofNavigationBack-up CameraHeated seatsAsking Price: $26,000I got them down to $24,000 Out the Door (incl. taxes, title, fees)So, I'm guessing $22,000 for the price of the Murano. (plus ttf)KellyBlueBook value = $29,040 (which I think is ridiculous...)A good deal?

(edited to correct pricing)
Modified by thatnewcarsmell at 12:39 PM 7/13/2009

[kerrton]

I would guess that the tie rod end was just defective from the factory and the problem went undected until you were thorough enough to test it out. Tie rod ends are minor little things to replace, not very expensive, so I wouldn't worry about it. It sounds like you're getting a vehicle that is soooo close to brand new that might as well call it new, it's been inspected thoroughly and a few minor bugs flushed out that will be repaired, so your new car sounds great with a very low price compared to new so if it fits what you were looking for and what you wanted to spend I'd go for it! Any problems and you've still got lots of warranty. Good luck and have fun!

[thatnewcarsmell]

Great! I have done some research online about tie-rods, but I really couldn't find anything helpful. Glad to hear they're not a big deal.

Hopefully, everything will go well this week and I'll be a Murano owner!Thanks again for your help.

[nafddur]

A car with only 5K miles back on the market sounds suspicious to me.

But if this one has a number of known suspension AND electrical problems, I think you know why it is being resold. Hate to burst your bubble, but this one sounds like big trouble to me.

(Unless it's being resold VERY cheap, of course)

[thatnewcarsmell]

I was seriously considering purchasing the 07. I spoke to the salesman on Thursday (that was when it was supposed to be finished), and he said that had to order another part! Then I visited to look into a new Murano and he told me that they were waiting on a seat too! I suppose the old saying, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is" applies here. I just drove home my new 09 Murano SL AWD 360. I'm in love and completely happy with my choice.Thanks for everyone's thoughts and opinions!!! I feel like I dodged a bullet.