Hello everyone, this is my first post, I'm new to the forums, so I apologize if there is a sticky somewhere I haven't seen.

I'm looking at a really nice 2003 FX45. It has about 115,000 miles on it and appears to be maintained really well buy a guy that has many other toys (BMW M3's and such). This guy has put a flowmaster exhaust on it and it sounds really nice.

I've done a lot of research on the VK45DE engine, and see the gamut of problems and oil consumption problems. When this one starts, I can see some blue smoke. When it idles I can't, but I can smell it a little bit in the exhaust gasses. When you rev it, you can see more blue smoke. I'm being subjective here, it's not horrible, but it's there. I checked the oil and there was almost nothing on the dipstick. The owner was shocked and said he added some oil about 1000 miles ago. He said he did his own oil change a while back.

I have no doubt whatsoever this has the oil consumption problems other VK45DE's have. The question is, how bad is this? Can I live with it, and it falls under the "keep putting oil in it and she'll run forever" or is the first sign of a very expensive problem? I've seen the problem which seems to be the oil control rings get coked with carbon, and I've read that some had success with seafoam and others with replacing the PCV valve and/or a catch can. The engine runs like a sewing machine. Doesn't sound bad at all, or tick like another I looked at. I'm looking at the low end of prices on these FX's, so buying a newer one that has less miles isn't reasonable right now.

This is the third owner. He's had it for about 8 months and he said he's put on about 10k miles, but selling because he's moving. I don't think he's BSing me, he's in the armed forces. First owner held onto it for 12 years, second owner for 3 years and the new owner 5 months. Per AutoCheck, he's put on only about 4,000 miles.

What's the consensus on these v8's? Does it sound like it's a bad idea, or is the smoke/oil issue fine.

If all the numbers add up, and he had it full 1,000 miles ago and now it's almost empty, then it was considered "acceptable" to consume about 1 at per 1000 miles.
Hoping its had some dealership service, the engines that were considered excessive oil consumers were replaced by Infiniti (at least in the M45 world).
FYI: for most Nissans the range on the dipstick between the top hole and bottom hole/min to max equates to 1 quart.

I also don't think that he was BSing you about the oil change. Most people who want to be dishonest would have topped the oil before you came by.
However, I am a little alarmed by the discrepancy in him saying he has had it for 10,000 miles versus the Autocheck mileage of only 4,000.
[Note that sometimes it's possible to accrue unaccounted for miles if he bought it and drive it for 6,000 miles before reporting the purchase and titling it]

My verdict? Walk away from this one, unless it is very, very reasonably priced.
Otherwise, if you can deal with the nuisance of a constant and guaranteed oil consumption, I'd consider.