Bought Nissan X-Trail from Private Seller with Pre-Purchase Inspection and RWC - Engine Burning Oil

LFreelog on 04/05/2018 - 15:34
Last edited 05/05/2018 - 13:50 by 1 other user

Hey altogether, I hope you can help me a bit!

Very short story: I bought a car from a private seller after a Pre-Purchase-Inspection. After 1000kms it used two liters of oil and a mechanic tells me it needs a new engine.

A bit more detailed:
At the 9th of April I bought a used Nissan X-Trail 2003 (with 280.000 km) in Victoria with a RWC from beginning of April.
Because I don't know much about cars I got a basic (no computer) Pre-Purchase Inspection done by ACE Mobile Mechanics.
Except for little things the car passed, I bought it for $3250, transferred the Rego and extended it ($600).
Went to a mechanic to top up the oil (because it was at low) and minor adjustments.
Now, three weeks later after driving the engine it sounded weird, I went to a mechanic and he basically told me that it needs an engine rebuild for $7500 ($5000 engine + $2500 labour).
It's burning oil (2l/1000km) because of probably loose butterfly screws which broke the rings on the pistons, causing oil to bypass it - resulting in probably a blown head gasket later on (loose butterfly screws seem to be typical for some X-Trails). Those mechanics told me as well that unless someone would've done a compression / leak-down-test beforehand, no mechanic could've told because otherwise the engine looks fine from the outside.

Do you see any chance of me getting out of the situation without losing the money spent on the car + rego + repairs?
Or is it just bad luck / unknowing / stupidness and next time I have to get a compression test extra to a regular Pre-Purchase-Inspection?

Thank you very much guys!

Automotive Car Nissan

Comments

  • shaybisc on 06/05/2018 - 11:29
    +1

    I bought a used car sight unseen from 500km away on eBay purely on the strength of the very low kms and the service history- and it's still running with no major work on it 8 years later. Low mileage is the most reliable single indicator you can get- not foolproof of course- and I notice eBay has taken it out of their search criteria. I wonder why?

    • the Unforgiven on 06/05/2018 - 14:11

      not enough high mileage cars were being sold?

  • ipiok on 06/05/2018 - 15:01
    -3

    "Because I don't know much about cars I got a basic (no computer) Pre-Purchase Inspection done by ACE Mobile Mechanics."….
    "It's burning oil (2l/1000km) because of probably loose butterfly screws which broke the rings on the pistons, causing oil to bypass it - resulting in probably a blown head gasket later on (loose butterfly screws seem to be typical for some X-Trails)."

    yeah you must totally know nothing about cars….

    • Freelog on 06/05/2018 - 16:25

      I don't know if I quite get you - the second part wasn't my diagnosis but from what the mechanic told me and what you could find on the internet.

  • whatsmyname201 on 06/05/2018 - 16:06

    Next time you know when buying a used car (especially with that high klms) you need to get someone you know who can help to inspect it seriously. As other said, go for a wrecker to find a cheap second hand engine. GL

  • Lukeae93 on 06/05/2018 - 16:24
    +2

    Just keep it topped up with cheap thick supermarket oil. Problem solved

  • opt on 06/05/2018 - 16:48
    +2

    280k is at the top end of what you can reasonably expect from an average 4cylinder engine, so engine wear hence oil burning is quite normal for a car with such a high mileage. If your car is not blowing too much smoke, just use a thicker engine oil or use an additive like "stop smoke" and run it to the ground. There is no economically feasible way to get out of the situation you are in. If you are lucky you might be able to use it for a year / ~20k km, which isn't too bad considering you only paid ~3k.

    • Freelog on 09/05/2018 - 17:55

      Not blowing any smoke (I'd see)! Thank you!

  • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2018 - 17:10

    Last year got a reco in my ve Holden before selling. Was $3k fully installed, mechanic got the second hand engine from the scrapper, I did nothing he did all the searching. Knowing my luck if I went out to buy it myself I’d get the wrong one.

  • stevednj48 on 06/05/2018 - 18:03

    Don't most precious purchase inspections come with warranty if the car fails in a certain period?

  • Cartman2530 on 06/05/2018 - 18:06
    +2

    I looked up this problem, its the screws that hold the butterflys that change the intake runner length. Apparently these screws come loose and go into the engine, stuffing valves and scoring the bore and causing it consume much more oil and having much worse performance.

    Thats crazy, how did that design pass quality assurance?

    Here is the DIY fix for anyone that has an X-Trail that hasn't had this problem yet:
    http://www.australianxtrail.com.au/files/Butterfly_Screws.pd…

    Op, the best thing you can do in this situation is if you want to keep the car, make sure the problem that rooted your last engine is fixed in the new one before its installed. Loctite on the screws is the approved fix in this case.

    Next time do very thorough research on the car before purchase. Its handy to type into google the model of the car + problems, eg. "Nissan X trail problems" and see what major faults are wrong with the cars. That's always the first thing I do before buying the car, I want to see what can go wrong and how bad it can be. If the answer is "engine replacement", I won't be buying that model.

    • Freelog on 09/05/2018 - 17:58

      Thank you! Normally do, and did a bit but it felt like most of the SUV (/4wd) models had their own problems. Appreciate your comment!

  • Happy501 on 06/05/2018 - 19:04
    +2

    ???? just buy oil on special and put 2l in every 1000km????

    ???? just buy oil on special and put 2l in every 1000km?????

    • El Grande on 06/05/2018 - 23:04

      Yeah. Even with new cars 1L per 1000Km is acceptable. 2L per 1000KM is not good but I won't be replacing the engine to save some oil. If it runs fine run it till it dies. When it breaks down off to the wreckers she goes.

      • Cluster on 06/05/2018 - 23:14

        I was shocked when I spotted in the instruction manual of my new Mercedes that 1L/1000km was acceptable oil burn. It never ate anywhere near that much, but to see manufacturers saying such oil burn was totally fine was a real eye opener.

        • ronnknee on 07/05/2018 - 12:10

          What's the typical range for engine oil capacity?

        • payless69 on 08/05/2018 - 07:15

          that was the reason janis Joplin wrote a song about that brand. (just kidding) Mum had a Merc, she took pride in taking care of it and after 25 years it still had a certain new car feeling like the gearbox was still so precise. The new ones do not appeal to me, drove a kompressor, definitely better than an old turbo with no lag.
          If the Nissan is just used as a weekend basher putting the oil honey in is fine, for everyday dependable use there is always Gumtree to find another fool

    • ronnknee on 07/05/2018 - 12:00
      +1

      This sounds like the most cost effective option, provided there won't be any other complications (eg. oil buildup somewhere maybe).

  • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2018 - 19:15
    +4

    You did everything correctly but this is just bad luck. Even a mechanic could have missed this one. Not worth fixing it either - unless you do all the labour yourself - so chalk it up to bad luck and move on. You'll worry yourself sick trying to fix it and for $3k it's not worth it.

  • jcsantos on 06/05/2018 - 21:16
    -1

    Wreckers is the way to go

  • AMLagonda on 06/05/2018 - 23:44
    -2

    It is the Catalytic converter, mine did the same thing…

    it falls apart and gets sucked into the pistons and stuffs up the bores.

    • picklewizard on 07/05/2018 - 14:28

      The cat sits on the exhaust side… stuff doesn't travel back to the engine from exhaust!

      • velcrochicken on 08/05/2018 - 08:04

        Nissan has a recall on this, due to the way the cat is built into the exhaust manifold on the xtrail it very much can and does flake off entering the engine causing oil consumption issues. Maybe don't respond to things you know nothing about.

    • Freelog on 09/05/2018 - 18:27

      How did you fix it?

      • AMLagonda on 15/05/2018 - 01:37

        When I replaced the engine :/ I actually removed the insides of the Cat as it had disintegrated, sorry all you greenies.

    • AMLagonda on 15/05/2018 - 01:41

      Bit annoyed about getting negged for this When I actually own an xtrail….

  • Freitag on 07/05/2018 - 08:38

    I had a car that leaked oil, ended up selling it to a guy who was made redundant and just needed a car for a month or two until he found a new job as he didn't have a company car anymore. He was pretty happy about the whole thing as he had just gotten a pay out.

    Anyway, there might be someone out there that is ok with topping up the oil if they get the car at a reduced price. There are also companies like sellmycar you could try.

  • picklewizard on 07/05/2018 - 14:28

    A pre-purchase inspection absolutely should have included a compression test. A leak down test is only necessary if a compression test indicates a problem.

    A compression test is the single easiest and most effective way to get an indication of the internal condition of an engine. If your mobile mechanic didn't do this, I'd be asking for your money back from him for his services. If he did do one, if should list the results.

    In any case, buyer beware.

  • zooter on 07/05/2018 - 16:57
    +1

    5L oil will cost you $50 approx. Buy and keep 4 cans…that will last you 10,000 KM for $200…much better than rebuilding engine…if your engine lasts 10K Kms without any major damage, I guess you can rinse and repeat

  • Oofy Doofy on 07/05/2018 - 20:52
    +1

    Take a photo of the inside of the exhaust tip, put it online and give us a link. This will be telltale in most instances.

    What kind of fuel economy are you getting?

    Honestly, if the fuel economy is okay and it's just going through oil, stock up on cheap oil and keep topping it up.

    • Freelog on 10/05/2018 - 18:46
      +1

      Here are two pictures of the exhaust pipe (parts of it are "broken").
      I really appreciate if that would tell you something!

      https://i.imgur.com/v9Isj1X.jpg
      https://i.imgur.com/7B7zFmw.jpg

      Fuel economy is fine - 9.5-11l/100km depending on driving style / road, one person and quite a bit of stuff.

      • the Unforgiven on 10/05/2018 - 19:31

        that is normal colour

        if it is black & matt, that is it running rich

        if it is black & glossy, that is it burning oil

        BTW, that vehicle is un-roadworthy due to the holes in the tail-pipe; there should be no holes in the exhaust under the car at all

        • Freelog on 11/05/2018 - 09:57

          As I did let it idle for 10mins the other day, there's been little "black points" jumping out of the exhaust, black, I guess it was glossy.
          Another element the RWC-mechanic did overlook then… (too late for a claim now)

  • ozssc on 07/05/2018 - 22:31

    I had a late 2001 X-Trail. Started burning oil at 35000km, which I found out was a common problem. Fortunately in my case though, I extended my warranty to 100000km and at 95000km got them to fix it under warranty (so almost new engine at 100,000!). They need up the clutch when installing it, so got new clutch too! Otherwise, car as great. Still, 280k for a non diesel Nissan is beyond what you could expect from it. Top up the oil regularly, run it into the ground and sell it for scrap

    • Pantagonist on 08/05/2018 - 09:08

      Still, 280k for a non diesel Nissan is beyond what you could expect from it.

      As the owner of a 1994 Nissan Navara (D21) with a KA24E engine that just ticked over 390,000km with no signs of needing an engine rebuild, I politely beg to differ.

      • whooah1979 on 08/05/2018 - 10:57

        A sample pool of one isn’t reliable data for statistics. Do you own any other vehicles that have traveled more than 250kms?

        • Pantagonist on 08/05/2018 - 11:24
          +1

          Yep, 2004 Mazda Tribute. One small oil leak (maybe 200ml / 1000km) that I can't be bothered fixing (timing cover on a transverse mounted engine means pulling whole engine to repair it) and about every 20th start it doesn't fire up on the first attempt but other than that it's a reliable car. Bought 5 years ago with 198,000km on the clock for $4,500. Pretty sure we'd be able to offload it for $3,500 or so if we wanted to sell it today.

          In laws also have a 1999 (I think) Subaru Forester with over 250,000km. Throws a CEL every now and then for some fuel/air mixture-related idle circuit that doesn't seem to affect performance or fuel economy so chasing down the precise cause hasn't been a priority.

          I also have a motorcycle that has done nearly 100,000km, which, if you believe the internet, means that it should have died a long time ago.

          My way of looking at high mileage cars is that if they've successfully made their 200,000km milestone, don't have any major issues that can be identified by visually inspecting them and compression / leak testing doesn't identify any problems, you can safely assume that the car isn't a lemon and won't die on you in the near future provided you keep up with regular maintenance (really just oil and filter changes). Keeping the oil in good condition is really the key to any car's longevity.

        • Oofy Doofy on 18/05/2018 - 11:58

          @Nomadesque: this is not the greatest car in the world, this is just a Tribute. #TenaciousD

          I saw someone put similar sticker text before the tribute badge for a laugh on their car.

  • ozssc on 07/05/2018 - 22:31

    Comment edited

  • zfind on 07/05/2018 - 23:07

    Your mechanic either has no idea what he is talking about or is trying to get you to pay for a rebuild.

    First, if the screws holding the butterfly (throttle) plate on came undone they would either first smash a valve or then be sucked past the valve into the combustion chamber and be smashed into the face of the piston. In the first case you would likely lose all compression on the affected cylinder. In the second case the car might still run but would 'ping' and run like shit. Unless the screw somehow lodged between the piston edge and the next lowest ring (which is a good few millimeters down!) there is zero chance this caused your oil burning issues. You would have to smash a hole through the piston for the screw to allow so much blowby!!! Second, worn / busted rings don't lead to head gasket issues!

    Your mechanic needs to find another career, what a joker.

  • This Guy on 07/05/2018 - 23:27
    -1

    An engine dosen't just 'blow up' in three weeks.

    Unfortunately it's not clear if you damaged it, if it was damaged when checked or if you have a dodgy mechanic.

    If you have been keeping it in high gear up hills, accelerating hard, reving the motor or carrying large loads (like 3 passengers), it was probably you. It's an old motor.

    If it was already damaged then the report was useless. The inspector's eyes and ears should have picked up the problem, let alone their road test. Do you think dealerships put any trade in though the workshop before buying them?

    If you think it's the mechanic, try a different mechanic 20km's away.

    • Freelog on 09/05/2018 - 18:06

      I can't tell - actually two different mechanics (two different company's) had a look at the engine… And the seller said three weeks before selling it got serviced but still the oil was at low already. One little detail I didn't pay much attention to.

  • DanielR on 07/05/2018 - 23:51

    A lot of vehicles consume minimal amount of oil… yours seems to be a lot though.. I would say the vehicle has been mistreated- hasn’t had full service etc… 280,000km isn’t a lot contrary to what others say - if you service it on time all the time at a reputable dealer the vehicle / any will last at least 500,000km if not more.

    Previous vehicles - Toyota Landcruiser GXL 436,000km traded it in and still was running well

    Current vehicle BMW X1 diesel 208,000km just had timing chain service.. vehicle running flawlessly…

    serviced vehicles on time all the time.. though bought new…

    • spackbace on 08/05/2018 - 00:27

      vehicle running flawlessly

      Lol I'm amazed you would say that out loud about a BMW with mileage. I really hope you were touching wood when you wrote that 😉

    • enzioFirenze on 08/05/2018 - 08:24
      +1

      You can't compare LCs to X-Trails mate, LCs go on forever!

      • whooah1979 on 08/05/2018 - 10:58
        +1

        Lc are build and tested to Australian conditions. Nothing comes close to its reliability.

      • Micko179 on 10/05/2018 - 09:39

        Except when they break the back of the crankshaft off!

  • Cave Fire on 08/05/2018 - 13:03

    Check if it is affected by these numerous recalls : Link May have just won the dodgy car lottery. Golden Comment: Velcrochicken: "Nissan has a recall on this, due to the way the cat is built into the exhaust manifold on the xtrail it very much can and does flake off entering the engine causing oil consumption issues."

    • Freelog on 09/05/2018 - 18:24

      I seem to be affected (if not already fixed) by the "Catalytic Converter Breakage & O2 Sensor Boss Breakage" as my VIN is JN1TBNT30A0016xxx and the range is "JN1TBNT30A0 000006 to JN1TBNT30A0 024706. JN1TBNT30A0 000006 to JN1TBNT30A0 017012."
      Even though online I couldn't find how that affects burning oil. Do recalls expire? Just turn up at my local Nissan Dealer?

  • Cheap Charlie1 on 08/05/2018 - 16:16
    -1

    Take it to a few other mechanics and see what they say.

    Mechanics will tell you whatever it takes for you to part with your cash much like someone selling you a car privately.

  • freakatronic on 08/05/2018 - 17:29
    -1

    Compression test every car you buy.

  • Micko179 on 10/05/2018 - 09:44

    I respectfully suggest that no one should ever, under any circumstances, trust a Mechanic! Unless you are a very close sibling!

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join