Lemon 2023 Nissan Frontier

Never bought a certified pre-owned vehicle, but my understanding of it is that you're getting pretty much an extended warranty, and I think in many/most cases it's a manufacturer backed warranty. Is this the gist of it?
Exactly. It’s a fee paid to the manufacturer, a checklist which may or may not actually be checked and remedied and a warranty. What many people think it is a total reconditioning of the vehicle back to factory-like specs. I’ve seen CPOs sold with bald tires, brake shoe pads at 3mm, a leaking strut, and outstanding recalls. Of course, it depends on the dealership. Some take this seriously and many do not.
 
Pre-owned certified means little other than the warranty. I’ve seen plenty of examples from all manufacturers where a car was sold pre-owned/certified and there is absolutely no way the checklist items were actually performed.
Yeah the info in this thread has definitely reshaped my view of certified used vehicles. I suppose they're still better than just 'used', but my belief you were getting a near perfect used vehicle is clearly in error.
 
Yeah the info in this thread has definitely reshaped my view of certified used vehicles. I suppose they're still better than just 'used', but my belief you were getting a near perfect used vehicle is clearly in error.

This was a manufacturing defect, nothing to do with it being used.
 
This was a manufacturing defect, nothing to do with it being used.
I understand that, but it doesn't change the fact that the car buyer had to be the one to discover it - not the inspector.

I realize though from reading this thread I expected too much of the multi-point inspections in general. Of course I probably wouldn't have thought that if the dealers didn't real hype up how fabulous their certified used cars are, something that customer pays quite a bit extra for.

Lastly, putting myself in OP's shoes, I'd be pretty darn annoyed to think I spent what he did and now this situation comes about. I know the dealer will fix it but it still sucks.
 
Yeah the info in this thread has definitely reshaped my view of certified used vehicles. I suppose they're still better than just 'used', but my belief you were getting a near perfect used vehicle is clearly in error.
The warranty alone may make it worth it since you don’t how abused these vehicles were in their past life. The CPO status is also worth it in many cases if the dealership actually does what it is supposed to do to evaluate and correct any issues before selling it as a CPO. The problem being you have no real idea if they did do what they are supposed to and so I would still insist on bringing a CPO vehicle to an independent mechanic to look at it before purchasing. In the very least they can tell you brake life, look for leaks, look at fluids, etc.
 
My father bought a CPO Toyota Camry from a Hyundai dealer. Come to find out the block next to the oil pan was JB welded. The dealer was terrible to work with, throwing their weight around, they were willing to drag the resolution out and were in no rush. They finally (after weeks) found a Hyundai CPO to "swap" with my fathers JB welded Camry. It's been a great vehicle however I'll never forget how the GM treated us. What a prick...
 
Most times, the customer is actually doing the first vehicle inspections for any CPO. If it shines, they throw it on the lot and pencil whip the check marks on any CPO inspection list.
 
The his is what we think CPO inspection looks like:
IMG_4138.jpeg


And this is the reality:
IMG_4139.jpeg
 
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What I find funny is that the OP is mad at the manufacturer for missing that the frame was built incorrectly at the factory, and that the dealer missed the bad frame during the CPO inspection process, but yet he's not mad at himself for missing the bad frame issue when HE inspected the truck before he bought a used pickup, and didn't take it to anyone for a pre-purchase inspection, which may or may not have found the issue before he bought it.

The manufacturer is going to be unwilling to hand over a new pickup to someone who bought a used pickup, simply because if they did that, they still have this used pickup with a bad frame that needs to be replaced. The OP complains that it would be cheaper for Nissan to replace his pickup with a new one, but he doesn't seem to understand that even if they did that for him, they would still need to pay a dealership to replace the frame on that truck after they hand him a brand new truck. So that just isn't going to happen.

It would make YOU happy, but your cost estimate wouldn't make the accountants at Nissan very happy.

And finally, Nissan isn't really renown for their customer satisfaction.
Or build quality.

Nissan is legally required to replace or repair the frame according to the manufacturers warranty.
Which they are doing.

Honestly, I would be aiming my energy at the dealer who CPO certified the pickup with a bad frame, and undo the purchase.
Then I would go buy a pickup from one of the other companies that offers a midsize pickup truck.
 
What I find funny is that the OP is mad at the manufacturer for missing that the frame was built incorrectly at the factory, and that the dealer missed the bad frame during the CPO inspection process, but yet he's not mad at himself for missing the bad frame issue when HE inspected the truck before he bought a used pickup, and didn't take it to anyone for a pre-purchase inspection, which may or may not have found the issue before he bought it.
What is the point of the CPO if you have to take it someone for a pre-purchase inspection? That is kind of the whole point for a CPO.

What sucks for the OP is that he bought it used. Had it been new, he could unwind it by lemon law, not so much with a used one.
 
What is the point of the CPO if you have to take it someone for a pre-purchase inspection?
That is kind of the whole point for a CPO.

Why are you going to take the word of a dealership that the condition of the used car is acceptable?
It doesn't matter if they claim the car is a CPO or not, if the dealer didn't actually perform a CPO inspection on the car.
Which is quite possibly the case here.

If you are buying a USED vehicle, PERIOD, you should inspect it before buying it.
 
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Why are you going to take the word of a dealership that the condition of the used car is acceptable?
It doesn't matter if they claim the car is a CPO or not, if the dealer didn't actually perform a CPO inspection on the car.
Which is quite possibly the case here.

If you are buying a USED vehicle, PERIOD, you should inspect it before buying it.
Ok, I will play. How deep of a rabbit hole you want to go down?

If the manufacturer missed it and the dealership missed it, what is to say any so called independent inspection also misses it? Do we get another inspection to the inspection and so forth?

I get it, things get missed but we can play Captain Hindsight all day here when the reality is just about everybody takes the CPO on face value because the extended warranty that goes with it will cover such things.

Disingenuous to sit on a high horse critiquing people for what they should have done when most reasonable people would do the same.
 
Ok, I will play. How deep of a rabbit hole you want to go down?

If the manufacturer missed it and the dealership missed it, what is to say any so called independent inspection also misses it? Do we get another inspection to the inspection and so forth?

I get it, things get missed but we can play Captain Hindsight all day here when the reality is just about everybody takes the CPO on face value because the extended warranty that goes with it will cover such things.

Disingenuous to sit on a high horse critiquing people for what they should have done when most reasonable people would do the same.
I do actually think even I might miss a cracked weld at a body mount. I mean who thinks to look for that?

Sometimes I "relax my eyes" and catch random stuff, but generally I'm laser focused on CV boots, u-joints, wheel bearing play, fluid leaks, brakes etc

I suppose if "frame inspection" was a line item on an inspection form.....MAYBE.....but even then no one is expecting to see frame failure unless there's visible rust.
 
I do actually think even I might miss a cracked weld at a body mount. I mean who thinks to look for that?

Sometimes I "relax my eyes" and catch random stuff, but generally I'm laser focused on CV boots, u-joints, wheel bearing play, fluid leaks, brakes etc

I suppose if "frame inspection" was a line item on an inspection form.....MAYBE.....but even then no one is expecting to see frame failure unless there's visible rust.
I think most would miss it regardless of who was inspecting it. The only reason the OP's was finally caught was a customer complaint that drove them to look at it deeper. Even the OP said the problem "developed" after purchase so that tells me whatever let loose happened after the fact of taking delivery and was not evident at delivery.

We all would like to think somebody with lab coat, monocle and magnify glass is inspecting every square inch but the reality is they are just looking at the common wear areas and moving on.
 
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