[logdog]

Hey everyone, I'm currently in the market for a truck and I've been looking at Tacomas and Titans recently.

Today I went and looked at a 2008 Titan (Used 2008 Nissan Titan LE Crew Cab 2WD SWB for Sale in Marietta GA 30062 Georgia Auto World) and being that I have no experience with Titans I had a few questions that I am really hoping you guys can help me out with.

Firstly, at a glance does that look like a decent deal given mileage, package, extras, condition?

Secondly when I was looking at the truck I noticed that the heat wasn't working, blowing cold air - upon further inspection I found that there was almost no radiator fluid. That had me look around some more and I noticed that all the fluids were low except for oil. To me that seems like somewhat of a red flag but I do not know enough about these trucks to know any common problems with this model, or what I should look out for.

*edit* I was also wondering if anyone could tell me what the silver brackets are in the bed of the truck, they are on all sides, including the floor of the bed - I am assuming they are for attaching some sort of adjustable anchor?

Also I would greatly appreciate any thing you guys think I should check out on the truck as well before I buy it.

Thanks in advance guys - I'm putting my faith in you!

 

[cajun56]

First thing take off oil cap and see what it looks like! If it clean and not full of sludge or white milky looking stuff then you move on finding leaks from radiator!
Check Transmission fluid, need a ten mm socket or wrench. If it's any color then pinkish looking, be wary of truck.
Look at ends of axles for dark looking oil leaking from seals, fixable but expensive! Over $100 per side.
Drive truck and see if it has any groaning or roaring noise from front bearings in front. Is the the front end much lower then back, springs are sagging, also check lower and upper ball joints. As for heater not heating it could be a few things, expensive to fix if brought to shop.

Short list of things to look for. Good luck.

 

[Mach1tosh]

If the selling dealer hasn't seen fit to remedy the low fluids my advice is to walk away and find a truck that has been looked after. This lack of attention speaks volumes to the probable condition (not good) of the truck.
Sounds like a money pit in the making.

 

[jdmartin]

The silver brackets are the Utili-track system. You can get a bunch of accessories to use with it.

Any dealer that puts a vehicle on the lot without radiator fluid (was the overflow tank low/empty?) and all of the fluids low I wouldn't trust too much. Most reputable dealers will have a vehicle fully serviced before they put it on the lot, and that includes fluid levels.

 

[Decepticon10]

As far as the mileage, It's below the national average of 15,000 miles a year. The heat not working is most likely this,

. Pretty easy to verify. Not too much $ to fix yourself. A lot of $ for a dealer to fix. Low antifreeze could have something to do with it, maybe? As for the fluids being low, it may have not been serviced in quite some time. See if ya can get a carfax report from this dealer. It will show service history if serviced at a dealer or other service centers. For price comparison, check out the Kelly bluebook site. Also Car Gurus is pretty good as far as retail price comparison. The pics look like the truck has, at least, been leveled in front, or lifted a bit on front and rear to accommodate larger tires. Don't be afraid to crawl under the truck. That could tell ya a lot if there actually are any fluid leaks. Two obvious things the truck has going for it are the new tires, and the hood and roof clear coat still seem to be intact. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Golfnut Michael]

I'd say look around a bit more. That price is more than I paid 3 years ago for a 2004 KC 4x4 with 34,000 miles. Now I have 70K on it and love every minute in it.

 

[dubyam]

Fluids would make me wary, for sure. Definitely before you buy, take it to an independent mechanic you trust to be checked over.

Now, that price is asinine. An '08 2wd with 105k miles on it isn't worth anything like $16k. KBB is a good source for value comparison, but I suspect that truck is going to book around $11 or maybe $12, and that dealer has about $8-9 in the truck.

Check the value, have it checked by a mechanic, and don't get taken.