94 Altima, idle and squeal problem

[demotim00]

I am interested in buying a 94 Altima GXE with 139,500 for $2300. It runs great and looks like a brand new vehicle pretty much. Has power window/locks/mirrors, tilt, cruise, automatic, and 4 cylinder. However it has noticeable vibration when idling only, also has a very minor squeal (sounds like a belt squealing). You can barely hear the squeal when at idle, or normal driving, but than if you accelarate quite hard you hear a quick chirp thats farily loud from it. My question is, is the vehicle worth the price, also what is the most likely cause of the problems? The air blows nice and cold and all the power accessories work. Someone please reply by 2pm tomorrow as that will be when I am going down to the car lot to talk to the owner of the lot about working a deal. Please keep in mind that the car lot I am buying from is more of a whole sale lot that does mostly selling to other dealers but does sell to the public also, there for they do nothing to the vehicles before getting rid of them and tend to not price as high as other dealers. The vehicles are sold the same way they get them in.

[JustSayGo]

Even without the squeek and shake it is over priced. Paying a mechanic to inspect the car before you buy and tell you what squeeks, why it shakes, and how much to fix it will help you negotiate the right price. This is a common practice and the seller shouldn't have a problem with the request. Inspect the brakes. Brake and tire expence add up quickly. Keep in mind that there are reasons that the problems are not being repaired prior to sale. You are the one with the money. The seller is the one with the problems. Dealers don't sell cars with those problems and they won't pay the wholesaler more than $1,000.

[demotim00]

Originally Posted by JustSayGo

Even without the squeek and shake it is over priced. Paying a mechanic to inspect the car before you buy and tell you what squeeks, why it shakes, and how much to fix it will help you negotiate the right price. This is a common practice and the seller shouldn't have a problem with the request. Inspect the brakes. Brake and tire expence add up quickly. Keep in mind that there are reasons that the problems are not being repaired prior to sale. You are the one with the money. The seller is the one with the problems. Dealers don't sell cars with those problems and they won't pay the wholesaler more than $1,000.

Yes I understand what your saying. I actually had a friend of mine who's a mechanic take a look at it before the lot closed for the night. The power steering,alternator,&water pump belt needs tightening, so thats no big deal. The Idle is because the PCV valve needs replacement. How is this vehicle over priced at $2300 because I have seen them sale for $4000 and more for a 94 with around that mileage. As far as the lot not fixing the problems it isnt because he knows it will cost more or anything. I have bought 20+ vehicles from that lot. The vehicles are good vehicles on the lot, and if he knows what the problem is, he'll pass it on to whoever's looking at it, however even he isnt going to know everything wrong with a vehicle. The way he works, as Ive seen him do it from trade-ins and all is he'll pay bout $500 less than what he asks for the vehicle and sell the vehicles as is with out even cleaning them. He leaves it to whoever buys the car to fix any problems. The reason for only asking about $500 more is because he doesnt have a very high overhang cost like other dealers, as he has no salesmen(him and his wife are the only two that works there), and as he does nothing to the vehicles so therefore the only cost in the vehicle is what he paid for it. So my only question now is, is $2300 a fair price and if it is over priced how do private individuals and dealers sell the same vehicle as this, same year with right about the same mileage at twice the amount?

[JustSayGo]

Cars are worth what ever some one is willing to pay. Six months ago I paid $2,600 for my 97 GXE that is super clean 116,000 mi. Top book value was under $4,000. If I were selling cars like this guy I would be happy to make $500 per vehicle without even washing them. He allready knows he will take $1,950. Offer $1,600 and settle in between. You could be his top sales person. Maybe they are paying Canadian $$$. The private sellers listed mine at $3,850. They were happy to get $2,600. No one was standing in line to offer more.

[demotim00]

Originally Posted by JustSayGo

Cars are worth what ever some one is willing to pay. Six months ago I paid $2,600 for my 97 GXE that is super clean 116,000 mi. Top book value was under $4,000. If I were selling cars like this guy I would be happy to make $500 per vehicle without even washing them. He allready knows he will take $1,950. Offer $1,600 and settle in between. You could be his top sales person. Maybe they are paying Canadian $$$. The private sellers listed mine at $3,850. They were happy to get $2,600. No one was standing in line to offer more.

Well I bought it for the $2000. I mean yes it would be nice to have got it cheaper, but afterall no dealership will sell a vehicle for less money than what they have in it. He proved me beyond a reasonable doubt how much he paid for the car, and he paid $1800 for it. Obviously he can not sell it for what he bought it for because as any dealer, they're in the business to make money, and if they sell the vehicles just for what they have in them or less than what they paid for them, they're not going to make any money. On private sellers it is easy to get vehicles cheaper, and on dealers that price their vehicles 2-3 times the amount the have in it, can easily afford to knock their price down, however that isnt the case with this dealer. No offense to you "JustSayGo", however what you need to look at is the dealer I go to is not a big chain dealer, or a dealer that offers warranties, detail the vehicles, fix what they can, and have multiple salesmen, and that the dealer is a very small dealer with only and his wife that own and works it. No salesmen, detailers, financing, or anything else, however they would rather sell multiple cars at a couple hundred dollar profit, than only sell a couple vehicles a month at 1k plus profit. However I do apprecriate your replies.