Went to look at an 05 6MT sedan today. The car is extremely clean, inside and out, 74k. Asking just under $12k. I asked the owner if there was any issue with oil consumption. He told me that he does have to top it off in between oil changes, but that it may be due to his driving habits. Told me there were no leaks or burning, to which I found no evidence either.

I'm going to have Infiniti give the car an inspection later this week but let the owner know that the oil consumption was my main concern. If it wasn't, I would have purchased this car in a heartbeat based on it's condition. My question is, does this sound like it is definitely an oil consumption issue, or could it just be normal loss of oil between changes? The owner says he changes every 6k with full synthetic, and that the top off issue has been present since he bought the car with 30k, but has never been an issue otherwise.

Are there any long term consequences of oil consumption? I'm mechanically inclined and definitely don't mind topping off my oil every week or so, but not if it's going to eventually lead to fried piston rings or something of the like. What will Infiniti be able to tell me when I bring it in for inspection, should I have a compression test done?

I know this question probably gets asked all the time but I'm looking more for advice as to whether it's something that can be lived with or something that should be avoided like the plague.

 

There are very few safe ways to buy a used car! You should have a Nissan mechanic go thru it to see if there's any evidence of OC or any other issues and buy a Nissan extended warranty covering the next few years which is far cheaper than replacing the motor or trans. That's the only way I'd buy a used car/truck, you gotta CYA!
Gary

 

Does Nissan offer extended warranties on cars sold by private parties?

 

I've been reading every thread I can on the matter. I gave an Infiniti dealer service department a call and the tech told me that 1 quart every 1500 miles is entirely normal for the motor, and that the oil consumption issues were more to the tune of 3 quarts. Does this sound right?

Can anyone comment on the benefit of getting one of Infiniti's 100 point inspections done prior to purchase? Just a gimmick, or worth the money?

 

1 quart every 1500 doesn't seem normal to me. I change mine every 5k and have to top it off around 3k with about 1/2 quart. I have an 06 6mt with over 160k miles.

Not all revup engines burn oil, and some regular vq35de engines burn oil. It's really not as wide spread as this forum would lead you to believe (the nature of forums in general tend to magnify any potential issues).

If OC is that much of a concern, you'll have to have Infiniti do their test procedure, which involves an oil change and checking the level after a few thousand miles. I'd ask the owner how often he has to top it off in between his 6k oil change intervals. If it's every few weeks, that might be an issue, if it's every few thousand miles, it's probably perfectly normal.

 

You are correct, it's not "normal", however to Infiniti, it is "acceptable".

I have an 05' 6MT and it uses about a quart now in 5000 miles.