Buying and Selling Vehicles - Buying a vehicle

I'm looking at a 96 Nissan Maxima for sale at one of my local lots. They are asking $2,550 for it. A guy that works there says I could probably get it for $2,400. It's a 5-speed sedan with new clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing and all that. The engine supposedly has 166k on it but the odometer is reading 198k. The car runs great eitherway. Has just a few small cosmetic problems on it. Like a rear quarter panel is dented in a little bit, passengers side turn signal and foglamp are missing. The car has aftermarket 17 in rims with Kumho tires with plenty of tread left. The car drives and handles real well and I'm just trying to figure out if this is a good deal or not. Blue book private seller value is about $2,600 for if it has 198k miles and $2,800 if it has 166k miles.

Can anyone explain mileage/odometer difference for you? Perhaps an engine replaced? Clutch, pressure plate, body damage, etc, has all the markings of an abused vehicle if you ask me, but that's just my opinion. Those vehicles have a pretty durable powertrain, that's why the engine vs mileage thing bothers me. Here in Ontario, they have to give you a print out of prior owner(s). I'd be real tempted to see if possible to talk to previous owner, if he hasn't been coached on what to say.
A red light comes on for me, but like I said, just my opinion.

Well I'm going to talk to the main guy at the car lot tomorrow and see what he has to say. That's really the only cosmetic problems on the car other than the usual wear and tear of a 12 year old vehicle but I'll definitely bring up the mileage thing tomorrow.

They ought to let me take the car and have my mechanic inspect it right?

Wouldn't hurt to buy a CarFax report NOW before you go chat. Don't believe a report given to you by someone else.

If they're selling it for $2550, that means they probably gave someone trade-in value (or picked it up at auction) for around $1500.

Side note: You're sure that price is the total (other that tax, title, & tag)? VERY common practice to add a "dealer charge" or other junk fee on; this could easily add $500 to the price.

I share concern on the same items already mentioned. If the engine has 166k and the odometer says 198k, could be the original owner blew the motor up with only about 30k on the ticker.

Well I guess that'd be good to go get the vin and look it up.

You'll have to pay either $24.99 for a single report or $29.99 for a 30-day unlimited look-up, but it can save you a lot of time, money, and headaches.

Alot of times a way to get an idea of what the lot paid for the car is to look at what their down payment is. Many corner lots will have it on the winshield of the car. If it says like $1,500 down and low monthly payments $1,500 is what they paid for it. May or may not be true but that's what I've read.

I heard that on at least one occasion at one of the BHPH lots. That way they can't get burned by a dead-beat; they at least cover their expenses with the down-payment and the patments are profit.