I accompanied my son recently to look at and test drive a 2019 Nissan 370Z Nismo listed at $29,085…read morewith about 68k miles at Joshua Tree Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. We drove about two hours to get there, so we were hoping everything would line up.
Overall, the experience started off really positive. Russell, who helped us during the test drive, was friendly, easygoing, and professional. When we asked about getting a pre-purchase inspection (PPI), there was no issue at all. They were open to it, and we signed the paperwork and took the car to a local shop we had already researched. That part of the process went smoothly. The inspection cost us $120.
During the inspection, the mechanic found a few concerns, including a leaking rack and pinion and brake components that would likely need replacement soon. We already knew one key fob needed to be replaced since that was disclosed during the visit. Based on everything, we were looking at roughly $4,000 to $5,000 in upcoming repairs.
The car itself was nice but not perfect. It had an aftermarket (carbon fiber) hood with visible scratches, visible sun damage on the spoiler and roof edges, and a few other cosmetic imperfections that we were willing to overlook.
Taking all of that into account, we made an out-the-door offer of $29,000 and discussed it with Chris, who Russell passed us along to in order to go over numbers.
Unfortunately, even after sharing the inspection findings, the dealership was only willing to come down $500 from the listed price, and that was before taxes, license, and doc fees. We were not expecting a dollar-for-dollar adjustment based on the inspection, but we were hoping the $4K-$5K in upcoming repairs would be reflected more meaningfully than a $500 reduction. That gap didn't really reflect the condition of the vehicle in our view.
Because of that, this ends up being a 4-star review. Russell and the overall customer service experience were genuinely good, and the PPI process was smooth and hassle-free. The only real disappointment was the lack of flexibility on price after legitimate mechanical issues were identified.
One takeaway for anyone shopping for a used car: always do your due diligence and get a pre-purchase inspection. It can easily save you thousands and gives you a much clearer picture of what you are actually buying.
In short, good people and a solid process, but limited willingness to adjust price based on inspection results.
