The Nissan Z was one of the most anticipated Japanese sports cars prior to its debut in 2023 (as a 2024 model year). While, at one point, the model overtook Toyota’s GR Supra in terms of sales, many dealers did everything in their power to make the Z less-accessible to buyers, in the name of maximizing profit. One Nissan dealer did the exact opposite for the Nissan Z community, for which we are grateful, but what happens when you decide to buy your favorite Japanese sports car from what is supposed to be a reliable place?
If you ask Google whether Carvana is a good place to buy a car, the AI overview will say that “an excellent place to buy a car if you value convenience, a haggle-free process, and a generous return window”.
As I found out from a post on Facebook from the group “The New Nissan Z”, one owner got more than she bargained for (or should I say less), after purchasing a 2024 Nissan Z Sport from Carvana. Here’s what she says:
“I just want to warn anyone if they are purchasing this vehicle from Carvana. I just returned this vehicle on Monday. It drove well for the first couple of days, and then on Saturday, we went to get gas, and it started making this knocking noise coming from the engine. I have attached a video.
They immediately put the car back on Carvana on Tuesday, even though I did let them know that the motor was making a knocking noise and metal in the oil, and the rotors had cracks in them.
It has an aftermarket suspension kit that is not working correctly. The dust shields on the front half are removed and the ones on the back half have been cut up really badly. The brake calipers are infinite calipers, and it has had a lot of modifications to the engine, which, from what we were told, would void the factory warranty, and Silver Rock will not do anything with aftermarket products per their policy.
Oh, and when we checked the oil after it started making the knocking noise, there was metal in the oil. I will also attach a picture of that. I just don’t wanna see anyone get stuck with a car that has all these issues without knowing what they’re getting into.”
There are plenty of red flags that hint at this being a risky purchase
The way I see it, a base model of any sports car with tens of thousands of dollars worth of aftermarket upgrades is always a bad idea. The Nissan Z Sport features smaller brakes and wheels and has an open differential instead of a limited-slip differential. This leads me to believe that the original owner either had no clue what he was doing or was trying to spend the least amount of money possible on a build.
The post includes a video in which you clearly hear the muffled knocking associated with rod-bearing failure. These engines typically make big power reliably, but only when done right. Recently, I talked about the impressive power gains the Nissan Z’s VR30 DDTT engine is capable of with simple mods. How this Z got to this state, we can only guess. Some group members argue that someone may have had an Infiniti Q50/Q60 with a damaged engine (they use a version of the same VR30), which they may have swapped into the Z.
Moreover, the now former owner says the modifications were not disclosed in the Carvana ad, and they only found out about them after a pre-purchase inspection at a Nissan dealer.
“We did take it to the Nissan dealership and had it inspected for pre-purchase. That’s how we found out about all the modifications on it, but at the time the motor was not making any knocking noises and it had a fresh oil change and fresh transmission fluid.”
Depending on how bad the wear is, these issues can sometimes be masked with the proper oil additives, which can “hide” any symptoms like knocking. The owner clearly thought they were getting more for the money, but it seems this is one of those “too good to be true” kind of deals.
The post makes it seem like Carvana is trying to sell the same problematic car multiple times, and according to the comments in the post (see image below), it may have already sold the same car at least twice.
This isn't a smear campaign against the sales platform, but rather a case study. While there are plenty of members who claim to have experience or are aware of shady practices, this article serves more to shed light on potential issues one might have when buying a used vehicle, even if from a supposedly reliable seller. Personally, I would never buy a modified car, especially if it is a base model. But let me know what you think in the comments below. Have you had a similar experience?
About the author
Dimitar Angelov has been an automotive journalist since 2014. His passion for cars and motorcycles led him to take up classic car restoration at the Classic Car Museum in Malta. While living there, he also graduated with a Master's in Media and Communications. Aside from Torquenews, his work can also be seen on Topspeed.com, HotCars.com, Motorheads.com, Jalopnik.com, and his own website, Ridereverie.com, where he also includes motorcycle content.
Other relevant experiences in the automotive scene include working at a Toyota dealership, professional driving, and automotive insurance. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
Image source: Nissan Z press, Facebook "The New Nissan Z" group
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