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2003 Murano likely to have a rusted subframe?

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TrustyAutos

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello All.

I'm in the market to buy a 2003 Murano SL AWD with 181k miles but in the rust belt of Minnesota.
I read that 2004 Murano's often have a rusty subframe due to the AC dumping water on the passenger side, closest to the windshield.
Does that affect 2003's also?
Is there a good way to visually identify whether it is indeed a problem for a specific car?
Thank you!
 
#2 ·
Discussion starter · #3 ·
You probably saved me from the classic "buy a car that you're not familiar with and spend way too much to fix it" scenario.
Such a shame though - it is a very nice car - just probably not at 16 years in the rust belt.
Thanks much!
 
#4 ·
I would not buy a 1st generation Murano unless it's dirt cheap and you don't intend to keep it for long. Besides the rust problem, the CVT is another major worry. It could fail any time without much warning and at this point, the repair cost of the CVT far exceeds the value of the car.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Thanks for putting that in perspective Wolfgang!

My (potentially flawed) rule of thumb is:
Cost of car + maintenance is $100-125/month for SUV class ($1200-1500 a year)
So IF I could get one for $1000-1200 and was going to keep it for a year and could get away with $200-500 in parts ... it would be worth it

Sadly the one I'm looking at is $2200 and I doubt they'd go that low
 
#8 ·
From the only reliable source of information on the web, Wikipedia - ""Rust Belt" is a derogatory term for an informal region of the United States that experienced industrial decline starting around 1980. It is made up mostly of places in the Midwest and Great Lakes, though definitions vary. Rust refers to the deindustrialization, or economic decline, population loss, and urban decay due to the shrinking of its once-powerful industrial sector. The term gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1980s."

Just want to throw this out there, Rust Belt isn't a place where cars rust more, it's more of a political term from my understanding. It is also my understanding that cars will rust more anywhere near salt water (naturally the coasts) and where streets are salted after snowfall. The Great Lakes aren't very saline but MN does get a lot of snow.

FWIW my '04 Murano has spent it's life next to the ocean in 1/2 snowy Rhode Island 6 years and 9 years in San Diego. No visible rust. I think you just need to have it inspected.
 
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TomOmon
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