'Looks Nice': Man Finds Nissan Altima on Facebook Marketplace For a Good Price. Then He Spots 4 Red Flags With Eagle-Eye Precision

"It’s been sitting for a while."

Photo by: itsisaac.r

Mustafa Gatollari

By: Mustafa Gatollari

Nov 27, 2025 at 8:00am ET

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A bargain Nissan Altima on Facebook Marketplace turned out to be a deal that was too good to be true.

TikTok user Isaac (@itsisaac.r) published a video documenting his meet-up with a prospective seller on the popular online private selling platform. After doing some more digging into the vehicle’s history, he noticed some glaring discrepancies that dissuaded him from going through with the deal.

Isaac sums up his problem with the car in a text overlay in his video: "Guy from Facebook Marketplace tried to scam me with a salvage title car and rolled back odometer."

At the onset of his clip, he records himself driving to meet the person he’s supposed to purchase the Nissan Altima from. When he pulls up and sees the car, his first impression is positive.

"Looks nice," he says. After getting out and seeing the seller, he asks, "Does it have any issues?" The man shrugs and says, "No," and Isaac asks if the car "drives good."

As their conversation continues, the man explains that he’s only driven the car for a week. He goes on to state that the car was first intended for his son. The man tells Isaac that he was able to get a good price because he bought it from a friend.

As the man talks about a potential issue with one of the vehicle’s tires, Isaac pops the hood. Immediately, he notices one concerning detail, which he denotes in another on-screen caption. "Engine completely filled with rat poop, which means it’s been sitting for a while," he writes.

After looking more closely at the car’s internals, Isaac records himself hooking up an OBD2 code reader. The machine’s assessment of the car didn’t ping back any negative codes, prompting Isaac to determine the sedan’s condition as "good."

"Almost Got Burned on This One"

After the reading, Isaac asks the man if he could take the car for a test drive.

While on the road, he briefly lets go of the steering wheel at different intervals. When he does, the Nissan Altima’s steering wheel can be seen shaking back and forth slightly. Isaac points out the issue while riding with the seller.

Back in the parking lot, he tells the buyer, "I like it." Then he runs a Carfax report for the vehicle. As he does, he tells the man that if it wasn’t vibrating while driving, he would’ve bought it right then and there.

However, the report returned some alarming data. For one, the odometer read that it had 90,000 miles on it. However, according to Carfax, it had 120,000 miles.

Further, the seller advertised the car as having a clean title, but Isaac says this wasn’t the case. The Carfax report purportedly showed that the vehicle had a rebuilt/salvage title. As he continued to discuss the additional work the Altima would require, namely an alignment, Isaac’s clip shows another overlay. He indicates that he brought up the salvage title info to the seller, who "claimed he didn’t know."

Problems With Salvage Titles

Vehicles with rebuilt or salvage titles may have issues down the line. Credit bureau Experian writes that the price of cars with these titles may be appealing to budget-conscious buyers. However, a "salvage" moniker appended to a car means "that a vehicle has sustained significant enough damage that repair costs exceed its fair market value," Experian states. This means that if you try to sell or trade it in, you may receive significantly less money than you would if it had a clean title.

Moreover, the agency writes that these titles are often given to cars by insurance companies that deem the amount of money it takes to fix them outweighs their total value. Rides that have been in severe accidents, caught fire, or have been flooded will be deemed salvage cars.

Additionally, many state laws and regulations prohibit salvage cars from being legally allowed on the road. Consequently, they must pass inspections in order to be considered roadworthy.

Edmunds went on to write that if folks are considering buying a salvage vehicle, they should consider the type and extent of the damage. For instance, if the vehicle was broken into and the insurance company’s payout was worth more than the car's market value, it could be classified as a "salvage" vehicle. However, if a buyer knows a reputable body shop or mechanic who can fix these problems, they could secure a ride at a steep discount for a reliable vehicle.

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The car-buying resource provides a checklist for prospective car buyers who are willing to buy a salvage title ride. This includes:

Thorough inspections,
Acquiring original repair records,
Utilizing Carfax or similar vehicle history report service, and
Buying cars from reputable auto repair shops with a large number of solid reviews

Also, both Experian and Edmunds recommend checking with your car insurance provider before going the salvage route. That’s because some companies refuse to cover rebuilt or salvage vehicles. This is due to the presumed heightened risk of vehicular problems and potential safety hazards that salvage cars may come with.

And if the insurance company does offer plans for salvage cars, they may only allow customers to purchase basic liability insurance. Which means that you may be left to foot the lion’s share of the bill in the event of an accident.

What do you think?

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Overall, purchasing a salvage car is a risk that needs to be assessed, like any business venture. Get enough information to ensure you’re willing to take on the risk. More information can ensure you’re getting a good deal on a decent vehicle and inform you about the costs that may accrue as a result of its history.

Motor1 has reached out to Isaac via TikTok direct message for further information. We'll update this if he responds.

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