NHTSA Complaint #10534155 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

JUST PURCHASED THIS USED CAR FROM A DEALER IN IL. CAR OVERALL SEEMED TO BE IN GOOD OVERALL CONDITION FOR IT'S AGE NO VISIBLE RUST OR ISSUES NOTED DURING TEST DRIVE OR MY BASIC OVERSIGHT OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING CHECKING FLUIDS, HOSES BELTS TIRES ETC... I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC AS IT WAS IN NEED OF SOME ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WORK AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FLOORBOARDS ON BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WERE COMPLETED ROTTED OUT IN SOME SPOTS THE CARPET IS THE ONLY THING COVERING THE HOLE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION I WAS TOLD BECAUSE IT CAN LEAD TO FUMES IN THE VEHICLE OR POSSIBLY THE WHOLE PAN FALLING OUT, WORSE CASE WEAKENING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I TAKE THE CAR BACK BUT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND "AS IS" I DID NOT THINK I HAD A RECOURSE. I CALLED THE DEALER ANYWAY WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM ABOUT THE ISSUE AND ASKED WHY THIS ISSUE WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME HE SAID TOO BAD YOU SIGNED THE PAPERS IT'S A DONE DEAL SUE US IF YOU WANT YOUR MONEY BACK AND SAID HE HAD TO "GO". I AM NOW STUCK WITH THIS CAR AND TRYING TO GET IT FIXED.MY MECHANIC TELLS ME HE CANNOT GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO FIX IT UNTIL HE TAKES THE SEATS, CARPET AND CENTER CONSOLE OUT TO SEE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED, TIME AND MATERIAL. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS REPAIR WILL COST BUT HE TOLD ME IT WILL TAKE 3 HOURS OF LABOR JUST TO GET TO THE FLOOR TO SEE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT NISSAN HAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED FOR 2002-2006. THIS IS MY FIRST NISSAN MY NEXT NEW CAR WAS TO BE A NISSAN AS WELL, I DON'T THINK SO ANY LONGER. HELP! *TR