ZOperaMan

There are two major issues with (some) '09s - mine had both:

1. Synchros - you can tell by trying to shift quickly through all gears. If the synchros are bent, you'll grind gears; most apparent when skipping a couple of gears with a large change in RPM (1-4, 2-5, or 3-6). Sometimes happens on upshift, sometimes downshift. Dealer fix is complete transmission replacement.

2. Oil consumption (probably bad rings) - there's probably no way to tell from a single-day inspection; the TSB says you have to measure how much the level drops on the dipstick after 1000 miles - Nissan says 8 mm after waiting 1/2 hour, so that would mean proportionally you would have to drive the car at least 100 miles, then wait 1/2 hour to see a ~1-mm drop. Maybe you can do this in a day if they'd let you. If the oil hasn't been changed and is low, it's browner than on an engine without the problem.

My car showed no other signs of oil consumption - no blue smoke, no power loss, just had to carry a quart around with me if I drove long distances. Dealer fix was a new short block.

--OD