ajdrums

Just wanted to get an opinion from all you maxima "junkies". I am curently looking at an automatic 1992 red maxima GXE with leather seats and 130,000 miles. The timing belt has been replaced twice every 60,000 miles and a mechanic has told me it is in perfect working order. The private seller is asking $3000 for it, should I go for it? I currently own a 1989 standard trans dodge colt and I feel changing over to a nissan would be a wise choice. is a maxima worth it if its not a standard?? someone help!!!

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

for $3k, that's definitely a good deal.. as long as everything is in good shape, that car is easily worth closer to $5k. I know I'd be mad if my car didn't sell for at least 6k! ( I paid 10k for my 93 just 3 years ago)

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

I'm a AUTOMATIC guy myself, don't really care for manuals other than them being less costly when it comes to maintenece. An auto max is a good car as long as you get a <b>TRANNY COOLER</b> installed to make sure you have no tranny probs in the future! other than spending that $40 for the cooler, you're buying a very GOOD and RELIABLE car. the VG engine in the GXEs were very strong and have been known to get up to the 300K+ mile mark with only regular maintenence. All in all, I'm at 130k now and my car is running GREAT! Its a good car and if its in the condition you say it is I wouldn't pass it up!

rambo91145

i think its a godd deal. i have a 94 gxe and i paid about 7k for it, so i think youre getting a great deal as long as it runs well. i dont think youll be dissapointed if you try it and better yet you yourself might become a max junkie:-) i know i did....once you get one you'll understand "its a max thing"

roman

I paid $6500 for a perfect 93 fully loaded GXE with 71k miles on it 6 months ago. So I don't know if it's such a good deal to get a car with 130k miles for $3k. But it seems that everyone else thinks it is so you should probably go with that. But just a suggestion, DON'T GET A CAR WITH 130,00 MILES ON IT!!! Seriously, no matter what the people in here tell you, it's ridiculous. Yes, a Maxima is realiable, yes it can go past 200,000 miles, but still. I suggest you find something with less miles and finance it. I am sure that for $6k you can find a Maxima with 60k-80k miles on it in good shape; at least get an Altima...you can definitley find that for your price range. Pay the $3k as down payment and then finance the other $3k.
That's what I would do anyways.


Laterz,
Roman

ajdrums

[QUOTE]Originally posted by roman
[B]I paid $6500 for a perfect 93 fully loaded GXE with 71k miles on it 6 months ago. So I don't know if it's such a good deal to get a car with 130k miles for $3k. But it seems that everyone else thinks it is so you should probably go with that. But just a suggestion, DON'T GET A CAR WITH 130,00 MILES ON IT!!! Seriously, no matter what the people in here tell you, it's ridiculous. Yes, a Maxima is realiable, yes it can go past 200,000 miles, but still. I suggest you find something with less miles and finance it. I am sure that for $6k you can find a Maxima with 60k-80k miles on it in good shape; at least get an Altima...you can definitley find that for your price range. Pay the $3k as down payment and then finance the other $3k.
That's what I would do anyways.

....well see here is the thing. The guy I'm getting it from is the first owner and I know for a fact that the miles are all highway. And I work for him for half of the year so he knows if he sells me a bum car he will hear about it. anyways I'm already in over my head in financing college! I think I'm gonna have to go with the positive responces on this one... thanks for the help though

brubenstein

Depending on how the car was driven and maintained you could be buying either a good cheap set of wheels, or a money pit. The biggest question mark is the transmission. If the fluid was changed on some sort of regular basis, and the car wasn't beat on, you may get another 30-40k miles out of it. If the fluid was never changed, brown/black and doesn't smell too good, you have a $2,500 repair waiting to happen. Same sort of thing with the cooling system: if there's tan, lumpy, grunge in the radiator look out. The engine will be OK so long as the oil was changed on a regular basis, and not allowed to run low between changes.
In general, anything that has fluid in it should have the fluid changed on a regular basis, and if it hasn't can now fail at any time. If that's not enough, there's always the exhaust studs to worry about.
It's very possible that you may have to come up with another $1500 - $2500 in the first year of ownership. Think about that when you decide if you can afford it. Maintance cost shoot up after a certain point in a car's life. The less that's been spent in the past means the more that has to be spent in the future.

amax935

My advise would be to find out what you can about the car's history. Maybe try carfax, also see what kind of maintenance info is available.

The downside is its almost 10 years old, and some repairs are inevitable.

On the plus the 130K sounds reasonable, I get a little sceptical about low mile 10 year old cars. It also is logical that if they did the 60K timingbelt changes, the car was probably reasonably maintained. Is there any belt change documentation. Has the car been repainted (cover problems), and as bruben said the tranny is probably the major concern.
Also look for oil leaks on the motor-tranny/front diff. Take a look at the exhaust and CV boots. Listen for telltale clicking of broken exhaust manifold studs.

ajdrums

ok so I get to go see the car tomorrow. IF I like what I see, I will bring my mechanic then decide weather to buy it. Thanks again everyone for your help, and if someone reading this sees anything that was left out for what I should look for, feel free to post. Wish me luck!

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

I do want to say to look very closely at the body and engine. I just looked at a '91 black on black leather, very sharp car, almost 160k miles and drove like new. Mileage was no biggie to me. Guy wanted $2,700, it was a steal at first, but saw it in the day, the windsheild had a small crack, he told me it had been hit and the body work was novice at best. The engine was also off center. I asked how hard it had been hit, he didn't know, he bought it after it had been fixed. The air didn't work and it looked like the car had been hit so hard that it crammed the air cond. compressor up against the frame and they didn't pull it back but 1/8", that's how close the engine is to the passenger's frame. That belt would have to break to get it off pretty much, good luck getting one on! I didn't even try to talk him down, I didn't want to invest in a car to be put on the frame machine! This is the second Max I've looked at that was nice but had one major issue wrong that prevented me from buying, I wish I could've got Need4pwr's max, wife can't drive a straight though!