I don't know much about VE's, so help me out if you can.

I drove it just the other day. It's in good condition with all options. 112,000, gray, black leather, garage kept, one owner, all records. I can probably get it for $5500 or less. The owner says it does have the VTC issue only when cold. I drove it for a good 30 minutes and heard no ticking. My car would kill it off the line and probably to 60. I was surprised how weak it is down low. Does this seem right? However, it has a ton of power all the way to redline and would probably get me from 70 - 100 (or at least tie).

Other problems I'd like to run by you include:
CD player sticks, temperature adjuster slider does not go all the way to the "cold" setting. As for the temperature adjuster, has anyone had this problem? What exactly is the fix? How about the CD player? Is this a "under $100" fix?

My main problem is of course the VTC issue. Is the re-wire a guaranteed fix to the ticking? That is the route I will pursue if the ticking is severe enough.

From what I've described, let me know what you think and if this is a good deal. The car has been well maintained and they have kept all records. The oil and tranny fluid looked good and it shifted nicely. I ran it out to about 100mph and it was smooth. The rubber looks good too.

Thanks, I appreciate your opinions. I'm not looking to get rid of my black one, this is a candidate car for my girlfriend.

 

i replied to your thread on the other maxima site. It was long

 

Thanks

 

Well, the VTC's are somewhat of an issue if you can't stand the ticking, which eventually will be heard all the time. I just did the rewire and it worked fine. I have a 92 SE and it has 140,000 miles on it. The only problem with the rewire is that you lose a slight bit of power around the 3500+ RPM range. If you do the rewire before you drive the car then no one would notice (i.e. your girlfriend) but if you are used to the normal VE power, then you will feel it. It really depends on how aggresive of a driver she is and if she plans to mod the car. About the CD player, well, that is something that is a little tough to diagnose. I would opt for a new one to solve that problem. About the price...$5500 for a VE with 112,000 is a pretty good price IMO. I bought mine with 129,000 on it for $4500. Other things to check on it though before getting it would be
1. Manifold bolts (if broken can be up to $1000 to repair)
2. Clutch (shouldn't be too much of a problem at 112,000)
3. Y-Pipe (mine was bad when I bought the car)
Other than that I am sure you know what to look for. Good luck with the car. The VE is a kick a$$ engine.

 

Thanks for the response. My girlfriend is a very easy driver and will never push a car like me. I'm glad the re-wire will alleviate the problem. The car is an automatic. Also, the VE's don't have spark plugs do they? What is involved in a typical VE tuneup? Do the coils/direct ignition need to be maintained at all?

 

No, I am pretty sure the car has plugs. They are platinum tipped plugs. I have never changed mine and have never had a problem with them. As for a tune up. Just the regular...oil change with Nissan oil filter, check O2 sensor, tranny flush for auto, inspect pads and replace if neccessary....you know, the usual stuff. Good luck with the car. I wish I could get my girl into a Maxima too! Oh the fun we would have...doing mods that is, hehehehehe. Then she could understand the addiction of modding these cars!! Later!