Hello all,

Hi, I'm new to this forum and looking to buy my first Maxima, so I was wondering if I could get a few pointers. I'm in college, and I need a new (used) vehicle that will get good fuel econemy, be reliable, and have the overall quickness that is needed for the agressive driving here in Houston, TX. I was interested in getting a 4th generation model, but unfortunately, my budget will not allow it. I pretty much have my mind set on a 1992-1994 Maxima SE. Is this a good choice, or were there a lot of problems with the SE engine vs the gxe engine in the 3rd gens? Also, what should I expect to pay for a "good condition" mechanically and structurally sound Maxima of this era with ohhh, say 125k miles? Are there any common problems that I should look out for that are easily identifiable? Any year models to look out for? If there are some small problems that are not a big deal that I might run into, I would probably be alble to tackle whatever it is, being tha tI consider myself a capable mechanic. I've done major engine overhauls and other such work, but I'm not really up to dealing with a problem child, as I've spent the last three years driving three different International Scouts which constantly needed attention and repair. I'm ready for a reliable vehicle with low maintenance needs. Thanks for any good advice and pointers which any of you can give to me. I hope to soon join this board for regular discussion.

thanks a lot,
Rhett Hewitt
Houston, TX

 

Whatever you do wait for a 5-speed in good condition. Automatics in our cars our very prone to problems, I've already dumped $1,200 into transmission costs in the first 6 months. If you're looking for reliability a VG engine is your best bet, they are found in all 1989-1994 Maximas except for the 92-94 SE's. The VG has plenty of power and is an extremely reliable engine (pretty much the same engine that was used in the 300ZX). If you do decide to go for a 92-94 SE with a VE engine, watch out for VTC's, by using the search function you can learn more about these. Almost all of them go out and cost a $1,000 or more to fix. That's all I can really think of right now, make sure that you get an SE, and a 5 speed. For more information use the search, this has been discussed many times before. Good luck and let us know what you end up getting.

 

Make sure to ask about maintenance, best if they have records.
common problems are:

exhaust studs breaking - can be $$
window regulators - minor
antenna mast - minor
clock fading in/out - minor
vtc ticking for VE engine - $$

92-94 SE's have timing chains while all others have a timing belt... I think that's right. So keep that in mind as well.