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NEED ADVICE for purchase of 97 SE

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Old 10-07-2002, 02:18 PM
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NEED ADVICE for purchase of 97 SE

i found a 97 SE burgundy with 94,000 miles, cloth interior, bose double din head unit, black interior, i guess GXE type speakers. Has everything EXCEPT leather, bose speakers and passenger seat isn't powered.

Now this is what i knew before i actually went to go see the car.

When i went to go see it, it had a nice clean engine, the doors looked great, the wheels looked great and everything worked inside. However, on the back driver side area near the gas tank is a bad dent. Its not like a small push in but a few push ins in the same spot...as if...the driver got hit by a high truck or something that hit it at like 5 mph or something. Nothing that'll make you say OH GOD THIS IS NASTY but something you definitely want to get fixed ASAP. Here are the other problems with car:

1) The DENT
2) the trunk lid button inside car has to be hit like 2-3 times just to pop open. If you hit it once u have to use a minor amount of force to pry it open but it makes like a slight noise as if it was stuck. I think a spring or something is bad?
3) When driving the car one of the rotors if not more were making a nasty scratching sound (same sound when you have no brakes and your rotors are scratching) but was making this sound even when driving. He said they just changed brakes and left the car there cause they don't drive it. So after a few miles the sound will go away....BS?
4) all the rotors were rusted worst than my 95 GLE
5) the springs had this blue shield underneath them...you think guy who had them before me put some aftermarket shocks or something?
6) the back right door has some small scratches on the armrest...nothing major but an imperfection i can deduct.


the car starts up pretty well, under the car looks good. Power, well, when shifting from 2nd to third soemtimes it would rev up a tiny bit then i feel hit...i don't know if clutch was slipping or my noob clutch driving striked again...the clutch wasn't bad at all though.

On the car it said 8900 dollars. On the internet it said 7995. I told them to knock that dent out and fix it perfectly would probably cost like 600 dollars and showed him all the other problems (not rotors yet cause i didn't drive car yet) and told him i'll take it for 7,000 dollars CASH. Then he went inside to talk to boss who was a real easy going guy. Didn't sound like they were dissappointed at the price so he comes back out and says he'll give it to me at that price but i get no warranty, i take as is. I said dam...and i said let me test drive and that's when i heard and found out about rotors. Took his info down and told him i'll talk it over and see what's a good price.

I'm thinking i can definitely knock it down to 6500, and MAYBE even 6,000! I mean a nice colored Burgundy maxima with almost everything, 94,000 miles 5 speed about 18 miles from me sounds good but i'm worried about these small problems. IS THIS A GOOD DEAL FOR 7,000? if not would you say 6500 is a great deal and i should get? i love the cars color and the black inside would look great with black leather, just worried about the dent, and rotor sounds and trunk. If you think 7,000 isn't good then how bout 65000?

WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS BUY THIS CAR FOR????
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Old 10-07-2002, 02:29 PM
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I would say it is a good deal, I have a '97 SE and I feel the same slip in 2nd and been driving 5spd since I was 16.......If you can , rip one or more of the wheels off and inspect, at worst you will have to smooth out the rotors and that is cheap.........I also have the same rust problem, like after it rains or a carwash it is rusty until I drive it.........with the trunk, try to raise the latch on it since they tend to move south after use. Sound pretty cheap, as long as the engine sounds good.
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Old 10-07-2002, 02:36 PM
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Originally posted by munji
I would say it is a good deal, I have a '97 SE and I feel the same slip in 2nd and been driving 5spd since I was 16.......If you can , rip one or more of the wheels off and inspect, at worst you will have to smooth out the rotors and that is cheap.........I also have the same rust problem, like after it rains or a carwash it is rusty until I drive it.........with the trunk, try to raise the latch on it since they tend to move south after use. Sound pretty cheap, as long as the engine sounds good.
you're right...i'll shoot for 6000 to 6500 and take it unless you guys have more input
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Old 10-07-2002, 02:46 PM
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Originally posted by meccanoble


you're right...i'll shoot for 6000 to 6500 and take it unless you guys have more input
Stay in that range... and keep looking. You'll find the car u want!
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Old 10-07-2002, 03:10 PM
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here is a pic of the car.....

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Old 10-07-2002, 03:22 PM
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they can fix a dent like that at a dent wizard or similar company for about $150-$200. a dent that small is pretty cheap to fix
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Old 10-07-2002, 04:19 PM
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is it at a dealer? if the window sticker says 8900, then they probably paid 4500-5000 for it as trade or wholesale. based on that at 6000 they are making at least 1k profit. the fact that he accepted your first offer says you didn't go low enough. find a bunch of **** wrong with it, go back and offer 5500, and see if you can get it for not much over 6k.
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Old 10-07-2002, 04:33 PM
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Originally posted by 98maxse5spd
is it at a dealer? if the window sticker says 8900, then they probably paid 4500-5000 for it as trade or wholesale. based on that at 6000 they are making at least 1k profit. the fact that he accepted your first offer says you didn't go low enough. find a bunch of **** wrong with it, go back and offer 5500, and see if you can get it for not much over 6k.
i know, sh*t, i should have went lower...man, i'll shoot for 6,000 and see if he says 6500 is ok...i still haven't mentioned anything about rotors really rusted nor that i would be changing them because they might die soon...
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Old 10-07-2002, 04:39 PM
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not burgundy

ROSEWOOD

learn it. live it . love it.
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Old 10-07-2002, 05:04 PM
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Re: not burgundy

Originally posted by nismo2020
ROSEWOOD

learn it. live it . love it.
haha, i might join the family. you got any pics besides the one of you burning rubber? want to see what mods to do to the car to increase sporty look
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Old 10-07-2002, 05:09 PM
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Run a carfax!!!
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Old 10-07-2002, 07:00 PM
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rosewood is hot!!! if you can get it for 6k that sounds pretty good. i got a 98 gxe that came with ~60k miles for 11k, auto, cloth, just last summer. MAN do i wish i would've waited till i found a stick.

mecca... good luck searching, don't settle for anything you don't want, and many wishes that your new one doesn't end up like the last one...
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Old 10-07-2002, 07:12 PM
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Originally posted by Ruckus
rosewood is hot!!! if you can get it for 6k that sounds pretty good. i got a 98 gxe that came with ~60k miles for 11k, auto, cloth, just last summer. MAN do i wish i would've waited till i found a stick.

mecca... good luck searching, don't settle for anything you don't want, and many wishes that your new one doesn't end up like the last one...
thanks, i really want this and for a good price i wouldn't mind buying it. Oh, one NEW thing i remembered the car doing!!!

I remember when i played around with my ecu to test engine codes and dint' put it all the way to one side or something it would do this funny thing where you rev high on idle and the rpm meter drops below average by a little then goes back up. It would be at like .7 or .8 rpm then when reved up drop down to like .5 then climb back up to .7 or .8....is this normal? something to worry about? or am i gonna have problems wit thsi car?
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Old 10-07-2002, 07:40 PM
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Re: Re: not burgundy

Originally posted by meccanoble


haha, i might join the family. you got any pics besides the one of you burning rubber? want to see what mods to do to the car to increase sporty look
yeah ill find my CD with a bunch of pics in a mintue and e-mail it to you.
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Old 10-07-2002, 09:36 PM
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I'f you get it for $6500 or less, you're doing good. I love that color! Good luck! If you get it, first mod should be clear corners. That orange is killing me!
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Old 10-07-2002, 10:05 PM
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Originally posted by erty67
I'f you get it for $6500 or less, you're doing good. I love that color! Good luck! If you get it, first mod should be clear corners. That orange is killing me!
i already have some from old max...but someone on org is selling a black max and i'm debating between the two....
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Old 10-08-2002, 05:55 AM
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Originally posted by meccanoble


i already have some from old max...but someone on org is selling a black max and i'm debating between the two....
hmmm....that's a tough choice. I like the rosewood, but black is my favorite
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Old 10-08-2002, 06:02 AM
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Re: NEED ADVICE for purchase of 97 SE

Originally posted by meccanoble
If you think 7,000 isn't good then how bout 65000?

no buy mine instead
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Old 10-08-2002, 06:22 AM
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Re: NEED ADVICE for purchase of 97 SE

You may just be hearing the brake pads knocking the rust off of the rotors. When my rotors get rusty it takes a couple miles for the dragging to stop. After I had my rotors turned I noticed that the rotors rust much faster now.

Does this maxima have ABS?

If you decide to buy this maxima don't forget there's a recall out for 97's to replace the alternator.

I would ask to put the car on a rack and inspect the underside for any crash damage.
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Old 10-08-2002, 09:14 AM
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Check your email. This car has an accident record if you havnt recieved an email from anyone else yet
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Old 10-08-2002, 11:46 AM
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Show PIC of the car with the dents by the gas tank. All in all it sounds like a good car, just needs basic tune-up, plugs,feul and air filters etc.

But the dent on that part of the body by the gas tank may be something major, and doesn't even look it. A cousin of mine had a car accident in her 240SX. Front and rear was hit but no biggie. They had to total the car though. There was a dent on the pillar, the one that goes between the drivers rear side window and the rear windshield. Small dent, but the cost of fixing that was enormous.

DW
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Old 11-30-2002, 07:03 AM
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OMG

I was just getting up to go look at this car this morning...wow....can someone please send me the accident record?!? Thanx

O
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