jim_arnett

I just bought this 1997 Maxima SE through Ebay from a dealer in Arlington, Virginia.

The car, according to the Carfax report, spent its life since April of 2003 in Harrison, Virginia. Before that it was leased in Pheonixville, Pa.

I'm certainly not trying to confront the previous owner(s). I respect his/her privacy. But I am not a Maxima expert, and the car seems to be fitted with a number of aftermarket items that I would very much like to have explained.

If anyone knows this car, please get back to me, I would appreciate it very much!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Also known as Item 4609355577

THANKS FOLKS!

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

Don't know who's it was, but what would you like explained?

I see the following:
-Rims
-Front lip
-Intake
-Exhaust tip (can't see the rest of the exhaust so it looks like a tip to me)
-Black bumper lights (clear corners)
-Front strut tower bar
-Short shifter or atleast a shortened stock shifter

TurTLe*

iTrader: (11)

^ that just about sums up what i see as well.

It has the injen "cold air " intake.

Honestly this car could of been anyones. If it had DTM's or red/clears tails and a AE headlight, it would have a higher chance of being one of us .org people but it doesn't. All the mods could be anyone in this world. But yea, Tatanko listed all the mods that can be easily spoted

Oh and pinstripe.... lol

amimaxima

how did you buy that car and the Reserve was not met

jim_arnett

Thanks. Some of those mods were apparent to me in the photos too.

But, now that I've lived with it for a few days, I've seen some other things.

The suspension seems a *lot* harder than my 89 SE, and the engine pulls a lot better too.
I'm wondering what's been done in those areas...

Oh yeah, another 'extra' : Some mice built a McMansion under the headers, where the burning smell would flow nicely into the interior.
:-)

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

To explain the suspension...your 89's suspension is probably just so worn that it's a bit soft. The power? It's got a VQ...far more power than your old VG car.

happyricefob

iTrader: (7)

stock se suspension is a lil bit harder than gxe/gle suspension. it could also be higher psi on the tires...

Mxrider52

iTrader: (8)

Check and see what color the springs are

motocross416

iTrader: (6)

it looks like it has a drop, so that would explain teh suspension being much harder, in which case, it probably has aftermarket struts and springs

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

or it could be the crappt beam axle compared the the independant rear of the 3rd gen....if those are concept pros which i hope not i am glad i didtn buy them

aznsap

iTrader: (29)

5spd, nice buy! how was it if you didn't pay what's listed in the auction?

jim_arnett

To those good folks asking about the eBay deal:

This was the third or fourth eBay car I've bought. I've been happy with every one of them.

The secret, IMHO, is find a vehicle being sold nearby (use the "distance less than" feature in the advanced search options).

Then go and look at the car. (I my case, "Get off your lazy rear end and go look at the car"). It is flat amazing sometimes the difference between what you see in the eBay pix, and what you see in real life. I saw one car whose pictures must have been taken YEARS before the sale. And one car had 86K more miles than it was advertised as having. (Thank you Carfax!!)

Then, if you like the car, AND the ad says "Sale may be cancelled at any time.....", then most sellers will consider a 'bird in the hand' offer, rather than wait for the auction to end, and maybe have to deal with a deadbeat buyer.

So, in this case, I emailed the salesman, and I made an appointment. I showed up (very early so he did not have time to warm up the car; cold starts are a good check IMHO), drove the car, liked it, made him an offer that included trading in my "It's going to fall apart any minute now" old BMW, and drove away with the Maxima.

In retrospect, I much prefer meeting the seller, but in this case I needed to get rid of the BMW, and I've already donated two cars to charity recently.
I hope this does not offend anyone here, but "Car and Driver" had a Buyer's Rule that has worked well for me, "Never buy a performance car from a male under 30 years of age". I know I fit that catagory not too long ago :-), and I know how hard I was on my cars. :-) That's why I would have liked to meet the previous owner.

As to why the original, opening price is still listed on the eBay ad, I have no idea. The bidding got up to twice that number.

Make sense? :-)

Good luck!

Jim

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Take the Injen intake off and you'll have better throttle response.
Thats the worst intake you can put on that car.

jim_arnett

Thanks.
I'm beginning to think that the mods that were made to this car were decided by the budget rather than which was best...
:-)

jim_arnett

The springs are a *really ugly* pink/purple color.
I don't remember that being the case with the 89.
:-)

nupe500

iTrader: (13)

The springs may be Sprint Springs (2" drop)..but the suspension difference you feel is that the 3rd Generations (89-94) had independent rear suspensions while the 4th Gens (95-99) have a rear beam....good luck with the new car..

FunLovinMaxima

That's a really good tip for buying a used car. I bought my max from an old accountant and my previous car from a doctor's wife. I know they weren't abusive and didn't cheap out on maintainence. As a result, owning and driving my cars have been nothing but !

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

vogtlands maybe......sprints for 4th gens are blue....unless they are JIC or D2 coilovers which i highly doubt

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

Doubt that, the injen is $245 from them.

jim_arnett

Hmm.
Well, I could try taking some pictures, if you think that would help.
The springs are wound around the tops of the dampers, if that is of any help.

Thanks very much!

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

Any good spring should be wound.

ethnic6

iTrader: (5)

definately won't buy my car from someone under 30 in the future... my maxima has bits of problems here and there and the engine is crazy loud because the previous owner didn't warm up his engine

descent

iTrader: (1)

that, is seriously not a good sign. mice chew through wires

jim_arnett

Not just wires. They completely destroyed the racing seats from my Mini Cooper that were stored for a while in the garage. Then they had the nerve to die and decay in about a hundred places in the Mini.

These days my garage is two inches deep in "D-Con"!
(Ok, half an half inch....)
:-)