Hi,

My co-worker is selling me his '98 Maxima SE with 177,000 kms (about 110,00 miles) for $600 cdn (about 500 US).
(Bose system, leather seats, sunroof)

The car hasn't been driven in about 2 years and is sitting outside his garage.

I went over to take a look at the car and here are the problem areas:


-The mags and tires are in excellent condition

-There's rust around all the tire-well, some parts are even falling off. Rust was also present on the car body frame just under where the doors close.

-Rust on the back of the trunk where the rear wing is bolted to the trunk

-He says that he has a steering well leak and remembered that he often had to add power steering fluid.

-The radiator support is pretty solid and I didn't see any rust.

-The engine bay has rust on most screws, and around the throttle cables.

-We tried to start the car, but even with a jumper car, the car just made rapid clicking sounds but no start. I was able to see the interior lights come on.

-The steering wheel needs to be replaced but it looks like the leather is peeling off. (Can this be done?) The rest if the interior is in pretty good shape.

-The brake pads and discs have loads of rust on it.

-Muffler is also rusted.

So what do you guys think? Worth it or not? 98 Maximas here go for around $2500. I'm thinking of rebuilding the car and keep it..or maybe a part-out, but I'm not a mechanic so not sure about that.

 

i sayWAY too much to fix
I mean if you want some sort of GIANT project car. go head

 

get it running and flip it for double.

 

im really not sure. im not in a super rusty area but the car itself if rusty on the body can actually be worth just about nothing.

its a big risk. Figure all youre really competign with is the junkyard.

 

i would have to agree

 

How much are you willing to invest to get it back on its feet?

 

buy it, part it out, or use as a parts car if you have the $$ to spend

i currently have 3 - 4th gens i am working on.

well my black one is finished for now but i have 2 others to tinker with in the mean time.

One of my green 98's i traded for a sweet *** bike

 

on third thought you are paying 600 cdn for a car that doesnt start?

with a rotten body.

So the best case scenario its a driver, worst case scenario you can recoupe your loss with selling different engine parts here on a forum?

i dont know what to say. Id offer him 100$, buy a new battery and see if it starts.

without knowing if it starts it could be a seized engine.

If Im buying a car I have about 200 max in mad money lol cause if the thing doesnt run great theres no flipping it over.



This car has the potential to be straight junk. Cant even imagine him getting 200$

I bought my beautiful i30 that didnt start for $50. I checked it all out before I even came up with $50. It could have been super destroyed and never started again.

If it runs perfect how can you sell a car with a rotted body for 1500$? Where are you guys selling cars is all i can say.

No one would touch a car like that for $500 here in this market i guess theres just not a lot of rust here.

 

I think the major work is the body and paint. If I can get some sections repaired and painted for $1,500 (cdn) + some parts, I think I'm looking at around $2,500.

If I do it, it's because I'll keep the car..(pending wife's approval)..it will be the 3rd maxima for me...why do I have to love these cars so much???

 

We did try a new battery and the car didn't start...not really looking to sell it because I won't recoup my money in it...

I was thinking of just replacing the front fenders and sanding the back ones..this will probably remove 80% of the rust on that car. Other than that, it's in good condition.


I do know that the 5 mags (with tire) + 4 unused summer tires are worth about $800.

 

I would be inclined to forget about this car. Take a summer vacation and buy one in Greater Vancouver or Victoria and drive it home. Rust on a 4th Gen Maxima would not be an issue then.

 

Don't waste your money on that rustbucket.

 

That could only be either the alternator is dead which most likely it is, or the chassis is so rusted out that it cant get enough ground to really complete the circuit. Also the wires could be corroded.

So in someways its not worth it, the amount of work you have to do, you're better off going to a used car dealer and buying one for the amount of money you was going to pay rebuilding one.

 

you said you're not a mechanic so i don't think you should get it...i'd say spend your money on somethin better...rust is a pain in the a**...think abt it, the car doesn't even start rite now n you don't knw how many more prblms you're gonna run into once you get it started...OR do your calculations and see how much you might be able to make if you consider parting it out

 

i wouldn't buy rusty car again... i bought 2000(!) dodge caravan year ago it was it was only rusty wheel arch and spot on hood... then i lost brakes n had little accident (rusted breaking lines) then leaking power steering pump (because of rust) now side sill hole ,rusting doors just giving you example... i think its not worth it, unless u have fun fun with fixing and bodywork... but there's gonna be more surprises

 

Unless you are a body man, don't even look in the same direction as the car.

 

I wouldn't buy it if i were you, but if you can talk him down to about a 1000 bucks then go for it.

 

Yeah man, tha car been sitting for 2 years and prolly underbody totally rusted. Put it like this, to replace the entire exhaust from engine to muffler could cost 700+ bucks alone, depending if u need to replace cat too.

I wd stay away man. keep looking

 

Thanks everyone for knocking some sense into me..I always hate to see and leave a Maxima abandoned. If only he would of taken better care of it, it wouldn't need to be junked..

I'm also worried about rusted lines (brakes, accelarator, hood, and who knows what else) as mateusz1945 wrote.

Well, I'll move on..

Thanks

 

ya well...
100$ is good mad money.

that way you can pull out the ecu and some turn signals and fenders and sell them online then call the junkyard.

thats where i would be in your shoes. 100$ and tow it to your place and see when it starts.

I wouldnt actually do body work to it to be honest, if it runs drive it to death thats what its good for.

if you have a fourth gen wait til something expensive dies.


then, pull out the fenders the turn signals and the ecu.... window buttons, coils, maf sensor then call the junkyard.

I mean that sounds all golden. youve got a no lose plan there.

body work and repainting a 98? thats a cant win there. These cars are not rare classics theres plenty of them out there that arent shot.

 

try jumping it again and tap on the top of the starter,alot of times they will lock up and do the same clicking a dead battery will do.

 

indeed and

depends, 600$ is a lot for a car that doesn't start, I once bought a chrysler 300$ knowing it wasn't starting cuz of the fuel pump so i bought 1 at the scrapyard, didn't cost me much.
I'd say find out why its not working , then see what it would cost you to get it to run
then ask half price since u need to put cash.

 

 

Like I said you'll probably find a better deal, you might find a car that actually works. And be able to drive it off someones driveway without any problems.

 

pull the plug. she's gone.