Hello,

I was looking at a silver 2002 SE 6spd yesterday. The guy wants $10,000. The car has about 73,000 miles and is fully loaded (leather, heated seats, de changer, auto climate control, etc). The interior is in good condition, but it has a few dings and the rear bumber needs repainting.

Do you guys think this is a good price? What should I look for when inspecting the vehicle?

 

Sounds like a good asking price to start from. It is below book as it is, but there are a few things you can talk the guy down on. For one, the bumper is something you should take some money off your offer for. Since it is a 6 speed, the clutch could be on the worn side by 73k (unless it has been replaced, obviously). Seeing as you're in the L.A. area, a clutch with 73k is a lot more worn than others with 73k.

That being said, and if everything else looks and feels pretty good I would offer out 8900 and work from there.

A big thing to check on any used car is evidence of any body work. Run your finger down the lines of the panels around the fenders, hood, doors, etc. If the surfaces are uneven at any places, that is a big indicator of accident damage.

6 speed SE's with all options are pretty rare and this one sounds like a pretty good deal. If you play your cards right it sounds like you can end up with a very smart buy.

 

also check the oil level as many 2002's have a tendency to burn off oil. If it is clean and at the top mark of the dipstick that is good evidence that the owner has maintained it well.

When you drive it, make sure you make a lot of shifts in to 3rd. There is a synchro issue many maxima's from this year experience. If it feels rough or makes noise, you may be headed for an early rebuild which is obviously pretty expensive.

Good luck.

 

you know what they say if its too good to be true its gotta be something wrong with it. do the carfax on it.

 

Not sure where you got that information from but that seems to be the going rate for 02 6MT's lately.

Also, check these sites:

www.nada.com
www.kbb.com

 

I would say thats a good deal. But you might want to check the history.

 

You should also check the bose sound system.
Put in a cd and make sure the left side doesn't cut out.
Good Luck with the car!

 

drop the deal, get an 03!

 

I think 10k is a pretty decent price, and you'd be asking a lot to drop it down to 9k. I bought my car with 73k on it as well when I got it. I have to say that the most annoying things I had to deal with were mainly related to the Bose system which I got rid of. However, if you were looking for room to negotiate, testing out the stereo and seeing if you can get it to cut out is a place to start. Also, check under the car for rust. Also, check the tailpipes for excessive black residue, as this can be a sign of oil burning issues.

Other than that, enjoy it.

 

I paid 9.5k for my 2k2 SE fully unloaded about a month ago so yeah that is a great deal and if your paying cash talk them down atleast 1k. Always remember money on the wood makes the deal go good. GOODLUCK

 

What's wrong with the rear bumper?? If it was hit, then I would have it checked out. Just my $.02

 

If possible (at this time of year), try to test drive the car when it's cool/cold outside, less than 45 degrees F optimally. I know many of the CD players have trouble reading discs when its cold outside, causing a great deal of skippage/unreadable CD. That could be a markdown for you right there. If the owner knows his stuff, he'll tell you its common, but you could still add it too a list of faults.

 

Thanks for your reply. He started out asking $11,500 and reduced it to $10,500. I don't know if he is going to drop it anymore. How are the resale value on these cars? It seems like they are depreciating pretty fast.

 

resale is bad tell him the car is a SE not a GLE and also tell him he is charging too much for it to not be in complete exellent condition, also tell him you can go to a stealership and get one for 9k-10k and still haggle with the price easily with 65,000-80,000 miles. once again good luck

 

drive the car and see if you get the "rotor wobble" under braking from highway speeds. That's another $300 easily negotiable because it's a safety item. Really, just try to read what this guy's deal is. There's 3 kinds of sellers.
1)don't know what they got(usually uncommon)
2)they're in no hurry to sell so they have a price and will budge very little if at all, and
3)looking to unload it fast because there's something up with the car or there's a owner financial problem.

obviously, you want a #1 so long as the car is well-maintained, but these days, you're most likely facing a #3.

 

This must be a local anomoly but I bought my 02 SE, base model Auto with 79K for $10,625 3 months ago after serious haggling. It was on the dealership lot for $11,999.
I looked for a 6 speed but they all commanded $2K above this. I couldnt find one for less than $13.5K.

 

I just bought an 02 SE 6-speed yesterday morning loaded minus the heated seats and climate control. There was a problem with the stereo so I talked them down about $400 bucks because of that. I got it for $9500 with 92K. Dealer told me nobody wanted the car because of the 6-speed. Hopefully this will help you out too. Good luck

 

I got my 02 6speed with 48500 miles, heated leather, w/o TC but all of the other bells and whistles for $11750. Origionally, they wanted 12900 for it, but when I heard the belt squeaking and the clutch shudder starting out in first, I walked away. So, I got it with a new clutch and new belts for 1200 less than asking price. I stole it from them. Plus, the car was in perfect shape, no wear on the seats (well, very minor anyway), flawless exterior (even the door jambs were spotless, even in the areas where no dealership would think to clean) and a clean, one-owner carfax. The only thing missing was the flux capacitor......

 

9k isn't low for someone asking 10k. It's a buyers market right now, and you can take full advantage of this. I'm sure you're not an idiot and can tell if a car is solid. Grab that thing and take good care of it. It's a solid buy if it looks and drives like a good car. Drive a hard bargain even if its a low price. In advance, welcome to the 5.5 gen family!

 

Mine does this. What is the problem and how would you fix it. Thanks.

 

I don't think theres anything wrong with the bumper, the paint is just bad. When I bought my 03 a few months ago it needed the bumper re-painted as well. I talked to the paint shop owner and he said that with the silver that Nissan used, ie: (Sheer Silver, Sterling Mist and Graphite) I believe the 3rd one was called. If the paint isn't cured properly with heat, it won't take to the plastic bumpers or body kits. He said that he routinely has to re-paint parts due to the paint not being done properly the first time. btw: I think thats a fair price, he should knock off a few hundred for the bumper re-paint otherwise if it drives solid get it.

 

They should have paid you to take it off their hands.