wassup people, ive been looking at 5/5.5 gen maxima and i wanted to know are the automatic transmisions in these cars reliable???? Right now, i have a 98 accord with 212,000 miles on original transmission and motor and i dont have any problems but im gonna sell it. please help me out people!!!!!

 

Hello.

The tranny are alright. Mine had a 1-2 slip from what I remembered, and that was only during the winter. Seemed to be the most common complaint. Some people fixed it by putting in a TransGo shift kit.

I loved my Max when I had it though.

 

6spd are hard to come by. I know I looked for a long time years ago. I only found 1, but it was a hideous color.

 

Looking to buy a used 5th gen and need someone's take on a 2000 GLE model with 300,000kms. I know its quite a lot of kms which is why the seller listed it for $2500. From the listing, it says everything is in working order. I know, sounds too good to be true.

Therefor I would like to know what to expect when I take it for a test drive and what questions to ask.

This car would be my 2nd car for the winter season and I am not looking to spend more than the list price for a later version or one with less kms.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated

 

I don't want to end up replacing within a month so I wanted to ask you guys what to look for when buying a older Max/I35..

 

A wise man once wrote: My Max ('00 AE 5M) was not a "decent one". quite possibly the worst car I've ever bought. Though probably not the car's fault. My previous experience with a Subaru that has over 200k on it made me less leery of buying the Max @120k.

After seven months of ownership... and about $1000 in repairs... and with the knowledge of another $1000 needed before she'll pass state inspection... I've decided to cut my losses and bail. $2k worth of repairs in the first year... on a car that I paid less than $5k for... is just too much. Worse, the only reason I bought a car in that price range to begin with was so I could catch up on some other bills...

The new ride (at considerable added expense... but for the PURCHASE, not repairs) is an '08 Accord EX 5M Sedan. It's an all-highway garage-kept gem with 92k on the clock. I haven't completely gone over it... but casual inspection shows nothing more than a couple of door-dings on the body... and it still drives like a new car. And, unlike my Max, a complete clean Carfax history. (I'd still love to buy a Carfax for the Maxima... out of morbid curiosity!)

Signing off...
Dennis
Awhite1

 

Got the car on 12/11. Obvi it needs some work, but nothing extreme. Brought it to a mechanic, got a clean bill of health, but needed 2 sensors and a brake light switch. Did a tune up while I was at it. I knew I was gonna have to do some maintenance since the car is at 100k and looked like is a little neglected. But after weighing the odds, I went for it. An 02 loaded with only 100k. Car rides smooth, looks sharp and is FAST. Love the 3.5. Had to previous 4th gens, nice step up with the VQ35. So yeah Im enjoying the car, slowly but surely Ill begin to mod it. This is my favorite generation Max.

Purchased for $3,700 + $880 in repairs = $4,580 total. Fingers crossed! Hope shes good to me!

Looking forward to extracting the wealth of information on the org and conversing with fellow members! Cheers!

iMaxX.

 

nice find! with that low of mileage and that kind of price you have to keep your fingers crossed(red flags usually go up) hope its good to you.

 

hello all... I have just one question... im trying to buy a 2000 max SE... for $3500... it has 117k miles on it. is that a good price? i did a vin check on kbb and it showed 37 records! :-$ tomorrow i plan on letting my mechanic take a look at it. do you guys think this is a good price?

 

That's not bad miles are nice and low, if its really clean and well maintained its worth it. If its beat on try to get it at 3 or a little under.

 

thanks!! really needed to hear that... by the way how much did you buy the wheel on the max in your avi?

 

HI everybody, I recently just sold my 2000 Max SE and now I am looking to buy a 6spd Titanium edition in silver. There is a dealer selling one that is silver 6spd with the leather titanium edition with 164,000 miles on it. They are asking $3800. I dont have much experience with manual, but i feel that this could be a good buy if i use it to travel around and get better with manual. Will there be buyers and a resale value for this car after 2 years or 3 years? Is it safe and worth buying this car with 164,000 miles? Your advice is much appreciated.

 

I have found a 2003 Maxima SE 6MT for $3500 with 160,000 miles mostly highway from driving between Colorado and Michigan. It is a very clean example and the previous owner (2nd owner) has religiously changed oil at 5000 miles with Mobil 1 full synthetic (not sure which weight he uses). He informed me that it uses about a quart of oil every 5000 miles, which after reading for a few hours about the oil consumption of these cars is much less alarming. What I have not seen any discussion of is progression of this problem. I realize that every situation is different and each car is different. He claims that ever since he bought the car five years ago it has consumed oil at the same rate pretty consistently.

I have a moderately built 1996 Eagle Talon TSi AWD that I would estimate is putting down 350-400hp, so I am not looking for a car to beat the brakes off of but I would like a DD that is fun to drive and I can lean into every now and then and I have driven VQs before and the performance is pretty rewarding for what it is. From personal experiences, what can I expect as far as deterioration of this problem? I do not drive like a grandma, but like I said I'm not looking for something to wring out for all its worth day in day out. I've always liked this generation of Maxima but have not learned about its tendancy toward this problem until recently, which is somewhat disappointing because I have been looking for a clean example for awhile now and have seemingly found one. No bashing please, and any input is greatly appreaciated.

 

i guess it,s too late for me to ask cause i bought one and i freaking love it

 

Buy it before I do

1 quart every 5k or oil change @ 160k is acceptable. Nothing alarming there.

I believe mine does about the same, perhaps slightly less with 130k on the clock, and a build date of Oct 2002.

 

so interesting

 

I was looking on Craigslist to replace my 4th gen (auto) with a 5spd. I came across a 2002 for very cheap and the owner stated that it had some minor problems. One problem (only one mentioned) is that the transmission is locked on park. Is this common? Is it some kind of security device? Is it easy to unlock it? I'm really interested in the car and if its an easy task to unlock the granny from park, I really would consider in buying it...

 

Hay guys I'm going to be buying a 5.5 gen Australian spec maxima 3.5l 4sp auto. My concern is the tranny and how realiable is the 4sp autos.? I've heard good and bad and even some people saying there really strong.? My question is the australian maxima is it the same gearbox and engine as the American. I had a look at one yesterday and compared an American spec model. Looks exactly the same. Only reason I'm comparing is because I wanna buy some parts from America like exhaust cattman. Nwp block of plates ect. Is the exhaust compatible to the American model? It's got twins at the back stock. Looks very restrictive.

 

where is the fuel pump relay fuse located?

 

where is the fuel pump relay fuse located? its not under the hood.

 

Hi guys I'm posting to get some answers to a couple questions I have as the thread title states I'm thinking about buying a maxima doesn't really what year or trim looking in the 5th gen range though that's why I'm posting in here I used to own a 02 altima with the qr in it loved the car made me fall in love with Nissan its time to get a new car from my old busted Taurus and I want a maxima now my price range is firm at 5000 so its not gonna be a brand new low mile car so my main question is if I get a high mileage maxima will it last in close city driving without beating on it and which motor is better for reliability I researched a long time so no need for snappy answers just want to know I can get another Nissan and have it last

 

In the cab, near your left knee. Check the center console, or the reverse side of the fuse cover, it has a key/map as to which fuse is what and it's recommended rating.

 

Hey all, my last visit shows 6-22-2008, which was shortly after I sold my beautiful 2002 SE 6MT with navi, HLSD, and all the other goodies. Well, I really, really miss that car. I've grown up a bit and have a brand new Grand Cherokee, and my 2001 Lexus ES that I've owned for the last 3 years. The dullness of driving an automatic Lexus has led to it sitting around for over a month now, in leiu of using my gashog Jeep as my daily driver. I miss shifting, getting 35 MPG while doing 80, and the adrenaline rush I had from my old one.

Anyway, I came across a 2002 SE 6MT with 87K on the clock today- here's the catch though: The owner speculates that the timing chain "jumped" a gear and caused the engine to run rough. Have not heard of a true timing chain doing this, but has anyone else had this happen? If yes, is there any hope in bugging Nissan for a new OEM VQ? Assuming no, what kind of cost am I looking at to have the the top end re-done, or swapping in an entire new/low mileage VQ?

P.S. Owner is asking 3500. Would this be an amazing buy if I can get it for
3K?

Good to be back

 

Highly unlikely. That is fairly catastrophic issue. I would say it's something else rather than jumped timing.

Perhaps a MAF, coil or something a lot more minor than a jumped tooth/chain.

Have you seen it for yourself?

That's a heck of a deal for that thing.

 

I personally think the Maximas from that era are much better built than the Altimas - so you should like it just fine.

There are some common things to watch out for - highlighted in so many threads here ....but the main thing is to see whether it's been taken care of.

$5000 can buy you a pretty clean example. I've seen 5th gens in good shape in the 100-120k mile range around that price.

 

Getting close to popping on a 5th Gen. Looked at a Pearl 2003 SE 6-spd with factory HID's and cloth seats. One owner, 82K. Seems to run very very well. What a huge difference in the shifter compared to my GSR. It's so easy to drive. Such a soft clutch and super-long throws. Would take a lot of getting used to, but very nice car overall. Just a hair over 7 grand. The other one I should be looking at this weekend is the 01 20th Ann. Blk/Blk 5-speed, 101K, all options, for 6K. It's down to these 2 most likely. Both are at a pretty good price (the 03 is downright cheap according to Kelly BB). I'm kinda hoping the 20th Ann turns out to be a gem. Going to have to drive 200 miles to find out. Hoping to have a Maxima very soon though!

 

Hello all, I sold my 2000 Altima GLE with 202k miles on the clock yesterday. I have been looking for various nissan and infiniti vehicles that fall in my 5000-6500 price range. I think I am set on getting a 6spd 02-03 Maxima SE with leather/bose. I am trying to research as best as I can so I can comfortably put the cash on the table with no regrets. The consumption issue worries me the most. And its not a testable problem before I buy.

I have owned 10 nissans and 1 infiniti and modded everyone of them without any issues on any of them. I have yet to mess with a Maxima. Experts please send me a PM or email on what you would recommend for me to look at before i buy one. You all know these cars best and I am trusting you to lead me to a good decision.

I have found a couple of stock 6 spds and a couple of autos 150 miles away in GA with 120-145k miles on them. And I recently saw a FL member on here selling his, if he comes down to my budget I think I might fly down and buy it. I no longer race cars or really beat on them since my twin sons were born in dec of 09. But I do want a nice and tight car with the VQ35 power that I can drive "spiritedly" around town and to car meets(once again). I am looking for room to modify it N/A to hopefully 240-250whp since boost really isnt an option for the 5.5gen. ANY help is greatly appreciated.
-Mike
Mid-TN

 

Well, I bought a local 03 Maxima from a private seller with 152k Miles and an auto tranny. It was maintained by owners husband with Synthetic Oil every 3k Miles. It had aftermarket black leather installed. Only has 5 hail dings and one door with a top coat issue. Runs like a new car. It only needs the tires rotated and new front brakes. But i will getting 4 new pads using the owners current lifetime warranty on them. It has a new battery and alternator, front oil seal, and oil pan gasket. I will post a couple of pics later in a new post in the 5th gen area. Got it for $4900 and already ordered H&R springs for it and am eyeballing intakes!

 

Hello, I am searching for a 2003 maxima.

I found this car that has 138k miles.

It seems like it has a good black paint on it and black leather. Recent brake and oil change.
what problems may occur at this mileage? What do you think is or is not a good deal?

 

Hey i'm looking at a maxima at a dealership that had it posted on ebay, 142k miles 6sp and 2003. its black with black leather and as far as i see online it looks in great shape but @ 5200 im a little suspicious it seems a little low for a dealership. anyway i called the guy (place is 2 hours away) and he asks me if ive driven a maxima before and i haven't, and he tells me that the car has torque steer which is very common in most maximas. How true is this? im afriad ill go up there give it a try and its going to veer right off the road if he has to tell me this over the phone, any insight?

 

I swapped out my manual 02 engine for a 04 auto engine. I have a problem with it hesitating and power being limited to 1300 rpm from time to time but power restores itself without turning off the car. Help please i just spent 4k on this project and the car is not impressive.

 

I have a 02 same set up, paid 5400 @ 135k miles. Car runs strong last owner used block sealant incorrectly so i had cooling problems. I never had torque steer problems. Heads up on the headlight HID bulbs: order online +/- 20.00 ...autozone $99.99 for 1 bulb. Smh

...

 

Guys-so i was almost going to go and purchase an 02' Maxima SE with 149k km when i came across this article: http://www.autos.ca/used-car-reviews...xima-2000-2003

It basically says that the earlier 2000 and 2001 models were more reliable. iM curious what your thoughts are on this. Should i stay clear of the 2002 -2003?

thanxs

 

I'm looking to purchase a 02-03 maxima and I'm just wondering the diffrences between the SE's and GLE's ? I see some SE's come with cloth seats and some with leather. Is that the only difference or are there more ?

 

will 4th gen lowering springs fit on a 5th gen?

 

I'm looking at a 2002 Maxima SE 6 speed
it's got a gray cloth interior that looks like it needs a bath. Has 179k miles on it. They're asking $3000 for it
Seems pretty low priced. Anything that should immediately jump out at me?
I'm planning on bringing my OBD2 scanner to take a peek, but if it checks out nice I might pick it up.

 

early VQ35s could be some pretty bad oil burners...look for evidence of that. Also, the typical lower radiator support rust.

 

Thanks. I'm going through this thread looking for all the major touching points. It would be great to have a 5 Gen and 5.5 Gen purchase checklist right at the top. (on top of the regular used car checklist. I use this: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cm/p...-checklist.pdf and there's also an iPhone app version of that too)

I've been building these for all the cars I'm looking for lately.

 

Hey guys im looking to buy a 5th gen. Ive had 2 4th gens and i must so that pretty much everything i need to know about anything on a 4th gen is somewhere in the search for 4th gens and we have an active 4th gen section. Just wanted to know how is it with the 5th gen area? I was comfortable knowing that if ANYTHING happened to my 4th gen, i could come to the forum. Is the 5th gen area just as thorough and lively? And what is the difference, besides 6 speed 5.5, is customization between 5 and 5.5

 

hello guys/gals i have a 2000 maxima gle auto and think of a 6 speed 3.5 conversion and i also have for a 2002 parts car 6 speed that runs and drives beside the rear is bust to hell....... im just wondering would it be easy to just convert all from one car to another????