How's it going everybody? My name is Tyler and I'm not really a stranger when it comes to modifying a FWD car. Previously I owned a 2004 3G Acura TL (5AT). It had full bolts except for removing the cats and adding FI .. everything else was taken care of. Unfortunately I had to get rid of it last October cause I felt I couldn't afford the car and the higher mileage (110,000mi) problems started making themselves more apparent (Wheel bearings, CV joints, transmission showing signs of going). To make a long story short, I've never seen a car put up with the abuse I gave it without giving me 1 mechanical failure.



On a more related note, I picked up a new car the other day .. and I think I did well.

Here are the details:

2000 Nissan Maxima GXE 4AT

- 184,000 miles
- All service records
- All major services performed with almost all the expensive wear and tear items replaced (MAF, Cats, CV Joints, wheel bearings, etc)
- 1 owner (My best friend's mom .. so I'm assuming it was adult driven lol)
- No oil leaks
- Engine runs strong
- Everything inside the car works (Electrical, AC, Heating, etc)
- Paint / Interior is perfect! 2 small dents on the entire car and no stains on the seats.
- 4 new tires
- 2 beer koozies in the trunk

and I paid $500!

.... and now the negatives.

Small coolant leak, not sure where it's coming from.

The color .. not very fond of it. I'm sure with some SE wheels and a drop .. it'll look alright.

and something is wrong with the transmission. It has an obnoxious whine sound when put into D, 3, 2, 1 .. but as you drive past 5mph the sound disappears. From what my friends mom told me, she had loss of power with higher revs to get it home .. that to me is a blown / slipping transmission.

Here's the pics .. welcomed her to the family yesterday

 

 

IMO most reliable maxima made

 

Not to mention, one of the most fun. That VQ35 is fun, but our VQ30 ain't as bad as they think


But at the OP: IMHO: Maxima > TL
I've driven an A/T TL before, not a fan.

Enjoy the new ride

 

I don't think the car color is stock, looks like a aftermarket paint to me. The first maxima picture shows the right fender is white or silver to me...
But overall, can't beat the price for the car, but sounds like the tranny is giving up. Manual swap?

 

That nice ocean blue would go great with some 4300k HID's, and 3000k fogs.... but base model cloth seats, UGH! at least they are heated!

 

i always admired that color maxima...when you get some wheels to it and lower it i'm sure you'll love it.

 

Nice find for $500! You are extremely lucky!

 

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome!




I will always miss my TL, I fell in love with that car just like you guys fell in love with your Maxima.

I will always miss how quiet it was, the technology and gadgets, and it's stunning looks.

I'm sure once I get a little more income I will definitely buy another TL .. it would definitely be in the 6MT considering the 5ATs are a nightmare in terms of gearing.

But, I'm sure I will love the Maxima .. VQ motors are extremely torquey .. something the J Series motors don't have with minor bolt ons .

 

Good deal!!! GL!!

 

For $500, there are no negatives. Amazing, really... $500 for any car that's mechanically sound with good rubber. You've very fortunate.

Welcome to the org, Tyler.

 

I was contemplating a manual swap, but I just don't have the income or the time to dedicate to the job.

But I'm not going to lie .. I would love to have manual in a second. I have a blast driving around my little 4 banger 5MT Tacoma around

 

Thank you! I am looking forward to giving it some TLC and some subtle mods .

 

Look at those switches on the arm rest... Meridian package, I bet. I think fogs were always a separate option except on the SE. Is the steering wheel heated, as well? Nice.

She pretty much just gave you the car, man. Remember that and pay it forward some day.

 

Hey a 5th gen with nearly the same color as mine . Yea VQ30 during those final 2 yrs (2k, 2k1) are definately more reliable due to all the tweaking it's had through out the years (I believe 95-2k1)

I picked up a 2k2 which is when the maximas started carrying the larger VQ35 engine, but like any newly introduced engine there are a few bugs that needed improvement (ie coils, valve covers oil leak, MT crunch).

Very nice find, and good luck with bringing her back to life. you won't be disappointed.

 

you say it looses power in the upper RPMs...at what range...that just sounds more like a MAF then anything else.

I've always like the TL's and looked for one after selling the maxima but I got the GTP instead.

welcome and good luck

 

i disagree! but for $500 its well worth it

 

If you would like, I could get a sound clip of the car in gear and maybe you guys could make a better diagnosis?

If I could compare it to a sound .. it sounds like a belt sander underneath the car.

 

Can you accelerate to 2,500 RPMS or so and the car just looses all power after that?

 

Not necessarily.

Here's the situation, it hasn't been "driven" for the past month.

When it first had transmission problems, my friend's mom described the problem as:

"When I made a right onto Circle R Drive, I heard a pop .. a whine .. the car would rev but no power was being put to the pavement".

I haven't taken it for an actual drive, but when I had to move it onto the towtruck I had to drive about 40 / 50ft to get to the ramp. I noticed the beltsander sound starting to disappear once I got past about 5mph.

The sound may be disappearing, but I have no idea how this car will drive after 5 or 10 minutes on the highway when the fluid / transmission reaches operating temperatures.

The fluid level is fine .. but I smelled the fluid on the dipstick and it smells a little burnt.

 

deff a steal. i agree, youl think different with some wheels and a drop..tint and watnot.My friend has the same max, i like the color. welcome to the .org, you got a great deal man.

 

care to educated me??? id like to hear and learn

 

Good deal, congrats on the purchase. Not to be a downer, but going from YOUR specific car to what you got, I would never have done that. Good luck with the maxima.

 

Congrats man! At $500...stolen. Like someone said...pay that forward. I just picked up a 2k1 AE 5sp myself and am head over gas pedals about it. I'll put a five spot down now that says your next car will be a 2k2 or 2k3 VQ35 6sp. I know it'll be mine...and I've only had this one for a couple months! I just put in a new clutch (145k, original) so I can feel your tranny pain. Just wait to you get beatin on it! Max for life!

 

where do i start?

transmission is crappy-solenoids / TCM + bunch of other untraceable crap
Coil packs going bad
MAF sensor issues
IACV going bad frying up the ECU in the process
warped rotors
TCS SLIP ABS combo (abs sensor messed up)
struts/shocks replaced
hood shakes
driver door sags
wind noise
blower motor makes noise
Volume control doesn't work sometimes
seized caliper
o2 sensors replaced
front precat bad

and thats just at 83K miles lol
i am gonna get flamed for this list!

 

nice car for the nice price

 

ive had to deal with about 65% of these, im sure more will come.
engine is still solid as allll hell tho

 

welcome to the org tyler. 5th gens FTW. at 130K miles, ive just replaced the balljoints, need to put in a clutch (finally), and could use tie rod ends. thats IT.


i give it 2 weeks before you begin wishing you held out for an SE with all the options you dont have.

 

What do you do to your cars! Windnoise isnt' THAT bad and there's a fix for that (for what it gives you.) o2 sensors, yes. and our struts are going out, but we have roughly 170k miles. The rest of that, I have no idea what you're talking about. Not even noticing the hood or door or anything to be even relatively close to going out. Stop hurting your baby.

 

damn i got alot of issues with my maxima also...need a hood due to rust a trunk lid paintjob due to cracking..a fender(my fist) tie rod ends,rear suspension work,a precat and thats about it,i just replaced my cv joints,link kit,ball joints,control arms and bushings,and recently my MAF battery starter and brakes...nothing too bad if you do it yourself...stop complaining about your car problems and fix them bro,my car takes a BEATING everytime i drive it and its outlasted all my gm made vehicles for sure i have NO complaints about my max!!

 

Yea i beat the hell out of my 02 max with 90000 miles and it has given me no problems, only alignment. I have driven it of road many times, and race it on the highway almost every weekend. The only problems i do have are brake pads after brakeing at 130mph, and front bumper after drifting in the snow!! Extremely reliable, and also a great engine. Nissan makes great cars and the maxima has always been underrated!!!

 

Perhaps no truer words ever spoken. Case in point is Toyota. Most everyone I talk to puts Toyota way up high on a pedestal in terms of quality, reliability, etc. I've had two Toyotas and they have both have a lot of problems. I must admit that the Supercharged MR2 was a hell of a lot of fun to drive though.

I'm just glad Nissan put a quality drive by wire system in the Maxima, you know, 8 years before Toyota's randomly started to try and kill their drivers.

 

In this case, the only downside to Darwinian Theory is the collateral damage.

 

thats a nice observation.

 

+1 for having a sense of humor.

 

great Max! the TL was cool tho!

 

welcome bro nice pickup, time to fix the minor issues and mod her! leather conversion, fogs, drop, rims, intake ect. that was one sick TL u had too

 

Welcome but I had to try this:

 

If I may.... change the radio!!! Mine skips every new cd in there!!! and perhaps look into a cold air intake, you'll get a decent gain in acceleration when you do.

Welcome aboard!! Great buy for $500!!! I wish I bought mine at $500

 

does anyone know where to find some good seat replacements, like a carbon look? I dont want leather, cause of my mutt. And I dont want to burn my *** in the Summer time (I live in San Antonio, summers get hot here..like 100 degrees hot!!). And Im not looking for that cheap s**t that wally world or auto zone carries.