I'm looking to purchase a 02-03 and I use to have a 2000 but as I'm looking on craigslist people seem to ask for alot more for the 5.5 then the 5th generation.

I know the 5.5 has different headlights,taillights, and a 3.5 engine instead of the 3.0.

I'm sure 90% of people don't know the differences.

Am I missing something ?

 

Its not worth much more...to me anyway.

I think even the 5.5 genners will tell you that the VQ30DE-K is more reliable then that 02-03 VQ35DE motors. Also if you are getting a manual tranny, same story.

You got about all the differences. The headlights are significantly better in the 5.5 gen though.

I see 02-03 6 Speeds go for $6K ish, autos go for between 5 and 6.

What prices are you seeing?

 

Prices here can vary, and almost all i've seen online are auto's. Manuals seem to be rare here although you'll see one pop up on Craigslist every once and a while. Used car lots seem to ask the most, obviously, and many of those cars are cloth with minimal options, with a few with leather and other options showing up less frequently.

 

I'm seeing them for 4500+ with 100k+. Some a lot more then 100k.

I sold my 2000 for 4000 with 75k that needed some paint on the bumpers.

There's currently a 01 with 81k on CL that looks mint for $3400 but you try and show sellers with 02-03's and they want to say things like "mines a 2003!" And it also had about 30k more miles.

I still see a seller with a 02 who has it up for $5500 and he's been selling it for at least 3 months. When I offered him 4500, he laughed at the offer.

 

5.5s are worth 6k'ish when in good condition. but most of the used ones on the market have the typical 5.5 issues and can be had for around 4k but will need a few things.

heres a few things to beat the seller up on if they are present, if not present then the car is prob worth what they are asking.

rotten lower rad support
oil leaks from valve covers and oil cooler
power steering leaks
clutch hose leaks
leaking radiators
bad control arm bushings
bad motor mounts
bad catalytic converters
bad maf

when i bought my 02, dude was asking 5500 and quite a few of these issues were present. i ended up paying alittle over 4k

 

If I wanted a vq30 I'd get a 4th gen. Just my opinion.

A 5.5 is worth 1-2k more...

 

i got my 03 titanium edition for $3,500 6spd manual with HLSD, and look at my pictures its mint in and out. cars drop to the lowest prices around december and skyrocket around february-june which is when everyones got their income tax refund.

 

yup, you just gotta stay patient and know when to buy. Jumping on the first thing you see will likely have you spending more than you planned.

 

Im in nyc theirs a 2002 on craiglists with 180kmiles 2900$

 

^ ive never had a car with more then 125k. I really don't want one with more then 100k.

I've seen really mint & fully loaded 5.5's for 5000-5500 with really low miles (70-80k) here and there.

I guess I just have to stay patient. I've also ran into a seller who told me the car was stolen recovery and had no accidents but when I checked the car fax it had 5 accidents and after I told him that he said it didn't matter because it runs well now. lol

 

so glad i sold my mint loaded 02 6spd when i did, apparently they aint worth #hit now..lol

 

WHoa thier 4gen u gotta see on craigslist 4 sale a 97 with a g35 turbo engine in it.It Looks sick.Is in the nyc section type in maxima turbo sick. MUST SEE

 

I don't recall you describing your old car as "mint" by the time you sold it, but whatever.

 

come on john, i don't expect to see a red x from you! and so what if the car needed a wheel bearing and was making some odd noises, i still got way good money for that car!

 

Red X But that last post was a little more realistic.

What the OP hasn't learned yet is that car prices aren't a mystery, and they certainly aren't adequately sampled by a handful of Craigslist entries. The only outliers are when individual transactions are skewed by intangible factors: a motivated buyer, or an intransigent (and patient) seller.

My old Maxima actually was mostly "mint" when I sold it. (Or so I tell myself ) Either way, I sold it to a friend at a very fair price, and the value of that pay-it-forward approach is priceless. There's more than one definition of "good money".

 

i sold the car in 2 days, put it on craiglist on a friday, looked at and bought on sunday. maybe i just sold it at the right time, as this kid was looking for manual maxima, and yet he couldnt drive it. i don't care who bought the car, i was tired of it and ready to move on. he had cash, and thats all i wanted.

 

wow I feel like I got robbed, I bought an 02' 6 speed in mint condition with 90k for 8k. I bought it about 5 years ago tho.

 

5 years ago it was semi new car, i think that was prolly a great deal at that time

In 2004 i tried to buy a 1998 maxima and i couldnt afford it, it was like $8,400 and a 1998 honda accord was $7,000 so i got the honda.... Biggest mistake i ever made

 

You did not get robbed 5 years ago. That's a good flippin price in 2007. Especially since it is potentially still worth 5-6K if you haven't racked up mad miles and it's still in mint condition.