So looking at used cars for sale this morning, as I always do. And I came across this wild beast:





Don't wanna post all the pics, but you guys see that some shady stuff is going on here. It's listed as a 2002 SE Special Edition (LOL) and with 80k miles they only want $3k and will clearly take less so I got interested.

Anyone ever see this car around the forums and know what the deal is with this?

Pretty sure it's a 5.5 with a 5th gen front but I just can't figure the whole thing out, things are very shady on this car like the inside door handles are chrome which an SE isn't supposed to have. Just cant figure this one out

Here is the link to the sale ad, bunch more pics there to look at:
2002 Maxima for sale

 

Doesn't look like that complicated of a puzzle. Those are not chrome door handles, they are silver.

5.5 with 5.0 front end, I'd say.

 

Personally I advised you to get a full carfax report for the said vehicle. I am hoping that the mileage is not tampered

 

Hm, silver you say. I thought the interior handles on all 5th gen SE's were supposed to be black? Or is that not true for the 5.5 gen?

I'm pretty sure it's a 5.5 with 5.0 front end as well (and those horrible fenders), which that alone makes me question what kind of horrible front end accident it was in. Considering there's no engine pics, it's definitely questionable.

^^^ colt, I did run the carfax and it doesn't add up with what I see. Carfax shows a decent service history and nothing bad. In other words, no accident reported, the dealer lists the car as "SE Special Edition" but it has clearly been in a wreck. Shady **** going on here....

Staten Island, NY small time dealer tho, so not surprised

 

if car is in decent condition 2k at most i would pay

 

Ask to see pics of the engine, then you definitively say its a 5th or 5.5 gen. Or we can call it FrankenMax for now.

 

Sorry, definitely a 5.5 gen bc of the shifter and SE guage cluster. And looks like one of the quarter panels doesnt match 100%.

 

Check Carfax. Why would he change the front end of the car to 5th gen if the car was not wrecked in some point. My assumption is that he hit it and wanted it fixed cheap.

 

Ad says its a 3.5L so it should be a 5.5. Although I don't see any under the hood shots.

 

Junkyard car. It's not even worth 500 bucks. You have to replace the front panels, both bumper covers, and headlights. There's probably a lot more wrong that you can't see.

Next.

 

I have an 02 SE Titanium, and silver door handles inside.

 

Maybe someone just half-assed making the car look stock

 

Dude, thanks for clearing this up. Of course I wasn't thinking right, clearly all 5.5 gens have the silver handles inside. I've sat in too many 5th gens with black handles.

Why do you say that? It has a VQ35 with 80k miles and quite a decent interior.

For what it's worth, a car like this I can put up for $3k and it will sell all day long. As for the front end, most people have no idea, and frankly for $3k most of these buyers want a good engine and a body in decent shape, no matter what fenders or bumper are on there. If the right person comes along that doesn't know Maximas, that whole "special edition" thing can even bring you more $$$.

If the engine is good and has only 80k, I would buy the thing in a heartbeat for $500-1000 even for parts and that VQ35. I just have to find out if the original engine is in there that was clearly in a bad accident, or if it has a decent replacement.

 

This is a silly thread. Too much speculation and not enough concrete evidence over a car that is probably not nearly as bad as everyone suspects.

Case in point. The dealer (who doesn't know sht about Maximas) probably thinks the SE badge on the back stands for Special Edition, and thus labeled it as such. No big deal, just a mistake in advertising.

We are all reading entirely too deep into this with little to no foundational knowledge except for a few superficial pictures.

 

seems like someone had been junkyard shopping... for parts

 

its a flood vehicle STAY AWAY!!!!

 

Just b/c a moron will overpay by 3 grand doesn't make it worth any more. That just means there's a sucker born every minute (think housing before the crash LOL). Do you want to be the sucker or the smart person that walks away?
It's only worth money if parted out.

 

Is OP a shaddy used car dealer?

 

^^^ LOL I love the responses in here, especially your last one_george

No I'm not a shady car dealer, I'm an honest car dealer (sense the sarcasm?)

^^^ KoRn you're right, that was my point. Except you mixed up the moron with the seller (I would not be the moron). Anyway I don't think myself or anyone I know wants anything to do with this car, too much shady **** and we aren't THAT shady.

At this point I would love to know more than anything if anyone has EVER seen this POS around the forums? Because at the very least, it is a classic and a special car

EDIT: ^^^ DJ, you're right dude and many times it is that simple. Unfortunately these guys KNOW Maximas, very well. This is a Staten Island dealer that has sold quite a few of them. Hence why I want nothing to do with them, I was in touch with these guys and they're blatant lying. They're gonna wait for that moron to come buy it.

 

^
You should buy it out of the kindness of your heart... Save someone the headache of buying a molested gen 5.5

 

I didn't mean to imply it But I thought you were interested in it as a driver if the price was right.

500 for a part out is right lol.

 

No thanks george. If anything you should buy it to add to your collection, of molested 5.5gens that is.

I acually think it looks sick, definitely no other maximas like it either. George its all you man.