Knew it had some faults and it was priced accordingly. I put $160 in it for the flex pipe and some hangers, and $120 for the power steering pressure hose, and then we knew there were suspension problems. I went with the quickstruts because this is a car for a 14 yr old to learn on and it doesn't need to be high performance or lowered or anything like that. Here's what we found when we pulled the old struts off. The car has ice cold AC and decent factory stereo and sunroof. We did gut the entire car to pull out the seats, all plastic parts, and carpet and everything to clean it up and make it all fresh.



and here's a photo of the car with the new struts on the front but the old ones on the rear.

 

Kid can start driving at 14 in your state!?

 

yeah, learners permit and he has to get a certain number of hours in with an adult in the car. I don't want him driving my tundra as its pretty big and its my main transportation. At 15, he can get a restricted license for to and from school and work but only if he has the hours on his learners permit and has taken driver's ed.

Plus, I showed him how to do one strut and he did the rest. He's very mechanical, like his father, and this project has been fun for us, fixing things, cleaning things, and making it "his" car, even though I still own it technically.

 

Holy crap those things were messed up!

Nice choice for a first car

 

My max is also my first car.. Keeping her forever..
2 years so far

 

Should've given a Toyota Tercel instead you give the lucky kid a 3.0L Maxima :P

 

Dad its mine you said, but I just wanna take it out with the guys tonight

 

Its my car still.. he's just learning on it

I've owned two 96 maximas and a 2003 previously and like them enough to get this one. I'll get an interior shot today to show what we've removed and need to put back in.

 

Sweet ride! That spring is toasted! Is that a 3.0L or 3.5L? Nice choice!

 

3.0 222 hp I think?

 

Looks like an 00/1, as can be seen by the headlights, lack of mud guards running boards, tail lights and wheels. That's not to say it hasn't been 3.5L swapped though

 

nice first car for your kid, he may become a big fan

 

I see that the side marker lights are clear. That is illegal in most states, maybe all if it is part of the federal mandates. While cops rarely stop you for that, you might end up with a fix-it ticket if stopped for something else, especially if it is a 14 year old kid.

 

yeah, they came that way. I am not sure if I will get new markers or plasti dip the bulbs.

 

 

wow, so that must been some nasty interior strip off everything. Look like in the rear had some coke stain from the kids. All in all it looks good so far.

 

wow thats some deep cleaning going on! Keep the pics flowing.

 

I thought it was legal as long as the bulb was the correct color?

In any case, wonderful cleaning job, I wish I could do that to mine.

 

bought amber bulbs and they work fine. Couple small problems. Somewhere, in removing items, I've made the airbag light come on. I don't know what I might have disconnected to make this happen though.

Also, its hard to fill the gas up. It keeps wanting to shut off the pump unless I just trickle it in there. Ideas?

 

I think I just need to reset the airbag light. Should be a piece of cake. I'll keep researching the fuel fill issue though

 

Ur side airbags were disconnected with the seats removed and it noticed when you turned the key and it did A check IMO. (Yellow connectors)

 

^^on the money i believe. Usually a good ideal to not put key in when airbags (steering wheel, seats are disconnected from car)

 

You guys are right. Having a problem resetting the light with the 7 second, 3 second technique. Seems tricky.

 

get the correct colored bulbs, amber front, red back, you will not get any problems,

there was a big debate on this, dennis is correct on paper, but again realistically if you get pulled over for that alone, its like you won the lottery.

I have had clears on all my cars driving my whole life, never had an issue, and my rents home town cops are complete sticklers dont even ask, they will pull you over for anything like 1 out of 2 license plate lights off.

one time a kid had clear corners and blue bulbs and a cop wrote him up at a 711, but thats just asking for it with that combo.

amber front and red rear 194 bulbs, good to go. best best is LED rear from my experience over 7 years with the 5th gen. and 194 ambers are a dime a dozen at any part store

 

i debated someone here for a while with that argument, but on paper its hard to read that point, it always goes back to reflecting, but dead horse....and old tiny issues.

its like a truck getting pulled over for wheels/tires past the fender, in my state i think that's illegal on paper.

 

Mines are clear with aqua leds. Got pulled over for blue ones earlier last year, I should of known better though.
Last night I was speeding and a cop flashed for a warning. We pulled up to a red light and he told me he could pull me over for my markers because they were "reflecting blue".

But he said he's not pressed and it made my car look nice..

 

or people that drive with their fogs on all the time I wish they all get pulled over.

 

.. Guilty

 

Ha ha. Same here. I've got 3k hid fogs and they look too badass not to have on. haha

 

+2

 

still having problems resetting the airbag light. IT's not as easy as it sounds, yet, the light was off when I got the car, so I know it will go off again...

 

People who say this always make me chuckle and wonder why...

I've never in my life had an issue with someone having their fog lights on. Improper HID kits, terribly aimed headlights, **** ton of offroad lights on a lifted truck aimed at your rear view, and even crappy DRL's that are too bright and use the hi-beam, etc...that's another story

 

Still can't get the ABS light to turn off. It was off before I took the interior out and I've plugged everything back in. I've used the key to on, wait for the airbag light to flash, count to 7, turn car off, count to 4, repeat 2 more times, but the light stays flashing.

Is there another way to turn it off?

 

Ok, got it. Lots of bad info floating around. The guide I was using said to turn the ignition on, wait for the airbag light to go out, then count to 7 and turn the ignition off, etc. THIS INFO IS WRONG.

Turn the ignition on, the Airbag light will come on. Wait till it goes off but before it starts flashing, then turn the ignition off and count to 4. Do this 3 times. Then turn the car on, off, on, off on and the light will be out.

 

Great choice! My max has been in the family since I was 14(7 years). I've acquired it 4 years ago and have been enjoying every minute of it. Hope your kid does too