I know I shouldn't be sentimental over a car, but some of us just are. My 2003 SE Titanium Edition ended up being my absolute favorite of all seven Maximas we've owned. When my original 39mo lease was up back in 2006, I thought long and hard about buying out the lease, but ended up leasing a 2007 SE instead (THE first 2007 sold/leased in NC). The dealer ended up buying out the NMAC lease for $14k and had it on his lot as a CPO a few days later for $17.9k. It sold almost instantly. Many times in the 9 years since I've thought back on the 2003 wondering what kind of life it's had and if the subsequent owner(s) enjoyed it as much as I did.

Well... I had an extra CarFAX report to burn so yesterday just for giggles I plugged in the VIN from the '03. Sad to say, it turns out that the car was reported stolen only two months after I turned it in and was recovered as a total loss six months after that. Less than eight months after I turned it in, it was resting in a salvage yard.

 

^
At least you have a M37

 

Yeah, there's that. Nevertheless, I was still bummed to learn about my '03.

I just traded the '07 for the M last month (that's why I had the extra CarFAX report to burn). Had the '07 for nine years and it only had 67k miles on it. No issues at all... just wanted a new car after nine years and the deal I found on the M was too good to pass up (44k miles, base + premium + tech, pristine condition... $22.3k. The dealer took the '07 in trade for $8.5k and put it on the lot for $13k... it sold in two days! I hope it doesn't get stolen and totaled!)

 

Damn. Time to set the penalty to death for stealing Maximas and years in jail for wrecking one.

George will be gone

 

Very sad. I know we should not look back, but I always have a very sad feeling when I let one of my Maximas go, and worry about how the new owner will treat it.

I always have things I added to my Maximas that I immediately recognize if I see them again (wheel well molding, discreet small mud flaps, rain guards, etc, etc), so know if I encounter one. My favorite all-time Maxima was a 1985 that had 206,000 miles on it when I let it go back in the 1990s. The new owner happened to live somewhere in this area, and I saw that '85 around town as latw as around 2006. I haven't seen it since, but will never forget it.

 

I gave a ton of Maxima parts new life instead of them being stuck in a junkyard

 

I know... for a while I always would see my black '95 (which had 186k miles on it when I sold it) running around town... but I recognized it because of the rash my wife put on the left corner of the rear bumper backing it out of our garage and into the adjacent retaining wall when it was only two weeks old.

How are you doing, Light? I had the '07 for so long with no issues... I drifted away from this place a while ago.

 

That's nice... would you prefer to be hanged or shot by a firing squad?

 

Then I'd be a martyr

 

LOL, Maxima martyr George!