http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/51742250.html

above is the car i'm interested at. its got over 100k miles on it. what should i look for when i go test drive. i didn't see a list of equipment / differences between trims here in the 5th gen forum like there is in the 4th gen forum. any advice appreciated.

thanks

 

goto www.edmunds.com to compare the trim levels. ask him if he has changed his ignition coils also.

 

the seller just emailed back. hes selling for the 2nd owner. have not change O2 sensors, no service records, no mechanical problems, no accidents.

what parts needs replacedment at 100k miles?

 

If the rust has welded the O2 sensors to the pipes, you may be in for more than you bargained for. See if you can get him to change them and add the cost to the price (should not be more than about $500 if all is well).

 

there's shouldn't be rust problems in my area as i live in the west coast but i will run carfax to see where it was originally from. how many O2 sensors does the 5th gens have? what other sensors might need replacement?

 

the ignition coils have been known to go bad as some one mentioned earlier

 

is there a list somewhere of what needs replacing so i can bring with me to the test drive?

 

Check the TSB section in the stickies. You can print that out and ask questions around it.

Get the VIN and call a Nissan dealer to see what recalls and TSB's have been done to it. Take it to a respected non-dealer that works on Nissans to get his opinion.

A carfax is a must although it may not show minor accidents. Look closely in good sunlight at the body lines for imperfections. Look closely at the body panel joints for tape marks and the wheel wells for overspray. If you look close enough you can see that paint work might have been done, especially on the bumpers. Good luck.

 

the car is in a different area then i'm in. i'm in oakland ca and the car is a good 40-50 miles south in san jose, ca. i don't know any mechanics in that area, or have a trusted mechanic in any area for that matter. i've been doing my own repairs based on a haynes manual and the good people on these forums. the only thing that concerns me when this car is the high milage. but the seller is asking only 9500 which is low for a 2000 in my area.

anybody know of any trusted mechanic in the San Jose, CA area?

 

Mileage shouldn't be a concern for a well maintained car. You can usually tell if the past owners took care of it. I believe the 2000's have a timing belt so make sure to ask about it.

I just sold my 94 GXE with 195k on it and it had plenty left.

 

timing belt? I thought all VQ's are on chains.

 

The 3.5 L has the timing chain. The 2000 has the 3.0 L with the belt. I could be wrong.

 

well, my 96 has a VQ30DE which i understand is the same one as the ones in 00-01 and that runs on a timing chain.

 

any other advice?

 

Sorry my bad. Chain it is. That's why this forum works so well.

 

That's ALOT of miles for a 2000. 20,000 miles a year, ouch!! My 2000 SE has 49,000 miles (I'm the original owner, and bought the car on 12/26/1999) There is alot of wear and tear that can occur with 100,000 miles . Paint chips on the front bumper (by the hundreds), worn interior materials, transmission wear, aged and very used mechanicals and electrical components, etc. Now, I'm not saying that our cars are automatically problem prone at 100,000 miles. I'm just stating that a car with that many miles, unless it has been carefully and routinely taken care of, can have problems. The fact that the seller has NO service records concerns me. He should tell you where he had his maintenance done, so you can VERIFY that the car has had proper service done to it. Without that info, I would pass on this car, and find one with less miles, and with service documentation.

 

Well, you are wrong - the 2000 has a timing chain, not belt.

 

Hey, dip****, did you read my follow-up post? I admitted I was wrong about the belt. Thanks Captain Obvious.

 

You are looking at a car with 100K mi on the clock, too many things can go wrong on it and noone can tell you what will go wrong with it and when. Also, for a car with 1+ owner, you won't find out the history, thats why you probably are buying it @ cheaper price. Go test drive it, and have it inspected by your mechanic if you really want it.

 

Couldn't agree more. High miles with no service records = possible pain in the a**, even though this car looks to be fully loaded, with meridian package. But I picked up my 2000 SE, also here in the San Jose area, with the same equipment for $12.5k just about two months ago. The car had all service records and only 48k miles! Sorry I can't help you out with a mechanic.....hard to find a good one nowadays. I'd appreciate a referral too! Anyways, good luck.

 

well if you dont know anything about cars and dont have a trusted mechanic simply dont buy a used car period. It really doesn't matter how many miles were put on the car by prev owner in the time he had it. What matters is how many miles on the car NOW, the shape it is in, and how long will it last you.

 

Good point on buying used.

But I had no hesitation about buying a 5th gen, as this is my second max. Still got a '96 4th gen SE, also bought used (was a previous rental), and still running strong with 192k miles on the clock! I always keep my car regularly serviced so it helps out.

But you are right. Barring any past experience with used Maximas, and having no mechanic you can count on, I probably wouldn't buy used either.