Puppetmaster EDIT:

This is a thread for all those interested in buying a 5th or 5.5 Gen and are trying to do some research, so please look through this thread and/or post all questions you have in here.

I've merged a handful of the most recent discussions on this to kick start this and hope that ALL questions regarding potential purchases can be kept to this thread. If you have some information you'd like to share with potential buyers, please feel free as well.

Consequently, all other new threads on buying 5th/5.5 Gens will be locked or merged into this one.

/edit


Getting rid of my 95 very soon and I've decided that I want to get a 00-03 Maxima or a 00-03 I35. I wanted to get some preferably under $10,000 and get it from a local car lot.

I've seen some decent ones but of course the miles are a little higher (100,000+). I'm not scared of mileage at all but other things on the car I don't want to end up replacing within a month so I wanted to ask you guys what to look for when buying a older Max/I35.

Here's a couple cheap cars I had in mind, keep in mind I just wanted to drive these cars for a couple years tops then upgrade again after I finish school.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ce=&cardist=10

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ce=&cardist=10

 

what should you look for?

FAQ
stickies
all the threads about common problems

 

old cars = problems... unless you can get your hands on a decent one... you will not know until you drive it for a while. We are talking about 5-7 year old cars./.. have that in mind... the max are great cars with very good engines.. but anything can happen, also, please do a search there are a lot of threads about issues with the Max

 

Thanks.

I'll just take a mechanic with me.

my main concern is a solid engine, I can deal with a little issues now and then. Also, is the maintenance alot higher on the 00/03 as opposed to the 95/99?

 

as I said.. old cars = maintenance.... but you will be driving a Max not an Audi....

 

an 00-01 infiniti would be an I30 with the VQ30 3.0 liter engine, which is known to be a very solid engine, but the cars in general are older and other parts may be more worn than the alternative...

the 02-03 would be an infiniti I35 with a VQ35 3.5 liter engine, which is more powerful, but is more prone to having oil burning problems due to bad piston rings.. (by the way, maximas of these years have the same respective engines as the infinities).. most people (including myself) don't mind adding oil every now and then for the added performance you get with the 3.5.. so it's a trade off, but it's up to you what is more important.. an older car with higher mileage, you're taking a bigger chance on more parts being worn than a newer car of the same model.. however, some older cars have been well taken care of and are very reliable

i realized i pretty much just talked in a circle there, but.. lol.. in my opinion.. you should be safe with a 5th gen (00-01) with under 100k that is in good condition because they are pretty reliable cars.. but if you can afford it, then go with a newer one in good condition to decrease your chances of stuff going wrong.. if you need help with a problem, us maxima experts are always here!

 

Go with an '02/03 if your budget allows. No replacement for displacement no matter what the VTEC crowd says.

 

If you're deadset on an A33, and want a minimum chance of needing parts replaced, perhaps keep an eye out for a '04 model I35.

They were in fact made through th '04 model year, and with bumper-to-bumper warranties from Infiniti lasting 5 years/60k miles and powertrain 6 years/70k miles, you could conceivably find a low-mileage example with the added insurance of some factory warranty coverage.

That said, I've had my '02 since new and besides brakes and tires, I've really only had to replace a wheel bearing (at around 100k miles, I'm now at 114k).

 

Well I sold my 06 G couple last month and I am considering getting a 03 6mt 5.5 gen as an interim car. I was hoping to get some feedback from some of the folks in here on what one should look out for when looking for a 5.5 gen 6mt maxima. I am currently only looking at 03's and it needs to have black interior with HLSD. Thanks in advance for any help guys.

 

Come on Zack. You've been around here long enough to know how to research this type of thing.

 

as stated, all the information is here. you are buying the car, we shouldnt have to do the research for you.

 

Hope you have some time on your hands. I looked for 3 weeks in the Dallas area and really didn't find one, other than a high mileage black one. Didn't even bother looking, I will never own another black car.

 

maybe if you were better at detailing a car.....

it is a huge pain to GET a black car clean..and even harder to KEEP it clean. but when it is, its so sexy and worth it.

 

oooo, i wouldn't take that scott.. you might have to get gangster on him and electronically pop a cap in his ars

 

What the hell is an "interim" car?

 

Enjoy the extra HP, but hate the oil burning. My 00 had 157XXX and never burnt a drop. Shifting is worse than any manual I have driven. Hopefully the short throw shifter and ES bushing will help.

 

Main Entry: 1ad in·ter·im
Pronunciation: \ˈad-ˈin-tə-rəm, -ˌrim also ˈäd-\
Function: adverb
Etymology: Latin
Date: 1787
: for the intervening time : temporarily

 

Was there something wrong with the G-ride?? Is it not as good a car as I would assume??

 

[QUOTE=soonerfan;6289203]maybe if you were better at detailing a car.....

Those seem to be fightin words to me!!!

 

pretty sure he knows what the word means...he meant interim until what?

 

My G was a 2006 6MT "RevUp". The motor started consuming oil at around 6k miles, maybe sooner but that was when I first noticed it. Infiniti said they would replace the engine and the paperwork was processed but they had no definitive time frame as to when they would have a motor to install and from researching on my350z even a new motor "V2" did not resolve oil consumption on some cars. Not something you wanna hear when you spend $39k on a car. I would like to get a new G35 sedan but I have been told if I can hold off they will be updating it with the 330hp engine "G37" sedan.

Anyway back to the question which is I am looking for a fun reasonably priced car for the "intermin" until I decide on what I would like to get. I love my 4th gen but its had some body damage which i dont wanna fix. So I would like to pick up a 5.5 gen 6mt.

 

I like the power curve of the VQ35HR better than the curve of the G37.

Just saw an 07 G (HR) for 28.5k here.

 

I am looking for a specific one. Fully loaded with 4WAS and i don't mind buying a new one when i am ready just wanna wait a while and see what they are going to do.

 

more proof that its a widespread VQ35 problem....

 

What is 4WAS?? Never heard of it, probably b/c I don't know too much about the G.

 

the 03 6mt is a great car. Sometimes people have a problem with 3rd gear. It kinda grinds or crunches when going on..but its a pretty rare problem. When you test drive it, take 2nd up to 5-6rpm and put it in 3rd and see if it crunches or grinds going in.

About the oil burning, I personally think nothing of it but some people do. Just check your oil level every 2 weeks and top off if necessary. Your coming from an revup motor so your probably used to this drill haha...I heard those motors drink oil like crazy. I did a lot of reading up on my350z.com and some people are not happy.

I think thats as far as it goes concerning things to look out for. If your making it a point to get the 03, then get the Titanium Edition. What color(s) did you have in mind?

 

You have HR and rev up confused.

 

oops your right...let me edit that

 

it stands for 4 wheel active steering...I work at an Infiniti dealership and have NOT driven them back to back (4WAS & non-4WAS)...but from reading edmunds.com and car & driver...it says it gives a "dull" feeling in the steering?

 

i have a 6 speed with HLSD like you plan on getting, and the 1-2 shift is pretty notchy 90% of the time.. like, it takes effort to shift the stick from 1st to 2nd when driving.. almost like it gets stuck in the middle (yes, even with the clutch all the way depressed)... it also takes effort to get the shifter into first gear when the car is cold.. i have amsoil gear oil in there, and thought it would help a little with that notchiness, but it did not.. i don't know if there's a fix for that rough shifting or what, but it's pretty annoying to me.. shifting the stick into the other gears are pretty good though

 

I don't have any of these problems. I also have 03 6 speed w/hlsd. Shifting on these cars are notchy by nature but my tranny shifts just fine with no 3 third gear grind. Also no oil consumption problems as of yet and I have 70,000 mile on her....

 

I am looking at a 2002 nissan maxima se with 64k. (at a dealership) What are the most known issues with 5th gen cars, sensors, automatic transmission problems, electrical, etc. Descriptive details needed. Thanks

 

Oil consumption seems to be the biggest issue, the poll here shows that about 10% of the people with a 5.5 gen have problems with excessive oil consumption. Wheel bearings are also an issue, IMO because if the bearings are repacked or the rotor is removed to be turned or replaced, people cheap out and reuse the locknut or don't tighten it to factory specs (250 ftlbs).

Only issues I have had with mine since I got it about 4 months ago was the wheel bearing problem that appears to be a reassmbly issue (so it really can't be considered a design fault) and a bad thermostat, which was $22 to replace.

 

the info is here already...do the research yourself

 

Either way, you could get a lemon, a trouble free model or something in between with any car....Before buying my little '93 Altima 8 years ago, I did research in consumer reports, online, etc and found that the tranny, A/C and timing cover leaks ($1200+) were reported....

8 years later and I've never touched any of those issues and at 250k, no major work has ever been done to it....I'm looking at '02/'03s myself and feel the looks and performance of the Max is worth the risk....

Besides, if there any major issues, the dealership won't tell you...I looked at one yesterday and noticed some oil residue on the engine (timing cover?)on the passenger side just above the motor mount...I mentioned it to the salesman who asked 'It's not new is it?' and I swiped my finger across the area, showed him and said, 'It's not old'......You never know...

 

a lot of rattles, a lot of road/wind noise, and eats a lot of gas =)

 

If it has the 6 disc changer I would check it out, unless you don't care about that... I have also noticed a lot more sind noise than I would expect from this caliber of car.

 

Mine has a dash rattle I can't find, pretty sure it is in the HVAC ducting though. Wind/road noise is more than I am used to but gas mileage is pretty close to my 626 was getting that had 85 hp and 1 liter displacement less. My last three tanks of gas have been over 20 mpg (80% city, pretty much stop at every light around here).

O2 Sensors and catalytic converters seem to be an issue too.

Overall though, in the first 4 months of ownership compared to the last 4 months of ownership of my 626, I spent 1/3rd the maintenance/repair costs. Toss out the wheel bearing issue, and I've spent .015% of what I did on the 626.

 

my mechanic says i might have a vacumn leak or bad o2 that might be causing my crappy mpg...i'm getting average 15-17mpg with mix hwy and city. no check engine light came on so not sure if those are indeed what's causing my bad mpg. the mechanic also says my catalytic converter might be old or something that's why it's causing a rattling sound when acclerating or when driving at around 1800-2300rpm'ish. wind/road noise i've kind of gotten use to but it's just that everytime i ride in my friend's 2006 chevy malibu the ride is so smooth and quiet...even music sounds better in that car lol

 

You can check a bad cat by putting a vacuum gauge on your engine and slowly rev the motor, if the vacuum starts dropping drastically, that usually means excessive backpressure.