Hi everyone!

My poor 91 SE is almost gone (body rust), so I just became the owner of a 1997 GLE! I'm very very excited to be joining the 4th gen community.



Specs
Miles: 96k
Color: LS5 Rosewood
Interior: Black leather
Sunroof: YES!

Plans:
1. Uninstall the annoying aftermarket security system. It took me something like 5 tries to start the car last time!
2. Take it through the car wash and take better pics after I get it registered
3. Get a quote from a body shop to fix the characteristic front wheel well rust holes on both sides.
4. Finish removing dealership sticker
5. Possibly remove GLE badge?
6. Switch emblem from M_A_X_I_M_A to the older M A X I M A (I just think it looks better...)
7. Commission or build a pair of those gorgeous LED tail lights some of you guys are sporting. Leaning towards trying to DIY because I enjoy learning new things and it would be a fun project.
8. Adding rear window spoiler? Not sure how good it would look.
9. Add some "4DSC" stickers to the back passenger windows for nostalgia's sake.

Thoughts? Opinions? Advice for someone new to 4th gens?

 

Install clear corner signals, easy and cheap and change the cars look in seconds..

Shave off the emblems, on 97-99 trunks it looks good without them and with the spaced out maxima lettering will look a bit odd on the 97 trunk..trust me I've seen it and it ain't pretty lol

Lower the car from 1.5 to 1.8 inch.. The stock height makes it a little too truck like..lowering it makes it look like what it's supposed to be

Clean the headlights and make them new.

Tint windows.. The rear looks dirty I can't tell what can come off. the body looks good..need more pics though

Clean up under the hood..simple tune ups help

 

My advice for you would would be to start out with basic maintanence. Maintanence before mods my friend. Check the stickies for these. The very first thing you should do is clean the throttle body,maf, and iacv. This is the easiest maintanence aside from changing out your air filter that will really help smooth out idle/acceleration. Make sure you use the appropriate cleaners for each.

EDIT: make sure you buy replacement gaskets for the iacv and throttle body. You will likely need them after cleaning.

 

never seen that color before, i like it. low miles, should be easy to get running right. moar pics after you clean her up.

 

Maybe remove the Nissan burger as well.



H&Rs and KYB Excel-Gs for a quality drop. Try some bigger rims, too. Those OEM 15s look.......small

 

That was the color of my 97. I liked it.

 

+1 for Bumpypickles recommendation.


I'll be frank. You replaced one rustbucket with a lower mile rustbucket.


Just get all the maintence it needs done, and enjoy your car. It is not worth the money it would take to restore the body.


Really people, rust free Maxima are available in some parts of the country. Start with a solid car, then improve that.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I'm thinking about this. On one hand, I think the car might look classier without the orange. On the other hand, I kinda like the quirky look the orange gives, and I think the orange looks interesting with the purple color of the car. Hmmm...
You know, until this post I had no idea that the 95-96 trunks were different from the 97-99 trunks. Thanks for the feedback... I might experiment in Photoshop to see what look I like the best.
I agree, there's something wonky about the height. I'll put this on my list of things to do...
I will! They need it. They're so cloudy...

Thanks! I actually was planning to bring the car to a mechanic for an inspection (I just didn't mention it on the thread because I was too excited to talk about future plans. But more on that in a bit...

Thanks for the recommendation!

Lol. Thanks for the reality check I guess I'm afraid of getting as sentimentally attached to this one as I did to my last one... I feel like kicking myself for not taking better care of the last one's body.

Some updated pics for everyone... (It's been gray outside so haven't had a chance to get really nice ones yet.)




The story to date: After transferring plates from 3rd gen to this one, the car began dying immediately after starting (RPMs would go up and then fall). I had the car towed to the mechanic who told me it needed a new alternator and new left lower ball joint. It took longer than usual (the shop was swamped apparently) and I just got my car back last Friday.

Ever since Friday I've still been noticing that immediately after starting the car in the morning there is a huge dip in RPMs. If I turn the key to ON for 5 seconds the dip is still there but not as bad; if I just turn the key all the way to start the car struggles like it's going to die for a minute, then bounces back. With the advice of my dad I've been trying various things every morning to figure out what it is (the problem only presents in the morning).

Last night I filled up the gas tank for the first time since I got the car. Today pulling into work I shut off the engine and there was a "Conk!" noise. My coworker in the parking lot looked up and asked me if I'd run into something and scraped the bottom of my car. Nope... everything was clear...

Driving home today the check engine light came on, and shutting the car off in my driveway I heard the "Conk!" again... it's coming from the rear of the car but can't tell what side it's on. (I want to say driver's side, but I might be wrong.)

It has a P1105 code which is the MAP/BARO switch. I don't yet have the tool to test the part, but I'm hoping that's all it is.

So far I'm enjoying the car for what it is but still missing my 3rd gen...

 

Sounds like a problem in the rear suspension. The cold idle problem could be the is iacv.

 

you got her clean, now, get her running right and you will love it. i have little issues but know the car so well that i just check and listen to maxy and yes, i even talk to her.

 

The body is clean, just get it back running properly. And it'll be worth it. It just needs a little love to look new again. That's what i had to do to mine and don't regret a single dime of it.. I like the unquie color.. Don't see much of those.

 

The term rustucket is all relative. That looks like a clean max to me. Fenders are easy and cheap to replace. My local junkyard does not have one 4th gen max without fender rust. This is the average 4th gen max in the salt belt

 

Nice looking car. Good Enough without body work. Sounds like you have the normal old car problems to deal with. Now catch up on the maintenance, and enjoy your car.

 

looks like your playing a little bumper car with that max. i live with salt and fixed my rust, here's the difference...

 

Yours looks great! I like the clear turn lights, I want to get some for mine

Update on my car:

Yesterday, my new hood struts from Rockauto came (yay!!) so with the help of my roommate, I got rid of the old leaking/depressurized ones and installed new ones. Now my hood stays open by itself

Today I pulled the MAP/BARO switch out. It was a real PITA to get out of there, with the bottom hose stuck on so tightly that I was afraid I was going to rip it in half trying to pull it off.



I don't have any tools to test it yet, so I just blew on the ports and re-installed it.

I erased all codes currently in the computer and started it up. There was absolutely no dip in RPMs this time and it actually idled a little higher than normal (slightly over 1k rather than at 1k). I drove it around, check engine light didn't return. Returned, still heard the conk sound on shutoff, so started it again in order to shut it off again. Idle RPMs were lower that time. After I shut it off the second time I scanned for codes and didn't see any.

I told my dad and he thinks unplugging and replugging the switch may have cleaned the contacts. They looked pretty clean to me already, so not sure what that was about... but hoping it's fixed because it's 85 bucks for a new switch.

I also pulled the accessory audio fuse today because my tape player is possessed, and every time you turn the car on, it sounds like it is trying to eat a non-existant tape. At some point I suppose I'll have to replace the head unit because the volume control is broken (I think it is stuck permanently on the loudest setting possible...).

I'm starting to feel a little more confident about the car. Fixing stuff myself (even small stuff) feels good.

 

Re-installing the switch will not fix your problem and the code will come back. You are going to have to replace the part. Goto a junkyard if you cant pay the price for new. Also I suggest cleaning out your intake and idle air control valve to help smooth out your idle problem. It probably wont fix it, but its free and a good place to start. Also change out your spark plugs, they're easy to change out on these cars.

 

Replace all the hoses going to the map/baro solenoid... It's 5/32...I did my switch about 3 weeks ago...when u change the plugs get a magnetic plug socket...much easier than fighting with a stuck piece of rubber on the end of a plug...

 

Mine is pretty much rust free. Its lived in WI all its life. I had to fix a lot of rust when I got it. The pic is one for sale in my area. I haven't seen a max around me without some rust on it. I'm sad to see many newer car getting rust on them (some as new as 07 or 08) I was really hoping paint and body technology would fend off rust longer. Doesn't look like its changed that much since the 4th gens were built.