maxinout93

I was looking at this 1995 Nissan Maxima. I think its a GLE because it has Automaic everything, climate control, seats, windows ect, and a sunroof. The paint job still looks great and its green. It has decent tires, and the interior looks ok, but i just dont like the color tan or brown inside. She starts right up, has 213,000 miles. But I look under the hood, the hood shocks are bad, and they have tape on the mass air flow sensor hoses, and it looks like the front valve cover gasket is leaking a bit. I didnt see any weird color smoke from the exhaust or anything. But the car would start up and then die, so i really didnt get a chance to drive it. Going back another day to test it out. Is $2400 a reasonable price?

maxinout93

Had to sell the 3rd gen after an accident, and then the timing belt popped on the motor, so I decided to give it up. Test drove a 4th gen, and instantly fell in love with the quickness and smoothness of the engine, wow what a car! lol! This 95 max in general is the one im looking to replace my 3rd gen with, it also has the check engine light on.

TravisCadello

talk down to 2100 at least. just a few small issues. they last forever...4th gen is the best gen!

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

I paid $2500 for a SE with 84K miles. That car is worth $1K.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

I'd offer 1500. LOL

Make a case for it. The thing doesn't start and RUN consitently...who KNOWS what could be wrong? motor mounts are $$ (if work done at shop, most def. quote shop prices on all repairs, even those you can do yourself). Settle at 2k if you like the car. High mileage, over 200K already.....all things you can do to drop their price.

Sure, you can do repairs on this yourself...but so?

I have looked at many 4th gens, and ended up turning 2 down after inspections (just needed WAAAY too much work done)...if you can afford to be picky, then do so. If you can't, then obvoiusly swing the best deal you can. FWIW, I would probably offer 1500 on this car and settle at 1750.

TravisCadello

i paid 1900 for my 99 with 225k miles and running on 4 cylnders....thinkin it was two bad coils well it was a ecu and costed waaay more.

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

def. not worth that much. paid 1500 for my wife's i30 that had 130k on it.

Lanaue

$1500 is too much you can get a newer max for that. I've seen 4th gen maxima's for $1800 all the time.Keep looking.

Phromethius

agree with most of the posts in here. 2400 seems high even for the kelly blue book. I would suggest talking it down below 2000 for sure, then its personal judgement.

note: too lazy to check KB value but last time I checked my own '96 was less that $2400

cashoit

Thats too much for a 1995. I would talk them down. BUT there is no way u gonna get a decent running max for less than 1500, unless the car need serious repairs. Dont care how many miles.

1997 is the best year IMO.

TravisCadello

when buying a Maxima dont even worry about the mileage. i would much rather buy a high mileage max then a low mileage max. their good for at least 340k miles easily.

if its low mileage then more then likely its a lemon and spent most of its life in a shop getting repairs if its high mileage then its probably a factory freak and had way less defective parts on it. thats the way i like to think because all the cars ive had with under 100k miles was piece of craps problem after problem and the two highest mileage cars ive bought i still have today and can go anywhere without problems.

TravisCadello

my buddy has a 95 maxima with 111k miles compared to my 99 with 240k miles and i swear he calls me every other month asking for me to change a part on it while mine i put way more miles on it and race mine alot and it holds up better without changing anything.


I've done his 3 rear injectors,valve cover gaskets,2 coil packs,2 alternators and MAF sensor in past 6 months. all of which gave out in under 111k miles.

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

I paid $500 for my GLE.... had 140,000 and runs great (all reciepts since new were in the glovebox. She's got some rust issues but runs and drives 98% like new. So I would think based on the test drive.... $800-$1250 tops.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

you mean test start up...not test drive. :-)

ABIGBRAIN

iTrader: (1)

I meant DRIVE, but since the one we are talking about has running issues I would start out at least $800 for it and adjust my offer based on what I determined the cause of the running issues. Parting out the car (if the body is pretty decent) would yeild more than buying it outright.

healingduck

No way man.

maxinout93

well he said he would take 1500 for it, he has to install a new battery and it would b ready to test drive on
monday, so ill wait til after
the test drive and a thorough
inspection to make my decision

Phromethius

sounds decent at 1500, good project car none the less. Good luck with that if you still decide to purchase! Post up pics if you do!

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

NICE :-)

EDIT - and depending on the inspection you can always go a bit lower too...say it comes with like 500 more in items from inspection, drop down price by 250 or something :-)

jholley

iTrader: (13)

Now $1,500 is a fair price. Make the decision after test driving her on Monday.

Reminisce

too much milage bro. you can get a better deal on 97 and up on craiglist for that kind of mils not worth it. plust factor in how much money your going to spend fixing things.

maxinout93

yes u are right about that, and I dont need somthing thats going to be parked more than driven, so I will see if he comes down more on the price if I drive it and like it, check oil, tranny fluid, and see if its leaking anywhere, that would be a definite deduction. but ill also keep checking craigslist also.

maxinout93

Well went back to check on the max today, and nothing still hasnt been done, as far as the new battery or any other work goes. Plus the guy in charge wasnt there. So i did a thorough visual inspection, rear driver tire was flat, it has a oil leak that looks as if its been leaking for a while at the front valve cover, pwr steering was low, as well as brake fluid, going to need cv joints soon because boots were torn on both axles, not a cheap job, also inner tie rod ends looked shot, and looks as if the main seal or something near that side of the engine is leaking oil. Tranny fluid looks great, and appears to be no leaks from it. Hope that it has heat and a/c, thats really a selling point, also has a small gap in the trunk lid to body, pass rear view mirror is dangleing on the door. And who knows what else is wrong, with the check engine light on, and this guy wants $1500, i may offer him $1000 after the test drive, if he doesent accept it, then ill look somewhere else.

T_Behr904

I wouldn't do more than $1,500. Since the car has over 200K on it, I'd ask about the transmission. If it's never been overhauled or replaced, then you (probably) won't get much life left out of it. It's rare for most automatics to last that long, even with proper care and maintenance.

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

rear main seal and valve cover leaks are normal though. expensive to fix yes but normal. If you can find one with low mileage and no oil leaks? let me know and ill get it..

maxinout93

There is a guy selling a 97SE automatic, with about 90k miles on it, so they say, but why would a tru SE have the gxe guages, they are black instead of white. The rest of the car looks like an SE model though.

Blakfreestyle

iTrader: (1)

Please tell me this post is a joke. Why would you go buy a 95 max from what sounds like a repair shop or used car dealer. Buy one from a private seller. It that condition I'd offer $500. You have already listed over $1,000 worth of repairs, tires, check engine light?

I got a '95 max for my girl last year with 183k miles $1800 5spd. Turn key and go, no problems just doing routine maintenance. 10k miles on the car and only expense has been brake line which was rusty and clutch slave cyl, clutch hose.

Don't you have craigslist where you live? Please don't be one of the people that assume that a used car dealer or auto shop will sell you a better vehicle. They jack up the price because they CAN afford to wait a long time before the vehicle sells. In this case money isn't everything and you won't get what you pay for. This is wisdom learned from age and life experience.

DJ DRU

def. not worth $2400, offer 1450

phatboislim

iTrader: (27)

just buy my 5th gen

and i'm around the myrtle beach area

maxinout93

Well i looked on craigslist and they have some good deals, But I just happened to go by this car lot and saw this 95 maxima in question, and wanted to know more about it, its not my only choice, there are lots of 4th gens around here and other places.

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

seeing the new "details," i'd walk away or offer $500. $1500 can get you a car with less mileage and less problems. not necessarily a nissan.

JimmyRooney

I think that sounds a little bit high. I am looking into buying my first Maxima, and am looking at a 1997 tomorrow, 5-Speed, with 178K on it. They are asking $2700, so it's about right, but probably a bit lower I would go for.

maxinout93

Well this is an update, Finially got to test drive the car yesterday. It drove great, shifted good and everything works, heat, sunroof and all windows. Only thing is the guy still wants 1500. He says he wont fix the rear valve cover, and its leaking pretty badly. Took it around to a few local mechanics and they say that the timing chain tensioner is on its way out, by the sound of it. But at 213,000K miles, paying 1500 for a car, and nearly putting $700 worth of repairs Right into it off the lot does not make sense. The mechanics said even they would not buy it for that price with all the work that needs to be done. I offered him $900 considering the repairs, but he declined, saying they paid $1200 for it, and wanted to get something back out of it, so ill be looking elsewhere.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

Sounds like you did it the right way, man. Good for you.

I know that it sucks sometimes though...I forked over 2 inspection fees on 2 different maximas before I finally was able to get my 99SE. They just needed too much work for the price. He paid 1200...tough cookies. He shouldn't have paid it. Doesn't mean you have to.

maxinout93

Thanks man it was a little hard to do, and it was exactly the color I liked with the leather interior, and automatic climate control, sunroof ect! But I wont let someone rip me off in the process of looking for a car. It just needed entirely too much work, and for 1500, im not looking for a brand new car, and I expect a few things to be wrong with it, but jeeez! the valve cover was leaking so bad it had the front and rear of the engine smoking, cv axles were bad on both sides, rear shocks were bad plus the timing chain tensioner. I know there are hundreds of other maximas around here, so ill continue looking.

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

EXACTLY.

:-)

cashoit

Cuz he swapped the cluster which means they prolly screwed with the odometer.

Beware.......

Phromethius

man thats a fail swap then. The SE cluster is super clean. I cringe when I see a black with white markings gauge. If people chose to do this because of price? ok I get that. but otherwise.. /shudder

Amerikaner83

iTrader: (17)

I actually didn't like the SE cluster at first when I was looking...as its not the "traditional" cluster. HOWEVER, once I bought my SE and drove at night for the first time I fell in love.

99zx2

iTrader: (3)

this was a waste from a get-go. it's almost like you were telling yourself how much you liked it, shrugging everything else off, until all the fail couldn't have been ignored anymore.
glad you didn't get it.