Jesse729

I've been looking to buy a 02, 03 Maxima 6 speed with about 60-80k miles. I am familiar with a lot of the problems they have and I read the forums regularly. I've test drove a few all with no SES lights or known problems but some didn't seem as fast as others. I want to be sure I get a car that has as close to the original 255hp as a car with 60-80k should.

I know the MAF sensors can go bad before the SES light is triggered so Im thinking about having the dealer through in a brand new one as part of the deal no matter if it's broken or not.

But what are some of the other things i should look for and should I try and get the dealer to replace them before I buy the car? Once I have bought the car I know I will have trouble getting them fixed under warranty if it's not completely broken. I just want to make sure the car is in the best running condition.

OC guy

iTrader: (7)

along with maf there are few other issues such as coils, 02 sensors, pcv valve, plugs, driving belts, etc but if you planning to buy one that has around 80,000miles then you will absolutely need these parts to be replaced sooner or later. i dont think dealer will do all these parts for you. the original maf on these cars cost over $400. just try to find one that has under 60,000miles and you will not need to worry about any of these parts till 80k to 100k.

realtor

My suggestion would be to buy an '03 b/c most of the issues of the '02s were fixed with new part numbers on the '03 Max. I used to own two '03s (the first one was totalled by my then 14 yr. old son and the second one became my ex-wife's car after the divorce) and I never had any major issues with either car. I now own an '02 6MT Max. and what I did, I took the Vin code to the service advisor and he ran a computer check and told me that my car had no issues at all and all major recalls had been taken care of. You can do the same thing before buying the car by writing down the Vin code. If you can, buy an extended warranty through the bank or better yet a credit union if you are a member of one along with the financing which is what I did just to have peace of mind. Usually they last up to 100K miles. Good luck. My 02 cents.

bigEL

Do what he ^^^ said and you'll be fine. Also do a CarFax or other history check for major problems and use some good old common sense. You can easily screen out cars that were really badly maintained, but the rest you kind of have to take a chance on. There's no reliable way to predict when a MAF is going to go, but you definitely don't want a car that has oil all over the engine compartment or melted rubber inside the wheel wells. And for the record, no honest dealer is going to proactively replace parts that aren't broken. Heck, they barely replace parts when they are broken. Anyway, a lot of it sounds simple and obvious, but it still surprises me how many people don't have their used car checked out before they buy, only to complain later that they didn't know their car had a history of problems. I think what happens is that all their due diligence goes flying out the window when they see the object of their desires and can't wait to get the keys. So keeping a level head is just as important. Good luck.

Silver01Maxima

I would highly recommend doing that. I just purchased an '01 GLE with 62,xxx miles on it yesterday and I had the Nissan service department run all of the information on the vehicle before I made my final decision.

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

Keep in mind that when you read about problems here they aren't as widespread as it seems. People come here to discuss things like that so it seems like everyone is having those problems with the cars. It's like going to the emergency room, looking around, and saying "everyone in the world sure is in bad shape". Most of us have had very few problems with these cars even with some "spirited" use. We just don't start threads to say our cars are running fine and not having any problems.

Just take the time to check the car out properly. If you're not sure then pay someone to inspect it for you. It's cheap insurance.

SoonerFan

iTrader: (5)

a car doesnt lose horse power when the miles get high. there may be problems that prevent the engine from running correctly...but the power is always there

cefiro80

Sooner is correct. Also, dont shym away from the car just because it has more miles than 60,000. It all boils down to how it was taken care of. Also, in response to the expensive maf comment. You could spend 400 dollars or just convert to a a33 maf which is under 100 dollars and there is a writeup on here on how to do it. All in all if you have a friend that is mechanic have him go with you, run a carfax, and test drive the vehicle you will get a feel for it. Good luck and ask anymore questions if you have any.

AHI

Subscribing... I'm in the same boat, buying a Max in the following weeks... i will follow this thread for some advice...

Succinct

I just sold my 72K mile '03 Maxima 6-speed (w/HLSD + all options) two weeks ago and couldn't be much happier now. Hoping to have something more reliable than my previous car - a '99 BMW 540 6-speed - I was disappointed by the Maxima. Within just 2 months of ownership I'd had to take it to the dealer more times than I had to take the 540 in the 23 months I owned it. That's mostly due to the Nissan dealer's stranglehold on anything having to do with the ECM. Even frickin' replacement transponder keys must be programmed by the dealer (who charges exhorbitantly).

In addition to reliability issues, the Maxima taught me that straight-line speed isn't everything (and mine had PLENTY of power). The handling stinks, the shifter is rubbery, interior materials are low-grade, the seats suck, the steering feels vague, and the road/wind noise is more befitting a car made by Fisher-Price.

Sorry, but I am much happier now with my '06 Accord EX-L V6. As further icing on the cake, switching from my 2003 Maxima to a 2006 Accord V6 dropped my insurance by $123/year. Imagine how much cheaper to insure a 2003 Accord would be!

Not saying a Maxima isn't a great fit for someone; it just wasn't for me. It would be great to take to the drag strip on Friday nights and surprise people. Just be ready to put some $$ into mods (like handling) and SES Light repairs. (Oh, and let's not forget endless radio repairs)

imchaiwala

my advice would be to buy my maxima haha.
02/ SE / 6-spd / 76k / fully loaded w/o the nav and lsd
- upgraded audio w/ full bose/internal antenna/steering wheel controls conversion
- new muffler
- replaced clutch when i bought the car (20k ago, b/c i'm ****)
- belts/hoses/etc replaced as needed
- MAF issue resolved
- all recalls/etc done
- almost new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires (235)

q45Owner

Here is my advice to you:

1. Buy one that atleast has power terrain warranty (less than 5 years and 60K mile on the odo). You will need this, even if it is 55K, get one that is less than 60K. You cannot hear all the noises and issues when you test drive a vehicle for 10-20 minutes. It will take days to get acquinted to noises and clunks and steering and tires, etc - having a car with some warranty left leaves you with some insurance

2. Keep $1k budget for things that you will need to fix within the first 6 months. DO NOT spend all the money you have, you should keep an allowance of $1k for upcoming fixes - it will happen. So if you have 12K budget, buy only upto 11K. Trust me you will need it.

3. Take it to the dealership and ask the tech to do the regular inspection. Then goto the lift yourself and look for any signs of leaks yourself. DO NOT trust the tech. Look for yourself beneath the car - shocks, oil pan, steering rack, CV boots, rack boots - anything there that will need attention you should know about before the purchase.

4. Have the tech do a scan with the consult to see if there are any codes stored in the ECM. This is option but gives you more info on the internals of the system.

5. Look inside the Oil filler cap to see how shiny the engine is

6. Smell the PS fluid from the reservoir

7. Look for coolant color and presence of oil in the coolant reservoir

8. Smell the Transmission fluid (oops, you are going for a manual tranny)

9. Drive and try to listen to clunks and thumps - try to go in a pot hole or where the road is not even.

10. Brakes, tires, etc are all maintenance items, who cares....

GL