2002 Maxima-113,000 miles for $8500 - Page 4

Scottwax · 11-09-07, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinzII

Scott, If you are getting an A33 Maxima, ask about the following:

a) Oil Burning (As others have said, VQs have a tendency to burn oil and I rejected an '03 for that very reason (overfilled crankcase to compensate) )
b) Wind Noise TSB (There will be wind noise eminating from the rear vent windows if this has not been done)
c) Hood Vibration TSB (Hood has a tendency to "dance" at 65mph or faster)
d) Accelerator bump stop TSB (If this has not been done, the car will go into "limp mode")
e) Low Beams: D2R HID, High Beams: 9005 Halogen. Get some security bolts for your headlights ASAP to keep people from stealing them.
f) Brake vibration TSB (I had 2 SETS of rotors replaced on my '02). My front rotors were toasted like you would not believe. Can be remedied with different pads and Brembo Blanks.
g) Since you have rain/snow in some parts of TX, replace the Bridgestone RE92s ASAP. Those are the WORST tires aside from some Goodyears when the weather turns ugly.

If you want more info, PM me.

On a cold start, the car doesn't smoke at all. I'm going to pull a plug or two and look at them as well. I have heard about the problem with the HIDs and that is the first issue I plan to address if I buy the car. I had the same rotor problem with my Accord. My mechanic drilled four 1/8th" holes, 90 degrees apart in the front rotors and I never had a problem again. I'll look into the Brembo rotors if need be. Does switching to ceramic pads help at all? The car has nearly brand new Yokohama 520s, same tires I had on my Accord and they are pretty good on wet surfaces.

Oh yeah, got my insurance check for my car today. Glad it is drawn on a local bank, when my son's car was totaled, it was some obscure, one office bank in east Texas and his bank held the check for 5 days. Since Monday is a holiday, I'll just cash the check in the morning and put the cash in my bank. If I just deposit it at my bank, it will be posted Tuesday and not accessible until Wednesday. Ugh.

Hopefully, I can have another car by midweek.

mshu7 · 11-10-07, 04:06

Glad to hear you finally got a check Scott. Have you been able to work at all with all this going on?

steelwind101 · 11-10-07, 06:15

Hi Scott

I hope you get back to detailing and driving soon.

You dident fancy another Mazda?! The 6 looks really good!

Geoff

Scottwax · 11-10-07, 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshu7

Glad to hear you finally got a check Scott. Have you been able to work at all with all this going on?

I've been working, but starting an hour late due to threrapy on my back. Really cramping my days since the time change. Hopefully this coming week she cuts me back to 3 days a week. She did X-rays and a CT scan. The X-rays show my lower vertebrae are closer together than they are supposed to be, probably why I feel pressure in my lower back. The CT scans shows some disc swelling but nothing has slipped or is herniated. She said I can start riding my bike again but to take it easy until I know whether or not it will cause me any pain. She wants me to ease back into my normal routine as much as possible. Hopefully, a couple more weeks of therapy and back adjustments and everything will be normal again.

Geoff-apparently, you've missed my posts where I am b!tching about how unreliable my 626 was.

Last summer, it was the alternator, coolant resevior tank, and a/c compressor. This summer, it was the crank pulley, radiator, instrument panel lights, coolant resevior tank, timing belt/water pump/tensioners. The car had turned into a money pit. It will be a long time before I consider a Mazda again.

pl_silverado · 11-10-07, 09:20

Scott, you can't go wrong with a Maxima. I just sold an 02 with 82k miles for $ 5k, it was a reconstructed title. Ran like a champ. I rebuilt it myself. It was a recovered theft... needed front end parts and a motor / trans. It's been tough selling any cars lately, and i just needed to unload it. I had 3k into it so i didn't mind letting it go.

I have another 02 Maxima i drive, 6spd, 69k miles and i can't complain. My mom drives an 00 Maxima, white, auto, 160k miles i think already...she put like 100k on it in 4 years. The only things i have replaced on the 00 Maxima are: struts, starter, alternator, rotors/pads, front axles, and just regular maintenance (oil, spark plugs, filters). Mobil 1 Synthetic every 10-12k miles. Oh, i forgot to mention 2 sets of tires.

Let me just say, the reliability is unquestionable. I always plan on having a Nissan in the family.

I must say though, i do think the price is a bit on the high side.

-Greg (specvceps over on offtopic)

PrinzII · 11-14-07, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottwax

On a cold start, the car doesn't smoke at all. I'm going to pull a plug or two and look at them as well. I have heard about the problem with the HIDs and that is the first issue I plan to address if I buy the car. I had the same rotor problem with my Accord. My mechanic drilled four 1/8th" holes, 90 degrees apart in the front rotors and I never had a problem again. I'll look into the Brembo rotors if need be. Does switching to ceramic pads help at all? The car has nearly brand new Yokohama 520s, same tires I had on my Accord and they are pretty good on wet surfaces.

Oh yeah, got my insurance check for my car today. Glad it is drawn on a local bank, when my son's car was totaled, it was some obscure, one office bank in east Texas and his bank held the check for 5 days. Since Monday is a holiday, I'll just cash the check in the morning and put the cash in my bank. If I just deposit it at my bank, it will be posted Tuesday and not accessible until Wednesday. Ugh.

Hopefully, I can have another car by midweek.

A lot of the Maxima peeps I know switch to the Hawk HPS pads. I haven't seen too much feedback in terms of ceramic pads on these cars.

WilliamHBonney · 11-14-07, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinzII

A lot of the Maxima peeps I know switch to the Hawk HPS pads. I haven't seen too much feedback in terms of ceramic pads on these cars.

Those will be my next pads when I switch them out in the summer.

Scottwax · 11-14-07, 10:13

I got the price down to $8000 even and I can get bank financing on the car (the bank only writes loans on cars with over 100k on Honda, Toyota and Nissan) so I am probably going to buy the car. With the huge hit I took this summer due to all the rain, I'd rather spend a bit less now and buy a small truck this spring to use for detailing than buy something more expensive and rely on one vehicle.

BigAl3 · 11-14-07, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottwax

my Accord had 280,285 miles on it when I sold it.

RTexasF · 11-15-07, 03:05

I hope it serves you well once the transaction is complete.

Scottwax · 11-16-07, 05:28

Well, I ended up buying the car. Runs great so far and it definitely is quicker than my old 626! One owner car too, very early '02 model, build date was 06/01 so I guess for a car that is actually a little more than 6 years old, the mileage is closer to typical (at least for the Dallas area, most everyone I know drives 15,000-18,000 miles a year!). Serious power too, way more wheelspin off the line and even at a roll than I expected.

Had a chance this afternoon to really clean it up. Took a ton of claying...

This was the left rear fender.

Whoever detailed it last did a nice job on the interior, but left a lot of light holograms on the car...and obviously didn't clay it. Optimum Compound using a burgandy Meguiars cutting pad, Optimum Poli-Seal with a yellow Meguiars polishing pad, Opti-Sea x 2 by hand, Optimum Car Wax by hand.

I also removed the "MAXIMA" emblem from the back of the trunk but left the SE emblem.

Took some pics with my cell phone, I'll get some better shots with my other camera tomorrow when the lighting is better.

Bigpoppa3346 · 11-16-07, 05:53

Congrats Scott!

Definitely a cooler car than the 626