Used Maxima's

I am looking for a 4th gen Maxima. I am needing a dependable car at a reasonable price, with decent power, that is somewhat sporty. I am looking for something with lot of highway miles. At what point do the maximas start having issues. I would have no problem buying one with around 100,000 miles on it if it were highway driven. Basically at what milage should i start to be concerned about how much life is left in the car?

a hundred thousand miles on ANY car is alot. Although I believe the top three Jap cars (nissan,toyota&honda) are all pretty dependable past 100k. It's just with that many miles any car is going to start giving you problems, and with that many miles you have no idea how well maintained the car really was. Highway miles or not, 100K is still 100K and parts WILL start going out on you. Whatever you decide, make sure to take the car you're going to buy to a reputable mechanic and have them thoroughly check it out for you. If the dealer or person you buy the car from won't allow you to have it checked out, then DON'T buy it as they're hiding something. ANY & EVERY car dealership will allow you to have a used/pre-owned car inspected by a mechanic unless they're trying to hide something.
Good luck!
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In your Maxima search, also consider the Infinit I30. In many ways, the cars are the same. The Infiniti has a better transmission and all the available options are standard (leather, climate control, 4 speed auto with o/d) The I30t (touring) has 17" wheels instead of 15" and has sport tuned suspension. Both cars use the Vq30 6 cylinder engine. The 1997 I30 was singled out as a used car best buy. But to reinforced what was stated already, when you reach a certain number of miles, you really never know how well it was maintained by the owner. All in all, these cars can easily last 10 years with average care. With exceptional care, well the sky's the limit. There are many, many generation 3 on the road (1988-1995, and still some Gen 2 on the road.

100k is alot of miles, but my 89 is almost at 230k, and it still runs very well, the next maxima will last you beyond that if it was taken care of

There are many, many generation 3 on the road (1988-1995,.
95 is a 4th gen. I bought mine used in august 02 with 42, 224 miles on it. I have really had no problems at all. The only things that have gone wrong were the intake temp sensor, O2 sensor and a coil. Pretty cheap stuff. YOu can find a 4th gen with low miles, you just have to search. I got lucky.

honestly, if you want a car that will last forever, get a used accord v6. there are so many used Honda's out there for a reason; they are relatively cheap, and last a very long time

honestly, if you want a car that will last forever, get a used accord v6. there are so many used Honda's out there for a reason; they are relatively cheap, and last a very long time
Didn't he say he was looking for a 4th gen? I wouldn't in my life take an Accord over a Max. Thats just crazy.

i just hate the way that some people on this forum talk like the maxima is the fastest car in the world with best reliability ever, neither of which is true. he said he is looking for "a dependable car at a reasonable price, with decent power, that is somewhat sportry." an accord is all of those things, emphasizing the dependability. an accord IS more dependable than a Maxima, especially after 100K. i was just giving him another option with which he can make an informed decision.

Well, the Maxima diffinatly isn't the fastest, and probably not the most dependable...you're right there. I was just stating My opinion, nothing against you or your opinion. I've seen plenty of broke ass hondas around and all the max's I see are still running strong. This is just in my area though...things could be different elsewhere. Don't think that I was bashing you or anything like that, I was simply stating my opinion.

Only problem with the Accord is for the last 10 years, it's been either number 1 or 2 on the list of top ten stolen cars in the country. I know down here in South Florida their always getting stolen. Then either parted out, or shipped over to Puerto Rico, or Virgin Islands and resold.
If you get one, get an ignition kill switch to go with the standard alarm.
Otherwise the Accord is extremely dependable.

Only problem with the Accord is for the last 10 years, it's been either number 1 or 2 on the list of top ten stolen cars in the country.
It's in the Texas top 5, whereas Maxima doesn't ever make the list - which is actually cool with me. The only other problem I have with the Accord in that the dash pushes into my knees, even on the passenger side.

i just hate the way that some people on this forum talk like the maxima is the fastest car in the world with best reliability ever, neither of which is true. he said he is looking for "a dependable car at a reasonable price, with decent power, that is somewhat sportry." an accord is all of those things, emphasizing the dependability. an accord IS more dependable than a Maxima, especially after 100K. i was just giving him another option with which he can make an informed decision.

The Maxima has the best engine in the world. The VQ will run forever. Can Honda say that? I don't understand the dependability issue, the way I see it, if the engine runs... the car is dependable. I have yet to see a VQ Maxima on the side of the freeway with its hood up waiting for a tow truck.. I've seen plenty of Honduhs though.

The Maxima has the best engine in the world. The VQ will run forever. Can Honda say that? I don't understand the dependability issue, the way I see it, if the engine runs... the car is dependable. I have yet to see a VQ Maxima on the side of the freeway with its hood up waiting for a tow truck.. I've seen plenty of Honduhs though.
Now that this door has been opened, let's really address an issue. I personally come to this forum to learn and talk about Maxima, thus the name of the forum. But it seems that on a regular basis, we sucked into a debate about some other car. We all KNOW there are other cars out there. We all KNOW there are faster cars out there, and so does armyman if he has access to a TV. We all KNOW if we had a pile of money, we would probably own something else(though I would probably keep a gen3 around and black out the windows) We also know the Max doesn't get a lot of respect. The resell value tells us that. But car has a strong heart, better than most of us expected. We all have beaten some fool in a "sporty car" at a stop light. If you're going to have pride in your ride, it should be here if nowhere else. While everyone is entitled to thier opinion, let's not dis someone for liking Maxima in the Maxima forum. Can we do that people?

there is a difference between having pride in your ride and greatly exxagerating what your car can do. i freakin love my car, it is awesome, wouldn't have it any other way. at the time i bought it, it was the best car for the money. i made a suggestion that maybe an accord would be something to look at, ain't nothing wrong with that.

don't get me wrong, i love my maxima and always will. but i also have an appreciation for other types of cars, and am not afraid to say that the competition might be better for certain buyers

oh, btw, i come to this forum to talk about maxima's too...but i enjoy talking about other cars with all the regulars here more so than on other forums, where i don't know anybody

We DO have a good bunch here, even most of the new guy/gals are cool. That's probably why I keep coming back here. Performance greatly exagerated? Well everyone stretches the truth a little but I have not heard anyone blow it way out of proportion, 'xcept the guy with the SC'd Pontiac Grand Prix. He was annoying, but he wasn't a Max driver either. No, the Max really can fly and make Julian potatoes at the same time.

Hey Skytorch.....where's that "Julian Potato" feature located on my '03 Max? I'm looking all over my dash this morning and couldn't for the life of me find it! I think mine, being an '03 just comes with the potato chip dispenser.....ya know...the salesman did say my Max was all that, and a bag of chips! ( i know i know....corny!) lol
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being new to this particular forum, I must say I am pleased with the discussions and general courtesy here. Over the years I've frequented Eclipse/DSM forums, Corvette, and RX-7 forums, and it's funny how some people are so closed minded regarding other cars. They think their car is the sh!t and nobody better tell them different!! Being 36, I've owned quite a few different makes and models over the years and I've learned to appreciate ALL types of cars. Everyone has different taste's and alot of us are limited by a certain budget and this is what makes the Maxima such a great buy. Nice power, styling, comfort & reliability at a great price. Sure there are nicer, faster and better handling cars out there, but as long as we can appreciate other peoples taste's and opinions, we'll continue to have a great forum for discussion here.
That's my take on the situation.
Cheers!

Hey Skytorch.....where's that "Julian Potato" feature located on my '03 Max? I'm looking all over my dash this morning and couldn't for the life of me find it! I think mine, being an '03 just comes with the potato chip dispenser.....
dude are you kidding me? it under the damn cappucino frother, duh. damn newbs. :disappoin





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as far as the rest of your post. hit the nail on the head, about the people and the cars. my old 95 max was a pimp mobile for what i paid, $8K in 2000 with just under 100K miles, it was a 5 speed SE with all the GLE options -Navi. It ran an extra 80,000 miles before i sold it(it didn't croak, i just moved up). never had a debilitating breakdown where i was left stranded on the side of the road, sure minor stuff went, and my 1-3-5 synchros and gears had to be replaced when i first got it but i don't blame the car for that. i blame the dude that used my car to learn 5 speed.

I had a 1995 maxima. i bought it was 120000 miles. THere were some "minor problems" the check engine light. then the brakes. Then at 132000 miles, there was a funny sound with I started the vehicle. then we found out it was the timing chain and that cost 2000 to repair in the shop. So i soild the car to a friend and he fixed it himself.

That's why it's so important to change the timing belt/chain every 65-70 thousand miles. It's 300 dollars as opposed to 2000 dollars! When the timing belt goes, it fk's up your pistons, valves, etc, thus the 2k price tag! do yourself a favor and make it a habit of replacing the belt EVERY 60 thousand miles, then you'll have no worries mon!
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That's why it's so important to change the timing belt/chain every 65-70 thousand miles. It's 300 dollars as opposed to 2000 dollars! When the timing belt goes, it fk's up your pistons, valves, etc, thus the 2k price tag! do yourself a favor and make it a habit of replacing the belt EVERY 60 thousand miles, then you'll have no worries mon!
:cool:
Uh, that's not completely true. First off, there is a big difference between a timing belt and a timing chain. The 60k rule would apply to the belt, but you would definitely want to check both at the normal intervals, every 60k. But you should never have to replace the chain. Adjust it? Yes, but they typically don't break or just wear out. By 132K miles, the chain should have been checked/adjusted twice.

armyman06, if you're looking for a car with a lot of miles, go manual. Automatic tranny isn't your best choice IMO.

As for other, I DO think my car is the SH!T, but I think it's the sh!t for me, and me only. It fits me perfectly, gives me enough power, handling, comfort, and looks. It's a 2k Max 5 spd, as basic as it can get, Thank God.
Someone metioned that our cars are not appreciated and retail value drops dramatically over a few years - that's a good reason not to buy brand new Nissans. Plus, Maximas are rare comparing to Accords or Camry's, and once again, THANK GOD!
I've said it many many times, and i'll keep saying this: it all comes down to a personal preference. There are so many cars on the market to choose from, different kinds that satisfy different needs. I mean, if you were looking for cheap power, you wouldn't go Maxima, would you? Maxima is a little different then just a family car, or just a sedan, or just A CAR. Only thing I can say now, I Love My Maxima, but will not buy a new one. Cuz it's not a maxima anymore... But that's a different story :D