Need a car (2000 Maxima found) need help determining

[Arkaign]

I found a really nice deal ( it seems) on a 2000 Maxima Se 129k miles for $3900. I checked the trans fluid and it was more brown that red. Is that bad? I know when it is black or grey it means bad, but what about brown?
I mean I smelt it and it wasn't burn I think. And the car drives fine.

should I also do a carfax?


Shit I feel more reluctant to get a car now, because I read that car has massive problems around that mileage

I'd give it a chance. Get it looked at by a reputable mechanic.

 

[matas]

after all seems like maxima is not reliable at all. Maybe the engine is willing to go over 200k but the other components like MAF and ignition coils are not.
http://forums.automotive.com/70/6279403/nissan/2000-nissan-maxima-problems/index.html

I don't think mechanic would really know anything, since the are no problems by driving it or a way to look inside the transmission. Hm I don't know what to do. Been looking for a car for too long now.

 

[Arkaign]

after all seems like maxima is not reliable at all. Maybe the engine is willing to go over 200k but the other components like MAF and ignition coils are not.
http://forums.automotive.com/70/6279403/nissan/2000-nissan-maxima-problems/index.html

I don't think mechanic would really know anything, since the are no problems by driving it or a way to look inside the transmission. Hm I don't know what to do. Been looking for a car for too long now.

Having misc. non-drivetrain problems over ~120k-180k mileage =! unreliable.

Replacing something like an ignition coil pack or MAF sensor is not a major issue like rebuilding a motor or replacing a tranny. Buying any used car (or new for that matter) is going to be a risk, and it's good to try to get the best deal you can, but at a certain point you're going to have to bite the bullet and get something unless you can do without a ride. All you can do is try to take good care of whatever you get, and keep up with the maintenance. Unless you find just a golden car, chances are you're going to have to replace a few things between the 100k and 200k mark on the odometer, considerably more so than from between the 0k and 100k mark. The most important thing is to find something that is likely to reach the 200k mark without a catastrophic failure (basically, motor, tranny, or any repair which would cost more than the value of the car at the point of the failure).

 

[SearchMaster]

I have an '00 Maxima GLE automatic with ~215K miles now with automatic transmission. Here's what has given me issues:

- brakes: I used to have to replace the front brakes every 10-15K until I finally changed the rotors. Now they're under more normal replacement schedule.
- radiator fan: bearing burned out (~$100)
- some sensor, don't recall which but it was ~$250 (dealer replaced)
- 2 O2 sensors (~$75 ea), took about 30 min each to change

So over the life of the car, I have about $500 in maintenance costs. This obviously does not include "normal" maintenance (oil changes, air filter, trans fluid, etc.) that you'd have on any car. If you add in the short-lived initial set of front rotors, we're at $550. I haven't changed the MAF but it's literally a 5 minute job (I have cleaned it) and about $100. The car could use new struts/shocks but it's not critical right now, just a tad bit floatier than it should be.

Obviously, having to do $500-600 up front would suck, when you've just outlaid $4K for the car. But you're not likely going to find a 5-8 year old car that will require ZERO maintenance for years to come. If that were the case, then people would routinely keep their cars for 200-250K miles.

So build in a few hundred bucks into your budget for repairs, and find a car that has a solid reputation for drivetrain, electronics, etc.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Just about any vehicle over 100k miles is going to start having emissions and sensor issues - MAF, O2, EGR, carbon build up in intake, etc etc etc. In the < $5k price range it's hard to find a car that has low enough miles for this stuff to not be an issue.


My recommendation is find a GOOD reputable friend/mechanic that you can trust to fix these sorts of issues.



FYI - the 00 maxima with the 3.0 is a very reliable car. They put that motor into a lot of vehicles and it has definitely proven itself. At that mileage you should have the transmission fluid changed anyway, and if it doesn't smell burnt or funky and shifts ok then it's fine. IMHO I would be happy to see they didn't have brand new fluids trying to cover something up.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have a 2003 Maxima SE with 82,000 miles on it. It has been a good reliable car and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone. I'm probably going to keep it for another year since I just put new tires on it.