1997 Maxima repair question

[NC125]

I was looking at buying a used 1997 Maxima GLE. 2 owners. 109K mileage.

One of the questions I have about the car is that it had a past "minor" front fender bender in a parking lot. The owner said only the front grill and right headlight had to be repaired.

But when I asked her how much the repairs cost, she said $1500 (which was mostly for the paint job supposedly).

This cost seems high. Does this repair price suggest that the car's minor fender bender wasn't so minor and there may have been more serious damage to the car? For example, damage to the radiator could have occurred.

I did an Autocheck vehicle history check on the car, and it does have a clean title. So the accident was not serious enough to be reported.

[maxhopper]

If the repair was done at a reputable facility; I could easily see putting out that kind of money for a proper repair (depending on the paint, etc.).

What color is your Maxima?

[NC125]

It is a dark purple/magenta color.

[loystock]

The price is reasonable for a clear coat, based on the damage mentioned. It will be more expensive on a tri-coat.

[themainman2029]

When I bought my I30 I was in a similar situation, someone used a 'pops-a-dent' along all four doors and there were circles all down the side as well as a line from where the 2x4 was placed. No record of the car being in an accident was ever reported on Carfax or any other site, even though it was fairly obvious it had been in some sort of substantial wreck. I went to get a quote and it was, like yours, extremely high. The paint with the clear coat does add quite a bit to the cost, I might suggest looking for someone parting out a car in the same color and buying the front end off of them. You'd have to do all the work yourself, but I bet you could get away with a new grill, fender, and headlight for around six or seven hundred pretty easily.

[NC125]

"When I bought my I30 I was in a similar situation, someone used a 'pops-a-dent' along all four doors and there were circles all down the side as well as a line from where the 2x4 was placed. No record of the car being in an accident was ever reported on Carfax or any other site, even though it was fairly obvious it had been in some sort of substantial wreck. I went to get a quote and it was, like yours, extremely high. The paint with the clear coat does add quite a bit to the cost, I might suggest looking for someone parting out a car in the same color and buying the front end off of them. You'd have to do all the work yourself, but I bet you could get away with a new grill, fender, and headlight for around six or seven hundred pretty easily."

What type of gasoline does the 1997 Maxima GLE take--regular or premium?

I have been told conflicting info. Some say regular; others say premium is necessary.

And regarding the $1500 repair costs, do you think that this means that the Maxima that I looked at was in a more serious accident than the seller is letting on?

According to this person, only the front grill, right headlight, and paint job needed to be repaired.

I am just concerned about buying a car with more substantial damages.

When I did an Autocheck on the car, it did have a clean title as I mentioned.

[loystock]

Accident reporting laws vary from state to state. Some states requires accident repair cost exceeding $1500 to be reported, others for more, others for less. Regardless of repair cost, accident must be reported if there was a major injury involved.

As I have stated earlier, $1500 is a reasonable cost for a fender-bender repair. Do your own preliminary inspection of the body, engine compartment, and if possible, the chassis. Looks for stress markings and unusual paint transition/coloration. Test drive the car and watch out for alignment problems, braking issues and unusual rattles/vibrations. Take it to a shop and for @ $120, have a thorough inspection regarding collision, powertrain and emission issues, etc.

Premium gas is recommended in the Maxima, but is not required. So it's up to you which gas to use. I have two I30s and we use premium gas, though it is not required. The difference between premium and regular is @ $0.20/gallon. Other cars like the Q45 and M35/45 require premium fuel only. This info should be in the car manual as well as on the gas filler door.

[NC125]

Another question I have about this 1997 Maxima is the air conditioner.

When the AC is on, you can hear it operate, but no air blows through any of the front vents. It's like the air is blocked or something, because you can hear the air being blown--but not through the vents.

I have talked to mechanics about this issue generally, and they say it could be anything including a problem with the compressor, vacuum motors, or duct door.

I know the compressor would be fairly expensive to repair ($600), though I am not sure about the costs of these other components.

Anybody have any guesses as to the cause of this problem?

[whitetothemax97]

sounds like a duct door most likely