Thinking of buying a used 04' maxima SL under 60k miles

[Diesel6]

are these first year release series problematic?has anybody experienced any major problems with their 04' maxima?dealer is asking $13,500...is this a reasonable price?

when i inspected the car it looked like the front bumper was replaced...and the chrome looking plaque that has the maxima symbol on it seemed to be shaky, due to the pieces that hold it down being snapped off...im not sure if this is a huge problem so i would like other peoples advice. On the back bumper it looked like a bump was "taken care of" and the paint is all veiny for lack of a better word (in that specific little area) .

everything inside seems to be fine (cosmetically). also unfortunately when i tried to start the car it did not start. i popped the hood and saw that the battery had white stuff coming from it (dont no exactly what that is, maybe some kind of acid deposits) i told these things to the dealer and he said he would call me back with a more reasonable price, he had to talk to his "friend" about lowering the price (whatever that means).

i dont want a car with a lot of electrical problems. already made that mistake with my 02' Q45.

i appreciate everyones inputthanks

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'd say $13,500 is on the high side for an '04. I'd only pay that much for a PERFECT car with no cosmetic damage that actually starts.

Also, since it's an '04 SL, make sure it doesn't have the 4 speed auto. You want the 5 speed auto. It's more reliable and nicer to drive with. You can tell them apart by the shifter: the 5 speed has manumatic mode (shifter position with plus and minus symbols to the right of D) while the 4 speed does not. I would pass on the car for the 4 speed alone...it's worth waiting for one with a 5 speed.

As for electrical issues, you shouldn't have anything to fear from the Max. The Q was that way since it's an Infiniti with TONS of tech showoff stuff. The Maxima's still got a lot of goodies, but nothing really problematic like adaptive cruise control or other crap. Since you're looking at an '04, it may not even have TCS (which may be another thing to consider if you care about it).

[Diesel6]

yea its a 5 speed with the automanual

i think it didnt start because of the batteryill def. try to talk with the dealer and get a better priceother than that is this model reliable?i dont really no much about maxima's

[MinisterofDOOM]

Pretty reliable, yeah. Strong powertrain, well-built.

I know my parents did have an issue with the front suspension on their '04 (front suspension issues are probably the most common problems with the model) and were glad they got an extended warranty since it happened after the original warranty expired. Aside from that it's been a great car, though.

[oolatec]

Don't. The '04 SLs are notorious for bad transmission problems... especially at the mileage that car is at.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Don't. The '04 SLs are notorious for bad transmission problems... especially at the mileage that car is at.

The reason '04 SLs were so notorious for trans problems was that many of them came with the old 4 speed. This car in question has a 5 speed, though, so it should be safe.

[zgoug]

I have an 01 and an 06 Max. The price of the 04 (for Ohio) is high. Earlier Max's had transmission problems, which were solved for the most part, with a 5 gear vs 4 gear. Sounds like the battery is old - make sure you get a Carfax to hopefully see if this one was in an accident. My experience with Nissan's have been great.