I'm selling the Car and Driver Maxima diesel beater

[mbtech208]

I thought I'd post it here first, since I know people here would appreciate what it is. I'm selling my '83 Maxima diesel sedan. It was featured last year in Car and Driver magazine, in which they bought three old diesel cars from the 1980s, and had a cross-country scavenger hunt from Detroit to LA. The Maxima is the only one that didn't break down. Afterwards, they auctioned the cars on eBay, and I bought the Datsun. I picked the car up at Nissan headquarters in Torrance, CA. Nissan HQ did a lot of work to it for the magazine, including new belts, hoses, fuel filter, balljoints, tie rods, tires, brakes. I drove it to Austin, TX and back last year without any problems. I personally replaced two front struts,injection pump belt, alternator, glow plug relay, flushed the cooling system. The dash is cracked, so I put a dash-mat on it. It has no center console, and all the switches are glued into piece of vinyl-covered wood. The right inner CV boot is torn. The trunk lock is gone, you can open it with your finger. It's been very reliable for the 17,000 miles I've put on it, it now has 255,xxx. Here's what doesn't work: A/C, cruise control, voice alert, sunroof, parking brake, front radio speakers, windshield washer. The transmission has a lazy 1-2 upshift when cold. It gets better with temperature but it always slips a bit. The alignment is perfect, tracks down the road beautifully. I wouldn't hesitate to get in the car right now and drive it anywhere. The sunroof was covered with Bondo (not by me). It leaks a bit in the rain, but not too bad. I've run synthetic Mobil 1 in it since I've had it, changed the oil every 5,000 miles. I have a new owner's manual that will come with it. All the windows and lights work. The car fires right up even in the cold. It has a block heater, but I've never tried it out. Some oil leaks are present, but the steering and drivetrain don't leak at all. The car is located in Upland, CA. I'm asking $1,000, or best offer. Email me at mbtech208@yahoo.com if interested.

[mbtech208]

I put it on eBay, if anybody wants to bid on it. Very low reserve.

[additions by Admin]
Ends Mar-20-07 21:49:06 PDT
Location: Upland, CA

Car & Driver's article is here.


[/end additions]

[asavage]

You weren't kidding about the low reserve!

Good to see you have two bidders, with 6+ days to go. Bodes well.

I wish eBay hadn't gone to that anonymous bidder crap. "Bidder1", "Bidder2".

[glenlloyd]

I wish eBay hadn't gone to that anonymous bidder crap. "Bidder1", "Bidder2".

Neither do I, and in fact I sent them an email claiming that they were subverting market information by not allowing people to voice concerns to those who were bidding, similar to a private auction.

Someone quite a while back was selling a jetta that obviously wasn't a diesel to begin with, the VIN wasn't appropriate for the car. Seller claimed it was a German VW and the VIN suggested Puebla Mexico as the origin and that it came with a 1.8 gasser motor. He only sold with private auctions and I bitched at Ebay that their private auctions actually allowed people to sell questionable things without anyone interfering. He didn't announce in the auction that the car had been converted.

steve a

[asavage]

Sold for $760.

[mbtech208]

Sold to a man in Los Angeles, who plans to take it to his home country of Belize.

[goglio704]

It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of these cars have gone to Mexico or further south. Diesels are just more appreciated outside of the US. I have to wonder how many of diesel Maximas still exist in the US.