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Nissan Maxima

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    pbhattipbhatti Member Posts: 87
    On courtesyparts.com they have the filter for $44.95 and instructions on how to install it.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Another factor that hurts the Max is that some rental fleets are now stocking them. That hurts the resale of any car.
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    nabinabi Member Posts: 15
    Hi, all. I got a 03 Max SE auto for my wife today. It looks sharp, and she likes it. We tried Altima 2.5, but interior was not impressive. GXE base was our first choice, but empty space for fog lamps was killer. Dealer was asking $300 for the lamps. After all, we settled with SE by paying $650 over GXE base. This is what I got.
    SE auto, trunk mat, floor mats, splash guards
    MSRP: $26,456
    Paid: $22,500 +tax($1,125), tag&title($136), processing fee($25)
    I had gap insurance($299). $0 down, $0 payment for 90days, 2.9%APR for 60 months...
    Did I do OK with the purchase?

    The dealer also recommended Nissan's extened warranty, but I did not make decision on it. Is it any better than ones from 3rd party warranty companies?
    How do you think?

    Any way, I hope it would not cause any problem.
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    garnold1garnold1 Member Posts: 11
    With all the super financing deals (0 down, 0 for 60 months) consumers are trading in their autos and purchasing new. This effects the resale value on all cars. Let's face it. There is a GLUT of preowned cars of all types on the market right now. Take your pick and get a super deal - whether its brand new and totally interest free, or slightly owned with thousands to be had in savings. But don't make your choice based on resale value! Find the car you love and you won't worry about parting with it.
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    hollenhorst2hollenhorst2 Member Posts: 51
    Thanks for your reply and the links. I looked at the installation instructions. Considering the part itself sells discounted at $45, $27 for professional installation isn't unreasonable. Looks like you have to fiddle with the airbag wires, which I sure wouldn't want to mess up, so I'll probably have the dealer do it. Thanks again.
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    habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Sounds like you got a great deal - that works out to about $1,200 under invoice, if my math is correct. I'm assuming your price included the $1,000 rebate??

    Interesting that you got 0 options. That's how I justified getting my 1995 SE 5-speed over an Altima when I was on a tight budget. Only option I got was anti-lock brakes (since became standard) at a whopping $1,000. But they've paid for themselves by avoiding a few encounters with idiot drivers. I don't think I've seen more than one or two other SE's without a sunroof since I bought mine.

    As for the extended warranty, I personally advise against it. Finally, at 8 years and 130k+ miles, I've had two repair items - water pump ($550) and starter ($420). But, prior to that I had absolutely nothing go that would have been covered by an extended warranty. It seems from others I've talked to that the Maxima is about as reliable as they come and if some occasional fluke doesn't pop up in the first 3 years or 36k miles, your'e probably good for another 100k after that.
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    I got the same price on my '03 SE (Dark Gray) w/Frost Leather. However, my interest rate is 3.9%, so you got a better deal on your financing than me.

    What color did you get?

    Enjoy the ride.
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    nabinabi Member Posts: 15
    habitat1,
    It includes $1000 rebate. It had 90 miles on odo. That made me a little bit uncomfortable, but I took the car with free 3 oil changes.
    I wanted 6-speed, but it's for my wife. I got SE over GXE, but AUTO.
    Regarding the extended warranty, I'll see how my max runs for next a year or two. Thanks for your input.

    nissangirl,
    It seems that you got a better deal. I got 03 SE auto w/o leather for the money. The color is sterling mist exterior/black interior (basically gray with black interior). We like soft feel of interior fabric.
    I have not had any purchase with loan before. I guess using my credit card on everything might have helped my credit score. Well, I don't even know what my score is. I just took the APR since I was told I was quaified.

    When I testdrove SE, I did not have bumpy road. My wife may not like harder ride. Do our OEM tires play positve or negative role on a bit noisy ride? How do you guys like your Bridgestone RE92 tires?

    Thanks.
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    sglatorsglator Member Posts: 20
    http://www.nissannews.com/ - go to "Nissan Releases Photo of All-New 2004 Nissan Maxima"


    Just the pix:


    http://www.nissannews.com/events/autoshows/nissan/2003detroit/maximafull.jpg

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    jimxojimxo Member Posts: 423
    The new Maxima is not for me. I'm glad I just purchased my new Lexus GS430.


    http://www.freshalloy.com/site/cars/nissan/2004/maxima/preview/home.shtml

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    nabinabi Member Posts: 15
    What grade of gas should I use for the car? Premium (93), regular (87), or middle one (91)? The owner's manual says regular (octane rating 87) is OK, but my dealer said I should go for premium (93). Am I missing something? Thanks.
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    brydymondbrydymond Member Posts: 41
    I have heard mixed reviews on the fuel economy on the car. How do you find it in real world situations?
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    riptideriptide Member Posts: 12
    Looks like a Saturn ION...
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    Just my personal preference, but I have always used 93 octane in all 4 of my Maxima's. I'm sure you can use less grade, but I've never had a problem using the higher 93. I'm sure others will feel differently.

    Mileage, so far I'm getting 21 miles per gallon in the city. I have not yet taken it on a road trip yet, as it is still a new born, so I don't know what kind of highway miles I will get.
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    habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Nissangirl:

    So you got a brand new 2003 SE w/ leather package for $22.5k? Isn't that about $2,500 under invoice? Or, $1,500 under plus $1,000 rebate. And you still got a good financing rate?

    Makes me think that $2,500 under invoice for a fully loaded SE 6-speed with no financing (cash sale) might be possible. Your thoughts?

    Nabi:

    I'd second nissangrirl and go with premium. I have 132k miles on my 1995 SE and it's only used a total of 5,519 gallons (average 23.97 mpg) at a gas cost of $7,847. Assuming I saved 10-15 cents a gallon on regular, that's only $550-800 over 8 years, ASSUMING no reduction in gas milage. Drop the mpg by 1.5 and there goes the savings, not to mention the performance.
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    nabinabi Member Posts: 15
    Thank you for input on gas grade.

    Does finance make difference on sale price of the car? If I remember correctly, Nissan offers 0.9% for 30mths /2.9% for 60 AND $1000 rebate on Maxima.
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    kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    is that possible?
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    No, I got my '03 SE, Titanium Pkg., w/leather for $26,400 and 3.9%. Where did $22,500 come from anyway??
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    kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    nabi said MSRP of 26,500 but he paid 22.5k.. there's the confusion....
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    anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    $26,400 out-the-door I hope? These are in the Atlanta paper for $22,000 and a few months back we were at the Nissan dealer and they were almost begging us to take a loaded 6-speed Maxima for $22,000 or so with the special financing they had at the time.
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    habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Not challenging your credibility, but if what you say is true, post the name and number of the dealership (and contact if you have one).

    A "loaded" 2003 model SE 6-speed (w/o navigation, but most everthing else) has an MSRP of about $30,500 and an invoice of roughly $27,300. With the current $1,000 rebate, a price of $26,300 +/- seems possible, but much less than that is unlikely.

    Perhaps your $22k quote was for a leftover 2002 demo, and/or didn't include a lot of gothchas like freight, processing fees and advertising fees. I have a friend who recently moved to Atlanta area and is looking to get a Maxima SE Titanium edition. He was quoted a better price (by $400) from my dealer - VOB Nissan in Rockville Maryland, than the several bonifide quotes from Atlanta dealers he checked with. He has also indicated that sleeze is cheap among car dealers in Atlanta and bait and switch is a frequent occurance. He, like I was, is a no BS cash buyer. If you have a dealer reference, please post it. I'll pass it on along with a suggestion of a bottle of ____ as a finders fee for you.
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    My sticker was $29,744, I was sold the car for $26,400.
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    tylercntylercn Member Posts: 2
    I am about to change my tires on my 2K max, from the original tires. I am looking for any reccomendations that anyone might have about what tires I should look into buying. I hate the Bridgestone Potenza's that came stock and am looking for something that handles a little better in we weather, that not going to break the bank. A colleague has reccomended Kumho Supra 712's although I would have to size up to 235/45/17's. Any feedback would be appreciated.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    To me, it looks like the result of a one-night stand between an Altima and a Saturn ION. Very swoopy, and not too bad actually.
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    kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    anonymousposts, i suspect that you dont own a maxima... if you did, u would know that there is no way you could get a loaded se anywhere UNDER 25k. for 22k? i dont think so....

    I suspect that the dealership u went to.. claimed it was "loaded" when it was basically a base SE which WOULD go for around 22k... haven't u seen big signs with the word "LOADED" on cars on dealer lots that weren't actually LOADED?
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    On my previous Max ('00 SE) I put Dunlop SP Sports. They are great, feels like you are actually hugging the road. They looked good, a bit wider than the Potenza's, and are designed to run at high speeds for the Maxima. BUT, they were a bit too loud for me. Personally I will look for something a bit more quiet, but overall, they were really good tires.
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    blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    I've got Kumho Supras on my Jetta. very grippy tires. They're not very confidence inspiring in wet weather conditions but on dry pavement they're great performers (and cheap!).
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    cho7819cho7819 Member Posts: 20
    They are selling base SE's Brand New for $20,999 - www.quirknissan.com
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    habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Quirk Nissan just now. Unfortunately they don't have (and aren't getting) any loaded 6-speed titanium packages. Don't get many 6-speeds period. When I pointed out that the advertised price for a base SE appeared to be $2,600 under invoice, the sales manager, Mike Quirk responded that indeed it was and they get additional volume incentives and are therefore willing to discount some base cars substantially.

    If you are interested in a base automatic SE and live near Boston, it may be a good deal for you.

    P.S. He confirmed what I've heard locally - that there won't be many more 2003's produced in anticipation of the new model, due out in April. I think I'll just wait it out and continue to enjoy my 1995 Maxima and 2002 S2000.
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    mney6mney6 Member Posts: 116
    20,999 plus hold-back,freight,marketing assesment.
    Have a hard time reading the fine print though.
    These are screamer ads.
    Look at the ad for 2002 Maxima's with 8138 discount.
    Great deal until the fine print mention's that it is used.
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    regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    okay Nissan...show us the 2004 Max INTERIOR too. Hope its not freaky like the Murano or cheap like the Altima.

    BTW.......discuss........2003 max vs. 2003 Mazda 6. Loaded versions each w/ man. tranny.

    I would guess right now the prices are close, out the door. The max MIGHT even be cheaper.

    horsepower war....max is the winner. Handling, most likely the 6.

    Styling.....pick em.

    I would love to get either......cmon guys, you want the Max and 260hp? or the 6 with crisper handling?
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    anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    loaded to me is with a sunroof and Bose. It didn't have leather. The dealer was Team Nissan in Lithia Springs GA. There ads are in the paper every weekend.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I always thought "loaded" referred to a car having every option on the sheet available except for named ones?
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    anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    loaded is a relative term. Leather to me doesn't make a car loaded. Power everything, roof, bose, 17" wheels. That's pretty loaded. Only option it was missing was the leather.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    What about navigation, the Meridian Pkg., traction control, heated seats/steering wheel?
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    anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    I think most people could tell by the price that the Max I was offered didn't have all of those options. It did have the Titanium package. MSRP on the car was $28,087. It was a 2002 and I was looking at it somewhere around April or May. I actually went to drive the Altima but the guy was trying hard to sell us on the Max.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    You know what they say about assuming... :)
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    anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    Maybe he was full of you know what but after seeing the ads for Maxima's around here I tend to think that I could've gotten it for $22,000 without much fuss.
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    vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Well you should be able to get an 02 for that. It's a year old already, and the Max's resale (or any car's now, for that matter) isn't all that great.
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    92drexel92drexel Member Posts: 153
    I'm trying to decide whether or not to trade my 2000 in for a loaded (every option 'cept navi) '03 SE TE (sticker is around $30.5).

    The numbers look good (around 2k under invoice) and special financing (2.9 or 3.9 - I forget which) that'll actually lower my car payment. However I'll be picking up another 2 years of payments (if I decide to keep the '03 that long).

    The pros outweigh the cons, but I'm reluctant to pull the trigger. I like the look of the '04 (from the one pic), but I'm definately not buying a 1st year model again (too many TSB issues with my '00) and I'm sure the price will be mid 30's and they won't deal too much on the price (maybe 500 over invoice in a few months...but definately not the same deal on the '03 for a while anyway).

    Decisions, decisions.

    Habitat:

    I saw the funniest thing yesterday and thought about you. I was digging my car out from the 8 inches of snow we got yesterday, and I look up my street and see this little car driving about 5 miles/hour fish tailing back and forth. He proceeds to get stuck right in front of my house. I look at the car and he's driving a Honda S2000 in a snowstorm! I thought that was hilarious! Those things have what...1" of ground clearance? I hope he made it wherever he was going.
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    kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    u could get a loaded 03 se 2000 under invoice? i assume that's with the 1000 rebate... so 1000 under invoice plus 1000 rebate... would it be safe to say.. u could get an SE for 25K plus tax and license? 25 for a SE with everything including leather, bose, meridian, titanium package is a great deal....

    tylercn.... i am in the same boat as you... 2k maxima looking for replacement tires.. i have the gle 16in 5 spoke wheels... i've researched the kumho's, dunlops sport a2's, and the michelin mvx+'s....... i've decided on the dunlops and i think u should too.... kumho's are inexpensive..but are 3 season tires.. u would definitely need snow tires or all season tires if u encounter snow. i was thinking bout going this route..but since these are hi performance tires, they wouldnt last me that long.. maybe 20k miles vs getting 35k on the proxies.. dunlops do everything well.. kinda sporty, kinda comfy.... great traction... the michelin mvx4+ are touring tires... they give u good mileage, but not very good in terms of handling for a maxima.. it's good enough for an accord.. oem tires for them... although, mercedes C and E classes use those MVX4+ as OEM tires too..they're very quiet but very expensive...125 at bj's and more at other places. im waitin for after christmas to get me the dunlops since they get great reviews on tirerack and from people on this forum.. good luck on your choice.. let us know what you get.
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    habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Thanks for the laugh. We got about 6" of snow in DC and the only vehicle that's been used in our household is the Isuzu Trooper. I'm sure the Max would do fine, but haven't needed to try, thanks to the wimpy school cancellation policy around here. The S2000 is firmly in "park".

    I also saw something funny going downtown Thursday morning for a doctor's appointment. Connecticut Avenue was pretty empty and still had a fair amount of snow on it. A guy dressed in a business suit and bow tie was trying to go up a very slight grade in a Jaguar XKR (convertible, no less). From the looks of it, his back wheels were occilating between quick bursts of 0 to 100 mph while the car was moving at a nice steady 1.5 mph, but more sideways than forward. So much for traction control in the hands of a novice. I should have offered to trade him vehicles - he looked like he was ready to deal, but probably not the type that would know how to drive a 5-speed.

    Your 2003 Maxima deal sounds very tempting. I think the real question I would be asking is, can you see yourself being happy with a 2003 Maxima for the next 5+ years. If so, I'd go for it. It's a significant upgrade and a hell of a deal. On the other hand, if you think that in a couple of years you might be envying the new 2004 model (or something else), I'd probably advise keeping the 2000, and not get hit with another new car depreciation. I also generally agree with your assessment of the new Maxima. I suspect that it will be repositioned to be more expensive (both MSRP and lack of early discounts), perhaps pushing towards G35 territory. At that price, and as a rear wheel drive car, I'd be cross shopping with a lot of other cars including European Delivery BMW's. But at $25k+/- for a loaded 2003 Titanium edition SE (6-speed?), there is NO close competition and probably never will be at under $30k+.
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    kennyg5kennyg5 Member Posts: 360
    We had about 6-7 inches of snow here yesterday also. My new Max handled the roads quite readily, with its 17 inch tires, ABS and trac. control. This is my first car with trac. control and I think is a worthwhile option. The indicator kept blinking on and off to indicate the system is functioning as it should. Oh ... I almost forgot mentioning the heated steering wheel and seats (so cozy).

    I did not see any Honda 2000 on my way so I not think of Habitat :-), but I did see a lot of small cars struggling and fishtailing, particularly when they tried to go up a grade. IMHO, small sporty cars are good for the summer, but they are horrible in the winter snow.

    Apparently, the way Nissan sells the 03 Max (at rock bottom prices) is to make room for the brand new 04 Max. If you are like me (one that doesn't like to be treated as a guinea pig for first year production cars), you better open your wallet quickly and snap up these great deals when there are sufficient colors and trim levels to choose from. Go for the "fully loaded" Max(except for the nav. That seems the only and right way to go; you are getting a lot but not paying a lot. Forget about resale value because you will be able to keep your 03 Max for at least six to seven years, at which point, depreciation and resale factors are pretty much moot.
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    garnold1garnold1 Member Posts: 11
    "Loaded" to me means nothing less than leather, along with sunroof, bose, climate control, heated seats and whatever extras Max came out with for that model year.

    By the way, I have 2 Nissans sitting in my garage purchased from those "sleazy" Atlanta dealers. Watch out how you talk to us hillbillies!
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    dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    My dealer has informed me that the production line for 5th generation Maxima's has been shut down. He can't tell me what it's being retooled to build but apparently the 5th Generation Maxima production is complete. (Read saelection on the great deals on 2003's will only deteriorate from here!)

    Anyone have any ideas (heard any rumors) about what might be coming off the old Maxima Production line in Japan?

    I'm curious simply because of the relative high quality of the cars built there over the last 20 years.
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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    Since they didn't produce too many of the '03's, do you think they may be classic's one day?
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    dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    nissangirl, based on the photo (and the projected pricing)of the new 2004, you maybe right!

    I'm seriously thinking about starting to shop for a loaded 2003 GLE/SE just because of the new 6th generation's looks and the fact that it'll no longer be made in Japan.

    Problem is my 95GLE and my 00SE are both still in great condition (195,000 and 112,000 miles respectively).

    Maybe a 2003 test drive would help me make up my mind! I probably should add another garage spot to the house first. (But then maybe a 350Z would look better in that spot:-)
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    greddygtrgreddygtr Member Posts: 54
    I couldn't believe that picture of the rear end of the 04 Maxima that I saw on Motortrend. I can see that Nissan wants to use the 350Z as a halo car but trying to imitate the back of the Z on a Maxima just doesn't work. It appeared that Nissan designers were on an exterior styling roll with the Altima, G35 coupe/sedan and Z, but the new Maxima just looks like a horrifyingly shrunken Lincoln Town Car from the back.
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    92drexel92drexel Member Posts: 153
    I think they are saying that the invoice price of the SE TE is $27.5ish so that would make it around $25.5ish before taxes.


    But, I'm starting to love the look of the '04 (though I'll likely wait until '05 before buying). Here's the latest spy shots of the '04 I came across...


    http://www.freshalloy.com/site/cars/nissan/2004/maxima/spy/home.shtml


    That looks pretty good! I'm dying to see a frontal shot!

    Horsepower at least comparable to a 350Z?!? Wow!

    Also, is that a 3.5L tag on the trunk? I wonder if that means it can be had with another engine?

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    nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    I'm glad I got my '03.
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