Kill two birds with one stone. The buyer of the 1987 Nissan Maxima Wagon listed here on eBay can have the best of both worlds. This pristine suburban family hauler can be your grocery-getter and also be a driver that turns heads with its period-correct appearance and just plain cool vibe.
Currently located in New Jersey, it spent most of its life on the west coast. As a result, it is unbedeviled by the rust that typically besets 1980s Nissans. Practical to the extreme, the rear hatch opens to a huge cargo bay, plenty spacious for trips to Costco and runs to the local home center for DIY supplies.
The view inside through the moonroof reveals a spotless interior in the button-ed and poofy upholstery style popular at the time. This is a heavily optioned car, with power everything and the original stereo cassette with equalizer sliders still in place. It has that early video-game-design-theme, bringing remembrances of Friday nights at the pizza parlor playing Pac Man. For a short period around the time, this car was new, a cumbersome seat belt setup was used. The motorized shoulder belt is separate from the lap belt, traveling on a track when the door is opened. These became notoriously finicky as the system aged, and the buyer should ask about its functionality.
The 3.0L 157 hp V-6 engine is spotless. Producing 157 hp, this workhorse was used widely across the 1987 Nissan line, and with upgrades along the way proved dependable was used for many years.
Backing up the nearly perfect condition of the car is a plethora of service and maintenance records. The seller provides copies of numerous service tickets from a Nissan dealer in Medford, including CV axle replacement, valve cover and oil pan gasket replacement, replacement of the rear main seal, new starter, etc., etc. The Michelin tires are nearly new and have traveled less than 1,000 miles. With only 79,000 miles, this wagon has been meticulously maintained and the new owner can expect years of additional service.
Some young man wishing to enter the car hobby on the cheap, and still drive an interesting vehicle while meeting the needs of his family should take a look at this one. With station wagons gaining traction in the hobby, and with Asian cars becoming legitimate collectibles, this would be a great way to join the fun and still be a good dad at the same time.
I owned a 1987 Maxima SE 5 speed sedan in college. Loved that car, after several cross country trips sold it with 165k on it and everything still worked. It had manual seatbelts, not motorized. The talking voice always suprised people.
I liked these. The new design in 89 was a better car though. “4 door sports car” we had a bulletproof 94
Had the ’85 sedan version of this with the 5 speed manual. Bought it off an aunt in ’91 or ’92 with 187k on it and beat the holy hell out of that car. And it would not die. Used it as an off road vehicle, took it places in muddy fields even guys in Jeeps wouldn’t venture. Mistakenly let my brother drive it one night after drinking, and he pulled a Dukes of Hazzard move in it and jumped it off a 5 foot cliff at a lake. Ripped the exhaust off from the rear axle to the bumper. We welded on a Ducati motorcycle muffler in it’s place. Sounded like an angry weed eater. Sold it five years later to my sister in law, still running great and she promptly hit a rock with the oil pan, poked a hole in it, and seized the engine, after owning it all of three days. Will never forget the good times had in that car, and it has made sure I’ve kept Nissan’s in my stable for years because of their durability.
Automatic. No thanks. Beautiful car though.
I miss the 80’s. Except for the mullets.
Had a 93 Maxima from 93 to 2003. Never a problem with motorized seat belts or anything else. Loved the automatic seat belts. Traded car off after 10 years and 250,000 miles. Still ran like new.
Rarely do we see these in any color that isn’t brown or silver. This red metallic seals the deal!
Jerry Seinfeld on his Netflix show drove one of these that had a floor shift and a souped up V8 engine!………custom built, obviously.
They all came with very loaded up as standard equipment. Previous model with rear wheel drive and the inline six was a better car. We had 4 of them for salesman’s vehicles. One stick and the rest autos. My brother rolled the stick version on the highway to Big Bear. Rolled all the way over and didn’t even break a window. Drove it back down the mountain. Wrecked his new skis though.
Oddly enough I remember seeing this car around town when it was still in Medford. Lithia owns a lot or dealerships around here.
Damn. I’d convert it to a stick shift (I’m Aussie, we all drive stick) and I’d daily drive that baitch. They were a great car back in the day (I was there) and seeing one in such good nick is stellar.