Nissan details Craigslist 1996 Maxima restoration

Wed, 19 Nov 2014

Fully restored video: Craigslist 1996 Nissan Maxima completed

Video chronicles rebuilding Maxima to its former glory

1996 Nissan Maxima: Luxury Restored – Luke Aker's Story

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – "Luxury" has been restored in the 1996 Nissan Maxima originally discovered in a viral Sept. 2013 Craigslist ad. Following months of major reconstructive surgery, Nissan rejuvenated the vehicle back to its original condition and has responded to the advertisement with a tongue-in-cheek video of its own, highlighting the "finer points" of the near two-decade old Maxima. The new video, entitled "Luxury Restored," is now available for viewing on the Nissan YouTube channel.

Late last year, 1996 Maxima owner Luke Aker posted his car on Craigslist for the reasonable price of $1,400. To cut through the clutter, Aker created an outstanding one-minute film, presenting the "finer points" of his sedan. Clever camera work paired with a dramatic soundtrack made for an overnight viral success. Nissan saw the ad and quickly jumped at the chance to buy such a gem.

Shortly after taking possession of the car, Nissan placed the fate of the car in the hands of its social media following. The votes were tallied and the fans decided that a complete restoration was in order, as well as a prominent display at Nissan's North American headquarters in Tennessee.

"This Craigslist ad was hilarious and incredibly well done, so we jumped at the opportunity to pick it up and have some fun with it," said Erich Marx, Nissan Director of Interactive and Social Media Marketing. "Thanks to an overwhelming response from the online community, we decided to do a full restoration to the vehicle, ultimately resulting in this playful video."

Aker worked with Nissan to create the new "Luxury Restored" video, which follows the original theme closely with dramatic shots and even a British narrator – which of course adds instant credibility to any advertisement. Like Aker's Craigslist video, unique selling points are highlighted including "built-in navigation" (folding maps), "an all-new media entertainment center" (a tape deck) and "state-of-the art external lane-departure indicators" (turn signals). The video closes with the factory-fresh 1996 Maxima ready for its next, extraordinary adventure.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (USD 105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

By Jonathon Ramsey