Orlando filmmaker Luke Aker accomplished a rare feat in the used car sales world.
The 26-year-old persuaded the vehicle's manufacturer to purchase a 17-year-old car by making a 1-minute, tongue in cheek video ad that went viral.
Nissan USA paid $1,400 for the 1996 Nissan Maxima and gave $1,000 to the Wounded Warriors Project, Aker's chosen charity, The Orlando Sentinel reported.
The video, which has racked up more than a million views on YouTube, pans the ageing car and touts its many features--a British-esque voiceover describes the vehicle as "fully loaded with an engine, wheels, tires and an automatic transmission."
Aker, who heads his own Ikonik Films production company, purchased the car two years ago from a man in Kentucky. He described it as "in pretty decent condition" when he first bought it, although the front bumper has since been damaged when his ex-girlfriend rear-ended another vehicle.
In the ad gone viral, the sedan is lauded as something that will "get you from point A to B ... most of the time."
Aker, who also created print and Craigslist ads trying to sell the car, said he was shocked when the video became a hit.
"I never once expected it would be this big," he said. "I was surprised when it hit 6,000 views on YouTube."
While the ad was originally posted on YouTube on Sept. 29, it didn't start getting hundreds of thousands of views until this week.
Aker said it was "stuck around 12,000 views" until Monday.
"The funny thing about it was that I still hadn't sold the car," he said.
Nissan USA contacted Aker on Twitter, and later a senior communications specialist talked to him with the offer.
"It was just too good to pass up," Aker said. "I think he enjoyed the video as much as anyone else did."
He selected the Wounded Warriors Project as "the right thing to do" and a way to honor people close to him who have served.
"My grandfather served and I've worked with a lot of veterans and have friends that served and are still serving," he explained. "I felt that was the best way to show that I appreciated their work overseas. Serving, I think, is the least selfish thing someone can do."
Aker is borrowing his sister's car until he can buy a new one.
Nissan is looking for options with the 1996 Maxima, which has uncertain mileage due to a busted odometer.
"The sticker from my last oil change said 166,000," Akera said.
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