Ok, here's the senario. I'm looking at getting a promotion at work, so the budget will open up quite a bit. And my wife is suggesting that if I do get the promotion that I start looking for a new car. (She thinks I'll need something more dependable.) And with my Max having 165k on the original tranny, VTC's starting to act up on me, in need of cv boots replaced, still a massive oil leak. I guess I can't justify dumping another 3 grand + on my Max that cost me $2000.00. But I was wanting to get you guy's opinion. Since I work at a bank I can get my financing with employee rates. What would you do?

Keep my Max, pick up a newer Max (4th or 5th gen with low miles) or move on to another fast four door car. (ie: WRX) My dad is a car sellsman so I can get a really good deal, just have to send someone out to the auction.

My only requirement is that it must be a 4 door car. (Have to with a little one, and one on the way.)


All opinions welcome!!!!!!

 

Really up to you I'm also battling this every now and then with my car (well kind of... cant really afford a newer car).

You could always sell it and get another VE with out the monkeys, or you could just mod it until theres nothing left to replace, that should eliminate the problem.

You seem to like the car, I'd keep it. Plus no one on here wants to see another 3rd gen leave . Plus I really like the wheels and the E36's look really good too!

 

if i was having that much trouble and could pick up a subie wrx i myself would. those things can be fun as hell and awd is the greatest.

 

if i was in your position, i would hands down get an audi s4 (amazing car). if that wasnt in my budget i wouldn't buy anything but a maxima. theres my $.02

 

if you cant do your own mantainece it might be in your best intrest to look for a much lower milage car. I mean i love my car but ive had a ton of problems with it mainly do to my agresive driving and i really dont mind fixing them because most only cost 50 or 100$ in parts but if i had to pay someone to do the work i would no longer have the max

 

I can do some matainece, but transmission rebuild and VTC rebuild/replace are out of my league. And from what I understand to rebuild my tranny I would be looking at about $2000 and vts's around a $1000.

I'm thinging a car with lower milage wouldl be a really good thing, but yeah I do love my Max.

 

If you can afford a newer car and you love the maxima why not just buy a 5th gen SE. They are fantastic cars to drive and they have so much more power, and you get the dependability of a Nissan.
If not and your into the whole power thing more than the reliability go for the WRX but if you do change over please get the STI no reason to change to the WRX and get a 227hp car when you can get a 255hp Maxima.

 

Well the 2002-03 Maximas with 255 hp would be nice, but I think they would be hard to find for less than 14K or 15K, and we are talking ex HERTZ rentals. 00 and 01 seem to be coming off various leases. 97-99 would be really good in my mind.

 

my next car

 

I've thought about a 2002 se, my dad has one now at his dealership that has 22k on it and the sticker on it is 16,000, which I could get for consideralbly less. But I'm not buying at this moment, just weighting my options. The more I think about it, it makes me want to keep my 94, because if I go with anything with a car payment, I will have to sacrifice modding.

 

well at some point you will be able to stop fixing stuff (like me, there really not much wrong with my car now but Ive spent alot on replacing stuff and upgrading if possible.) but now Im in between 15 and 20k so I cant really sell the car and make any money so I might as well keep it and just fix it when it needs to be fixed, but its definately dependable, I could drive this car to cali and back with no problems.

 

i would just keep the car if i were you. you say you've got 3000 of maintenance to take care of. that's likely to be a down payment for the new car. plus add monthly car payments and an increase to your car insurance. when you add it all up whether you get a good deal or not on the new car it's goning to cost you more in the long run. the only reason to get a new car in your situation would be because you were tired of driving the max. but you're obviously attached to the maxima like everyone else here so you'd be better off maintaining it and saving yourself money in the long run.
for myself i've got issues with keeping the car rust free...which ain't easy in toronto. i have no problem maintaining the engine and tranny and other electrical/mechanical parts. but if the body goes...you're talking serious money!!!it's up to you...but i'm with everyone else in saying that you should keep the max.

 

Keep it. It'll be just as fast as the WRX at a fraction of the cost.

$5k total invested in a Maxima is not that much either. I paid $4k for my car, but everything works fine. I'll probably have the car for much, much longer too.

Once you get your car running right, handling right (talk to Matt), and looking right (get rid of the WRX style wheel gap), you'll be glad that you did.

 

Keep the car.
Fix the trans, do axles at the same time.
Ground the VTCs temporarily
and you'll be able to avoid the car payment.
Plus you'll be able to do more mods.
Any one know where to get Beefed up CV axles for the MAX?
I'm gonna need em :evil:

 

Personally if I had a good, stable income I would be inclined to keep the 3rd Gen and just use that as a hobby/weekend car and insure it that way. I guess how much insurance costs factors in too....

Then I'd get a second car to use every day and for commuting. It would be reliable and a bit more economical, and I wouldn't have any mod plans for it.

I wouldn't really think about dumping my Max unless it had multiple serious problems with it or the body was rotting out from under me. Up to a point, you can repair or even pay to have a car repaired to fix problems and make it drive almost like new without spending as much money as just buying a newer car to replace it.

My $0.02...

 

Dave...

 

When life smiles upon you, take the chance... buy yourself a 5th gen (5 or 6 speed, PLEASE!), or a Scooby.. you won't be upset afterwards. those cars are miles ahead in the technology, especially in the WRX suspension and engine.
The Max has a good engine, but the interior and customer service are crap I guess if you're buying used it won't matter much what nissan service says, but still..

 

First of all, that is one hell of a good looking MAX. The only way I could get rid of it was to find it a good home and get a newer MAX. Or get anew MAX and keep the old MAX as a project car. Fixing it slowly for one of the kids and an emergency car.