Alright guys, this spring break, I'm going down to Florida from Indiana and I wanted to know what I should do to prepare the Maxima for the long trip? I'm already going to change the oil, tranny fluid, wipers, wax the whole car with a little bit extra on the front end, new spark plugs and wires, etc. Any other suggestions?

An off topic question: I have a VG and I always use premium gas in it. Never have switched back and forth since I've changed from unleaded. Would it hurt the car to now switch back to unleaded? Because, I'm only 18 years old working at the local Discount Tire, so premium gas for a 11 year old car is becoming a bit too much for me? Thanks a lot!

 

take with / or replace all belts and hoses

 

Shoot, I wouldn't run premium. I can't even afford anything better than 89, and I've got a VE! Car should run like a top on 87! Happy travels.

Check your tires and spare, for wear and pressure (but you work in this, so this is duh). Get it aligned if it needs it--I got 2+ MPG after alignment.

Uhhhhh. . .that's about it if your hoses and such are in good shape.

 

I hate to say this, but have you changed your timing belt fairly recently?

I don't think I'd drive farther than a couple hundred miles on a car with an old timing belt. That's just me, though. Others are more adventurous than I.

Man, you work for a tire shop and you still don't have some rims on that thing? j/k I can't believe you haven't been able to scoop up some newer Maxima/Altima/G35 take offs!

Have fun in Florida, just don't drink and drive. Or get arrested for peeing in public, either.

 

your a VG, you dont need to run premium. Seriously, the manual says so. Besides I've got 87 octane in my VE right now.

As for the road trip, I just carry around some sockets and a wrench. (10, 12, 14, shallow and deep, an 3" and 8 or 10 (I forget what the actual length is) extension and spark plug socket, racheting wrench, then 17, 19, 21 sockets, a breaker bar, vice grips or an adjustable wrench, screw drivers, a box cutter, some electrical tape, and a few zip ties). I just have them in a card board box with Mopar written on the side of it (from a water pump install I did). heheheh

 

Alright guys, thanks for all of the info. Yes, I know it's been a while and I still don't have any decent takeoffs, but I work at a Discount Tire in a kind of rough area? So, we see more 20's than Maxima's! lol But, yes my timing belt and water pump were just recently replaced a couple of months ago. And, no I won't drink and drive. And I've already learned my lesson about peeing in public!! lol

So, would it hurt my car to switch back to unleaded?

 

shouldn't hurt ur car at all. I had to do the same thing when I was broke for a couple of months. Ran just fine.

 

Ok, sounds good. Because, IIRC, someone was saying that it's bad for the ECU because the ECU isn't used to the unleaded when it is switched over?

 

nope the car was originally programmed to run on 87 the timing was set to run on 87 also from the factory. it wont harm the car at all...

 

BUT, it says for optimum performance use 91 on the VG motor