Well, my maxima is getting on in years, she's up to 211k miles now and I'm hoping to get another 60k out of her before I have to say goodbye. So, having an upcoming trip of 500 miles and a few extra bucks sitting in my wallet I decided to take it to the auto shop on base.

My plan was to replace both CV axles (thev'e been bad for 70k miles), water pump, timing belt, accessory belts, ac pully, seals, and finally the water hoses. The auto shop was able to do all of this for right around $700 dollars parts and labor. It took them two days but the work they did was great and the mechanics were always friendly.

Of note, my engine no longer pings like it used to, either the previous shop (an auto shop from my old community college) put the timing belt on improperly or the belt had stretched.

So, to those of you who can take advantage of your friendly auto shop on base, it's not a bad idea to check them out.

 

i think if the car has been well maintained you should be able to keep her for more than another 60k, unless you have plans of upgrading. and thanks for all your service, we owe you.

 

Im over at Randolph AFB San Antonio Texas, and they wouldnt do any work like that for me. My 92 SE has 229k and is running about the same as it always has except for the VTC problem. Let me know how long yours lasts

 

he's got a GXE...hence no VTC

 

Thanx for the insight, I didn't know that they did all of that, I'll have to go check'm out.

 

You're lucky, I NEVER go to mine... especially considering I'm a mechanic myself for the AF.

I've had too many run-ins with the "mechanics" there. I've been to the shop here a total of 5 times, once for my car. and here's my nice experiences.

1st... my friend's Sentra broke a stud bolt. So I pulled off the wheel, pressed the old studs out, pressed the new ones in, and slapped it together. While trying to reinstall the hub, the guy bugs me that I didn't need to clean the bearings.

2nd... Hooked up a friend's Neon underglow kit. The "mechanic" there tried telling me that the spot I was installing was a bad spot for the front end. Wouldn't you know it, it lasted the longest out of all 4 bulbs, the only 1 not to get busted up by rocks (my friend installed the rest on his own)

3rd... My friend's Sentra needed new brakes. So I went to pull off the wheels, and the guy in the cage complained I had to get a specific impact socket "because we had to for his tranny" ONLY because the only impact socket they had that would fit my friend's rims was a 3/8" drive, and they only had 1/2" drive impacts. So I was threatened that if I broke their Craftsman Adaptor, and Snap-on socket I would have to pay for them. I refused and told him to kiss it. That if a the adaptor broke I would drive to Sears and get a new one, and if the socket broke, they had more problems then they knew of.

4th... My own car for my brembo slots. My Right front rotor was frozen solid on the hub. So I took a hammer to it. I didn't care, I had a new brembo slots. But the "mechanic" came over and started crying about it. Luckily, the guy who runs the cage also worked in our Body Shop. So he just told the guy to go on about his business, and let me work.

5th... while I was deployed, my Max's alternator went out, I knew exactly what the problem was because it was whining when my lights were on before I left. So I knew it didn't have much longer. It died at the gate and they towed it to the auto skills center, and they charged my wife $7 to tell her it was the alternator, after I already told her what the problem was.

I do all my own work in my house now, base rules or no. I can't tolerate that place anymore... so I bought myself a nice 33 gallon Air compressor with the money I made while deployed

 

OffTopic: josh your sig made me chuckle, so funny man.

OnTopic: i cant take advantage of that.

 

kcidmil, i think you're talking about the hobby shop, which, while good for people w/o garages (ie: me) aren't all that great. The AUTOPORT though, i've found some pretty knowledgable people at. My friend had the valves and springs replaced at the AutoPort in San Diego and they worked quickly and did a great job. I haven't tried the Autoport here in Norfolk, but that's because, like you, I'd rather do my own work.

 

We don't have an autoport here... too backwoods I guess. We have a small old gas station that only does tires and oil changes though... and I don't even let them touch my car.

btw TripleGMax... where's my rims?

 

All of you guys that are in the Service: THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO!

 

. .

 

Thank you very much.

 

yeah.. thank you guys for what you do for us.. protecting us and risking your lives to keep us safe......and maybe in a couple months i will be joining you guys to help keep america safe

 

So what branch are you going to join?