Hey guys, this is kind of long so bear with me. I went to a nissan dealership to find out why my engine light was on and to do a full inspection on my 95 Nissan Max. It has 87,000 miles so far. After the inspection, they told me my coolant temp sensor needed to be replaced along with a coolant flush. They also told me i needed a Throttle Service/Base idle adjust done ($160.95). They said my throttle body was sticking. I guess this is one of the reasons why my car hesitates and doesn't drive like it use to. I also need a trans flush ($119.95). I went ahead and let them replace the coolant sensor and coolant fluid which totaled $245 which i thought was outrageous. I did compare prices with other dealers before paying this price. I read about the throttle cleaning on this board but i'm not too confident with doing it myself. I'm trying to save some money here. Is it a complicated job for a lady to do? Also, can anyone tell me what Base Idle Adjust means and why they told me i need that done? What difference would this make in how my car drive? I just want to make sure they are not just telling me anything before i go back and pay more money that i don't have. What other services should i get to make my car drive almost like new again. Lastly, are there anyone in the Chicagoland area who works on Maximas or know of any shops that can do these services for cheaper prices? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

all those you just listed can easily done by yourself... but assuming you don't want to bother with it, those are easy and pretty simple jobs that a local garage mechanic can do for a fraction of that dealership total cost. Don't take it to a dealership, those are normal maintenance things that can be done by any mechanic... no need for "dealership specialists"

 

Do you have any mechanically-inclined friends who could work through these goodies with you? A Hayne's manual from AutoZone/PepBoy's/Checker-Schucks-Kragen, toothbrush, rags, some really basic tools (metric sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, spark plug socket), and a few parts are all you'll need.

Basics you should consider:
New Fuel Filter
New Air Filter
New PCV
New Spark Plugs
Lubricants

You can clean the throttle body yourself. You can shoot some PB Blaster or WD-40 or similar at the throttle/cruise-control linkage and I'm about 99% certain that you can change your own spark plugs. The fuel filter is a PITA to work on but can certainly be done with some patience and time. The air filter is a snap (4 actually) and the lubricants are point and shoot (as long as you know what you're shooting at).

At what engine speed does your car idle when warm? If you're between about 600 and 800, you should be fine. Even if it's up to 1000 RPM, you're probably okay - wasting some fuel, but ok. Does the engine speed jump around or stay high when you come to a stop after driving on the freeway?

Let an auto parts store check your ECU codes for you. They'll tell you the codes and print out some information on how to correct them at an AutoZone. If you don't have an AutoZone nearby, I'm sure there are similar shops with similar service in the area. Then you'll know what you're dealing with.

You've got plenty of help around here. I say give it a shot on your own.

 

Thanks so much you guys for the advice. I greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks so much you guys. i greatly appreciate the advice

 

I hate dealers. They rarely know what the REAL problem is but have no trouble charging you hundreds of dollars as they use trial and error to diagnose your car. And the perplexing thing is that MAX's sometimes throw out error codes that have nothing to do with the real problem......

Where in Illinois are you located? I have a 95 Max, in Naperville, and have done just about everything mechanical you can think of.... I could teach you how to do it all yourself and you can pay me for the assistance.

send me an email at paul@tlmi.com if this sounds like it will work for you....