I'm thinking of buying a 4th gen to replace my 93 sentra. I already love my 00 max Unfortunately finding 5 speeds is not that easy, because so many people have given up on life and buy autos (ok, sorry for the bad joke ). If I buy, say, a 96 maxima, what would a standard repair place charge to replace the tranny if it goes on me, and dito on an engine on one of these?

Thanks in advance

Your guess is as good as anyone elses...it always varies greatly shop to shop and dealsership to stealership....

Trans Rebuild 1-2K
Motor Rebuild around same?

New Trans 3k+
New Motor 5k+

Used low mile trans $200 on ebay as we speak...
Used low mileage VQ $200-600 also on ebay right now!

Thats my edumacated guesses....

Anyone with actual numbers from past experience care to share?

Usually your best bet is to find a shop that will let you supply the engine. Usually there will be little or no warranty on the work but you wont be paying markup on the motor or trans plus labor. That said, there are a couple shops around me that will do a complete swap of either for $800-$1000. You can find remanufactured engines with warranties for $1600 sometimes even less. You can get rebuilt trannies for about $1000-$1400. You could also try ebay and the like sometimes you can find a good deal. If you are going to have it swapped I wouldnt use a junk yard engine though unless it is in amazing shape. Beware it is sometimes a ***** to find manual transmissions for maxs. You can also have the motors and transmissions rebuilt. I wouldn't suggest it though cause usually it is more exspensive to have a shop rebuild it than it is to have them swap it. If you do it yourself it is a different story. Transmissions though I would probally suggest you rebuild just because they are hard to find and usually the price is about the same. There is a shop near me that will rebuild and strangthen manual trannies. They did my buddies F-body for $2200 and quoted me $1800 for "a transmission even I couldn't destroy". It is however always more fun to do it yourself.


Edit: I guess I should learn to read, disregaurd manual info

Doing it oneself is a swell idea, but if I'm not mistaken it's pretty damn difficult with just a garage isn't it? I'd need at least an engine lift and things of that nature?

Buying a NEW engine or tranny I agree is surely a waste of time.

So, it seems that if I was to find a regular transmission chain, or buy a used one myself and bring to a mechanic I could get it done for $2k or less. And then an engine is $1800-2600 probably depending on whether it's a junk yard or remanufactured. That really isn't too bad then...

I've always been scared about autos because I know how darn expensive they are, but I guess maybe they aren't THAT much worse than a manual.

PM Jay25 .........

bore it out hehe

A cherry picker can be rented for lik $25 a day so the DIY isn't bad if you already have airtools. Man, now that I have airtools, I could never live without them. Once very difficult installs now take only two or three hours. I recommend airtools as everybodies first mod. My Underdrive Pulley took me two solid days. Now, I'm sure I could do it in two hours. As for the tranny install you don't need many tools. You could have someone put the engine in if you don't wanna and bring it back to your house on a trailer.