Marco

I've had my '96 SE 5-speed since 2002. I got it at 55k miles, and now it's up to about 96k. I don't know enough about cars and don't have the proper equipment to do much maintenance on my own.

Here's what I've had to replace, mostly in the last 9 months, outside of oil changes:

- All 4 brake pads and rotors
- Later, 4 new pads and 2 new rotors (due to an incompetent mechanic the first time)
- 2 brake calipers
- Power steering pump (was leaking fluid)
- Windshield washer fluid tank (somehow got a huge crack)
- Evap canister


Now, or very soon, I need to replace the following:

- The incompetent mechanic's other two brake rotors
- Whatever is causing my power steering fluid to leak again (I hate that mechanic)
- Rear oxygen sensor (Check Engine 0707 just happened this weekend.)
- At least one of the passenger-side wheel bearings
- The air conditioning needs to be recharged, and it probably has a leak
- The stupid Bose CD player (but I don't care and won't replace it)
- The tires, sometime in the next year


I'm obviously not very happy about dumping all of this money into my car in such a short period, and I can't blame the car for the first mechanic's incompetence. But this car's only worth $2800 trade-in or $4300 private-party on KBB. I've spent almost $2800 on it in the last year alone.

The big question: What can I expect to go wrong in the next 1-2 years, and what might I expect to pay for it?

How long is the clutch supposed to last, assuming I drive normally and don't abuse it? I really don't want to own this car through a clutch replacement. I'm already at 96k miles, and to my knowledge, it wasn't replaced in the first 55k miles before I got the car.

Also, is there anything else I should be doing to maintain my car at this point?

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Don't be and learn how to do some of that stuff yourself. All of the items listed can be done under or just around the $1000 ball park...

Marco

I just question whether it's worth putting another $1000+ into this car, making it a nice ~$3500 that I've put into it this year...

It's very frustrating.

NY 95 VQ30DE

Assuming you did the 60 k tune up. Not much. If not....then:

Plugs, fuel and air filters, pcv valve. The usual stuff.


Youve been on the org since you bought the car, and yet you only have 18 posts. Not to rip on you, but if you were on more often, maybe you would have learned or heard about some of the things you need done. Check the stickies, there are some write ups on some of the things you need done. Brakes you can do yourself, 02 sensors too. Some of the other stuff is not uncommon to be prone to failure, especially since the car is 10 years old.

Oh, and as for the clutch...theyre not that hard to replace. Read up on it, Or find someone near you who knows what theyre doing and can help you out a little. Because if its the stock clutch, even if youre not beating on it, 100k on a clutch is a long time.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

How did he f'uck up a brake rotor?

Look and see :wtF: is causing the leak.

0707 not a big deal to me.

A/C ... how did you verify this?

Bose, you don't care.

Tires, well, if you bought the car and didn;t expect to buy tires ..

Marco

I've actually been here since before I bought it, doing research on Maximas.

I'm not into modding (except the Bose aux-in), I don't race, and I'm not much of a car nut. I spend my time and money being a computer geek, and I don't have enough time and money to do both. Given that, when reading most of the posts here, this clearly isn't a place where I need to post constantly.

But when I've needed help (like with my door panel removal to replace the mirror), you've been fantastic, and I appreciate it.

Marco

I pretty much wrote him a blank check, asking him to fix a bunch of stuff at once (brakes, power steering, windshield washer, evap canister) and anything else he could see that was wrong (after calling me, of course).

He replaced all 4 pads and rotors, but neglected to notice that the rear calipers didn't work at all. Instead, he severely tightened up the brakes so the fronts were taking the entire load.

Then, when they screeched very loudly and constantly, he told me that it was normal for metallic pads to do that for the first few months. He said he'd check them in 3 months. During that time, I moved to a different city.

After 3.5 months, I brought them in for a checkup, and discovered that the front pads and rotors were completely destroyed from overuse, and the rear pads and rotors had completely scratched and rotted themselves out because the calipers were barely pushing them together.

The same mechanic replaced the power steering pump, because I was having the same problem (a slow leak, making me add fluid every 3-4 weeks). I suspect, given his wonderful performance with my brakes, that it's probably the same problem again.

It's never been particularly cold, and it takes a while to get cold. Each year, it gets worse. This summer, it hardly cools effectively at all unless I'm on the highway, and only when it's on 65 with fan speed 1 or 2 and it's not more than about 85 degrees outside.

FunLovinMaxima

Well, I'm guessing your biggest expense thus far has been your ordeal with the brakes. Luckily, there are some good Group Buys going on in that forum so you'll be able to get excellent prices on your rotors (like half the price a garage would charge you). You can get an oxygen sensor from oxygensensors.com. You can save money by buying the parts yourself and then having someone else install them. Do you belong to AAA? If you do, go to an AAA-approved garage. You'll get a discount and at least some assurance that they're not a total bunch of morons.
As far as the future reliability of the car is concerned, the maxima is one of the better cars out there.
Keep up with all the maintainence stuff listed in the manual - oil changes, air filters, stuff like that.
Unfortunately, as cars age, things go wrong. What you've listed thus far isn't anything out of the ordinary for a car with 100,000 miles. I know it sucks spending so much money on something that isn't worth very much anymore, but that's what happens with older cars... they go from being assets to liabilities.
My previous car was a 94 camry also around 96k miles. It needed shocks, tires, steering pump, steering rack, and assorted other odds and ends and the book value was around $2500. I decided I was better off selling it than dumping another grand, grand and a half worth of parts and labor into it (plus the aggravation - I was in college and didn't have the time or space to do my own stuff). So I bought a newer car (the max) and I haven't looked back.
Good luck.

NY 95 VQ30DE

How exactly do you "tighten up" just the front brakes??

maxultra

A man can afford to fix almost anything on his car if it know's how to put it on. I learned that a long time ago.

That's why I still have all my 7 paid off vehicles.



WES

killerVQ30DE

All the problems seem fairly normal, ditch the crap mechanic and find someone you trust (its a mission I know)... sounds like they just screwed up the powersteering install hence the leak..

But man none of your problems are bad, just normal wear and tear

At least you don't have 02 sensor, EGR , KS, MAF, Strut bearing problems the list goes on

Marco

Even if he has no tools, no equipment no knowledge, very little time, and no driveway or garage since he lives in an apartment building?


I don't know. The brake pedal took FAR less pressure to work after his "improvements", and it "slammed" on the brakes very easily. It took me a few weeks of jerky driving to get used to it.

Don't worry, I ditched him after the move. The second round of brake work was done by a dealer since they had a decent rate for it. (Then I had to readjust myself to the normal pedal pressure again. )

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

How did you adjust them yourself?

There's no way to change the brake bias by adjusting them in anyway, more like screwing something up ....

He probably ended up not paying attention to the nipple on the back side of the rear pads, installed them slightly shimmed, and ended up killing half of each rotor and pad, while over using the fronts.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

yeah, like everyone else said, this sounds like normal wear and tear. I've had normal wear and tear, now going through crap *** auto tranny that doesnt like me, codes for maf, running lean, auto tranny second gear signal fault, multiple cylinder misfiring...you know

NY 95 VQ30DE

EASY FIX: 3.5 and a 5-speed.

Marco

I didn't - I said I had to readjust myself: as in, I had to get used to the new feel of them.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

feel like loaning me the money for this easy fix? haha, i'd do the 5 speed swap before anything, but lately i havent even been driving my car, and im too fed up with it to even work on it. I just drive my honda cr-v around while my Max sits in the garage. POS

NY 95 VQ30DE

if you dont want it ill take it. ill sell mine to pay for the 3.5 and 5 speed lol.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

lol, doubt it'd make it very far. It sometimes stalls at stoplights, idles very crazily in park or neutral, idles at about 1000-1200 while in drive(messed with IACV, TB butterfly plate, to no avail), and under partial throttle seems to bog up to 3000 rpm, then kicks in like it should. Sucks down gas like no other. Unless im doing highway driving, I was getting like 220 per full tank of premium. I had to put a stop to that with gas at 2.89/gal here. I'm content with the CR-V getting like 30 mpg and only costing 30 bucks to fill up

tuko

I kinda feel the same way. I just bought my maxima a few months ago and have had problem after problem. I am in debt because I spent so much on repairs and it still has problems. I just stopped caring because somehow the car still drives great. I know its a matter of time before something really bad happens to the car. And the real sucky part is I still have a few years of payments to make.But on the other hand I am trying to build good credit so I'll just have to make the most of my time with this Maxima and fix her up as best I can.good luck with your car man.

NY 95 VQ30DE

Sounds like your maf could be screwed up. Im assuming you checked for codes, but if you havent, check for 0304. mine was idling around 1100, with a shot 02 sensor and (almost didnt find this) a crack in the rubber gasket between the maf and the resonator upstream. I changed the gasket and sensor and cleaned the iacv and tb and tweaked it and now its at 700 and runs 10 times better.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

I get a Maf fault/wiring fault code. Havent gotten 0304 code yet. 130k later, and still no ks code. You want it, you can come pick it up. 5k, and its all yours. Then you can swap everything off mine onto yours and sell mine.

rocco5446

iTrader: (2)

(knock on wood) I've had my share of problems with my 96GLE, but I'd probably spend months trying to find a car that has all the cool features that the Maxima has (leather, heated seats, heated mirrors, auto climate, power adjustable seats, power sunroof, remote window down, etc) along with tons of interior room, an award winning smooth engine (our engine is probably one of the more fuel efficient V6's, especially when you look at the power to fuel consumption ratio) decent handling, relatively inexpensive to fix, good overall long-term dependability as well as a style that still looks good after ten years.

Most common statements heard. "Nice car. Wow, that's a 96? Nice pick up! Damn, your engine is so smooth!"

Stuff like brakes and rotors, tires, that's all wear and tear that will need replacing on every car out there, so I don't even count that kind of stuff. Other things I don't count are spark plugs, fluid replacing/flushing (oil, coolant, tranny, brake) and air filters.

I bought mine used back in 2002 as well, and other than the money I've put into an upgraded suspension, the list of replaced parts aren't too bad considering the age and especially compared to other people I know with much newer cars. Newer cars that can't even begin to compare to mine. Here's a list: new battery (will outlast my car), new starter (bought reman'd), new rear calipers (bought a pair of oem reman'd for $65 + 25 core!) lower control arms (also picked up the pair for $200CDN shipped), windshield (180CDN installed), muffler and b-pipe (combo deal, oem replacement, on sale along with a rebate and lifetime warrantly - $160 CDN), coolant, oxygen and knock sensors.

I figure that total cost of ownership outside of insurance, gas and oil/filter changes (absolute basics) and the suspension upgrades, I've probably spent about $2500 CDN (would have been much higher if I hadn't done alot of the work myself). Now I could probably sell my car for about $5000 but where's that going to get me? I'd rather (knock on wood again) sink another $2500 into my car than sink way more into something that would leave me with nothing but regrets.

Now if you were *****in about your 96 Cavalier, or Ford Tempo, or Hyndai Accent, or Neon, or Kia Sephia, or Pontiac Sunfire... I'd say sell it and be done with it.

By the way, I was also heavily into computers, (being multiple MS certified, as well as having years of system and network admin experience) and didn't know $h1t about cars but decided to learn (and learn the hard way) and now I gotta say it's way more satisfying fixing something on the car than getting some piece of software to work properly with another, or fixing someone's computer cause they were too lazy to find out how to protect it from viruses/worms/trojans/spyware etc.

That's my two cents.

NY 95 VQ30DE

like i said....sounds like your maf is screwed up. I was only going to take it if you were giving it away lol.

Mishmosh

iTrader: (3)

Here is some stuff that you have a good chance having to deal with within 2 years:

-front O2 sensors (2)
-water pump seals (ie. new water pump) or timing chain tensioner
-starter
-differential carrier bearings (tranny)
-rear main seal leak
-clutch
-FSB endlinks
-control arm bushings and ball joint
-shocks/struts
-exhaust rustout
-accessory belts

If you don't have a lot of cash, either learn how do fix things yourself or sell the car for something newer and more reliable. Generally, a car as old as yours requires $1-2k per year to fix and maintain (if you don't do the work yourself).

speed racer

iTrader: (10)

Hey eckohb. It sounds like its more electrical to me. try this guys site. I know he's a 3rd gen, but he has some good info on electrical and a problem he had with his transmission. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/1
Look under Engine and Transmission units.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

it's more than just the tranny that's pissing me off. I figure by getting a 5 spd, ill eliminate the auto tranny problems. It's the rest of the codes such as the multiple cylinder misfire that bother me

Marco

Thanks for the information, everyone. If it's truly going to cost up to $2000 per year in repairs, I think I'll sell now before I sink any more money into it (and from the looks of it, the next 2 years in particular could be very expensive).

I'm sure it's worth it for a lot of people, and it was worth it when I bought it. But I just don't care enough about all of the fancy features and performance anymore.

Anyone want it? I'm in Pittsburgh...

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

eckohb .. MAF

45$ shipped, www.carpart.com.

I was feeling the same way, even put a swift 2 kicks in her 1/4 panel and fender ... But later found the MAF code ... that will help your stalling problem.

Mine would drive fine for a few days then die .. or barely rev past 2-3-4-5k sometimes.

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

yeah, i kicked her the other day, left a dent in the drivers side door. just really frustrated. Ill work on her towards the fall

lilaclucymaxima

iTrader: (16)

Agreed, and what the hell do you expect?? Your car is 9 years old.

Marco

Maybe it should be nicer to me since I don't kick it.

Loe max

iTrader: (6)

Get a new mechanic

eckohb

iTrader: (4)

I've got anger issues, and it was kick the car, or kick my g/f. I chose the car, cant go to jail for that

Marco

You might on these forums.