My Maxima's transmission is toast and I'm mulling over whether it's worth it to fix it, or just sell it as a project car w/o a tranny. It's a white 97 SE with 197k miles, 5 speed, black leather, a few light mods (see sig), and some body damage (scrapes and dings). It's sitting at the repair shop awaiting my decision -- the repair is estimated at $1500 (replacing the tranny with a low mileage one).

How much could I probably get for it with and without the repair? I'm thinking I might "upgrade" to a 5th gen Maxima.

 

I have a 97 and I had mine rebuilt for 1500. My max had 160k on it and runs strong. I dont like car payments, so i chose to rebuilt. While you have the tranny out replace the rear main seal, and get a clutch kit.

 

i have a tranny sitting around ... asking $850 pickup has 125k or so miles on it

 

I doubt you'd get much for it. I have 163K on mine and I've long since been relegated to the fact that i'll drive her into the ground...new car or not. Come on, man! She's given you 197,000 of love. Time to show her some

 

Pssh, $1500. They probably won't even rebuild it correctly. You can get a tranny rebuilt for $500 if you ask the right people.

Installation and shipping would be extra.


Be very, very careful with used Maxima 5 speed transmissions. Nissan screwed up many of them from the factory and so anything you could buy could be in any condition regardless of mileage.

 

yeah, 5 speed/6 speed swap???? ( i never knew there were issues with 5 speed)

See if someone on the org wants to help, save you big bucks. best bet

 

yea doesnt a 5th gen tranny swap right in? if so mabye consider this it may be the same money to have done right as the one you have now. I also read a post where someone claimed nissan wanted only 1800$ for a new 4th gen tranny with lsd. I dont know how true it is but couldn't hurt to find out. also mabye it would be worth it to get a used oil analysis to tell how good the engine is at this mileage and if its tip top or close I say go for it. I have 153k and my engine is almost perfect mechanically so I would do it, but it depends on the health of the engine.

 

Oh my car sounded and drove just fine before my final drive gear chipped a tooth somehow (that's what the mechanic says is wrong with it). The options he gave was to rebuild the tranny (total $1300) or put in a lower mileage tranny (total $1500). The thing I'm worried about is if other things start failing and costing $ to fix. Would be cool to do a 3.5L swap, but I'm not that adventurous. I had the clutch replaced (with a 5th gen) last year, and the rear main seal done at the same time.

How do I do an oil analysis?

 

why not do a vq35 6 spped tranny swap...its pretty simple

 

I wouldn't. even with the cars trans rebuilt it will be barely worth more than the cost of the rebuild.
can you replace it with a better car for similar money? I can so that is the basis for my opinion

 

wtf buy a used tranny from a yard i can't imagine it would be over 700 shipped.
1500 for a rebuild is crazy to spend on that car.

 

I'd lean towards just getting it repaired/rebuilt. All too often people make the mistake of not looking at the big picture when debating whether to keep an existing car or replacing it. Now especially you find all this idiots selling their cars that are running perfectly fine, but don't get the greatest gas mileage, for new cars that are more fuel efficient. So yeah, you're saving a few hundred a year in fuel costs, but now you've got a nice big fat car payment.

My guess is you'd spend more than $1,500 on upgrading to a new vehicle if you just sold your car as a project car and then upgraded. Keep the car man.

 

ITs worth the 1500 now if your car runs smooth, otherwise youll buy an new or used
a new car is expensive
and a used car can have hiddens cost of previous owners abusing it