Max_P

Hello my fellow forum dwellers, how is doing on?

Anyways, I just crashed my 4th gen Maxima. There is a shopping list of stuff I need to replace, witch I can easily fix it with a parts car. But the major problem is that the radiator support is bent inward, the radiator still holds fluid though. I do not have a welder, nor the confidence that I can fix everything. I can't afford to get a mechanic. The car is old, but in great condition (not anymore though), as it was mostly kept in a garage by the previous owner.

So these are the options I have:

A. Get a parts car, and cross my fingers I can fix it.
B. Forget about the car, and ask my family friend who has an cheap old 2002 Camry for sale.
C. Part the car out with the help of your guys, buy the camry or something else
D. Get another Maxima, transfer the mint parts over, and pretend it's the old one.
E. Do a Cefiro Front end Conversion, buy a aftermarket Radiator support and again try to fix it.
or F. Give it to my friend who does Demolition derby, and watch as my childhood go out with a bang.

Thanks for reading this, I really love this car, and I am also really mentally attached to this car, as the car was here since I was a baby. What do you guys think I should do?

93SCMax

iTrader: (3)

D.

uFluidics

Have you run the math? How much would it cost to fix it with all parts and labor included?

CS_AR

Can we see some pictures?

Max_P

Here's the picture, mechanic says would take 22K to fix, If I get all the parts (not including the welder) It would take 346.98 dollars worth of the cheapest aftermarket parts to fix this car.

Sorry for replying so late, I cried myself to sleep in the car Last night.

A parts car would range from 450$~990$

uFluidics

$22K, as in twenty two thousand US dollars? not sure if srs...
I would get a diff 4th gen and use this as a parts car at that point

Max_P

I'm not sure, my ears don't work good, maybe he said 2.2K but that'd still be pretty expensive

CS_AR

It looks like you have made a lot of modifications and enhancements to the car. I'm sure its a great car. You know it inside and out.

I don't know about prices in NOVA, but around here, a decent Maxima or I30 will run $1,200 to $1,500, maybe more for a 5-speed. Then you get to replace most everything made from rubber as it is now approximately 20 years old. I see you have a number of hoses to transfer, and that may make it cost less.

If you have some salvage yards in your area, you could pick up a bumper, hood, grill, headlamps, and A/C condenser. Radiators are low cost items on eBay and they are not bad. Also, body shops can buy used parts from cars in salvage yards that have been cut from other cars through a used part network for incredibly low prices. I almost had a body shop buy the right rear section of an I30 for $300. That was a serious accident that required over $1,000 in body work + the $300 section before painting.

There is a picture of the car below. I got some doors from a salvage yard car for a price like $40 to $50 each. Then I got a body shop to pull out the dents and patch it up as best as possible so the car could continue to be driven while I looked for a replacement. It took a long time to find a replacement. I moved the interior and suspension from the damaged car to the replacement. Unfortunately, the suspension started failing soon after I moved it. So looking back it wasn't worth moving.

So it has/will take somewhere between 8 to 10 months of work to get the replacement car into shape.

Here's a picture of the I30 when I bought it in July 2011. I spent about 6 months getting it caught up on maintenance and suspension work.




A few years later it was wrecked. So I changed the doors and got the body patched up so it could be driven while I looked for a replacement.






Here's the replacement that I bought last summer. I've been working on it ever since to move the interior from the I30, get it caught up on maintenance, fix oil leaks, and to replace items like the suspension.

To me the items you need to fix on your car are minor compared to the work that it will take to move everything to a different 4th gen. I would look around and find a small independent body shop that will work you to help you get your car back on the road using used parts body parts and a minimum number of replacement items like the radiator. It can be done. Start driving it again and worry about getting the paint work done later. You might get lucky and find parts from a Maxima the same color. I have on more than one occasion.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

please, that aint $hit. pull the t-bar out straight, new headlights, grill, and hood and call it a day. 6 to 700.00 w/o paint installed no problem.

JoshG

lol that doesn't look too bad? but 22,000$ to fix it? laughing my *** off.. maybe you meant $2,200. It is completely fix-able. Though I believe it can be done below $2,200. If the rest of the car is in great condition I don't see why not put the effort into getting it back to where it was.

CS_AR

There is a Pick-A-Part in Fredricksburg or Stafford VA. Are you closer to Baltimore?

It helps to have your car's year model and your location in your profile so we can better help you.

Check the Pick-A-Part inventory below. I see many 4th gen Maximas

http://www.pickapartva.com/inventory-search/

Then check the prices.

http://www.pickapartva.com/u-pick-price-list/

Max_P

Yeah I live pretty close to Maryland, but I can get to the one in Fredricksburg.

I'll probably buy the parts car after checking with the body shop

CS_AR

Gold was a popular color. You should be able to find a gold donor car. I've pulled a lot of parts from gold 4th gens over the years.

How is the rest of your bumper? Do you have a SE model with fog lights?

Max_P

aside from a couple of scuffs, the bumper is fine, cash bar didn't do it's job.

If possible I would like to get a silver one, but I was planning on repainting the whole car sometime in the future anyways

no fog lights tho

lux97Max

iTrader: (24)

If your close to maryland, im in the rockville area, i have a few parts.

Shrout1

If it still runs then keep it! Take your time and fix a bit at a time. I love my 4th gen I've spent far too much keeping it on the road... the wife will attest to that quite readily...