Heres my 01 Anniversary edition that i may be seilling or parting due to exorbitant cost i got qouted for from dealership after i took it in for a airbag recalll.. Needs valve covers/gaskets, new drive belts ,end links for sway bar and control arms, mid pipe / muffler to and calipers for rear....I got it in 2004...was a hot azz car back then and still like its lines....There a site i can find these parts cheaper...should these fixes cost almost as 2 2001 maximas...


thanks Max Lovers

 

Start reading, you can do all of this for under 500$ if you do it yourself. Absolutely none of that stuff is difficult to do if you browse these forums and read up on some tutorials.

A shop would probably charge ~1500$ for that work. Whatever you decide, do not go anywhere near that dealership unless its to go tell them to f themselves. 7000 is bordering the realm of being outright fraud.

 

That is a lot of money, well for the exhaust work, yes the parts are expensive from the Dealer, one consideration is what state you live in, such as NY and CA are very difficult to get the exhaust from part store since they have to be compliant with the C.A.R.B or the New York State laws. Other states, you should be able to get exhaust parts from Autozone....etc... for a fractional of the cost. Like Slamrod said it, it's a lot cheaper doing it yourself since you would be doing the labor yourself instead of having someone doing it which does rack up the hourly charges. Good luck on what you need to do. Hopefully you get it figured all out.

 

75% of the members on here could do that for 500$ or less, and if you take some time reading, you could too. It's really not that hard. A simple 50$ hand tool/socket set could do the trick.

 

Agree with what everyone else says.

First of all, the dealership doesn't want you to spend that kind of money on repair. They want you to say "aw man, $7000 on this old thing? I should just waltz into the showroom and buy a $36,000 new car. That's a better idea."

You can do these repairs. Someone here can point you towards the service manual, there are many PDF's floating around. Go to Sears and get yourself a decent sized socket set, and a good auto parts store like O'Rileys has loan-a-tool programs for things like tie rod end removal tools and that sort of thing.

If you were nearer to Central IL, I'd say swing on by and we could knock it out in a day.

That car's too pretty to part out. You can do this.

 

thanks guy appreciate the Advice.. If can get it down to 1500 maybe from a small shop and order my own parts ill keep it...anything more ill have to say farewell to my Anniversary Maxima.

 

Wow, 7k?? That's outright fraud.
rear pads and calipers and rotors cost me 200, last winter AND i live in Canada, land of retarded parts prices. End links are like 15 a peice. Valve covers and the corresponding gaskets are probably going to be the most expensive, while your spending some money get a good exhaust 250ish. Control arms on rock auto are like 75 a peice. Drive belts are cheap as well. You'll be about 5-800 deep in parts. Get a good full socket set and a set of wrenches sized 10-19mm. You'll also need a good breaker bar and a friend to help you who is partially mechanically inclined. Your set.
Shoot man I'd charge like 400 max for all that labour. If you dont want to do it yourself, gather the parts on Rock auto and find a decent mechanic who is HONEST.

 

There is no way anyone in their right mind should pay that much to fix this car up. I was in the same situation as you 3 years ago..

I kept sinking in my money trying to get it fixed up(190k mi. at the time) just for one little part every time. The day came when I was in the shop, I was about to drown some more dough to see what was wrong with the car at the time(It had 2 misfires and kept kicking back and forth like crazy after you let go of the brake). My father's mechanic told me to call him and bring the car in bright and early the next day. I decided not to and instead woke up in the morning and popped my hood to see what could be problem. I was looking at something completely alien to me. I started browsing the org forums to see what could be wrong and how to resolve the misfires.

I replaced the plugs, tested the coils and tried everything to see what was causing the misfires, had everyone tell me it could be this or that. After about a month of pondering, I decided to check all the coil and injector connectors and fortunately that was the problem and once I fixed them, the misfires ceased to continue.

From then on I've slapped on mods, replaced all the bad parts and just have been trying to perfect my car in every way all by myself, saving me $$$$ and so can you. Browse the forums and I'm sure a lot of members will be willing to help you out like they have helped me. Cheers

 

great post! nice to hear ! the org has so much info, its incredible, there have been times a dealership couldn't diagnos a problem, yet the org helped me diagnose the same issue on my own.

 

WOW! I can't say I'm surprised. My mother in-law recently took her I30 in for the same air bag BS, and they attempted to pull the same stunt. The service writer even went as far as using scare tactics like, "I don't feel safe letting you drive away". Which is illegal and I ended up going back there and giving those dumb ***' a chewing. I was so pissed.

Anyways, it looks like the car is in good shape and I assume it's treated you well otherwise you wouldn't be even looking in to fixing it up. There might even be a member local to you willing to help you out. Just use quality parts (not dealer) and you'll be in good shape. I don't know why you would need all the exhaust work or rear calipers. But I live in California where I don't have to deal with the snow or salt.

 

Keep in mind some of those issues they quoted may not even need anything done. The dealer has a habit of quoting you for all these repairs and preventative maintenance that is "needed", but it really isn't.

For example, the suspension parts can be tested to see if there is play. You may need to do the end links, and maybe the LCA's, but I would check them first to excessive play. If you have bad LCA's you will know it...your maxima would be difficult to keep on a straight path, especially in bumpy roads at elevated speeds.

Bad end links you will feel in the steering and may get some "sounds".

The exhaust parts, mid-pipe and muffler, only do it if you really need it such as massive holes.

Valve cover gaskets, drive belts, and rear caliper work is easy. You probably don't need new rear calipers, but just change the pads and hardware and flush your brake fluid. For these last things you only need about $150.

 

Just to give you an idea of what is possible, this month I've done the following...
Lower Control Arms - $46.79 x2
Sway Bar End Links - $12.18 x2
Tie Rod Ends - $19.37 x2
Front Rotors - $34.99 x2
Front Pads - $46.99
Rear Rotors - $24.99 x2
Rear Pads - $44.99
Rear Calipers - $76.99 x2
Right Rear Wheel Sensor - $70.79
PS Belt - $17.99
Alt/AC Belt - $21.99
Alternator - $183.99
Battery - $121.99
Front end Alignment - $95

All of that was less than a thousand. Probably couldn't have had it done for less than 5,000. Yes, it takes time and it sucks. But it's way cheaper.

 

appreciate the advice guys...So i took it to a local mom and pop type shop after ive read reviews from them and people recommeded t hem....


They said for me to pass inspection i needed the following done:


Muffler
Side Engine Mount
Front Engine Mount
Pads, rotors
Reasonator


970 in parts and $311 Labor
Total 1281 to pass first inspection....


Check engine light is on and it indicates catylytic converter problems he said thats expensive and they arnt allowed to use other CCs and i would have to buy OEM cc to replace it..He wasnt sure 100% if that is true but he said he is certain..part could cost 800-1200...that will take me over cars value at that point


Im not sure i want to keep it now if repairs outcost the value of the car however this qoute looks much better than the Dealers qoute

 

7k? LOL!

Some great advice in here, hope you listen to it and take it, that is all easy work.

 

What is the specific SES code? You have a couple options if it is a P0420 or P0430. Replace the cats, replace the primary O2 sensor relating to that bank (front or rear), install an O2 spacer, install an O2 simulator.

It depends on what they look for in your inspection in PA. Are they detailed and heavy on inspecting the engine bay and exhaust? For example, would they notice an O2 spacer?

 

when i got my car they tried to fail me for engine mounts. they wanted some ridiculous amount of money, so when i told them i'd do the work myself they stepped back and said "oh well we can't really fail you for that anyways" and passed me.

was my experience in NC anyways.

 

not sure foodmanry...going to the shop after work to see the printouts of the estimate and repairs..2 shops woldnt past me last year for motor mounts but 3rd shop passed me didnt mention anything about the mounts

 

found the parts for under 400 on rock auto...resonator, muffler, pads and rotors, front mount. didnt see anything for side mounts unless Rears mean side

 

If you are auto transmission you have front, rear, and two side mounts.

Manual transmission is three mounts with a front, rear, and one side mount I believe. Someone else can confirm that if they have a manual.

 

on rock auto engine mounts are front, rear, front right (side)
the other side mount is categorized as transmission mount

4 in total if you want to do them all.

if you're AT i'd suggest the manual version for the front and rear (or better yet find some in classifieds w/ better inserts pressed in), standard AT mounts are known for causing damage to ECU if left plugged in

edit : manny beat me to it. rock auto does list a trans mount for MT also

 

You dont need motor mounts to pass inspection, they are trying to get your money. Your mounts can be totally blown and it wouldnt be a safety issue, although it would certainly hurt your car. If they refuse to back off on the motor mount issue, go elsewhere. Ive never heard of this being criteria for a standard inspection.

You also can use any cat you please to replace the oem cat - however - it may be technically illegal for them to remove the old one and install the new one. It is not illegal for the cat to miraculously appear on your car and stay there, as its the labor that is forbidden, not the part. You can find a cat for under $150, and perhaps offer them like 40$ on the side to install it under the table ontop of whatever labor cost they would have charged if it were legal to do so. The fine for illegally removing a cat is something like 10,000$ so obviously they would be hesitant - though unless a cop or some dmv official personally watched them do it or they admit to via a receipt for the labor, its impossible to prove. Whatever you do, please dont pay more than 200 for a cat.

Realistically this is all stuff you can easily do yourself. It will be a frustrating learning experience though since its likely a rusty mess. You should think of it in terms of how much money it will cost you to have a shop vs. how long it will take you/how much your time is worth.

If youre Mr. Bigshot stock broker, then yeah, its probably not worth your time to learn and put in the sweat to do it yourself, as your time is valuable and better spent elsewhere. However if youre just an average joe schmo like the rest of us driving these old *** cars because you dont have a money tree plopping fruit into your backyard, then you may find it worthwhile to buckle down and do this on your own, as your time aint really worth all that much in the grand scheme of things.

Thats how i try to approach potential DIY jobs when im not sure if i should pay someone else to deal with the headache. Just food for thought. Theres plenty of info and guides to walk you through ever last bit of this.

 

and it what world you replace the valve covers when the gasket is leaking??? wow...

 

It's usually not just the gaskets but the spark plug seals as well. The spark plug wells fill up with oil. Only way to replace them is to replace the valve cover. Nobody sells them separate. Common 5.5 gen problem.

 

01 isn't 5.5

i didn't think this was a problem on the 3.0 but would like to know if that's not the case as vc gaskets are on my to-do list

 

Not typical to see the spark tube gaskets fail but not unheard of either. Ive done the valve covers on a DE and a DEK and neither had problems (except for the valve cover gaskets obviously). Both were only in the 130k mile range though.

Usually people just put new spark tube gaskets in anyways since everythings off and accessable - felpro sells a gasket set that comes with both VC gaskets and 6 tube gaskets.

To remain on topic, you absolutely do not have to replace the valve covers themselves when changing the gaskets on the 3.0s, doing so would be wasteful.

 

To clarify...

5.5 and up have the spark plug tube gaskets built into the valve covers (you cannot get them separately).

However, 5.0 gens and before have the spark plug tube gaskets separate. Make sure you remember to install them the correct direction as one side is beveled and one side is flat. I didn't pay attention to this when I changed out my gaskets for the valve covers and spark plug tubes. I had to post a pic on here and DennisMik helped me.

 

thank you very much guys ...read every comment and its awesome advice...Will let you know final outcome .going to order all the Parts from RockAuto . Hopefully they fit and some guy i met through a friend who does sidework(works at nissan dealership at body shop) is giving me a qoute plus fixing the rear fenders that rusted...Seems like every max i see has that issue


.Inspection is due end of month so im pressed for time. Id reply individually but that spam bot verification is so annoying...


Maxima peepz are so helpful and friendly

 

Prices on Nissan parts from the dealership are through the roof.

I don't know about NY law specifically but you can swap a factory cat for an aftermarket with no problem. If there is a NY law just take it across the border to one of the free states and have the work done. As long as you pass inspection you're fine.

Finally, it's not helpful to look at the cost of repairs in relation to the book value of the car. If it's a good car it may be worth the repairs. If you were to trade the car and add the potential cost of repairs you still wouldn't get a better car that doesn't need any repairs. These cars will run well past 300,000 if taken care of. In the long run, you'll be far ahead if you continue to repair the car rather than replace it.

 

rockautos is almost more than half than the prices on these parts

 

Those prices look good to me. Rockauto tends to be the cheapest but its not an absolute rule. I dont know exactly how it works since the mechanic i use is extremely honest and has been servicing my family's cars for decades, but id see if you could get that price quote "officialized", as in having it in the form of a contract. Not unheard of to have a shady mechanic 'quote' a price (especially with labor) before any work is done, and then when the job is complete, hit you with something way higher than you verbally agreed to. Again i have a great relationship with the shop i use so ive never dealt with that process but id assume it would require something being signed.

Glad to see this is starting to shape up into something far more managable than $6,000 for basic maintainance repairs.

 

There is a lot of noise on this thread. Keep it simple - I suggest you just follow these steps:

• Find out yourself what needs to be done to pass an inspection in your state (PA). All the info is available right here: http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/inspections/pub_45.shtml (I don't thing you need to replace your motor mounts to pass the inspection, but this site will tell you!).
• Once you do find out, and decide to go ahead, purchase the parts from RockAuto.com. Then do the work yourself, or use a trusted mechanic.
• Re. emission equipment, and Cat Converter replacement in particular: Be aware that after-market converters work for about 6 months, then the problem returns. This fact is well documented on this forum. I don't have a personal experience yet, but I expect I'll have to replace my preCats before my CA DMV check this November. As I plan to keep the car, I'll be buying those expensive OEM preCats ..... it's a PITA.

Good luck!

 

Just be aware...their parts are not always direct fit. I've had some issues with their parts not even being close to the OEM part resulting in my having to buy it from somewhere else. The last time this happened was about 5 plus years ago. This is on the parts that are "general fit" where you have to do some type of modification to make it fit to your vehicle; they aren't direct fit.

Just check the wording on the part and fit description before you buy.

 

shameless plug here that i'm selling my used engine mounts for cheaper than the rockauto price. if you wanted to save some money that way (although i find it odd that you wouldn't pass inspection for that). head to the classifieds if you're still interested

but yeah, i agree with what the others have chimed in with - none of the stuff is hard to do yourself. although if they're talking pre-cats, that would be a pain and even though i can do it, i'd just pay someone else.