Hey guys, I'm getting ready to do my first oil change by myself on this car and I'd like to do things right the first time around.

My plan is to change the oil, replace the filter with a Nissan OEM. Replace the cabin filter with a Nissan OEM and possibly drain and fill the engine coolant. My questions are regarding which oil weight I should use for a Utah summer and if the Nissan OEM oil filter and cabin filter are the best to use? Also, what do you guys use for engine coolant?

Would you guys recommend any other fluid changes (brake, power steering, etc.) at 65K? All I did when I got the car at around 60K was have a full synthetic oil change service done at Walmart which is similar to what a JiffyLube Signature Service would include.

Thanks!

I changed to Amsoil and will never go back. Use the bigger OEM oil filter 15208-9E000.

Cabin filters you can use any. Coolant can be Prestone or any other name brand.

As for the brake and PS you can prob wait till 100k

Thanks a lot, I'll look into the Amsoil. Is it really necessary to flush the coolant or is just drain and replace okay?

Why a larger filter?

More internal surface area to capture contamination in the oil, I'd presume...makes sense as it should allow the filter to last longer. I didn't realize there was a larger filter, I'll have to make not of that the next time I get my oil changed...

Have you guys looked at the stock filter? It looks like a sewing thimble, way too small. Hell I was using the huge mobil filter before they stopped making it. Of course a bigger filter is better.

When I had my 06 I used 5 quarts of Castrol 0W30 with an M1 110 Mobil1 Extended Performance Oil filter, use what ever oil you want synthetic verse dino is getting repetitive, just do a google search.

Nissan InCabin, think you can buy them online, search, and also change the engine air filter fram filters at autozone always worked for me, autoparts stores usually carry 3 or 4 name brands all look the same.

Engine coolant, I used Prestone 50/50 premixed, you can do a drain and fill, just unscrew the drain plug, then fill it back up, repeat again at next oil oil change or in 5 or 10k.

Power Steering, use the turket baster method, suck all the fluid out of the reservoir, and fill back up with Power Steering fluid.

Brakes, bleed them and put all new fluid in, I just paid my mechanic to do it when he put my brakes on, remember your driving a Maxima, not an Expedition, brake fluid should be replaced every 2 years or 30k

Well it is kinda of unnecessary because since a quality filter and frequent oil changes between 3-5k doesn't really take a beating on the oil quality unless you redline every time you take the car out for a drive. Also you should be replacing then filter every time you change the oil too.
Nissan set the filter size for specific reasons, hence a smaller motor a smaller filter and a larger V8 a bigger filter. Plus time have progress and the current filters like Purilator, Bosh, and Mobile are all quality filters. I dont see the hassle of searching for filters that are not the correct size for your car.

I would be inclined to use the Nissan extended life antifreeze or whatever it is called. The last time I used it it was green. You can get a longer drain interval out of it than conventional antifreeze. It costs a little more but would be a worthwhile investment given the Utah winters.

What do you think the stikies are for on this site -- just to take up space.

http://forums.maxima.org/fluids-lubr...look-like.html

Check out this stickie on antifreeze and how to properly change it. No need to repeat that information here -- it is all there in the stickie. That includes that fact that to protect your entire cooling system you need to only use a Jap brand of antifreeze (Nissan = green, Honda = blue or Toyota = red). When I changed mine, the Honda dealer here only had the 50-50 blend of water and antifreeze (which you don't want if you follow the change instructions in the stickie), and the Toyota dealer beat the Nissan dealer on the price of 100% antifreeze. So I replaced all of my original antifreeze with Toyota product.