Originally Posted by thebteteffect

So I'm knew here, and this is my first post in the forums. So first, a quick background: I've recently bought a used 99 Maxima from a somewhat sketchy dude on Craigslist. He promised me that the car was in great shape, has had extensive maintenance, engine swap, new drive train... the works. Everything appeared good when I checked it out, but perhaps I wasn't as thorough as I should have been. Last night, while looking over my car, I found a TON of rust on the front frame of the car. Right behind the bumper, where the frame sits under the radiator, the frame is eaten straight through, so much so that I'm afraid the car may buckle in two in the near future.

Is this part of the frame load bearing? How dangerous is this? And what are my options?

I have pics, but have not yet figured out how to post them. I apologize for my noobness.

Thanks guys, any help will be much appreciated

Originally Posted by thebteteffect

Forgot to mention that there is also a large split in the same cross member to the left of the rust.

I've made a photobucket account that will allow you to view the images:
http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/...thebteteffect/

Thanks

Originally Posted by doublea

This is a well known problem with the Maxima, it happend on my 2k1 but not on my 98 try to find out why. If you are a bit handy, this can be fix within a day but mostly a week-end for most people. On my car I ordered a new front rad support, rent a mig welder for the week-end. You will have to remove the radiator, engine support, probably A/C condenser but dont quit remember since my engine bay was empty. I used an air zip gun to remove the rad support, there might be electric one available also. If you are not that handy just bring it to a body shop and they could fix it for you might cost you 500$ parts and labor but that's a guestimate. it cost me 100-150$ for the rad support and 35$ to rent the mig for the whole week-end.

Originally Posted by ajcool2

Was this your first time welding? How hard is it for someone thats never done it before. I see myself having to learn how to do this very soon.

Originally Posted by chrome91

i have pics of what it looks like now, but i didnt take any before/during the process.

and i dont think the pieces up to the roof are separate, on the opposite side of the gas filler side is where i had the worst rust (straight from the bottom of the rear wheel well to back bumper). thats the quarter panel thats connected to the roof, i just had to remove the rust (which was NASTY, explained in a second). i just got all the rust off (eaten through parts came off all the way), made up sheet metal, installed it with rivets, Bondo'd it, filled any holes in the Bondo, primed, painted, and clearcoated. getting the rivets and curving the metal, probably a pound of rust debris/dust was constantly falling out.

really, it was the goddam mud guards that caused most of it, the rust started around the screws in them and it spread from there. the passenger side rear wheel well also had another eaten through part near the top, just grabbed a metal L bar, curved it to the shape of the fender, and Bondo'd over it.

my windshield leaked as well, it was rusting where the roof and windshield met and was bubbling badly as well, and water was leaking in and the previous owner i guess siliconed OVER the rust. took the rust off properly and reasealed it.

4 spots have come back from over winter, both rear door corners (not surprising at all, common 3rd gen problem area), drivers rear wheel well has some surface which will be easy to fix again, and the passenger side eaten through part under the rear quarter panel again. it will always come back, but now its just surface rust, and repairing it this year should take only a weekend.

funniest thing of all was a guy hit my passenger rear door leaving a dent and blue streak, got quoted at $1500. felt sorry for him, said just give me $500 cash, then thought whatever just $200 cash i think it was. was honest and left his insurance card and i was parked and gone so he could have just left. took literally 5 minutes and maybe $5 in supplies to fix it. just used a Bondo dent puller to unpop the slight dent, sanded away the blue paint, put Bondo over it, and painted it.

Originally Posted by DFoot1986

Hey, I have a 4th Gen Maxima that has holes in the bottom of the car where the floorboards would be. Holes are big, but theres metal underneath. When i push on it, the carpet moves up and down slightly. Honestly, I know its rusted out, and I HAVE taken auto body, and I am KILLER at patching holes. The only thing is I am wondering what to do with it. I could clear away all the rust thats flaking and crumbling off of it, but then what? Could I grind away at the rust until I hit bare metal, make a patch, weld it in, fill it, primer it, paint it and soundcoat it, would that work? I jsut want to patch this thing up because its been in quite a few road salting states in its life before I got it here in WISCONSIN of all places. Planning on building up on the car, but want to know if I should attempt to fix it, or get another Maxima? Id rather fix it, though. I ahve access to soundcoating and rustproofing chemicals.

ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,

DFoot1986

Originally Posted by shavedmax

if you've taken auto body classes and are lkiller at making patches................ whats your question.

Originally Posted by DFoot1986

Planning on building up on the car, but want to know if I should attempt to fix it, or get another Maxima? ANY help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,

DFoot1986

Originally Posted by Maximeltman

I'd attempt fixing it!