Driving on the freeway just after an interchange, accelerating normally through about 50mph I start to hear this awful racket... Turn down the radio and what do my ears hear? Uh-oh, I think I know that sound. Sounds like a rod flapping around to me. So I start to let off it and then it happens. BANG! Car dies instantly. Big puff of smoke out the back. Turn on flashers, pull off on shoulder. Call AAA. Had it towed to my local mechanic. So yeah, I'm pretty ****ed.

Finally get back to my apartment after my roommate picks me up. Head to the garage an open it up. Time to break out the Maxima, the winter beater took a dump

Oh and yes for those who are a little slow on the uptake, my Maxima is still ok, though in need of some things. Battery, alternator, windshield, snow tires, stock hood put back on so I don't ruin the CF hood with the road salt, need to raise it back up some because it's too low for winter, and need a parking sticker for up at school.

 

what POS did you have as a beater?

 

I KNOW you threw a rod. KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK, big loss of power and then bang. Exactly what happened when I stuffed my VE30DE 2 months ago

 

Geez, I thought the 'Vader Max' had thrown a rod. At least it's okay.*phew*
Sorry to hear about your winter beater, though. What car was it? I couldn't tell from your post.

 

Uggggg, I thought you were talking about your Max You had me scared!

Winter must be really bad up there to need a beater for the cold and snow.

 

had me going there for a minute too!

 

sounds like your non-beater needs alot of work put into it.

 

My beater was an 87 Chevy Nova. 72hp from the factor. Probably down to about 50 now. Well 0 now, 50 yesterday before it died.

Yeah my max needs some things. The windshield and battery were things I was just putting off until spring since I wasn't PLANNING on driving the car at all this winter anyhow. Snow tires are something I never planned on either because of the same reason. I've got some all seasons on there now. I've got an extra ecu from the scam that was pulled on me back a few months ago, so I can still send the ECU to JWT. Not sure if I'm going to raise the car up...its almost february and winter will be basically over in a couple weeks. It is nice to be back driving the max though. Hopefully I can make it through the winter without a fender bender. Knock on wood.

 

that was a good joke, I am looking for a beater myself. A 1995 240SX slipped past me at a very low price so by the time I called someone had purchased it already. That was the best deal I seen so far.

 

Hmm, nice car. IIRC, that was the same as the AE82-chassis Toyota Corolla. If you want to breathe new life back into the Nova, look for a used Toyota 4AGE engine. The highest I've seen them online was for $450. This engine was offered in the 110hp Nova twin-cam. My parents used to own one, and that little thing was quick and sounded great. It would make a nice, new beater.
If you want, you can go really crazy and get one of the J-spec fwd supercharged 4AGZEs. They make about 165hp, and you can easily get 200hp with a few mods. But you're an all-motor man, and there is the 4AGEU, a 20-valve VVT-i version, making 160hp with individual throttle bodies as standard equipment. Those are just a few options so that you don't have to drag "Vader Max" out in the weather too much.

 

If he dropped that S/Ced engine in there, the Nova might beat the max. Kinda like my Z beat his max

 

You had me scared for a minute. DOH, the TOY-OLET died huh? That sucks! Throw a new motor in there and it will be all good. One of my boyfriends in college had that car...he had something done to it so it was faster, but darn if I remember what.

 

Hey, don't knock the "Vader Max!" That's one of my favorite Maximas on the .org. I'm just trying to give him some ideas so that he can keep the beater, maybe get some extra performance, and not put more wear on the Max.

 

you used "maxima" and "beater" in the same sentence...hehehehe