OK I'll try to explain my rather difficult situation right now. Right now my transmission sometimes sticks itself in reverse. The first time I did it, I thought the thing was permananently ruined, but the tow truck driver popped it out of gear when he winched the car. The second time happened just down my street as I was turning around. My friend and I managed to get it out of gear by drving it quickly in reverse and the shifter just came right out. The third time I did it in my driveway on purpose trying to get the thing to stick by driving in reverse over the front lawn and driveway. When it does get stuck in reverse, on 2 occasions it made horrible screeching noises. This tells me the fork is probably bent or something else is wrong, but once it is freed the noise is of no more and the shifter feels OK.

As many here know, this has not been my favorite car by anymeans. Its front wheel drive, the aftermarket is limited and expensive and trouble ridden. I've already dropped the transmission twice before so this will be yet the third time (first for clutch job/quaife differential/bearing job), second time for shattered 2nd gear. I have extra transmission parts so I should be able to fix the tranny for little to no cost aside from my time and energy. I did NOT cryotreat any of the reverse parts cause I did not think I would encounter difficulties like this. Looking back I should have.

The resale value on this car isnt that hot and I could only get $10-11K on a private party sale.

I'm a poor college student who works 20 hours or less a week and yes I still live with mommy and daddy. The car is fully paid for, but I have a 2001 Honda CBR600F4i that I still owe around $5000 or so on. After swift resistance from the parents, they now tell me that they are willing to help me out with a new vehicle after they see me putting in countless hours fixing this one.

I turn 21 in August, and that is when my insurance costs also take a nose dive, so getting a new car's insurance wont be that devastating. As for another car's candidate, I'd like something that is truly fun to drive. Ideally rear wheel drive. But at my price range, sacrifices will have to be made, as theres no such thing as a luxurious performance supercar.

I dont want to put myself into more debt either, I'm too young!

So to break it down my options are:
1) Keep driving the thing as it is now, cross fingers that it wont get stuck in reverse in somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
2) Drop the transmission and fix what is wrong and then keep modding
3) Drop the transmission, remove the Quaife and other aftermarket and sell the car, then buy something else.

My honest thoughts are leaning towards number 1 for now, and later on number 2 like later this summer assuming the car lasts that long. Buying a new car is just asking for more debt as I'd have to redo everything, from the stereo to performance parts to window tint and the maxima has already taken a huge hit. When I turn 21, that also means the insurance goes down on this car as well, so more invest/mod money.

My big complaints right now are: wheel hop, sloppy and harsh handling, front wheel drive, poor resale, squeeky and rattling interior, thin paint, NON-independent rear, questionable reliability, expensive aftermarket.
Wheel hop, sloppy handling will be taken care of with suspension and an alignment. Nothing much I can do about front wheel drive or poor resale short of keeping the car (ugh). Rattling interior and lousy paint can be corrected but it will take time and money. Nothing much can be done with a solid rear either, but then again any RWD in my price range will likely have a live axle.

With probably around $1000 more in mods (suspension, foreign double stage intake), I could probably be at the lower end of the 14s, and still have the utility of the sedan (big stereo, trailer towing, room). With a few grand more, supercharger I should be in the low 13 or even 12 second territory, hoping nothing else breaks.

Sorry for the long post. This also helps me to organize my thoughts.

 

I agree, you probably bent a shift fork from one of your previous burn out sessions or whatever. I don't see how that's the tranny's fault. I'd say fix it and sell it. One other thing is if you are so poor, what are doing w/ a newer maxima + a street bike?? Must not be that poor.

Anyway, I suggestion is to fix the maxima, sell it, buy a beater and drive your bike when you want to go fast. Nothing this side of a Supra TT, Z06 or Buick GN, is gonna touch the bike for speed anyway.

 

return it back to stock as much as possible...then sell it...save urself the misery...will save u money in the long run i think if the lil things keep coming up like this...

 

yes

You have not had any luck with this car. If this happens to the car, you might have a tough time selling it, just fix it up if it won't cost you much and begin retuning it back to stock.. It is still worth 8-10 grand and with that you can buy a few decent used cars with potential and RWD.

 

With all the trouble you have expierenced with your Maxima I would sell it. Take your 10k to 11k and run. Have patience and wait for the car you want to pop-up. In the Baltimore/Washington area it will not be that long of a wait.

I would rather start over again with a different car that I liked as oppossed to spending money on a car that I hated. Paint job for the Maxima or new stereo system for your next car. Rebuilt transmission for Maxima or Mods for the next car. It sounds like you are going to spend the time and money either way. Atleast be happy!

 

Sorry dude but if I were you, get rid of the max...I dont mean to get flamed etc, but has anyone noticed a trend? Everyone spends countless hours and $ to mod the max, then figure out they dont want it anymore or find a better car so they sell teh mods for less $ and then sell the car...I was going to mod my car but I figure I am going to college next year, so I want to sell the max, save my $ and then buy a used or new car but something I really want, like a used m3 or dont flame me but even a boxster or something, not sure but my goal was to get a max which I did and time to move on...

 

Definitely get rid of that car even if it fetches only 8 grand, it'll make your life miserable. You don't have time to waste as a student, you should be getting good grades and chasing skirts as I've said many times before. To let a car give you a headache at that point in your life is a big mistake. Play some sports, you're pretty much at your prime and you should be able to kick butt right now. That will dwindle over the next 10 years.

As you said, you've already got a loan on the bike so don't sink another penny into this Maxima. Wash your hands of it. If you have AAA Plus then maybe chance it, but I wouldn't because it gets a person really angry to get stranded. If you get 8-9 grand in cash you can pay off the bike and still have 3-4 grand to get another used car, something simple.

 

really though!!

 

Hmmm, very good points indeed. More reasons to sell the thing:

1) Life is short. I've driven too many family sedans already, and I DO NOT have a family. I notice many people, including people here get rid of their "fun" cars because of the fact of starting families. Further, I dont need the pure luxo cruiser either such as leather etc as I'm only 20.

2) Transportation will not be an issue for me at all. Since its starting to get warm out, I usually ride the Honda anyway. I live with my mom and my dad, yet in this house there is: 1) 1990 Toyota Camry the ultimate beater car 2) 1994 Nissan Quest 3) 1998 Toyota Camry 4) my 97 Max and 5) the 2 wheeled Honda. Not including I could call friends/neighbors if need be, so theres more then a abundance of transportation.

3) My 6 month insurance policy for my car ends in June. I will save some money if I can go the summer without the max. During this time I can carefully test drive and shop for a new car. And if I wait until August, it'll save me tons in insurance costs.

4) My stereo parts should all be able to be transferred to the new car, so thats also not an issue.

5) If I were to do the other stuff I'm planning, particularly supercharger other stuff is bound to break.

6) I will probably be able to raise $1500 or more just by selling off my current mods. The Quaife differential alone will go for $1000.

7) Depreciation is bad, so I'd better loose this thing quickly before it depreciates even more.

8) I will pay off the motorcycle. Even if I do have to take a loan out for a new car, its APR is likely to be far less then the 9.49% I'm running right now. It would even give me a better credit rating.

9) It will allow me to focus more on other stuff like studying (well not much an issue in the summer) and partying.

10) I can quit my miserable job at Radio Shack (visit www.radioshacksucks.com and you'll see why all us employees are miserable) and find another one in the time being and take my time at it.

11) My tags also expire in June, and since I got vanity plates it'll save me $120 for the 2 year renewal.

The thing about getting a car that I liked the first time is good advice. I've had this car for almost 2 years and each passing day I grew to hate it more.

 

Good point, you dont want to own the same type of car(s) youre whole life, go out there and enjoy and play around with all the different choices. Yea the Max may be a "family sedan" but not entirely. If i want a "family sedan" ill go out and buy a pewter 4 cylender Camry with cloth seats

Well how much do you usually travel every week, and what type of travel like local to/from work or moderate-long trips? Id say use the bike to cruise around for local weekend errands etc and maybe one of those other cars or friends for anything else.

Amen

yes

If its a hinderance then why let it stay and bother you? Personally, my max is just another one of my hobbies i look forward to working on it even if its just purposely breaking something then fixing it

If i were in your shoes id sell it and just stick with the other family cars to get around and the bike as my weekend toy until you save up and find a car you really want.

 

according to my sis agent...they say for a typical male...the drop off point of high-risk driver to average is age 25...and for female...it's at age 23....don't get ur hopes up too high on the insurance...

 

Go ahead jump ship I hope my freind mike does because he does not deserve a maxima he talks to match bad stuff about it. Maybe its a 3rd gen thing but I keeping my max intill the motor blows than maybe...... I have had a car full of girls follow me yesterday and they stopped me to tell me they love my maxima

 

I know its 21 because I've already checked the insurance rates for me. Gotta plan for everything :-)

 

funny site!! damn, a lot of pent up anger in you Radio Shack peeps, sheesh!!!

 

Radio shack is the hook up! These folks in a satellite office were ready to spend several hundred dollars for a music on hold system, it kinda looked like something that would cost around $69 at Circuit City. I took a look at it and said you don't need that at all, you just need a $3.49 adapter, male 1/4" to female RCA. They were like get out of town, if such a thing existed don't you think we would have thought of it? Drove over to Radio Shack and picked it up for under $4.