Guys need some advise...just bought another maxima 2000(currently have 2010 also) with 216K mls. Got it from its 1st owner...who took care of the car..its very clean in and out.
I would like to know 1st. What kind of OIL should i use..2nd. Should i even think of changing Transmission fluid?...3rd Should i use fuel cleaner or change fuel filter....I drove this car back home today for 120mls...runs like new..tranny shifts smooth.
Just need u guys to help me maintain this car for another 50k mls.
This is the 1st time i'm owning a car out of warranty.
Thanks

Steve

 

I have synthetic 10w-30 motor oil..

I always change my trans fluid, in the max its synthetic royal purple

I dont mess with fuel cleaner

 

So should i use ROYAL PURPLE for both engine and transmission?

 

I did, its great stuff but many would say its overpriced

 

You should ask the 1st owner what kind of fluid he used and use the same as he did.

 

I like Amsoil Universal ATF.

Since the last owner was able to get it to 200k miles then he must have been doing something right with the oil so maybe find out what he was using? If you want to use synthetic then a brand name over the counter oil in the proper weight will be more than sufficient. If it consumes oil then you can try a high mileage oil with seal swellers or a thicker oil such as Shell Rotella T syn 5w-40 or Mobil 1 0w-40. Hope that helps.

 

Before you even think about doing anything to the transmission fluid it....check it... If it's a pinkish color and doesn't smell like it's burning/burnt, leave it alone. Otherwise drain and refill (as opposed to a flush & fill).

I suggest Mobil-1 fluid for both oil and tranny fluid.

Fuel "cleaner"...No; Fuel Filter, quite possible.

 

You need to find out a few things from the previous owner. If they have not been regularly changing the tranny fluid changing it now can be really bad. As for the oil, same thing, find out if they have been using synthetic or regular oil. In the situation of the tranny, if they have been maintaining the fluid and changing it on a consistent basis then it will be ok. If not, the new tranny fluid you put in will break down and clean any of the old "gunked" up tranny fluid possibly creating new leaks and seeping through seals. It is sort of the same situation with using synthetic oil. If the car has no been using synthetic oil, introducing it into the system will break down the old oil that is in the engine possible allowing it to leak through, since the synthetic can be thinner. Atleast that is my understanding of it.

 

for high millage car it depends on maintenance done before. Usually little heavier oil 10w-40 or something similar. it is better to use the same oil that was used before or if changing to different brand of oil should do next oil change at a shorter period to flush out the mixed oil. If trans fluid was not changed in 200k then could change it with a filter and then after 1k or so miles change it agian. Fuel filter is a good idea. using synthetic oil on high millage motor after conventional been used all it's life can in some cases cause seals to leak. Royal Purple is expensive and i would not use it on a daily driver. I only use it in the fun car just because motor has low miles.

 

I'd just run whatever oil you're used to running. the VQ30 is a tight motor. My father has one and it does not burn a drop in 5k miles during an oil change interval.

I feed it pennzoil platinum, german castrol, and formula shell synthetic.

 

Thx for the info...i spoke to the 1st owner..he didn't use synthetic oil, he mention to me that he had changed the Tranny oil a few times...but couldn't give me date for the last chng.
I will change to synthetic oil and see what happen....this car will only be driven maybe 40mls a week. Just for weekend groceries...lol