alright well im not trying to junk up this forum but i have a 1997 maxima that my dad gave me and he knew the thing top to bottom. he was a member of the forum for years (i still have a "maxima.org" sticker on it from when he had it) unfortunately he cant help me, he passed away last year and i really DONT want to sell his last hot rod but its coming down to it and i gotta go to college and i have been looking at alot of 240sx's which he had owned before and loved but as im sure you all know there's something about this maxima. unfortunately its an automatic i got 155,xxx miles and a k&n cool air intake, cattman y-pipe, cattman test pipe, and a magnaflow muffler and a front strut bar. it leaks a quart of oil a month needs struts and other front end work it has a wobbling feeling when i turn to the left slightly and im pretty sure the tie rod ends are bad . im going off to college next year and have a $2500 budget. it has no radio now i ****ed it up trying to fix it myself i blew a fuse or just the whole head unit. i am in desperate need of advice for my spicific situation. i want advice from people i know my dad trusted and that know just as much as he did, you can email me if you want to johnjohnalmand@gmail.com his name on here was johnalmand i think or maybe jalmand (we share the same name) i know this is where he came so i figured i would too. so please i ask again just some advice i am in a bind we have no money and the only reason i have $2500 is because we just sold a car we had to get rid of. my mom did me a solid and gave me the money to either put toward a new car or fix my death trap. its my daily driver and its scary to drive. and if you actually read all this thank you please help!!!!!!!

 

So what exactly is your question? Also, this would have been better posted in the 4th Gen Section...Not the General Maxima section.

 

what to do, sell, or fix. and sorry i dont know how to work anything on this site. i just need help and this is the first place i have been able to actually start a thread. and like i said im going off to college soon and this car has sentimental value but i need something reliable, i have done alot of research on suspension and various other things and i have a good idea of whats wrong but i feel like its only a matter of time before something major breaks and im s-o-l and if i fix it i dont just want it to be stock obviously. i picked out tokico blues with ebiach lowering springs but i really dont even know where to start.

 

"Help me" is not an appropriate thread title... Thread title changed, and thread moved to 4g section. Welcome to the org.



You may want to consider taking it to a reputable repair shop, pay $75 to have all your concerns diagnosed and itemized properly, then come back and search the org to see how easy/difficult/costly the repairs will be. Then decide what to do.

Fuses are located under the dash (by your left knee) and in the engine bay by the battery.

The wobble could be bad wheel bearings. If you're green at working around cars, this job is for a mechanic.

Overall, I'm sure you can fix all your problems for $2500 easily.

Ask yourself, let's say you sell your car for $1000 "as is", then add the $2500 you have, what can you buy that's super reliable $3500?

 

well sorry for posting in the wrong whatever, i knew somebody would get mad i just figured somebody could atleast point me in the right direction which you did so thank you but in my opinion there are too many rules on all these forums. i do appreciate the help. i had an offer for 3500 but responded too late. i will definatley be taking it somewhere soon. i know a little bit about cars but mostly basic stuff. i know replacing the springs and struts is pretty basic unless you need to compress the springs on to the struts. also whats your opinion on my suspension set up? also i know at start up i have to feather or hold the gas at around 1500 rpms for a second or two especially when its cold right when my dad gave me the car he said something needed to be cleaned? so any advice on that would be awesome too.

 

Come on man, cut the kid some slack. What do you think he asked? Your favorite kind of ice cream?

THIS TO THE DANG T ^^^^!!!!!!!

OP, sorry about your dad. I would take the advice of the Wizard. At least that is what i would do. I'm kind of the sentimental kind though. But I would seriously follow the Wizard's advice. I think it's safe to say he knows dang right what he's talking about! Good luck!

 

THANK YOU i was hoping SOMEBODY would show some sympathy, not that i was looking for any but i feel like so many people on this site are so serious. i was just confused on how to work all this. and thanks he loved the car he really wanted to build one more hot rod and never got the chance, thats why i was considering a 240 but i know to find a good one im going to need alot more cash. also after reading all this i really want to keep my maxima now, haha a couple of my friends that are into vehicles (mostly trucks since i live in south georgia) call me "maxima boi" haha

and for the wizard, i know where my fuses are i dont have a voltmeter to test any or test if i just blew out my head unit i was trying to install a new antenna mast and motor when i blew whatever out and im not good with wiring. i dont really care about music i have lived with it for over a month and it doesnt bother me, the sound of my cone intake and exhaust is music to my ears. im actually extremely proud of the sound of my car! and damn wizard your maxima is literally a car ive only seen in dreams haha my dad always joked about supercharging ours. maybe one day.

 

I'm with you there. I'm from the sticks of Texas. This is my first import EVER. We only purchased it because we had a baby and needed the room. But I'm glad I did, I love my Maxima.

Where in GA? I came to Hawaii two years ago from Warner Robins. I was stationed out there for two years. I like GA.

I've only been on here a month, so I 'm kind of new as well. Don't let the sours here push you around. They're just pist because their wives don't like them anymore! Haha, joking aside, there are some really cool people around here that will help in a jiff. Just be polite and say thanks and you'll be good!

 

Listen dude $2500 is a lot of money to get your max where it needs to be. And I'm not the sentimental type but I could never sell my dads car. (Actually he drives a 2000 sienna so I wouldn't mind if god forbid something happened to him lol). But your dad loved the max apparently so keep it and fix her up. Unless of course you had a **** relationship with your dad.

As for oil burning , do your valve cover gaskets or just add a quart when your low no biggie. Struts buy the set from ebay for like $150. The brand is sensen and re-use your springs.

Honestly find a local org'er if you can't do a lot of this work, pay them to do it and learn a thing or two from them. 240sx are great cars but very expensive and your always going to want to dump more money in them. I'm also going to college, this fall, and I'm brining my max with me in tip top shape.

Good luck op if you need help feel free to pm me

 

2500 should be more than plenty to fix what's wrong

 

And then some. 2500 around me would get you a modded 5speed top of the line SE around me

 

Would this by chance be around you? Wait, around you, or around you?

 

Well he didn't ASK anything in the first post. Just kind of went on about this and that. I wasn't sure if he was asking for help trying to diagnose oil leaks, asking for how to do things, asking if he should keep it or what. Hence my blunt question asking him what his EXACT question/Concern was. I was seeking clarification to better be able to help HIM.

And my comment about should be posted in the 4th gen section, was for his benefit to get more 4th gen traffic and thus be able to get a quicker response for whatever his question was. Oh, and look where it was moved to by the mods. So cut MEEE some slack!

OP, $2500 sounds like more than enough to fix your problems...depending on where the Oil leaks are coming from. To give you a rough estimate, i just paid $1000 to have a shop fix my upper oil pan leak, Both Valve cover leaks, replace axle seals, and do an AC service.

 

im in brunswick, ive been to warner robins a few times, i have family all over georgia. and i appericate all the help. now that i know how to use this forum it does seem extremely helpful i found a 96 maxima with coilovers and a 5 speed (that slips) and nice 18 inch rims and new tires with nice lights n all and he wants 1800 for the car. what do y'all think about buying that and robbing parts off to work on mine? the suspension alone is almost worth what he's asking not to mention the lights and rims and tires (i need tires BAD) and what branch are you in? my dad was in the airforce, stationed at kings bay, also got lucky (HE thought he was lucky) and got to go to egypt and panama for a while. ( this is loooooooooong before i was even thought of)

 

thanks man, i really do want to keep the car but one of the main reasons i want a 240 is for a 5speed (if i could make my maxima a 5 speed, selling it would be out of the question, its just so damn expensive) and rwd. i know people are going to bust my *** for what i say next but i want to race for a living. its such a ***** to get into it though. so much money and time and i need multiple cars... i would have to bail on college and use the money from that... but from my previous posts you can see that isnt much of an option now. hey but if anyone wants to give me a 5 speed tranny and all the goodies that go with it feel free!

 

man I wish I had 2500 to drop into my baby. Invest in the Max, these cars as a simple daily driver will last forever. You have the monetary resources, now just find a good mechanic you can trust and knock out the big stuff that seems scary.

It may seem daunting at first but there are a large number of "big jobs" that can be done with the Full Service Manual and a weekend of your time with the knowledge on these forums.

http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/ and then click your year. DOn't give up on the max especially with those few miles. I just rolled over 234,000 miles last week. and it is still a strong car.

 

You coming on to me bro ? It was late at night to my defense lol

To the op fix it up !

 

fix it

 

Look for an honest mechanic if you can't do the work. Max's are very reliable. I'd recommend to fix it. I would if it had sentimental value to me.

 

Ah, I see.

I WAS in the Marine Corps. Your dad was wise by going into the AF. If I would've enlisted in any other branch, it would've been AF all the way. And yes, he was lucky. I never saw a cool place like that, but I will eventually.

Yea, Warner Robins is a pretty cool town. I also liked Perry and some of the other areas. Reminded me of Texas.

As far as the car, IDK. That's something you have evaluate yourself. Are you willing, prepared and above all, capable of taking all that on? Figure out which of the three you possess. If you're willing, that's the key. Otherwise, nothing will get done. Are you prepared meaning do you have the tools? And then are you capable? Meaning are you skilled and or a fast learner? If not, find a mechanic. That would be my suggestion to you. Figure those key elements out and that should tel you what avenue to go.

As far as swapping parts. Eh, I'm a bit skeptical about that. You are headed to college and probably need more reliability than anything. I'd prefer new parts considering you have a decent budget.

Um no, I drive a black Maxima, not a pink one! Sorry to disappoint!

BOOM! Hit the nail on the head!

 

wow guys thanks for all the advice and help, im taking her to a shop tomorrow hopefully and will post what exactley is wrong so i can go ahead and get this baby fixed!

im going to southrnfresh 3 august 11th if anyone knows what that it in Marietta GA its a JDM car show and its $15 to enter so i figured why not!

im hoping i can get my car in good enough working order to make it there and back by then, i know its a stretch but im seriously going to try i have been planning it all summer so if anyone is going hopefully i'll see ya there!

also keep in mind i dont want to just replace with oem replacements i really want to upgrade.

 

yeah man i know i have the tools somewhere haha its more about finding them in my garage. but i could probably use a little supervision or actually watch and help someone i know a couple of my dads old friends one has a 69chevelle ss with a $37,000 restoration job he did all himself he also restored a 240z! so im going to try my best to keep labor cost down and do as much as i can by myself or with help from family friends

 

Sorry to hear your dad passed. My girlfriend's father died recently and she inherited his 97 SE 5 speed. I have been working on that car because she wants to keep it.

I have had many Maximas and also 240sx and I think you should keep the Maxima for reliable daily driving.

If you have tools find them. Then take the car to couple of mechanics to get some info on what's wrong with the car and how much it will cost to fix it. After that fix all the things that you can yourself and maybe ask friends to help you with the rest of the repairs. At last if anything else is left, take it to a mechanic you trust and have him fix it. Good luck!

 

 

I always look at it this way -- What kind of shape did you get the car in and who did you buy it from? Also, what kind of money did you pay for it vs. repair costs. If you bought your car from some dealership and didn't know much about it (how it was maintained or lack of maintenance, etc) only to have these problems, then I would instantly clean it up and get it ready for sale, take off the Cattman Y-Pipe and replace w/ junkyard stock one (Cattman Y-Pipe can be sold for good money and are quite rare nowadays), private sell the car + sell Y-Pipe separately for a total of $2000-3000 depending on your salesman skills.

HOWEVER, in your case I'm 99% sure I'd keep it. Not only did it come from your dad, but he was an .ORG member so chances are the car has been maintained and kept up in good shape.
Just an older car that needs some TLC, fix it up and it should run you for years to come. Considering the small amount of $$$ invested, I'd say it's a sure bet to keep it. Especially if it was my dads car, I would keep it even if it didn't run and I had to park it on the grass in the backyard and use it as a doggy house for my pit. BTW, $2500 should easily take care of all your problems, but I'm thinking closer to $1000-1500 just make sure you find a decent shop where you wont get ripped off too badly.

Good luck with the car and keep us posted, keep the Max and love the Max!

 

alright called the shop today and they're closed so it looks like im going to have to wait untill Monday.

i jacked it up yesterday to see just whatever there is to see and i couldn't tell.

i will put up some pictures of her today as she is now, i have some ideas about plasti-dip on certain parts, my dad and i had the car painted and some body work done for 2000 about a year ago and im pretty sure i could have painted the car better blind folded with a can of spray paint.

it's chipping off the hood, got orange peel all down one side, discoloration on the roof, and it looks like someone took a chainsaw to the side they did "body work" on because they were too lazy to bondo all the way up to the top of the dent (you cant see this unless you get down low because of the things that run along the doors i cant remember what they're called)

plus he sprayed over the adhesive left by my badges, so if i ever wanted to debadge it im outta luck without a new paint job. but the looks have always been the least of my concern. just thinking about washing the part of the hood thats chipping and doin the thinnest line of black plasti-dip as possible, kinda make it look like the car had Just the hood part of the bra on just so it doesnt continue to chip

 

I've seen Q45's and I30's go for around that or less. You can find something pretty nice for that amount especially if you buy privately. I always say to myself I would have totally gotten an i30 instead, but I had no idea Nissan and Infiniti were identical until I went to the junkyard one day lol (but I'm not too crazy about the taillight design on the i30s though)

I didn't pay over $3,000 for my current one.

 

one of my buddies had a 1994 q45 with 80,000 miles it was MINT but his dumbass pulled out too early ant totaled it. loved jdm muscle. had a slight tilt little lower in the front nice wide body. just for the record i smoked him in my maxima hahaha

 

alright i dont know if anyone can see this or not, im not sure how to upload pictures that well but if you want just copy the url and visit my tumblr.

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/johnjohnalmand

 

The picture does not show up. Copy and then paste the IMG link

 

Hey man I'm in GA as well and we have a PUll-A-Part here in AUgusta. I'd go there for some parts and Ebay for others. If I had $2,500 for my Max it would be in damn good condition. I have a lot of little problems like you including needing some valve cover gaskets bad. I've owned it for 4 years and had problems starting it since I bought it. Replaced a bunch of parts too. But if you went to a Nissan dealer and got a proper diagnosis, I think $2,500 would be more than enough to get it in top condition as long you don't need a new transmission of motor.

 

[QUOTE=Aburn95;8829908]Hey man I'm in GA as well and we have a PUll-A-Part here in AUgusta. I'd go there for some parts and Ebay for others. If I had $2,500 for my Max it would be in damn good condition. I have a lot of little problems like you including needing some valve cover gaskets bad. I've owned it for 4 years and had problems starting it since I bought it. Replaced a bunch of parts too. But if you went to a Nissan dealer and got a proper diagnosis, I think $2,500 would be more than enough to get it in top condition as long you don't need a new transmission of motor.[/QUOTE

damn a pull a part would be great! we dont have one near here but augusta isnt too far. i need alot of little things here and there my mom actuaally threw away the fog lamp mounts i took out and sprayed black. some new ones on top of maybe a side mirror some stripping or other lights maybe some dash parts would totally be worth it

 

well because im impatient and dont want to wait to find out whats wrong i will try my best to describe what it feels like

when i drive straight or turn left slightly it feels like there is something that came loose and spinning around the same rate as my tire and hitting something.(i can feel this at my feet but dont really hear anything.) but when i turn to the right at all its smooth as silk or if i turn sharp to the left.

at about 60 my whole car starts intermittently vibrating or more maybe shaking up and down for a couple seconds, enough for passengers to notice. but diminishes as i gain more speed but never goes away unless im under 55mph.

also the wheel shakes slightly and it also pulls to the right. and it bounces like hell over any kind of bump but thats obviously struts.

so if anything sounds familiar let me know!!!

 

just got word on the car, apparently all i needed were inner tie rod ends, i asked them to drive and double check and they said they would.

also bought a new set of tires. not expensive ones just for the fact that im not going to be racing the car so whats the point.

so far im $700.00 out of my $2500.00 budget, im ordering the springs and struts i want today and installation at the same place is $35.00 so im just going to have them do it.

if everything goes smooth and they don't find anything else wrong i'll get the oil leak fixed and all the filters and fluids replaced. im sure im long over due for that.

then i can finally start making her look pretty. thanks for all the help guys and like i said if anyone has any suggestions for suspension set ups let me know im just going to go with tokico blue struts and eibach lowering springs for now.

 

Awesome! Good luck!

 

thanks man. i just got it back, it rides so much better. still a little bouncy and shaky at times but im ordering my illumina struts tonight!

 

Your dad would be proud!

 

Illuminas are

 

i think so too, since im keeping it through college i figured i may as well just keep it hopefully forever get a different daily driver after i graduate and garage this puppy and slowly restore it to perfect. maybe give it to my kid as his first car!

proud to still own this car for sure.

 

Now you're cooking with peanut oil!