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Can I make it to 250,000 miles?

New alt.autos.nissan.maxima user here. First time poster.

I have a 1997 Nissan Maxima SE with 118,000 miles. The car has been a full-on ROCK STAR for me. The car is paid off in full, and has performed wonderful. Purchased when it had 42,000 miles I have done the following to maintain the car:

  • Full brake overhaul (about 65,000 miles ago)
  • Regular oil changes and basic maintenance (transmission fluid flush, fuel injection cleaned, air filter replace, tires rotated, balanced, or replaced, etc.)
  • Premium octane fuel used only
  • Average yearly miles: 12,000

I believe that I can easily make it to 200,000 miles. Could I make it to 250,000? My question to the group is this: what type of preventative maintenance should I be thinking about in order to keep this baby running smoothly? I don't know too much about cars and do most of my basic maintenance at a 20-minute oil change shop. I've never had the authorized dealer do any work on the car. Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? I hope I'm not jinxing myself by posting this thread...

Thanks,

diro

Reply to
diroberts
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=== You just keep driving it and fixing things that need fixing. Keep the cooling system in good condition. Clean and prep. the door and window rubber seals.

Reply to
Shines

With that kind of excellent maintenance you've been doing, that maxima should easily reach 250K miles. Even 300K should be possible. One thing, as mentioned by the other poster, you did not mention anything about your cooling system maintenance. How's that? If it has not been good chances are your water pump will go. It's a bit of an expenesive job to replace in the VQ30DE motor in your maxima. It's about a $400 job because the water pump is pretty deep inside the motor, driven by the timing chain etc.

Other than that, change your coolant regularly, stay away from any of those 5 year or 10 year orange coolants etc. Your car was born with the basic green ethylene glycol coolant. Stick with that. Nissan coolant is the best choice. Any green coolant that says it is low in silicates (or non silicates even better) is a good 2nd choice. The green Prestone coolant would be a distant 3rd choice becasue it has lots of silicates.

CD

Reply to
codifus

I have 214K on my 92 Maxima. Bought it new. Original clutch. No AC problems. Only routine maintenance except for clutch master cylinder, starter, water pump, and idler gear. Window solenoids and lock solenoids and bose crapped out, but those are electrical, not mechanical. I change the oil every three thousand miles.

Reply to
bud smith

re: coolant. Yes, I've done a "coolant/radiator flush" on the recommended mileage but have not replaced the water pump yet. I won't do so until it goes bad. $400 is cheaper than taking on a car payment for a newer car. I will be sure to stick w/ the coolant you recommend. Three months ago, I also replaced the starter, and two other related electrical switches. Since then though, the car has been starting "hard/rough" and today I found out I need a new ignition switch ($200 including labor) so I'm going to do that. Not an expense I was counting on considering I'm on a major budget but oh well.

Glad to hear that I'm on the right track. 300K? IF I could reach that milestone that would be full on mental and I'd be **stoked**!

Reply to
diroberts

Not sure how handy you are, but you can replace the ignition switch yourself for 40 dollars and in and 1/2 hour of your time.

Nirav

Reply to
njmodi

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