95 Maxima: Repair, Replace Engine or Bail???

I need some good advice on my 1995 Nissan Maxima. I love the car. Has about 115k miles, and now needs some serious work. I'm trying to figure out if I should get the repairs done, or replace the engine, or just bail on the car.

What's Wrong-->

1) Cam Sensor bad -- $215 parts and labor. 2) Starter is dying, $439 parts and labor. 3) Needs 120k mile service -- $459 parts and labor. 4) Rear timing cover is "pouring oil" -- $1,730 parts and labor.

Total cost--> about $3,000.

So, the options are...

A) Get the repairs done. How many more miles can I get out of the car then? And, how much would I be spending in service each year? What are the next big repairs -- transmission, perhaps? What else?

B) Replace the engine. The Nissan dealership quoted me $6,850 to replace engine! OUCH! Especially when a Tires Plus quoted me $2,900 parts and labor. Is replacing an engine a smart thing to do? What are the pitfalls? Do you think the Tires Plus place is underpriced (maybe it is not a good quality engine), or do you think the Nissan dealership is way overpriced?

C) Bail! The car is worth about $5,500 blue book. Maybe I shouldn't pour even $3000 into it. But if I bail, what can I do with the car in its current state? The car will not start. Any idea on where, and for how much, I can sell it for parts? Anyone here interested in it?

Thanks very much in advance for any advice you can offer.

Charlie Atlanta, GA

Reply to
cflowers_at_mindspring_dot_com
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The car obviously has seen better days. Put it out of its (and your) misery. Unless you plan on driving it for another 10 years, forget it. Get something newer, likely with less problems down the road.

Reply to
Maximum

I would agree with ditchiing it. My 95 is in similar straights although will much less problems. Don't think the problems you list is the end. With time, a heck of a lot more things are on it's way out and will need repair. Like you, I LOVE my maxima. Luckily for me, my problems can easily be temporized for about the upcoming year.

BTW, $5.5k KBB value is overly optimistic. In most markets, used maxima's are plentiful. You probably can get a similar 1997 for that much.

Personally, I'd trade it in.

CW

Reply to
CW

I have to agree. If you put in a new $6K engine, the car is still worth about the same Blue Book price to a buyer. They won't pay you much extra & a dealer would laugh at the idea of giving you more in trade. You'll never see the value back unless you just drive the wheels off it. If you wreck it, your insurance company is still only going to pay you about the same amount too.

Put the absolute minimum necessary amount into it to get it running. Junkyard starter and cam sensor, and if it's literally gushing oil I guess you'd have to fix it. Then dump it fast.

If you have to put $2500 into the car to get it running, then recognize that the real value of the car is less than $3,000.

Oh, and the periodic service? Don't do it. Get the car running and just sell it.

JM

Reply to
JM

Is there no one here who disagrees? Aren't some of you driving Maximas with 200k miles? If I could put $3000 in now and only $1000 more over the next 4 years, that'd be $1000 a year. The only thing I don't know is ... can I keep it around $1000 more over the next 4 years, or would it be significantly higher. I was hoping some long-time Maxima drivers could share their thoughts and experience on that.

Also, though, does anyone know how I might go about getting the best value for the car if I did do the minimum to get it running? Or even to sell it for salvage? I'm not sure where to find buyers for a car in that condition.

Thanks! Charlie Atlanta, GA

Reply to
cflowers_at_mindspring_dot_com

If the forecasted expenses for the next 12 months is over $1500, ditch the car. A car between 4 and 8 year old will cost between $1000 and $1500 per year in maintenance. In your case, $3000 is way above this rule of thumb treshold. Dont love something that cannot love back. Ditch the bitch.

Daniel

Owned 9 cars in last 25 years from new to 14 years old car.

Reply to
Daniel

Charlie,

I might disagree with the others that suggest "bail".

Have you tried to get another estimate?

I've found that the starter on my 96 started going bad and I pulled it, cleaned the shaft and has been working great since ($0 for repairs). The shops will replace rather than fix because it's more profitable. You may not have the mechanical ability to fix it, but maybe you can pay a friend $100 to do it for you.

Skip the 120K mile service, unless it includes a timing belt or if you need new plugs, or at least look at what they are "supposed" to do. Make sure that it's not all "inspections".

Find another shop to do the Rear timing cover. Sounds horribly high for an oil leak. Do some research on the internet

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andother places to try to figure out more about what may be going on with theleak.

I am nutorious about not trusting the garages about their "estimates". All of them are in it for the profit and the biggest problem is that there is a large number of shops that are not honest. It's too easy to take advantage of a customer that doesn't understand the workings of cars. i.e. My daughter and son-in-law just got taken for over $600 for a car that was flooded (long story).

Learn more about your problems and you may well save yourself a lot of money and a good car.

Mike

Reply to
Mike

Everything else aside, you're _dreaming_ if you think you can get away with $1000 total maintenance costs over _4 years_, for a 9-year-old car.

I'm not saying you necessarily should junk the car, but be realistic about what it may cost you, OK?

Steve Green

Reply to
Steve Green

Steve said $1000 per year average over the next four years, and not $1000 total for the whole four years. Nevertheless, $1000 per year for a 9 year old Maxima is too optimistic in my opinion. It will cost more to repair.

Reply to
Daniel

Charlie, the original poster, said this:

to which I replied:

Daniel then chimed in:

Daniel, Check your math and your attributions: Where did Charlie* say that?

3000 (service needed now) + 1000 (total service over next 4 years = 4000: /4 years = 1000 average per year. If Charlie meant 1000 per year, that would be 3000 + 4000 = 7000 / 4 years = 1750 per year

  • Charlie is the original poster. I'm Steve.

Steve Green

Reply to
Steve Green

I think the point of what was mentioned is that after the $3000 to fix the current problem, it is unrealistic to think that only $1000 for the next 3 years is a realistic maintenance cost. Only then would your $1000 per year average work out.

CW

Reply to
CW

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