Just as an FYI, I took my '98 Maxima in for service yesterday. It was
>at about 64000 miles and needed the 60K checkup. I last changed the
>oil at 58,000 miles. (I do mostly highway driving, so this was only
>about three months ago.)
>
>I told them to:
>
>Change Oil/Filter
>Replace Fuel Filter
>Clean/Replace Transmission Fluid
>Replace Spark Plugs (NKG)
>Replace Belts (I saw serious cracking)
>Flush/Replace Coolant (Last done in '02)
>
>
>Total $651 with labor.
>
>
>...I drive it out of the shop and start home. I notice a mile out of
>the shop that the car seems to shake a bit at idle. I figure it is the
>belts getting in place.
>
>I take it on the freeway for the 35 mile drive home from work. No >problems.
>
>I exit the freeway and it starts to shake and jitter. I then park it,
>and my wife takes it out for a 1-mile drive to the gym. She comes back
>and reports that it shook violently for her and that the CE light came >on.
>
>
>Naturally it is back in the shop today. I'll let y'all know how it >came out.
>
As follow up to my 60,000 mile service issue from some weeks back....
...the shop told me that some rubber boot around the spark plugs had cracked and was arcing. I tracked down one of my co-workers (with a high-mileage '88 Maxima) and asked if he had a good mechanic. I took it to that mechanic for diagnosis and possible repair. (The original shop had simply put electrical tape over the boot.)
The mechanic looked at the engine and saw the tape job. He indicated that - in his opinion - doing a spark plug job at 60,000 wasn't necessary and usually ended up in issues such as mine. I told him that the manual had recommended it and I was following the manual. After scanning for codes, he saw that the electrical tape was holding up well, and told me to bring it in again if - or when - the tape disentegrates and starts the arcing.
He didn't charge me.