MetaChat - Calling all shadetree mechanics

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15 August 2006

Calling all shadetree mechanics →[More:]

Would you bother to fix this car?

It is a very old (read as: ancient/1980-something) Nissan Maxima, but still very sound as it is still with the original owner, and she loved it well.

I took it to the mechanic: this is what the safety inspection revealed:

Oil gasket or front main seal leak, oil sending unit, exhaust gasket leak, R/f wheel stud, "rear tires at wear bars and need repalcing" -typo?, replace rear brakes, R & L /r tail light assemblies, Left back up and left front blinker out.

The mechanic estimates repairs may run me in the neighborhood of $700. or $800. The owner said: Make me an offer.

Side note - My own car is in the shop right now getting looked at, of course I am going to go with the lesser of two evils, but what I want to know before I find out what is wrong with my own car is: If I am not going to repair my own car, should I bother with this Nissan or keep looking.

post by: getoffmylawn at: 16:11 | 16 comments

Maximas are generally excellent cars and if you can find a mechanic who will work with you, you can get one to easily pass the 200K miles mark. I had an '88 manual that was at 220k with a blown valve (making it a V5) that I sold to a very happy Guatamalan dude (around my way, Maximas are super popular with people from South America and they often know the best mechanics for them) and I still see him driving it around sometimes. So it depends on how much you are willing to spend, offer the owner a grand and have the repairs done and you've got a great runabout, fucking cars stay peppy by the way, I regularly dusted newer cars in my '88 and in a '93 I had. Great engine in those cars.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 16:18

I meant to say Central America, not south.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 16:25

I have an AWESOME, most excellent mechanic.

This is an 1884, automatic with 288K, and a "new" used engine. The oil light came on, and the woman thought if it was really bad the light would get, are you ready for this, REDDER! So they put a new, but used engine in it about 4 years ago. Her dad died and she got his car and this one has been taking up a parking spot at their apartment for 2 years.

The kelly BB value on the 86 (KBB doen't go back farther than that) is about 600 bucks. My friend who hooked me up with this car said offer the owner 200 bucks and see what he says.

I love this Nissan and I want it, but I don't want to drink anymore lemonaid.

I have been driving this car, it feels good and solid and boy, does she haul ass.

posted by getoffmylawn 15 August | 16:25

Fuckit then, offer 200 and go as far as 400, 288k is high, but depending on how long you want it for it might be worth it. Excellent cars, in New York City the oldest cars you see running other than serious beater ass Olds 88's and such are Maximas.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 16:29

DW: Does between 7 & 8 bills sound right for those needed repairs?

posted by getoffmylawn 15 August | 16:31

maybe a little high, but in later Maximas at least the engine has an overhead cam and you have to take the whole top of the engine off to work on it, I'm out of my depth on if you need to do that to work on the seals but if you do the labor is what costs.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 16:34

I don't think the $800 includes the two tire, eh?

You might get a "blowdown" compression test while you're checking it out. That will not only tell you the static compression, but will also check the valve guides (with a squirt of heavy oil and a second check). It's about the best non-invasive test on an engine.

Better mechanics will know what I'm talking about. It may have different names in different places, but what I'm calling a "blowdown" test uses a compression gauge that is hooked up to an air hose and the compression is tested without turning the crank. If you get really fancy, you can test at tdc and bdc to see if the cylinder is hourglassed.

posted by warbaby 15 August | 16:43

Costco for the tires. And from what I've heard, yes get the compression checked cause valves are where the excellent Maxima engines go down.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 16:50

My friend who hooked me up with this car said offer the owner 200 bucks and see what he says.
My thoughts exactly. You do have one advantage with this car - you pretty much know where the faults are and they don't sound too life-threatening. The main oil seal is probably the most expensive, because it could mean taking the head off and all the associated baggage to replace it, but it could only mean pulling the sump, depending on where the seal is.

Maximas seem to have pretty good longevity,even here, where roads are nasty and distances are huge. However, 288k is a long way and 26 years a long time for a modern(ish) car to last, so I would imagine it is heading towards its twilight miles and things are going to get worse rather than better.

posted by dg 15 August | 16:53

Ok, yesterday the mechanic and I were shooting the shit about lemons, beater, junkers, what ever you call them. He said his dad always used to say: An embarrassed ride is better than a proud walk. I just thought that was so funny.

posted by getoffmylawn 15 August | 17:00

so I would imagine it is heading towards its twilight miles and things are going to get worse rather than better.

Thank you dg, that is just what I was thinking. Yeah, sure. I can fix what is wrong with it today to get it smogged and registered, and safe to drive, but what will happen to it tomorrow...

posted by getoffmylawn 15 August | 17:03

I've noticed about myself that I am always trying to resolve situations where people get what they seem to want, which is nice but not always the goal. Sometimes this works against me in business and more often if works for me because I have a dog in the race, but in this case I don't, I should have said something like "Maximas are good, but 280 k is high so don't do it." I am an indecisive advisor 'cause I hate to miss the main chance, listen to DG.

posted by Divine_Wino 15 August | 18:33

FWIW, I'm a believer in major rebuilds or drive 'em 'til they drop. No half-measure repairs. In this case, if it's worth doing a seal on the crank, do the whole lower end. Parts are cheap and the incremental labor isn't that much.

Witness the LandShip USLS Indomitable

posted by warbaby 15 August | 18:59

Less than $1000 for all that? Not bad...

posted by Doohickie 15 August | 19:38

Once I talk to the mechanic tomorrow I will know exactly what I am looking at with my own car (115k). Ultimately, what I would like to see happen is that he can inexpensively fix my car so she stops doing the things she's doing (I won't bore you - fuel/exhaust thing?) and it'll pass smog, I just have to renew my registration and I'll be good to go.

I sincerely thank you for offering your advice. My Dad was no help. All I got was a lecture... but, that's another thread...

posted by getoffmylawn 15 August | 20:29

That's what Dads do.

posted by dg 16 August | 19:35

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