well my 95 has about 120,000 on it and the waterpump started leaking as well as the top tank of the radiator not too long ago. water pump is cheap but not labor.i have a gxe, so it had falling apart speakers and a cheap tape player when i got it. oh and the hood shocks don't hold.
Funny you mention the hood shocks - I have the same problem - it is one of those things that you notice and wish they worked when you open the hood...
Another problem I am having is a leak of the rear main seal - a smal one - yet a potential bix expense ... the transmission needs to come down to change this $5 seal...we are talking about $950 or so by the dealer ... looking for local repair shops to give me a better price.
the hood shocks can be replaced for about $20 each at most parts stores.
the rear main seal on the engine is about $45, and it takes ~4 hours to replace. dealer shouldn't charge you $950 for it.. they're insane...
If you have a 5 spd, just buy a new clutch and have a shop install it. ask them to replace the rear main "while you're in there" and it won't cost diddly.
HI GUYS,im a possible new maxima owner.ive been looking for a 3rd generation one (95-99).i owned a 91 acura legend ls.and they were horribly expensive to mantain.lots of little pain in the butt things to keep up with.buig pain in the azz.im definitely looking for a nice 4 door luxury type,(leather and moonroof) car.most likely with over 100,000 miles,since my funds are limited and i dont want to finance,want to buy a car cash.i was looking at the maximas,cus i know their engines run forever.my question is are they good a car overall.any common problems that occur on those years??and are they expensive to mantain in good shape???cus i need myself a good car that will run and not give me alot of headaches.i can just jump in a take off wherever i need to go.please help fellasssss,any info is much appreciated
The 95-99 is 4th Gen, and the 89-94 is 3rd Gen. In general, the Maxima is a very reliable car. The 3rd Gen came with both the SOHC (GXE) 12 valve motor and the SE (DOHC) 24 valve motor. Later on, they only had the DOHC motor excuslively, that is,4th Gen and up. The 4 Gen has a different motor completely, than the 3rd Gen, the so called VQ series, and it can be found in a higher state of tune with and displacement (3.5 vs 3.0) in the 5th and 6th Gen. Overall, this car is much loved and respected.
HI GUYS,im a possible new maxima owner.ive been looking for a 3rd generation one (95-99).i owned a 91 acura legend ls.and they were horribly expensive to mantain.lots of little pain in the butt things to keep up with.buig pain in the azz.im definitely looking for a nice 4 door luxury type,(leather and moonroof) car.most likely with over 100,000 miles,since my funds are limited and i dont want to finance,want to buy a car cash.i was looking at the maximas,cus i know their engines run forever.my question is are they good a car overall.any common problems that occur on those years??and are they expensive to mantain in good shape???cus i need myself a good car that will run and not give me alot of headaches.i can just jump in a take off wherever i need to go.please help fellasssss,any info is much appreciated
Hi buddy,
The '95-'99 is a 4th Gen, not a 3rd Gen (1989-1994). The 3rd Gen in my opinion was a car that was built to last 15-20 years. You still see 3rd gens on the road. The 4th Gen is likewise an excellent car, but with a different engine than the 3rd Gen. The 3rd Gen has an independant rear suspension and the 4th Gen has a twist beam axle. The 3rd Gen in a DOHC engine format has Variable Valve Timing (VTC), and the 4th Gen does not. The 3rd Gen has an cast iron block and an aluminum cylinder head 3.0 liter motor, whereas the 4th Gen drops the VG series motor, that Nissan continued to use in the Nissan Pathfinder, the Nissan Quest and all trucks, in favor of the so called "VQ series" motor. All new maxima up until today use the VQ series engine, not the VG series engine. The VQ engine is also used in all Nissans and Infnity models, including the Infinity G35.
The VQ series motor is very, very reliable, but then again, so was the previous VG series. The motor is about 100 lbs lighther than the engine it replaced, and is more slanted toward horspepower than torque. The VG engine is a torquier motor that produced 160 HP and the V30DE motor, the DOHC motor produced 190 HP. In the 4th Gen, Nissan dropped selling a SOHC engine for the GXE model and a DOHC engine for the SE model, and started selling a Dual Overhead cam motor for both GXE and SE cars, but it was the VQ motor in this series.
The VQ series motor in the 4th Gen out of the box produces 200 HP, and 222 HP subsequently in the 5th Gen. It's a lighter and smaller engine than the VG motor of the 3rd Gen, but it's still 3.0 liters and still 60 degrees. The 4th Gen is the slighly faster car compared to a 3rd Gen. In fact, a 4th Gen will give a 5th and even a 6th Gen a run for its money. The car is only 3000 lbs, vs about 3200 lbs for the 3rd Gen. The car is easily modified, and just an all around fast car.
Nissans in General are very well built cars. I own my second 3rd Gen, and I had a 5th Gen, which I've sold. I can tell you alot about problems, with age, of the 3rd Gen, but not the 4th Gen. However, I wanted to compare and contrast the 3rd and 4th Gen for you a bit and I hope I've helped. Essentially, if they're well maintained, they can go up to 250,000 miles.
The '95-'99 is a 4th Gen, not a 3rd Gen (1989-1994). The 3rd Gen in my opinion was a car that was built to last 15-20 years. You still see 3rd gens on the road. The 4th Gen is likewise an excellent car, but with a different engine than the 3rd Gen. The 3rd Gen has an independant rear suspension and the 4th Gen has a twist beam axle. The 3rd Gen in a DOHC engine format has Variable Valve Timing (VTC), and the 4th Gen does not. The 3rd Gen has an cast iron block and an aluminum cylinder head 3.0 liter motor, whereas the 4th Gen drops the VG series motor, that Nissan continued to use in the Nissan Pathfinder, the Nissan Quest and all trucks, in favor of the so called "VQ series" motor. All new maxima up until today use the VQ series engine, not the VG series engine. The VQ engine is also used in all Nissans and Infnity models, including the Infinity G35.
The VQ series motor is very, very reliable, but then again, so was the previous VG series. The motor is about 100 lbs lighther than the engine it replaced, and is more slanted toward horspepower than torque. The VG engine is a torquier motor that produced 160 HP and the V30DE motor, the DOHC motor produced 190 HP. In the 4th Gen, Nissan dropped selling a SOHC engine for the GXE model and a DOHC engine for the SE model, and started selling a Dual Overhead cam motor for both GXE and SE cars, but it was the VQ motor in this series.
The VQ series motor in the 4th Gen out of the box produces 200 HP, and 222 HP subsequently in the 5th Gen. It's a lighter and smaller engine than the VG motor of the 3rd Gen, but it's still 3.0 liters and still 60 degrees. The 4th Gen is the slighly faster car compared to a 3rd Gen. In fact, a 4th Gen will give a 5th and even a 6th Gen a run for its money. The car is only 3000 lbs, vs about 3200 lbs for the 3rd Gen. The car is easily modified, and just an all around fast car.
Nissans in General are very well built cars. I own my second 3rd Gen, and I had a 5th Gen, which I've sold. I can tell you alot about problems, with age, of the 3rd Gen, but not the 4th Gen. However, I wanted to compare and contrast the 3rd and 4th Gen for you a bit and I hope I've helped. Essentially, if they're well maintained, they can go up to 250,000 miles.
I had a '96 [now '05]. The only problems I had were a
broken sun roof cable [$ 900, ouch!] and interminit display
on the Bose radio [$ 0.00 never fixed, worked enough to
get by with]. It had 110,000 miles and 10 years when I
traided it in.
New car has had one factory recall [electrial - lumbar support
cable] and I am on my 3rd Sirius radio [$ 0.00, but time spent
at the dealership for both problems].
egr valves, struts, ignition coils. My 99 Maxima SE has 90,000 miles ang getting quite expensive to maintain. This will probably be my last Nissan.
Every owner decides what is their own tresh-hold for repair vs replace. The cost of a new car is very high, so people tend to keep cars for a while, and with engines and transmissions able to go beyond the 100,000 mile mark nowadays, a 10 year typical life span is now 15 to 20 years in some cases. The issue of struts and brakes is something you need to change in any car. These are wear related items. THe issue of actually repairing a car, vs keeping it on its maintence schedule is something to distinguish. An EGR valve is only about 100 bucks and, usually, you can get carb cleaner to clean it, and re-install it right back. The other items are again, part of tuneup, since your car needs ignition coils removed to get to the spark plugs and if they are platinum plugs, they last a long time. Plus, you have timing chain, not a timing belt, so it doesn't need replacement every 60k miles. All in all, the VQ engine that you have, and the VE and VG series engines in the generation before it (3rd Gen, like mine) are great cars. I can't say the same thing about an American car with same mileage.
I had a 1994 Infinity Q45 with 153,000 miles, which I sold in flawless running condition. I had a 1992 Nissan Maxima GXE with 110k flawless miles. I had a 2001 5th Gen, so I know VQ power at the 3.5 Liter level, which I sold when I got layed off from my job, and I currently have again, a 1993 Nissan GXE with 147,000 miles. My Mom has an Altima with 84,000 miles, and again zero problems. I had in 1984 a carbeurated Nissan Sentra, and it has 97,000 miles and again, zero problems. How many cars can you say that about? Sure you need to put some money into a car as it ages, but it sure beats a monthly payment.
Of course as a car gets older, you are replacing a sudden, un-expected repair in exchange for a KNOWN , monthly payment. However, all in all, the Nissan has deserved a good reputation among many as a very reliable car family, and I speak from own experience, having owned quite a few of them myself.
Just FYI but I own a maxima and a 350 z both are 2006. Both of these cars have given me problems with stereo systems. Working with the dealer now for warranty work.
HI GUYS,im a possible new maxima owner.ive been looking for a 3rd generation one (95-99).i owned a 91 acura legend ls.and they were horribly expensive to mantain.lots of little pain in the butt things to keep up with.buig pain in the azz.im definitely looking for a nice 4 door luxury type,(leather and moonroof) car.most likely with over 100,000 miles,since my funds are limited and i dont want to finance,want to buy a car cash.i was looking at the maximas,cus i know their engines run forever.my question is are they good a car overall.any common problems that occur on those years??and are they expensive to mantain in good shape???cus i need myself a good car that will run and not give me alot of headaches.i can just jump in a take off wherever i need to go.please help fellasssss,any info is much appreciated
quick note: car stereos does not qualify in terms of overall reliability of the car itself. It's not a mechanical part of the car in any way, either the power train or accessories, or suspension or so forth.
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