After paying $1000 for the pothole that I hit damaging the suspension a bit, blown almost new Goodyear tires,the dealer tells me that the car needs almost $5000 worth of repairs, sway bar links to be exact, manifold gaskets on both sides... I’m not sure whether this repair is worth it? They say the motor and the engine are perfectly sound after listening with the electronic ears..it’s just these little extra things that have added up to a ridiculous amount of money.. I have replaced and done so so much already and don’t want to start over... but... thoughts?

Don’t. Just don’t lol. I would be terrified to take this car to a dealer. 20 year old, $49,000 car...all they see is $,$$$ signs.

I don’t know much about manifold gaskets, but I’d think long as you don’t have to pass emissions because of it or it’s overheating...I say don’t.

I have a Maxima with 365,000 miles, and finally took it to have the exhaust looked at. $250 for pipe and muffler. I’ll get to it, at some point lol.

And I’m curious, what cost $1,000 to fix? My car had a damaged control arm when I bought. As in..the whole wheels would move when I stopped. Even though the parts aren’t cheap, I had 2 estimates:

1 shop quoted $300 for both LCA.
Another down the street quoted $500 EACH.

I did the lesser option and it worked out fine. You may want to stay away from the dealer for a bit and just find someone familiar with Nissans. Doesn’t need to be anything fancy like “Japanese auto specialist s***, as they are just as high as the dealers, but the small shops are the best.

The quote sounds very unreasonable for those 4 items. Sway bar links aren't too expensive and neither are the exhaust manifold gaskets... even if you buy OEM.
The labor might be a little up there for the manifold gaskets, but honestly that engine bay is spacious enough that the headers can be removed with the engine in place. Or did they say they have to pull the engine to replace the gaskets?

I recommend you go to get a second opinion on those services. And not to say it is impossible, but it is very rare to get leaking exhaust manifold gaskets in a VK45DE engine. A cracked exhaust manifold itself is more likely. Do you hear hissing around there?

98_Q45 wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:52 pm

You may want to stay away from the dealer for a bit and just find someone familiar with Nissans. Doesn’t need to be anything fancy like “Japanese auto specialist bullsh*t, as they are just as high as the dealers, but the small shops are the best.

Oh hells, yes!

Believe it or not, independent shops that meet this standard really do exist - All you have to do is find them. Sometimes, word of mouth works best.

Just say NO to stealerships!!!!

I'm guessing if you really decide to do some of this, a trip to T3 in Atlanta would be your nearest best bet... I haven't been there for a while, but I assume they're still one of the best independent Infiniti shops in the area.

http://www.t3atlanta.com/

Skibane wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:24 am

Oh hells, yes!

Believe it or not, independent shops that meet this standard really do exist - All you have to do is find them. Sometimes, word of mouth works best.

Just say NO to stealerships!!!!

My belief is you only go to the dealer to buy a car or get it fixed under warranty lol. Maybe too if they’re running an oil change special but just be prepared for a hefty “advisory” for later.

I remember my grandmother used to always get her Cadillac serviced at the dealer. She must have spent thousands. But it was pristine. Eventually she sold it and got an i30.

Oh and good tip for whoever mentioned the t3 in Atlanta. I often pass thru that area. I know Atlanta area often has reasonable prices on their mechanic work.

Unfortunently, I can’t ever feel I’m in love with any auto repair shop no matter how much game they talk. There’s a couple guys over the years who worked in small shops or their garage and I trusted them...but there’s also some I trusted who just loved to take short cuts or misdiagnosed something etc.

At the same time, having just spent 5 days on a valve cover gasket...sometimes I feel I could quickly earn back whatever savings I made. My time is money and...sometimes even saving $250 just doesn’t always feel worth it when I’ve have to take 3 days off of work to do it (I work independently though).

Yes it is (2) both sides, cracked exhaust manifold.. I have never in my life had this issue with any car I’ve ever owned since beginning driving in 1994-
Wallace Nissan wants 2600 I believe to replace both of them.. I’m not hearing a hiss, but more of the sound you hear when someone turns on water elsewhere in the house .. also with a rattle similar to the common one heard in Jeep Cherokee’s.. I’ve been told the motor and tranny are in excellent shape.. but this noise, the rattle roar constant is driving me absolutely insaine. How much should I expect to pay for them both repaired at a reasonable shop? When will I get a CEL ?

I’m ready to sell this car for 3200$ and get a
Camry..

O5Q45 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:08 pm

Yes it is (2) both sides, cracked exhaust manifold.. I have never in my life had this issue with any car I’ve ever owned since beginning driving in 1994-
...

To be fair, you had an impact big enough to pop your tires. That means a lot of mass swinging and jerking back and forth and the only place the exhaust system is solidly anchored is at the engine heads... combine that with a propensity of the early production manifolds (especially the left one) to crack and you have a recipe for disaster.

The crackling, sometimes popping sound is reasonable to me as air escaping though a small hole.

Go and have the car scanned, even if the CEL isn't on. You might get some pending codes. Oh, to stimulate the CEL get a good open highway and go WOT.

I am not sure what the quote for labor is, but I suggest you shop online for deals if you want brand new parts.
I have used 06+ M45 manifolds which are arguably a better design and used ones can be obtained cheaply, but that involves a little extra work to fit on.

I'd have a hard time paying that kind of price for a repair. I just bought an 03 Q45, 70K miles, this past Monday for 5K.

So, on my way to Knoxville Tn, the car sounds like there’s a small man with a chainsaw trying to escape.. come to find out this noise I’ve been hearing.. the whirring, roaring, running water noises was the bearings in the alternator. Yes the third NAPA alternator has once again brought the car to the side of the road.. today I ordered a Nissan alternator for $575- I’m sick of it..

So, I’ve brought the car to a second dealership and paid 89$ again to have it combed over.. this dealership makes no mention of the 494$ inner right tie rod but instead tells me it needs a $1,500 rack and pinion. Does a new rack and pinion come with new tie rods? I have no idea..
Also, the seal around my bank 2 camshaft sensor has oil in it and they want to replace the entire sensor.
They also tell
Me yes the exhaust manifolds are both cracked but they don’t feel they need attention. ????
So now we have-
Alternator
Rack and pinion
2 hydraulic hoses
1 power steering reservoir
1 bank 2 camshaft sensor
And we are at $3,900 after parts labor-
I don’t want to start over with another used car, Nissan tells me these are the only items in need of repair mechanically. So if I pay this, I’m hoping I will have at least 3-4 years of very little worry driving-
Is there ANYTHING else you guys know of these cars do or will want?
I’m confused because I had no codes, or pending, I’ve never added steering fluid ever, and there’s never been anything under the car leaked out. Should I asked to be shown this rack and pinion? What will I notice with it replaced new? Will the car tighten up?

mac , collision on your insurance would seem to be only an additional couple of hundred dollars , which I believe would've paid-out in your case . But maybe you have it , if so the old " I don't want to hit up my Ins." mentality these days IS NOT the way to go . Hey , any Ins. co.that tries to jack-up rates = SaYanara Baby , ya move on to the next co. and try to "bone up" on your "ride" and learn / catchup the jargon and preparation to better deal with the jerks at all these repair shops.

Good thought Mac. Nick, did you have comprehensive insurance? Because road hazards get covered

How far are you from St. Louis, MO? For the price of a handshake I can go over your car and even if I can't handle to replace a certain part in my garage, we can at least determine what really needs to be replaced.

Yes, steering racks typically come with the inner tie rods. You can get a rebuilt steering rack from many sellers out there for about $250.
Carrying over from the Y33 platform, it seems the steering racks of your generation Q45 (and the sibling M45) do crap out at some point. No need to buy OEM. The art of rebuilding a rack is very transferrable.

Your car doesn't have a bank 2 camshaft sensor. If this is in reference to the sensor at the very top of the bank:
1. It is the variable intake sensor
2. A bad seal (o-ring here) shouldn't be critical. The sensor is at the top and oil goes down. It will not leak from there
3. If/when you decide to fix it, you can get any generic O-ring that fits and replace just the O-ring. No need to buy a whole sensor
This sounds made up bu them, unless it's just a misinterpretation when you said "the seal has oil in it".

Why are the hydraulic hoses and reservoir being recommended for repair?

Also, I recall you said you had an issue with your Mitsubishi alternator in another thread. If it were upto me, I'd just buy a used alternator from another M45 or Q45. I don't know everything, but from all I know about these cars, the alternator is not something you will ever need to replace in the life of the car.



This is an off suggestion, but something about you makes them think they have an open checkbook coming in. Ultimately, it's your car and you should do what you want, but my suggestion is that next time you're at a shop and you get these crazy quotes, ask for the printout and tell them you have to consult with (wife, etc). Post up the picture and recommendations and we might be able to advice you on saving before you order anything. Sometimes the heat of the moment makes us not think very clearly, and get easy to be taken advantage of.

Thank you guys. I really appreciate these suggestions and advice.. as far as insurance goes, yes I did file with State Farm under my full coverage I have on the car. State Farm sent out a inspector who went over the cars underbelly and passenger suspension. They said the tires were all they felt were damaged. They then deducted $66 from the tires new price for two and also the rim was bent and State Farm felt $179 would buy a rim. (No it won’t) so I came in at $497- with my deductible at $500. BS!!! The other stuff that was found and I described were just issues from age.
The alternator they replaced 8 months ago came from Napa. All three times they have replaced it free of charge. I’m tired of having the car towed, it eating my battery, so I inquired on OEM version that is $595- so ridiculous.
This car until I purchased it in Atlanta, had actually never left downtown Atlanta. The previous owner lived on one end of down town and worked on the other side. So 87,000 miles of downtown Atlanta and 4 hour traffic jams did not age the car gracefully..
I have never added a drop of power steering fluid, nor had any drips on the driveway.
Yes he stated my bank 2 camshaft sensors o ring had allowed oil to enter and it wasn’t working properly.. wtf... no codes or pending.. I have Blue Driver plunged into my ECU port and constantly monitor tranny temp, and engine load, run a smog test once a week and so on. There were no codes, not even any pending.
I’ve spent the last two days in a rented Nissan Rouge and absolutely despise the CVT in it. I’ve also spent these two day car shopping and literally don’t know what kind to look at. Has my eye on a 2007 Volvo wagon with paperwork from the day it hit customs from Belgium. They have 5 star reviews.. so I don’t know...

First off: say no to the 2007 Volvo. You think you have problems now...lol. Then again, I was going to go with Volvo before I went Nissan/Infiniti after renegading from Toyota back in 2012. But...Euro car repair ain't cheap, but if it's been taken care of, by all means.

Also re: Napa alternators. Sorry to hear that's happened. However, I have a 97 Maxima that had a Napa rebuilt installed 3-4 years ago (after 2 previous alternators did fail within a 160,000 mile span) and it's held up longer than all previous alternators in the car going on 100,000+ miles (I do a lot of long distance drives). Between that and their drive belts, Napa seems to outlast the other parts store...but they tend to be high priced. But since you already went with the new alternator, you should be good.

As I mentioned...stop going to the dealer. I'm not going to waste time slagging them off, but it's just not the place to go for a 10+ year old vehicle. The owner's manual doesn't do us justice when everytime it speaks of replacing a part, it says, "see your Infiniti dealer". For Spark Plugs? Yeah right. I had my rack and pinion and both control arms replaced at a little Mexican shop in the ghetto and it's just as good if not better than the dealer would have done it. Same guys working on it, just a different shop. A mechanic is a mechanic. Just fix the most urgent issues and let it ride.

Then again...cars in the early 2000s tended to be a bit more of a head scratcher than the late 90s models due to various sensors, etc. So...I'm only speaking generally and without liability lol.

Advise-
So I looked up what people had to say about the Volvo’s.. I’m a little bit scared of that... I don’t want to be one afraid of change or one to stick to what I think I know but..
SO- Ed, 98Q,macgiver, can I ask you all to give me your best educated opinion?
I’ve got my Q that I think I should be able to get 2500$, if not some more.. and $4,500 cash.
What car should I be looking for? I want- some power, can’t go from 340bhp to 120..
I want low maintenance costs.. and unfrequent..
Need to be able to haul a Airedale and a Coonhound to the park occasionally..

If keeping the Q is your idea, I’ll still take the $4,500 and put it into the cars engine, steering excetra..
I know I need a rack and pinion, and sway bar links..
I know you all think dealer is stealer.. but I like Nissan parts. After all these parts are first time replacements after 13-14 years, 130k and its first 85k in a brutal downtown environment..

mac , you asked for it , it's an INFINITI forum -BUT ..... I myself am looking at cars - yeah ALL cars and I am of the opinion - maybe like you? , always , that IT NEEDS MORE POWER (never driven a 429 Shelby ,you know) Seriously drive all kinds in your genre , that's how you know "it's the one".And me I'm actually waiting for a good price on a decent Mopar ,1st Hemi Challenger,2nd Hemi Charger , also keeping eyes open for a V8 Camaro ,the Wayback Machine callin - No substitute for
CUBIC INCHES !!

European cars are fun if:
1. You have a warranty
2. Have decent DIY abilities
3. Have deep pockets and know an independent mechanic who used to work for said European dealership
Either one, or a combination of the above.

I'd keep the car, but if you're still interested in selling for $2,500, I'll send you an email.

You don't need to spend $4,500 on the car, but if you like everything to be brand spanking new, then I can't fault you. However, what's going to stop you from spending more money on the new car you get? Because you know it could be hard to get an excellent car for $7,000... especially if it is supposed to throw you back in your seat like the Q does.

Thanks Eddie, that last line of your last reply saved the Q. Your absolutely correct, no Outback, Volvo, Camry, Avalon, Legend, RL will throw you back.. I’ve got to remember the Q is in its senior years and quit flooring it. Dang it’s so awesome though.. so my decision was/is to fix the Q. My family is having to help financially and the first part of that agreement is that Nissan does the work. My step-father feels anyone who doesn’t work in a manufacturers repair facility is shade-tree. Jeez.. I argued for two days straight on that.. but ultimately if he is willing to foot the bill and is refusing repayment.. then Nissans fixing the Q. I called today to check on her, the $850 Nissan alternator has been installed, we are waiting for
* power steering reservoir
* power steering hoses
* power steering fluid
* steering rack and pinion
* 2 cam sensors
* rotors
* pads
* full transmission service

There may be something else and I’ve forgotten..

Is there anything else guys that’s typical on these cars or even if not, anything you can think of at 130,000 miles? My goal is to service this car and not need to do it again for many many miles later..
Was thinking-
* PCV valve?
* knock sensors
* fuel filter
* ?

Remember, your engine only has 1 cam sensor. infiniti-v8-p0340-p0335-camshaft-and-cr ... 16654.html

Then, I wouldn't mess with the fuel filter or knock sensors.
And since there seems to be an open checkbook, I'd look at the idler and tensioner pulleys and the belt.

Dayum! I need to find me a rich stepdad lol. Though I don't agree with your step-father either that the dealer is the only one who can make the repairs right. At the same time, I understand the psych of some people who are loyal to dealers...You almost can't argue with them. I had a friend spend $300 on 1 replacement steel wheel from the VW dealer...meanwhile I spent $100 on a set of 4 from craigslist. I don't understand it, but when a person doesn't have the mechanical knowledge of cars, it just makes people feel better to go to the dealer. And by law, you are not "required" to do so. That's the few times in life that the law works in your favor, you don't have to go to the manufacturers for a repair. At the same time, if it's fixed it's fixed whether you spend $500 or $5,000. Go the route which gets it fixed.

As for the rest, I changed my 2 (more parts/more labor for you) pcv valves on my car. original nissans of course. 190,000 miles. I believe they were still good, but I had to pull them during a valve cover gasket change anyway.

Never did knock sensors. 89 or 93 gas and you're good.

Fuel filter, maybe. But unless dealer recommends it, skip it. Today's gas is very clean, unless the car has sat and developed rust awhile or been thru extreme hot or colds which Atlanta doesn't see. (I have 1 car from Denver, and another from Phoenix...they benefited from new fuel filters).

BTW, I have a Maxima with 370,000 miles. I floored it weekly (after sufficient warming). Sometimes more. It doesn't hurt anything except the motor mounts (which tend to be age related/rather than use related. Flooring will keep your car alive (I prefer the on-ramp acceleration flooring from 45 mph, versus the 0-60 type which I think causes more wear and tear)

So Nissan calls yesterday and tells me the steering rack is unable to be found.. Corportate supposedly looked across the US and Canada and has to renig on there “working magic” to get us one. So, they tell me if I can find a aftermarket part they will install it.
I’ve found Mauvel and Detroit Axle, and so on, even A/C Delco..
who do you guys suggest in the rack and pinion world...?

O5Q45 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 21, 2018 4:47 am

So Nissan calls yesterday and tells me the steering rack is unable to be found.. Corportate supposedly looked across the US and Canada and has to renig on there “working magic” to get us one. So, they tell me if I can find a aftermarket part they will install it.
I’ve found Mauvel and Detroit Axle, and so on, even A/C Delco..
who do you guys suggest in the rack and pinion world...?

They are so full of crap. They should find an aftermarket part themselves, attach their labor warranty with the manufacturers warranty, and call it a day. I know some parts on these cars do get discontinued. But, there should also be some place locally in the area who can rebuild it if anything else. Though most tend to go with the already rebuilt/new ones.

Orelieys is where the mechanic got my rack from. Advance has them also. NAPA is where the dealers like to get some of their parts from, which is why I’m surprised they won’t look for an aftermarket elsewhere. Can’t remember the name...but seems like only 1 or 2 companies make em.

Just a quick search: I found these: I’m thinking of going thru BAP for my compressor parts...but I’ve read some not good reviews. At the same time, can’t beat those prices!

https://parts.bonitaspringsinfiniti.com ... origin=pla

https://m.buyautoparts.com/buynow/2005/ ... 1gQAvD_BwE