End of the Road: 399,631 miles (2008 2.5SL)

[ssjones]

Well, it ends tomorrow with a final trip to a local salvage yard. I was really hoping to eclipse 400,000 miles on my 08, but the ride ended a few hundred miles short.
Last week, my CVT transmission started to make a noticable whine. I had no drivability issues. I made a trip from MD to upstate NY and back on Mon/Tuesday with no issues. Last night, I took some co-workers to a Capitals game in DC (90 miles). Enroute, we encountered standstill traffic and my temp gauge shot to high. I made it home, but the temp gauge kept moving from moderately hot to high. Since 2008, that temp gauge has never moved (original thermostat and water pump). Today, I can feel metal grip and visible pieces on the CVT dipstick. I suspect a bearing disintegrated clogged up the transmission cooler.
It's not worth putting any money into this car, so I guess the last stop is a nearby salvage yard. It's shame as the motor uses no oil and the body and interior is in excellent condition.
I have to pull the stereo, XM , GPS, PAC-SWI, and my hand-free system to put into our 09 Forester. The Forester is great in foul weather, but not nearly as comfortable as my Altima.



Here's the car in January at 386K.



This is from my maintenance log:

43 oil & filter changes (switched to synthetic at 37k, than I did 10k change intervals. CVT was drained/refilled every 50k.

The original CVT was toast at 60k, Nissan eventually covered that replacement. I was one of the first CVT failures (perhaps the first!)

K&N Air filter #33-2374 23,064 7-May-08
New Tires: Kuhmo HP4 60,452 23-Jan-09
New Wiper Blades 68,000 10-Mar-09
Clean the K&N Air Filter 68,600 14-Mar-09
Replace key fob battery 91,470 20-Aug-09
New Windshield 101,544 15-Oct-09
Serpentine Belt - replace 102,842 3-Nov-09
Front Brake Pads 107,011 8-Dec-09
New sparkplugs 118,538 19-Feb-10
Drain/Fill CVT Fluid 118,538 19-Feb-10
New Wiper Blades 121,566 13-Mar-10
New Tires: Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum KU27 129,752 11-May-10
Replace cabin air filter 134,962 21-Jun-10
New Key fob battery 141,849 10-Aug-10
New Battery - Gold @ Advance Auto 145,257 30-Aug-10
Rear Brake Pads 149,299 29-Sep-10
Replace Coolant 154,533 5-Nov-10
Cleaned K&N Filter & Throttle Body 168,644 5-Feb-11
New Wiper Blades 171,441 22-Feb-11
Drain/Fill CVT Fluid 178,848 9-Apr-11
Replace Exhaust Manifold/Cat (gasket, ring gasket) 184,885 27-May-11
Re-do RTV oil pan gasket 199,758 19-Aug-11
New Tires: Kumho KR21 Solus 215,340 3-Dec-11
New front rotors - Wearever Silver 216,648 10-Dec-11
Drain/Fill CVT Fluid 249,287 24-Jul-12
New sparkplugs 265,712 4-Nov-12
Replace PCV valve " "
Change coolant & clean throttle body " "
Rear Brake Pads 271,326 2-Dec-12
New Key fob battery 286,672 16-Mar-13
New Wiper Blades 288,075 24-Mar-13
New Front Brake Pads/Flush Fluid & lines 296,534 24-May-13
New Tires - Kuhmo KH16 " "
New Flex pipe on exhaust/repair heat shield 312,181 10-Sep-13
Drain/Fill CVT Fluid 312,880 22-Sep-13
New Key fob battery 330,445 10-Jan-14
New Wiper Blades 331,104 15-Jan-14
Drain/Fill CVT Fluid - 4 qts 372,412 6-Oct-14
Replace Exhaust Manifold rear heat shield/bracket
New Tires: 215/60R16 Kumho Solus KR21 378,308 11-Nov-14
Change coolant 379,272 18-Nov-14
Battery - replace 379,272 18-Nov-14
New Wiper Blades 389,245 26-Jan-15

Still original:
All suspension components
Water pump
PS pump
Headlight bulbs (I don't think that I ever replaced a bulb)

[telcoman]

Nice

You got your money's worth. I had a 1980 VW Rabbit Diesel die with 246k miles with a failed oil pump many years ago.
I put a best offer for sale sign on it. One day my door bell rang with a woman holding a baby in her arms saying she desperately needed a vehicle. I told her the car was not for her. She replied that her boyfriend could fix anything. I sold it to her for $100.00
A month later I saw it once in the neighborhood going around the block. Kinda made me feel good that her boyfriend got it back on the road.

There are dealers that advertise they will give you $5000.00 towards a new vehicle.

Perhaps there is one near you?

Good luck

Telcoman

[ssjones]

I get reimbursement for the car, so it's now sweat if I only get a few hundred bucks out of it. I already have another vehicle so, a trade isn't needed either. I'll list it "as is" on Craigslist and see who bites.

[TAMU_QR25DE]

I have same year same trim as yours. 140,000 mi but it's a third hander. Not an one owner.
My car came from Louisiana started as a rental car
Second owner used the car until 119,000 miles
Now my car is 140,000 miles. I'll drive it till it breaks, and get an Infiniti G37 sedan with no active steering.

Did you change your own shocks?

[TAMU_QR25DE]

have a few questions studying from your data..... would be awesome if you answer please

1. so you don't tap the brakes a lot ? your brakes change once 100,000 miles?

2. what's your criteria for changing serpentine belt @ 102k miles?

3. aren't CVT fluids supposed to drain and fill once 30k miles not 60k??

4. Is there need to change the throttle body at 160k?

5. what's the criteria for changing sparkplugs?