Farewell to my J and Infiniti (for now)

[phxj30]

I just got off of the phone with Steve from Infiniti of Scottsdale and it turns out that my 96 J30 needs about $4K in repairs. So it looks like I am going to trade it in this weekend. Unfortunatly things didn't work out as planed $$$ so I won't be getting that G35 Coupe that I have been dreaming of.

Thanks,

John

[maxnix]

Quote »...my 96 J30 needs about $4K in repairs. So it looks like I am going to trade it in... [/quote] Sorry to hear about your misfortunes. Was it a lot of deferred maintenance, or just something expensive broken?

Good luck! What are you going to get for the $4K you are not spending on the J repairs?

[Mayhem_J30]

did a transmission go out or something?

[phxj30]

Well, it looks like I am going to be getting a Civic or Sentra to replace it. I promise not to modify the crap out of it like those punk *** kids that I squashed with my J in the past.

A guy down there is trying to sell me a used G20 but I just don't want a used car again.

It was just a bunch of things like.front breaksstrutssway barSeals on the cam, crank, hosestiming beltthermostat

[VimyJ]

Well, it looks like I am going to be getting a Civic or Sentra to replace it. I promise not to modify the crap out of it like those punk *** kids that I squashed with my J in the past.

A guy down there is trying to sell me a used G20 but I just don't want a used car again.

It was just a bunch of things like.front breaksstrutssway barSeals on the cam, crank, hosestiming beltthermostat

Sounds more like $2000 at most if you get the work done efficiently. Sway bar? C'mon, unless it's broken it should never have to be replaced. Your being sold a bill of goods, my friend.

Front brakes: $100Struts: replace in pairs. $500 at a timeSway Bar:? no needThe rest: under a thousand.

These are my guess at the cost of parts and labour. Comments/corrections?

[Eswift]

i agree with you vimy, the sway bar is probably a big chunk of the price, but it doesnt need to be replaced. mine is rusty too, all the paint is chipped off. you can always upgrade it to a stiffer one later on when you have the money.

if your cars not leaking all over the place, i dont see why seals would be necessary.

the timing belt, water pump, and thermostat come together. even if the dealer does this, it should be on the order of hundreds of dollars, not thousands.

good luck with whatever you decide

[AZhitman]

PhxJ30 - I have a great mechanic, works for peanuts, and has experience with Infiniti's and Nissan's - Hate to see you TRADE in such a great car for what sounds like minor reasons.

You'll get screwed on the trade-in value, plus, do you REALLY WANT a Civic? At least see what an experienced shadetree mechanic would be able to do for you.

My admittedly weak estimating skills, considering what my mech charges me, figures that work (parts and labor) to be no more than a grand.

E-me off-board if you change your mind - We'd miss you!

[natsoundup]

a lot of people would have you believe you have to spend a fortune to keep up these cars....beware of their motives.....if you don't make huge bucks and want to keep them...just keep them up.... members on this board will tell you how to get it done reasonably... beware of the b-serrss who want you to keep it as new....don't blow your money ....enjoy the car... that said...if your car really needs more than it's worth .....you can get a honda accord for 239 dollars in a lease with a trade-in..... that's not too bad....that honda will go 100k with virtually no repairs...

and please don't let the bleeding hearts tell you that ....a honda is not a ride....cars are just transportation...don't invest in them...

btw....i make pretty darn good money.... last ride a 72 mercedes that i drove for 14 years....current ride...1990 Q.... have had it for 10 years.....

[PalmerWMD]

phx, for <sure> try azhitmans mechanic.

repairing a car is almost always cheaper than than getting a new one.

Fred...

[VimyJ]

I just got off of the phone with Steve from Infiniti of Scottsdale and it turns out that my 96 J30 needs about $4K in repairs. So it looks like I am going to trade it in this weekend. Unfortunatly things didn't work out as planed $$$ so I won't be getting that G35 Coupe that I have been dreaming of.

Thanks,

John

You'll never get that delicious G35 Coupe if you waste money on that new go box. I wrote in haste before as I was just about to head out but I couldn't let this dealer estimate pass without saying something. What could possibly go wrong with a sway bar unless it were broken? Anybody ever heard of a broken sway bar? (Mayhem is probably even looking to get rid of his now that he has a superduper fancy one.)

You go to the dealer and he says you need $4000 in repairs but you could trade your beautiful J30 in on a Sentra????????? For about $1000 you can buy ten times the car that the Sentra is by performing a normal, routine, maintenance proceedure. Who wins here? You or the dealer?

Save your money for the new G35. Fix your J and ride in style until it's time for the new wheels. Even if your transmission were to suddenly call it quits, you would still be under the dealer's estimate for your maintenance. All the stuff you mentioned aside from the struts (buy the cartridges only for the fronts) and the highly suspect sway bar is RR'd during the 105K timing belt replacement that you can get done for under a thousand bucks easily. BTW, are your struts bugging you? How many miles on your J?

Keep your J and enjoy the heated leather seats (oh so nice here in Chicago lately ), Bose stereo, gracious handling and V6 power or trade it on a new cloth upholstered 4 banger with manuallly ajustable seats (Hey, where's the clock?!?!).

Friggin' dealers try to get away with highway robbery. Literally.

[Aus94Q45]

The Infiniti dealership is not the place to take these cars unless you have a warranty. For example, the dealer here wanted $129 plus supplies just to change the rear differential oil. No thanks! That is a 20 min. $10-$15 deal. Dealer replace on upper links: $600 -- that is $200 of parts and an hour of DIY time.

[phxj30]

AZHitMan,

I want to keep the car, I just don't want to pay the dealer prices to fix it.

I am not rich by any means with a wife and kid at home with another one on the way. Since it is not possible to place a car seat in the back of the J it has become a very nice car to get me to and from work. I am just worried about the long term cost to keep this car running.

[AZhitman]

Gotcha covered - I'm out of town today but will ring you Friday.

What part of town do you work in? If I remember correctly, you live in Ahwatukee?

Fax the dealer est to me at 602-542-9673, to my attention (Greg Childs). I'll run it by my mech tonight when I get home.

[juiceman]

AZHitMan,

Since it is not possible to place a car seat in the back of the J it has become a very nice car to get me to and from work. I am just worried about the long term cost to keep this car running.

Who says a car seat wont fit. I have three kids and get around fine. I solved the problem of the seat not fitting correctly on the bucket by using some foam bloack and cutting it down to fit the shape. If the kid is young an dyou allow them to eat in the car, then spray some contact cement on the block and put fabric over it.

Even though I am having vibration problems in mine, it is still the nicest car I have had overall.

Hope to see you keep it

[phxj30]

juiceman,

That is a great idea! If I do keep the car I am sure that I will be doing this shortly.

Thanks,

John

[90Q45blue]

I'm seeing a happy ending in the near future. Awesome work so far guys.

Nick

[greg_atlanta]

(sniff, sniff)

:cuddle

saving another J30 from the auto auction!

:patriot

[VimyJ]

And doing our small part to save the enviroment. Sniff, Sniff.... And saving a beautiful piece of automotive engineering.... sniff....and saving resources, sniff...... and giving the kids transporation in the safest car ever made, sniff........

I did a gig at a vey posh countryclub a few weeks ago. I got to the gig early and was sitting in my J listening to the radio as band members arrived. The girl singer parked near me and got out of her car just before me. When I got out she said, "That's your's? I thought it was some rich guy's. Nice car."

Think about that as you take your lovely wife out to a nice dinner in your beautiful J30. Does she deserve anything less? Sniff........

[AZhitman]

And doing our small part to save the enviroment. Sniff, Sniff.... And saving a beautiful piece of automotive engineering.... sniff....and saving resources, sniff......

Yo Vimy - You messin' wit me?

[VimyJ]

Yo Vimy - You messin' wit me?

Wha? Uhm a.... er. Hello AZ. Didn't think you'd be reading that lil ole post. :icesangel

[AZhitman]

LOL - Classic dig, brotha.

[trooper99]

Few years ago, I wanted to replace the timing belt that is in my M30 and the dealer wanted $600.00 dallors and another $300.00 to replace the spark plugs!!!! I end up call a friend's dad who did it for me for $20.00 plus the timing belt ( it cost me $12.00 @ the auto part store) when we opened the case have found out the one of the CAM seal was leaking so we went ahead relpaced it while we replaced the timing belt, the CAM seal only cost $7.00!!!! and I replace all six of the NGK spark plugs my self for $72.00. It will cost me over $1100.00 if I let the dealer do it but I end up spend only $111.00 or so because I called some one else to get the work done.

[phxj30]

The J is a wreck and I could not be happier.

I work in a place in Scottsdale where the very rich live and work, it is not uncommon to see a $200K exotic cars street racing. There is even an F1 McLaren that runs around here and sqashes everything on the road.

One of the people that works in my building lost control of their brand new BMW 745i in the parking lot while showing off and took out the back end of the J. The guy had the body shop estimating the repairs on my car before I returned from lunch. He did not want to involve the insurance company at all. He is paying for the body work and the engine work that I needed plus a lot of cash for putting me out of a car for over a month. With that extra bit of cash I was able to pay off the J and place a down payment on a lease on a Civic LX.

So I get my J fixed for free and it will become my garaged baby that will sit in the third car garage. What a perfect car for Sunday drives, date nights with the wife and those long road trips. I also now have a great car that I can use as a commuter car and beat the crap out of and I know it will still work.

I think that I am going to go buy a powerball ticket now

John

[szh]

The J is a wreck and I could not be happier.

I work in a place in Scottsdale where the very rich live and work, it is not uncommon to see a $200K exotic cars street racing. There is even an F1 McLaren that runs around here and sqashes everything on the road.

One of the people that works in my building lost control of their brand new BMW 745i in the parking lot while showing off and took out the back end of the J. The guy had the body shop estimating the repairs on my car before I returned from lunch. He did not want to involve the insurance company at all. He is paying for the body work and the engine work that I needed plus a lot of cash for putting me out of a car for over a month. With that extra bit of cash I was able to pay off the J and place a down payment on a lease on a Civic LX.

So I get my J fixed for free and it will become my garaged baby that will sit in the third car garage. What a perfect car for Sunday drives, date nights with the wife and those long road trips. I also now have a great car that I can use as a commuter car and beat the crap out of and I know it will still work.

I think that I am going to go buy a powerball ticket now

John

Amazing how life works out somehow!

Z

[phxj30]

For those of you that don't know what an F1 McLaren is check out the website below. I am almost sure that it is the fastest factory built street legal car there is. If you can find one for sale it will run you over (in Dr. Evil voice) 1 million dollers.

http://www.mclarenforsale.com/main.html

[maxnix]

Too cool! Make sure they only use original Infiniti body parts.

How was the damage on the 745i?

[VimyJ]

Talk about luck of the Irish! Wow, what an incredible outcome! From thinking about having to give up your J to getting to keep it shining beautifully in your third garage spot repaired for free and getting a fuel efficient new "beater" (sorry AZ ) . Talk about all's well that ends well. Leave some luck for the rest of us.

[VimyJ]

For those of you that don't know what an F1 McLaren is check out the website below. I am almost sure that it is the fastest factory built street legal car there is. If you can find one for sale it will run you over (in Dr. Evil voice) 1 million dollers.

http://www.mclarenforsale.com/main.html

I like how they list "front and rear radar detectors" twice in the list of features.

[phxj30]

Quote » I like how they list "front and rear radar detectors" twice in the list of features.[/quote]

Once I turned onto a street here that had no visable cars on it for about a mile (Frank Lloyd Right east of Scottsdale Road for you AZ'rs), about three seconds after I turned the F1 passed me at well over 200 mph.

Needless to say that it scarred the living crap out of me.

[phxj30]

Quote »How was the damage on the 745i?[/quote]maxnix,

I was amazed at how little damage there was on it, just the front driver's side was crunched in about 8 inches.