How much should I spend to repair?

[jperry]

Hi I have a 2001 maxima.Air Conditioning Power Steering Power Windows Power Door Locks Dual Front Air BagsF&R Side Air BagsSun RoofLeatherDual Power SeatsSun Roof Cruise Control Premium SoundAM/FM Stereo Cassette Multi Compact Disc Rear Spoiler Alloy Wheels * Free of any major defects. * Clean title history, the paints, body, and interior have only minor blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems. * Little or no rust on this vehicle. * Tires match and have substantial tread wear left. # Engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects. # Complete and verifiable service record Never had any paint or body work and is free of rust.The car stalls in park or neutral.You can see from above the car is in very good shape other than this problem.

what is the most I should spend to repair the car?

Thanks.

[yangs13]

mileage on vehicle? is there a service engine soon/check engine light on? how does it run at idle? it can range from a $25 part to a huge bill.

typical issues:MAFignition coilsoxygen sensorsIACV

[jperry]

hiwhat I want to know is, how much should I spend to repair this car? Is the car worth putting $5000? or $2000 in to it? What is the most money you spend on a 2001 maxima?

[jperry]

Let me try again2001 Maxima GLE. in very good shape. Mileage 73,000. The "Service engine soon" light came on, and the car stalls in neutral and park, but not in drive. I took the car to the mechanic. They changed the oxygen sensor bank 1, sensor 2, and bank 2 sensor 2. This cost aprox. $500.00. After I road tested the car, the light came back on and the car still stalls. So, I took the car to Nissan. They had the car for 2 days, and coudln't figure out why the car is still stalling. They said that they are waiting for an answer from their repair hot-line. What I want to know is, if they tell me it is going to cost $5,000.00 to fix the car, is the car worth it. How much more money should I put into this car? When do I say to hell with this, and buy a new car? The Blue Book says the car is worth between $5,000 and $7,000.Thanks for any help.

[loystock]

With the help of people in here, we can fix your problem for a lot less than $5K, maybe even less than $500 if you can do some of the jobs yourself. So let us know if you have DIY inclinations and has basic handtools at your disposal. Even if you are not DIY, we can help you isolate the problem so you don't get ripped at the shop.

First, tell us why did they replace the O2 sensors? What were the fault codes? The fact that the problem is still there means the sensors may have been replaced needlessly. Also, most shops provide 60-day warranty on their repair. I'm wondering why that shop did not guarantee the repair, especially after spending $500. You could have done the job yourself (O2 sensor replacement) for less than $200.

So the car stalls only in Park/Neutral but not in Drive. With this info, fuel delivery and ignition are less likely be the problem. It could be the IACV (Idle Air Control Valve). A dirty/failing MAF sensor can also give all sorts of problems.

So first go to Autozone, have a free OBD II scan and get a printout of the fault codes. We can then go from there.

[lightsout]

AAMCO now does free OBDII scans!

leaking PCV??my $$ is on the IACV!! I installed a new one already

it cant be a coilpack...that would just cause a rough idle i believe.not a crank sensor or a cam sensor.

deciding how much you are willing to spend is entirely up to you. Each person has their own individual limit. ie: some gamblers are p0ker players, some are more comfortable with $.05 slots! You have to decide how much you love your car, and how much you would be comfortable spending to fix it.

me...i've spent a lot fixing up and over-maintaing my car b/c it's PERFECT for my 6'4" stature and wide shoulders!!...and i enjoy my car even though it can be a headache at times.
Modified by lightsout at 2:09 AM 1/18/2010

[RCMaximus88]

I've got a 96' Maxima SE. I bought it from this old lady 2 yrs ago with 299,999. (I got to see it roll over to tht 300K mark). Now I've got 343K and it still runs like a champ. I've replaced a few minor parts such as a new radiator, fuel filter, air filter, brand new tires, struts and mounts. I'm about to put about 1500-2000 in it. Some may think thats crazy but if it's a car that you drive everyday like mine, you know it. So I can drop that $, and the car last me another 6mnths to a year, and I've lost nothing really. It's nice to have the title in hand. I'm about to get CV axles, control arms w/ball joints, transmission serviced, plugs and coils. Maybe a few other things. Most of it I'ma do myself. I just love this car. Treats me well. Very reliable. The engine is a beast. No leaks anywhere on the car. Even if I had to rebuild or replace the trans I would. Cause in todays market, you could drive off the lot with 10K on your new car and run into any problems that I may face. 4th gen Maxima's get 5* from me. Enjoy.

[ivorton23]

I've got a 96' Maxima SE. I bought it from this old lady 2 yrs ago with 299,999. (I got to see it roll over to tht 300K mark). Now I've got 343K and it still runs like a champ. I've replaced a few minor parts such as a new radiator, fuel filter, air filter, brand new tires, struts and mounts. I'm about to put about 1500-2000 in it. Some may think thats crazy but if it's a car that you drive everyday like mine, you know it. So I can drop that $, and the car last me another 6mnths to a year, and I've lost nothing really. It's nice to have the title in hand. I'm about to get CV axles, control arms w/ball joints, transmission serviced, plugs and coils. Maybe a few other things. Most of it I'ma do myself. I just love this car. Treats me well. Very reliable. The engine is a beast. No leaks anywhere on the car. Even if I had to rebuild or replace the trans I would. Cause in todays market, you could drive off the lot with 10K on your new car and run into any problems that I may face. 4th gen Maxima's get 5* from me. Enjoy.

I have a 96 maxima 5spd with 202000 miles on it. it runs great...have had little issues with it so far like e brake and hole in exhaust and i replace my spoiler that got broke off. i really love my car and want to keep it but it has some rust on it....the rocker panels need to be replaced, plus the rust on the wheel arches, inside the gas filler door, front doors and on the front fender. they are minor except for the rocker panel....the rest of the car is in excellent shape so should i just fix it? how much will it cost to repair this rust