IS THIS Q45 A WASTE OF MONEY?

[nuQ]

oh oh,,,,,look at my second to last post number!!!!! "it's the end of the world as we know it.........."

[Jesda]

Good point Rex, but when you compare the expense vs. the gain in resale, performance, features, and prestige, its not always worth it.

What are you getting for your money? Are you maintaining something outdated and outdone by a lot of newer cars on the road?

If I bought a brand new Nissan Sentra, I'd get less of everything for five or six times the money. If I bought a year-old M45, its a completely different story.

This is why I dont mind letting smaller things go (that I cant notice). I keep my Q running just well enough to look and feel great. Maintenance should be timely for matters of performance, efficiency, and reasonable reliability, but extremes are like throwing good money down the toilet. Wrecks, natural disasters, and vandals are all out and about. The insurance company doesnt really care if you updated the chain guides or replaced all the fluids every year. Thats all a realistic part of minimizing expenses.

Ridiculously high insurance and a job thats only part time keeps me out of a newer car for now, but one of these days, maybe when I'm 25...

Love, not pragmatism, keeps me in the Q.

-Jesda

[maxnix]

Dennis could be driving an M45 for a hair more.

-Jesda

Yeah, but not own it nor modify it to his hard learned specifications. Big Difference.

[90Q45blue]

Dennis will be the first to admit that his car is mechanically tip-top only. His interior/exterior are worn. Many of things we worry about on this board (i.e. cool rims, window tints, body kits, a new grille, new leather or new seats, etc.) he wouldn't even concern himself with. His $400 is spent on mechanical things alone.

Nick

[96QQ45]

Most of the car buying public will pay a large monthly payment to drive a nice new car or a late model used car. The thought of spending $3,000 at a pop for maintenance blows their mind but they keep paying the montly payments. I've owned my Q for just over two years and yes I bought the transmission and paid some high bills.

But... this is the best car I've ever owned and the purchase cost was very low. Why so low? Of course, the maintenance costs are high and most people can't fathom it. I bought my car with all intentions of paying high $ for premium fuel and maintenance so I was prepared. My co-worker owned the car and I liked it but I didn't expect this-now I worship the $#@$% car!!!

I drove a '93 BMW 525i for two weeks waiting for my reman transmission and I was in serious Q withdrawal. The whole time I'm thinking what if I sold my Q and bought something else. I'd be a basket case...

To all Q drivers thinking of selling, park it for a week, drive whatever you like. You won't sell!

[maxnix]

To all Q drivers thinking of selling, park it for a week, drive whatever you like. You won't sell!

Hell, I can't even park it for a couple of days.

[Q45tech]

Actually I have a brand new set of oem 90 gray floor mats [sitting for a year on my porch still in box] and a new dash and almost everything for interior except seats and new steering wheel.

Installed a new mirror, new ash tray, new clear plastic cover for gauges, new glove box..........the seats are worn but no holes, and the carpet is really dirty..........the paint oh my diety is horrible.

Waiting for the next Gray on Gray to have a failed guides.

Why would I want an M45?

Some of the numbers [costs] I post are at T3 retail prices........usually I find ways to get parts and pay the techs on the side or lately do it myself.......this year did my plugs and a 60k for $96 and my brakes for $77 [MM front pads and oem rears] and a transmission flush for $30.Will have to buy new front rotors soon [12,000 miles]. Paid for an oil change $31............say $300 cash in 4 months..........need 2 tires and a wholesale windshield ~~$700...........this might be a $1000 cash year unless another good junk Q shows up.

What am I dreaming something always breaks.......evap and rack/ps pump are 14 years old as are a few other items.

Speaking of that I'm off to wash here the first time in a month! $3.75.

[elwesso]

Dennis, how much work do you do DIY on your Q (always curious). Where do you draw the lin of not being able to do something?

[nuQ]

i think dennis has said he'd never do his plenum!!!!

[TRUEST]

Hey guys,

last time i was the dealership, i asked them to do the regular maintenance on it cuz i was thinking hey, its been well over 4000 miles since i brought it in. they looked at me funny like , "we had a 60,000 mile maintenance done on it 4000miles ago".. they said all i'm due for now is a oil change.

seriously, when i had that 60,000 mile maintenance thing done, the summary bill you get afterwards was damn near 4 pages long including the water pump.

so i guess i just may be set for at least 3 or 4 months before i goto pay for another major thing

[Jesda]

Hell, unless something breaks I think youre set for another 60k. (Well, aside from annual fluid changes and 3k oil chages.) Seems like every used Q has a huge initial financial hurdle, followed by thousands and thousands of peaceful relatively trouble-free miles.

So when do we get to see pictures?

[AlabamaDan]

This is a heck of a thread.

In my year of ownership, I would consider myself a winner. DIY labor definitely is the key there...

Perhaps we should switch to a new thread, but I like to hear about the DIY stuff. What do you do?

[elwesso]

Danny, start a new thread and Ill go into any details youd like me to...

[AlabamaDan]

Danny, start a new thread and Ill go into any details youd like me to...

As suggested, I've started a new thread regarding DIY stuff to keep thte Q running and save some mula! Wes, kick us off!

http://www.nissaninfiniticlub....62121