LoLOMGWTFBBQS!

[Phyrexius]

OK my first 3 cars were a 1976 280z a 1983 280zx and a 1993 Fairlady, I loved all 3 then sold them all before heading to the NAVY. In the last few years I have owned a couple of 1989 Formula 350 TPI WS6 both running low 13s with just bolt on parts. So I decided I needed something more economical and yet still fun to help build my credit. I found a 2003 Maxima GLE auto. I drove it for 13 days and 635 miles before the engine blew at 84,028 miles! Being I drove over the 500 mile Lemon Law limit the dealer I got it from legally does not have to pay for any damages incurred. Thank god they're paying for half of the new engine and installation. The chain drive came apart inside the engine and screwed up everything. I have heard of these engines doing that quite frquently, especially if you go over the oil change interval like me, by 28 miles!! argh... The previous owner was an older woman and took very good care of it. I drove the car like an old grandpa knowing it's NOT a sports car like I'm used to. So here I am stuck paying for a used engine in a used car and now everyone is telling me that the VQ series engines are not worth 2 cents due to so many problems with them! Thanks Nissan, just what I needed, I should have kept the old bird after all!

[Soravia]

Timing chains don't break on their own. You probably had catastropic failure due to broken timing chain guide or tensioner. They are operated by oil from oil pump. Siezed engine or cams could also break the timing chain.

So far VQ is the most successful engine Nissan ever invented.

[maxhopper]

Please do a little research before spewing diarrea of the mouth.

http://www.allbusiness.com/ser....html

At the time of the article it was 13 years in a row, you can a couple more to it now.

[Phyrexius]

LoL the only one here speaking of diarrhea is not I. I am simply telling the world what my history is with the VQ35DE and that it's not a good one. If you can change peoples bad experiences with things in the world please feel free to share that knowledge. Since my bad experience, I HAVE been researching this engine and talking with Nissan mechanics that have been doing what they're doing for a while. The people that put the engine in my car do nothing but Nissan/Datsun/Infiniti cars and have a bunch of 90's 300zx fairladies a couple of drift cars (S15/Silvia/240SX) that participate at the local track, they tell me the same thing about the VQ35DE. So far the research shows that this particular engine is not as great as some business award wants to point out and that Nissan may be a company built around cars that are faster than the competition but not as reliable. Bottom line is I drove a nice car the way it's supposed to be driven, not abusing it, and there is no reason for the rod bearings to spin, chain tensioner to break which set the chain out of alignment and the valve train also to corrupt and start breaking. All I did was start the car to go to work and the car showed absolutely no signs that there was something wrong prior to that. You may have had excellent experience with this engine and that's great, good to hear. I however have not and am crossing my fingers that this other engine does not do the same as the last.

[Soravia]

I have a KA24DE that is over 194K miles and another KA24DE from same year that had a spun bearing at 154K miles. The second one had nasty oil on the dip stick when I pulled it out.

I know old people, they usually don't know jack **** and get oil change at X-press lube that charge them $24 for an oil change that involves no new oil filter, etc.

You just got yourself a car busted by someone. Compared to that 'old lady' I'd buy a car from my buddy who races them. He knows his cars inside out and takes good care of them personally. If anything is not right, he'd know.

[maxhopper]

You bought a used car from a used car lot. Drove it 635 mile, spun a rod, and it's the engine's/Nissan fault?

Just curious, did you contact the previous owner? Did you have it inspected by an independent mechanic? Did you get maintenance records? Or did you just take the word of the used car salesman.

[Phyrexius]

Yes I did meet the previous owner and her husband. The husband was getting a turbo put in his 1981 280zx when I went to the shop to ask questions. The owner had all maintenance done at the same place I got the new engine installed at and they do a pretty good job at what they do, had the engine shipped and installed in 3 days, and as far as oil changes/routine maintenance goes I don't see why the owner nor the shop would or would not do something the car needed or didn't need. So far the ownership and shop work checks out to be good. And yes I had the car inspected where I work by a mechanic I trust. So yeah I can only see one reason why I had troubles and that I got one of those (not so great) VQ35DE that I hear about. Just too bad I drove 135 miles over the limit.

[Q45tech]

Since OBD2 [post 1995] and especially after 2002 new no lead bearings have added a new dimension to evaluating a used car for purchase.

Computer software has made it possible to design an engine with less robustness [wasted strength] and use thinner more economical materials.

Failure to keep up with modern designs and technology will leave many used car buyers on the side of the road.

[Nycist]

Yes I did meet the previous owner and her husband. The husband was getting a turbo put in his 1981 280zx when I went to the shop to ask questions. The owner had all maintenance done at the same place I got the new engine installed at and they do a pretty good job at what they do, had the engine shipped and installed in 3 days, and as far as oil changes/routine maintenance goes I don't see why the owner nor the shop would or would not do something the car needed or didn't need. So far the ownership and shop work checks out to be good. And yes I had the car inspected where I work by a mechanic I trust. So yeah I can only see one reason why I had troubles and that I got one of those (not so great) VQ35DE that I hear about. Just too bad I drove 135 miles over the limit.

obviously their story about keeping up with proper maint. was bull....my mxima has timing chain rattle like a mofo and i still take it out to 6.8k without a second thought(i want to blow it up so i can rip it apart, no success though)

[irax]

isn't this a repost? I could of sworn that I have read this story before

[krimsonviper]

could be that you just came across and bad engine. maybe there was something wrong with it to begin with and the issue wasnt tackled early on, or the shop just tossed parts at the car and thought they fixed it, but instead made a new problem after they fixed the old one.

lost of reasons why your engine fell apart, but thats not a good enough reason to attack the whole line-up. also, the dealership decided to pay for half of the work? sounds fishy. a dealership and cook up records and you would never be able to tell the difference

[WizardBlack]

You got taken; bottom line. The VQ is a very well engineered machine, but has obviously been messed with or not maintained. My stock motor VQ made 370 whp on pump gas and didn't even hiccup.

Likewise, a car salesman that you meet can probably only truthfully cough up even the most basic info on about 0.5% of the cars on the lot. As it is, even if he did just bring the car in on a trade, he is most assuredly listening to what "the little old lady" tells her. When's the last time you knew a little old lady that knew about engines? All of them think they are taking good care of their car.

[jewbaca]

seriously bro you got taken dirty... better luck next time! i bought a blown sr20 not too long ago.... i was pissed! i feel your pain!

[marlin29311]

seriously, don't come into a nissan enthusiast forum and because your used car that you bought from a used car salesman broke. I've seen honda's, toyota's, BMW's, etc all fall apart, GM's, Ford's that last 300,000 miles. Just because your one used VQ fell apart doesn't mean the entire line sucks.