AZhitman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:05 am
You can't replace *just* the plastic part because it's integral to the heater core (and you don't have a way of connecting the two). It's a factory design. It was made of plastic because it needed to last 20 years. It did its job.
$233 for a 23 year old heater core is far from ridiculous. That's 1/2 of a car payment - when was the last time this car cost you money?
You said you'd be willing to pay a ridiculous markup for the plastic piece. Well, you are. $233 and it comes attached to a brand new heater core.
Let's go back to the beginning of this thread: You have a $50k car that you paid next to nothing for. Maintenance was deferred for 23 years.
You've driven it for how many years for how much total investment?
Infiniti doesn't need to accommodate you. Remember, you dumped voodoo juice in the cooling system after we all told you not to.
Want cheap transportation? Sell it for $500 as a mechanic's special and buy a mid-90's to mid-00's Corolla or Camry. Bulletproof and cheap to fix.
Lol, dude I’ve been putting money into this car all year long: started with the rear shocks, then the a/c compressor/condenser (already dead when purchased, so was prepared to do it), Fan clutch, all 4 belts, front shocks/mounts, heater core, and now waterpump (I woulda replaced at same time as the clutch, but I was working out of a friend’s garage and had limited time and money) lol. That’s why if I can find the part by itself, I could use the break. Not to mention little stuff here and there: multiple trips to the junkyard, the initial $1,200 I spent when first purchased, etc.
Sorry if it sounds like I’m bitching lol. It’s just as I’ve said before, I have a 97 Maxima with more miles, and I’ve not had water pumps and heater cores go bad on it. Granted, I’ve dumped a lot of money into that over the years too (since 2012). So it’s no angel either. But I’m like dayum, where does it end lol.
And I understand even if I buy a 2000-something Infiniti, I’m still going to have stuff to fix at some point, so you’re right...this is still relatively cheap ESPECIALLY considering I’m doing it myself. I just hate how whenever I want to order a part, it never comes with the full thing. Like with the struts: I wanted the Springs and boots. I had to buy that s*** separately.
But I must admit: I do drive the sh*t out of this car. Put about 6,000 miles on it since September: drove from Midwest to San Diego and back. And (almost) no breakdowns, waterpump made it home. So I give Infiniti due credit. It’s never left me stranded lol.
But I had a 96 Camry on the other hand, that car was voodoo! Lol. Left me stranded multiple times: motor mounts, timing belt/water pump, distributor cap, ignition cap. It was the car from the hell lol. no way in hell would I demote myself to some cloth interior, 4 cylinder piece of sh*t lol.