Hi,
I am struggling with a decision I can't seem to make, and since I've learned so much from everyone on the forums, I thought I'd turn to you one more time.
I have a '93 J30 with 87,000 miles, which I bought this fall on an impulse, without doing the usual homework that I do before I buy a car. (The next prospective buyers were walking up the driveway and I had to make a decision!)
Luckily, it seems to be a pretty good car, well maintained by the dealer until about 3 years ago when the warranty ran out. I think they've done regular oil changes since then, but that's about it. They also never changed the timing belt, so I know I'm on borrowed time. It's got a few small dents, and some rust on the sunroof, but other than that it's in pretty good shape.
For some reason I've never "bonded" with this car like I expected to - (OK, call me silly, but cars have personalities.) I think it's because I got scared early that the transmission was going to fall out at any time, so everytime the car hiccups or coughs, I think "this is it." I also know I'm intimidated by the more complex engine, etc, than I was used to with my previous Toyotas. I've also had a small series of small problems with the car, that have turned out to be minor, but because I haven't found a mechanic I can trust, cause me more worry than they should.
So I decided to try and sell it before Christmas, because I'm sure it would make a good gift for someone, but I can't quite bring myself to put the ad in the paper! I love driving the car, I have all the records and it appears to have been a very good car, it's beautiful, and on and on.
One thought I had was to try and find a 96 or 97 J, with some of the earlier bugs solved, and the new timing belt, etc., etc. But is it worth taking a hit on this one and then going through the fix-up process on another? And what are my chances of finding a good one for sale? By the time I sold and bought another, would I be that much ahead?
I'm also wondering if a 93 is going to start causing me age-related problems, or if the low mileage will help me avoid that for a while.
I guess you could say that I defininitely caught the Infiniti bug, but I'm not sure if I'm fully infected!
By the way, I bought the car for $6,000, have put about a thousand into it, and could probably only get the $6,000 or less back.
Thanks in advance!
Should I sell my J?
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J-Owner
- Posts: 484
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- Car: 2010 FX35 owner and former owner of an '05 G35 Coupe and a '95 J30T.
The J is a wonderful car. Like any car you have to maintain them. Yes, it does cost money to change the timing belt and things but that is part of regular maintenance.
I do understand your thinking on the transmission. I have a '95 J30t with 118,000 miles on it and everytime it hiccups I too think that it is it but you can't dwell on that. There are people whose transmission has gone out at 76K and others who went out at 130K. It all depends how the car is maintained. I have followed the maintence to the T and the car has rewarded me for that.
The J is a unique car that is appreciated by many people and the fact that your is 10 years old and the styling still looks like it was built in 2003 says alot about this car being way ahead of its time.
I have never seen car owners act so excited and show such love for their cars like J na dQ owners do.
In my opinion I say, with such low mileage for your year, keep the car get it up to speed as far as maintence and enjoy it for many more years to come. It truly is an awesome car. If they still made it I would certainly by a new one but at this point they will have to pry my cold dead body out of this car because I refuse to part with it.
But hey, just my 2 cents!
Good luck whatever you do.
I do understand your thinking on the transmission. I have a '95 J30t with 118,000 miles on it and everytime it hiccups I too think that it is it but you can't dwell on that. There are people whose transmission has gone out at 76K and others who went out at 130K. It all depends how the car is maintained. I have followed the maintence to the T and the car has rewarded me for that.
The J is a unique car that is appreciated by many people and the fact that your is 10 years old and the styling still looks like it was built in 2003 says alot about this car being way ahead of its time.
I have never seen car owners act so excited and show such love for their cars like J na dQ owners do.
In my opinion I say, with such low mileage for your year, keep the car get it up to speed as far as maintence and enjoy it for many more years to come. It truly is an awesome car. If they still made it I would certainly by a new one but at this point they will have to pry my cold dead body out of this car because I refuse to part with it.
But hey, just my 2 cents!
Good luck whatever you do.
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driverdriver
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I'm going to be the heretic and state my opinion, I love my J30, it has been babied since new, its got relatively low miles (about 93000 miles) but as it ages its costing more $$ to keep it on the road. Before it was cheap little minor do-it-yourself things but now its getting to be bigger things. Its inevitable. As soon as I figure out that the money I'm putting into the car to keep it on the road is worth more than the value of the car (diminishing returns equation), I won't hesitate in getting rid of it and getting something else.
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cweberj30t
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2003 7:24 pm
- Car: 1993 J30t
2003 G35
2007 G35X
2011 G37X
Did you ever get that vibration problem squared away? If so, you would only need to sink another $500-$1000 to get the belts done, water pump, thermastat, tensioners, pulleys, etc. This car may have some problems (just like any other car on the road including Toyota) but it's built to last. Find a reliable mechanic, maybe someone can point you in the right direction and the rest you can find here. I've owned a lot of cars, none of which are built as well as the J30.
Also, don't put money into the car if you decide to sell it. The only way you can get a return is if you keep it and drive it, which I reccomend to you.
Also, don't put money into the car if you decide to sell it. The only way you can get a return is if you keep it and drive it, which I reccomend to you.
No, I don't have the vibration problem solved yet. I called the dealer, and they referred me to another local tire store. I went there today, and they rebalanced the tires, but wouldn't take it on a road test. (That seems to be the new policy around here.) He said I had to drive it and then come back and report -and if that didn't fix it, they would see what else they could do.
I drove it today, and it's not any better. I was really hopeful that I would be getting to the bottom of this problem, but maybe it's not to be. (I thought if I had solved it, that would tip the scales to me keeping the car.) I also stopped at the dealer, and got the low-down on the repair department. (The dealership had recently changed hands again, and I couldn't get a read on the quality of the service.)
It turns out that the company that bought the dealership, also had one of the local Nissan dealerships. Both the new Parts manager and the "Master Mechanic" came from that dealership. (The Parts Manager told me they sent the mechanic to Infiniti school.) It's a very small dealership, and appears to have only one mechanic and a young assistant. So hopefully the Master Mechanic is watching over things. Since I haven't found any where else to go, I will probably try them for the timing belt, et. al (providing I keep the car!)
I drove it today, and it's not any better. I was really hopeful that I would be getting to the bottom of this problem, but maybe it's not to be. (I thought if I had solved it, that would tip the scales to me keeping the car.) I also stopped at the dealer, and got the low-down on the repair department. (The dealership had recently changed hands again, and I couldn't get a read on the quality of the service.)
It turns out that the company that bought the dealership, also had one of the local Nissan dealerships. Both the new Parts manager and the "Master Mechanic" came from that dealership. (The Parts Manager told me they sent the mechanic to Infiniti school.) It's a very small dealership, and appears to have only one mechanic and a young assistant. So hopefully the Master Mechanic is watching over things. Since I haven't found any where else to go, I will probably try them for the timing belt, et. al (providing I keep the car!)
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Q451990
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IvoryJ30t wrote:ill give you ten bucks for it.
oh yeah... that's helpful :rolleyes
I'd try to straighten out the vibrations, and keep it... nothing helps you "bond" with a car like fixing the problems that are bugging you. Getting a slightly newer J won't really improve things much - especially since the main difference is the type of timing belt, and that's what you'd put in during replacement.
I've heard several people on this and other boards say that they like the build quality of the early J's better than the later ones anyway. Just keep searching for a dependable technician... once you find one things will fall into place.
If all else fails you can make the trek to Jerry Tucker (http://www.jerrytucker.net)
Heath
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cweberj30t
- Posts: 457
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- Car: 1993 J30t
2003 G35
2007 G35X
2011 G37X
Thinking back to your other post, you weren't very specific as to what type of vibrating you're experiencing. Something like this you have to be very specific. Is it at low speeds, high speeds, during exceleration, when braking? You have to be more specific when you take it in. Don't just tell them it has a vibrating problem. Tell them exactly when it happens, under what conditions, and if you can, take them for a ride and show them what you're talking about.
cweberj30t wrote:Thinking back to your other post, you weren't very specific as to what type of vibrating you're experiencing. Something like this you have to be very specific. Is it at low speeds, high speeds, during exceleration, when braking? You have to be more specific when you take it in. Don't just tell them it has a vibrating problem. Tell them exactly when it happens, under what conditions, and if you can, take them for a ride and show them what you're talking about.
I asked Mersidoe to do the same thing and I don't recall getting a response.
Mersidoe, do yourself a big favour and try to describe your vibration problems to us here. We might just be able to narrow down the cause of your problem. We have a lot of collective experience in this club. I daresay that we know more about these cars than any dealership in N. America.
I thought I did, but I've been so busy at work I probably imagined it!
It first started vibrating between 55 and 65 mph. I felt it as a shake in the steering wheel, but the mechanic (that thought it was a FWD) felt it was coming more from under the car. It does seem to reverberate under the car, but the steering wheel does "quiver."
Now it also starting to do a similar shake/vibration around 30 mph.
I guess I'm hesitant to describe it because I'm afraid I'm describing it wrong - once I had a brake problem, and called it "fading," not knowing that that was the label of a specific ailment (and not what my car was doing.)
But I also know you need something to go by, and you need as much information as possible. I'm taking it out on the freeway this afternoon and I will be as observant as possible and report back.
Thanks for your patience.
It first started vibrating between 55 and 65 mph. I felt it as a shake in the steering wheel, but the mechanic (that thought it was a FWD) felt it was coming more from under the car. It does seem to reverberate under the car, but the steering wheel does "quiver."
Now it also starting to do a similar shake/vibration around 30 mph.
I guess I'm hesitant to describe it because I'm afraid I'm describing it wrong - once I had a brake problem, and called it "fading," not knowing that that was the label of a specific ailment (and not what my car was doing.)
But I also know you need something to go by, and you need as much information as possible. I'm taking it out on the freeway this afternoon and I will be as observant as possible and report back.
Thanks for your patience.
Now we're getting somewhere! The 300 zx and the J30 share the same drive system. There is a problem that is well known yet not all that frequent regarding the drive shaft carrier bearing. This is not a big problem at all and a relatively cheap fix.
The "fading" brake problem almost always is due to heavy repeated braking where the rotors heat up and lose their stopping power. Unless you are descending seroius mountain slopes or are road track racing, you should almost never have this problem.
More opinions will be forthcoming from members shortly.
The "fading" brake problem almost always is due to heavy repeated braking where the rotors heat up and lose their stopping power. Unless you are descending seroius mountain slopes or are road track racing, you should almost never have this problem.
More opinions will be forthcoming from members shortly.
Let's see if I can answer everyone (after a big meal and a glass of wine!)
I've had the wheels balanced twice now at two different shops, so I think/hope they are OK. The second shop (not where I bought the tires,) also said they checked them and they are not "out of round," (something that seems to happen with Yokahamas.)
I did get new front brakes and rotors right after I bought the tires, (and also went back to talk to that mechanic,) but he said it would only be a brake problem if it happened when I brake. It's more of a driving problem - I don't have the shaking when I brake.
It's interesting that VimyJ brought up the carrier bearings - the mechanic at the first tire place (the one that thought it was FWD) told me to replace the U joints and the carrier bearing - then after a few minutes he told me that carrier bearings rarely go out, and I should just replace the U joints.
I really tried to pay attention to the vibration today so I could give you a better description - the 30 mph "shake" feels like I'm driving on a rough road, even when I'm not.
The 55-65 mph "shake" seems more noticable in the steering wheel, and seems more evident when I'm on a curve, but maybe that's because I'm gripping the wheel more.
Is there anything I can check to confirm if it's the carrier bearing? I searched and didn't come up with anything.
Thanks again,
Marianne
I've had the wheels balanced twice now at two different shops, so I think/hope they are OK. The second shop (not where I bought the tires,) also said they checked them and they are not "out of round," (something that seems to happen with Yokahamas.)
I did get new front brakes and rotors right after I bought the tires, (and also went back to talk to that mechanic,) but he said it would only be a brake problem if it happened when I brake. It's more of a driving problem - I don't have the shaking when I brake.
It's interesting that VimyJ brought up the carrier bearings - the mechanic at the first tire place (the one that thought it was FWD) told me to replace the U joints and the carrier bearing - then after a few minutes he told me that carrier bearings rarely go out, and I should just replace the U joints.
I really tried to pay attention to the vibration today so I could give you a better description - the 30 mph "shake" feels like I'm driving on a rough road, even when I'm not.
The 55-65 mph "shake" seems more noticable in the steering wheel, and seems more evident when I'm on a curve, but maybe that's because I'm gripping the wheel more.
Is there anything I can check to confirm if it's the carrier bearing? I searched and didn't come up with anything.
Thanks again,
Marianne
Now, does the shake come at a specific RPM or is it wheel speed related. I.E. Does the shake come and go as you accelerate through the gears or does it just seem to get more intense the faster you go?
Was the shake present before the new rotors and brake job?
Does the shake get more pronounced the sharper you turn the steering wheel?
Does the shake disappear when you step hard on the gas or go away? Is the shake most pronounced at a steady cruise with a light foot?
We'll get to the bottom of this. Where is Juiceman when you need him? (Juicey was like the captain in the Caine Mutiny when it came to vibrations.
)
Was the shake present before the new rotors and brake job?
Does the shake get more pronounced the sharper you turn the steering wheel?
Does the shake disappear when you step hard on the gas or go away? Is the shake most pronounced at a steady cruise with a light foot?
We'll get to the bottom of this. Where is Juiceman when you need him? (Juicey was like the captain in the Caine Mutiny when it came to vibrations.
)I drove home on the freeway today and tried to pay more attention to the shake. I don't think the shake at the upper end is only from 55 to 65 mph - it's there at higher speeds as well, I just don't usually go that fast. (Are you going to kick me out with that admission? :-) )
I also thought it was worse when I took my foot off the gas - not to brake, but to coast - or else I could just feel it more without the engine accellerating.
I think the shake was present before the new tires and the brake job - I remember when I was test driving the car I felt something, but I thought it was because the tires on the car at the time were worn unevenly. (Hmmm, does that mean something?) I just thought it needed an alignment from the previous owner hitting too many curbs.
A passenger in my car today felt that the vibration was coming from the rear of the car.
Does that help? How do we find Juiceman?
Thanks,
Marianne
I also thought it was worse when I took my foot off the gas - not to brake, but to coast - or else I could just feel it more without the engine accellerating.
I think the shake was present before the new tires and the brake job - I remember when I was test driving the car I felt something, but I thought it was because the tires on the car at the time were worn unevenly. (Hmmm, does that mean something?) I just thought it needed an alignment from the previous owner hitting too many curbs.
A passenger in my car today felt that the vibration was coming from the rear of the car.
Does that help? How do we find Juiceman?
Thanks,
Marianne
You could very well have an alignment problem. I had bad tires that created all sorts of ideas running through head about the cause. I investigated rear axles, drive shaft, transmission mounts. I needed tires so I bought some Yoko YK420s. All my problems disappeared.
The vibration in my car became greater when I lifted my foot off the gas. I'm not saying that this is your problem but it does sound like your problem is rudimentary.
You bought two new tires, right? Try swapping them back to front to see if the vibration changes. You could have a bad tire.
Best advice: take your car to a good professional (and I do mean professional in terms of scientific method) tech. Take him for a test drive. Let a real pro give you an opinion.
Now about the extremely low speeds you travel at: aside from the carboning up of the engine, the membership takes a dim view of such behavior. WOT is mandatory for VG30DE health. We'll keep this as our secret otherwise the membership might consider havng a general meeting to reconsider your particiaption in NICO.
PS Juicey was unsucessful in his quest. Insisted that his bogus S rated tires were perfect. Alas, such potential.
The vibration in my car became greater when I lifted my foot off the gas. I'm not saying that this is your problem but it does sound like your problem is rudimentary.
You bought two new tires, right? Try swapping them back to front to see if the vibration changes. You could have a bad tire.
Best advice: take your car to a good professional (and I do mean professional in terms of scientific method) tech. Take him for a test drive. Let a real pro give you an opinion.
Now about the extremely low speeds you travel at: aside from the carboning up of the engine, the membership takes a dim view of such behavior. WOT is mandatory for VG30DE health. We'll keep this as our secret otherwise the membership might consider havng a general meeting to reconsider your particiaption in NICO.
PS Juicey was unsucessful in his quest. Insisted that his bogus S rated tires were perfect. Alas, such potential.