More problems found when working on your car

[slag]

Bought an 02 sensor to fix a CEL that's been going on for a year now on my car. Its bank 2, sensor 2, so not used for calibrating A/F ratio, but still annoying. While replacing it, I noticed my CV boot on the driver's side is torn. When I went to get a closer look at it, I see that my outer tie rod end is loose.

I've also been experiencing a loose feeling when going over road bumps. I've replaced the swap bar end links a couple years ago as well as the front struts, so its probably either the sway bar bushings or passenger side motor mount.

These problems are on an Infiniti I30 with 169k.

That Fiesta lease is starting to look better and better.....

 

[NutBucket]

Eh, those issues are minor. Until you say transmission slipping, still cheaper to fix it.

 

[slag]

Eh, those issues are minor. Until you say transmission slipping, still cheaper to fix it.

True, but I'd rather have a car I just drive instead of one nickel and diming me every couple months...

 

[Zargon]

True, but I'd rather have a car I just drive instead of one nickel and diming me every couple months...

a few hundred every FEW months is better than a few hundred a month

 

[JimW1949]

If the car is in reasonably good condition other than the things you already mentioned, then I would repair it. On the other hand, if there are additional issues then it may be time to consider a different vehicle.

 

[Vette73]

True, but I'd rather have a car I just drive instead of one nickel and diming me every couple months...

I'll take "nickel and diming" every few months vs hundreds of dollars EVERY month.

 

[exdeath]

Take it as an opportunity to make it better than factory. Rubber rotton? Replace with poly. Tie rods bad? Replace with heim joints. Break something? Replace it with something forged and 50% bigger. At least that's how I approach it. When I fix something on my cars I have the peace of mind knowing that particular issue will never haunt me again. Over engineering ftw.

Struts and cv boots are wear items, and if you're getting 170k miles out of them, you're better off than most.

 

[Zap]

True, but I'd rather have a car I just drive instead of one nickel and diming me every couple months...

Money aside, I'd rather have a car I didn't have to bother with downtime outside of maintenance. For me, this probably means a new car every 5-10 years. Cost effective? Not on a dollar scale. However, my time is worth something to me and I'd rather pay a monthly payment a few years out of a decade than to be hassled. To each their own.

 

[RKS]

those are both common Maxima/I30 issues. What is that, a 15 year old car?

 

[slag]

I understand they are normal wear and tear items. I'd just rather not be wrenching on the car when I could be working in the garden, playing with my kids, or working on/using the boat Its an 11 yr old car.

Not fun to HAVE to work on something as opposed to getting to work on something for fun.

Zap said it best.

 

[CraigRT]

The I30 is a great reliable car. I just replaced the lower control arms on my fathers' Maxima (same generation, same car) in order to get rid of some ball joint slop. The powertrain in that car is flawless. I have a feeling that the body will fall off the car long before the powertrain has any problems. I'd keep the car and fix it. Very few weaknesses in those years...

 

[Budmantom]

I understand they are normal wear and tear items. I'd just rather not be wrenching on the car when I could be working in the garden, playing with my kids, or working on/using the boat Its an 11 yr old car.

Not fun to HAVE to work on something as opposed to getting to work on something for fun.

Zap said it best.

It sounds like you have gotten more than your moneys out of the car (depending on how long you've owned it) and everything from here on out is a bonus.

If you take your car in to a trused mechanic once a year for him to replace the normal wear and tear items during an oil change your down-time is minimul and you shouldn't have to spend more than $500 each year on these items.

Putting aside $40 a month on PM is a lot better than $200 or whatever on a lease.