YACT: No real importance to it.

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
So I'm a touch itchy about getting rid of the 93 sentra with 171k. It leaks oil, but otherwise it's damn perfect. I know that I should keep it and I may very well keep it. But, that aside, if I do end up getting rid of it I'm considering a various plethora of vehicles.

Today I drove the new corolla S with a 5 speed. Nice car, but I wasn't wowed by the power. I thought that the possibly under-rated engine (somebody dynoed it at 140 vs. Toyota's stated 130) would do a little more, but it felt not much more impressive than my Sentra's 110.

Also drove an accord DX barebones with a 5 speed. For $3500 that was much more car. Larger obviously, but I found it drove better and its power was noticably better.

Drove past a dealership with a 97 Acura 2.2 CL(or something) for $5950. I yanked my car around and checked it out. The exterior on this was out of this world for a 97, especially with 161k miles (ouch!). Of course the interior showed the mileage. But seriously you'd not believe the condition of it from the outside.

Test drove that same car lot's 2002 Civic SI. It had 87k miles (obviously highway) and they wanted $11k for it, which is a good price considering the car is $19k new. It was pretty peppy and the handling was very sure. The steering wheel felt exceedingly firm and confident. The car made a funny whirring sound coming from somewhere though...

Anyway just to make this thread mildly important the acura and the SI both had stereo errors. The first mentioned a code, and the SI mentioned "error" when you turned them both on. This is the anti-theft kicking in I realize, but how do you get around that and what triggered it? Somebody disconnecting them, or a dead battery at some point or something...?

Just in case anybody is wondering I also inquired into a 98 Maxima SE with 5 speed a couple days ago. Outstanding body and exterior/interior. Guy wanted $8600. Unfortunately it has 135k miles. Mrsskoorb doesn't want two 5th gens in the driveway, and buying new maximas is a bad idea because of their pissant resale and depreciation.
 

Storm

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 1999
3,952
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What are you doing looking at Hondas and Acuras Mr. Self-proclaimed NI55AN 43VA :p?
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
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I say save your money and drive the Sentra into the ground.. :)

It should go for another 30k easy as long as you keep the oil in check. :p

You may as well switch to 10W-40(dino, not synthetic) if you haven't already. It will help slow the leak.. and probably actually help lubricate better since the clearances in the engine are going to be nice and wide after 170k.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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Originally posted by: Storm
What are you doing looking at Hondas and Acuras Mr. Self-proclaimed NI55AN 43VA :p?
Just as a second car that's all ;) Honestly my dream car at this stage is a 350z, and I could go and buy one, but I need to be semi-responsible with my money until we have much in the way of savings, and I can make do with the maxima for a while in terms of a nice car.

Used to like the current gen altimas, but now I truly hate their appearance and their dinky interior!

eli I'm using 10w-30 dino valvoline maxlife in the Sentra. If they make a 40, do you think that would help vs. the 10-30?

The sentra could go a while longer or die soon. The transmission is impossible to check the fluid level with (drain plug WILL NOT come undone - even my mechanic broke a tool trying), and there is a lot of leaky oil underneath the car. It could be a ccombination of tran & engine, but I'm hoping it's all engine. So, the tranny could be fine, or on its last legs. I'll never know :) Engine though is still strong and pulls hard. I had the car doing 110 a couple weeks back :Q Also, mrsskoorb if you're reading this, the more clothes you buy the further a new car purchase is hAHA
Whats your budget? Or are you looking for the best car available?
Don't really have one. Paying under 10k would be nice, but if there was a sweet car that was a great deal for over 20k I'd do that as well. Or, maybe I'll buy nothing. :p
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Storm
What are you doing looking at Hondas and Acuras Mr. Self-proclaimed NI55AN 43VA :p?
Just as a second car that's all ;) Honestly my dream car at this stage is a 350z, and I could go and buy one, but I need to be semi-responsible with my money until we have much in the way of savings, and I can make do with the maxima for a while in terms of a nice car.

Used to like the current gen altimas, but now I truly hate their appearance and their dinky interior!

eli I'm using 10w-30 dino valvoline maxlife in the Sentra. If they make a 40, do you think that would help vs. the 10-30?

The sentra could go a while longer or die soon. The transmission is impossible to check the fluid level with (drain plug WILL NOT come undone - even my mechanic broke a tool trying), and there is a lot of leaky oil underneath the car. It could be a ccombination of tran & engine, but I'm hoping it's all engine. So, the tranny could be fine, or on its last legs. I'll never know :) Engine though is still strong and pulls hard. I had the car doing 110 a couple weeks back :Q Also, mrsskoorb if you're reading this, the more clothes you buy the further a new car purchase is hAHA
10-40 would help with the leak, yes.

It's a manual tranny right(I'm assuming since you don't check the fluid with the drain plug in an auto..)? Have you ever checked or changed the gear oil? How many miles have you owned the car?

It seems a pretty common practice to ignore your manual transmission for the life of the car, lol. I wouldn't worry about the transmission going out unless it is showing signs of significant wear.. Does it shift OK?

As for the oil.. From what I've seen, when the transmission is leaking gear oil.. I will have a tendancy not to drip on the ground, but be plastered all over the transmission and surrounding stuff .. since gear oil is so much thicker than engine oil.

You can get the drain plug out if you try. Just cause he broke a tool doesen't mean it won't come out, it means he was being too impatient. ;)

Assuming it really is stuck, spray liberally with WD-40 type product. Take a torch to the drain plug itself.. don't fry it, but get it quite warm. Let it cool down, and then take a torch to the transmission casing. Get it nice and warm around the plug, then stick an ice cube on the end of the drain plug for a few seconds.. try wrenching now.

Or you could just get someone with an impact wrench down there. :p
 

SilentZero

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,158
0
76
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Storm
Just as a second car that's all ;) Honestly my dream car at this stage is a 350z, and I could go and buy one, but I need to be semi-responsible with my money until we have much in the way of savings, and I can make do with the maxima for a while in terms of a nice car.

I went to infiniti to buy a 350z track a few months ago. Almost had the deal finalized, and then my wife sat in the car and threw a fit about how small it is and how she wants a back seat. LOL She immediately said..."Ohh how about the nissan Quest!!!".
rolleye.gif

Turns out we didn't end up getting a nissan at all. I share you enthusiam for the 350z...its a pretty sweet car, just not "wifey" approved....YET!
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
As for the oil.. From what I've seen, when the transmission is leaking gear oil.. I will have a tendancy not to drip on the ground, but be plastered all over the transmission and surrounding stuff .. since gear oil is so much thicker than engine oil.
That is the case, but considering that the engine is leaking so much oil it's got the same plastering issue + dropping on the ground :)

I think I'm only leaking maybe a quart every 2000-2500 miles or so, so it's not horrific actually. I'm not too worried about it.

It's a manual and I can't replace the tranny oil, although I suppose if the drain plug (as opposed to the fill plug, which is stuck) would open I could drain it and then refill it through the speedomoeter (?) something or rather, but i hadn't tried that. Car I've had 2 years and I bought it at 141k. The transmission shifts awesomly. Really the car is mechanically perfect.

Yeah so just to clairfy it wasn't the drain plug but rather the fill plug I couldn't undo. Not sure about the drain. He broke a tool, but that was after me using a breaker bar and pulling as hard as I could. Damn thing still wouldn't move :) I could try the torch method like I did on the O2 sensor last year on the maxima, but if you saw the underside of the sentra the last thing you'd want to do would be to put a torch anywhere near it. Can you say INFERNO! :evil:

I think i'll give 10-40 a go next time if I can find it. I will probably end up keeping the sentra a while longer. It's old and all that, but it's never given me any problems and it's paid off, good on gas and insurance, etc.