A new car thread

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I was still in love with my 2000 Nissan Maxima. It drove great and was supremely comfortable. I ticked over 180,000 miles on Monday. But last Friday afternoon I had a glitch with the transmission. I thought it was blown, but thanks to its innate qualities, it self healed about 20 minutes later and continued to perform normally all weekend and this week. Nissan couldn't diagnose the problem because it was fine, with no lingering diagnostic codes to be read. But, due to the uncertainty of when and where it might go out again, I traded it in yesterday and said goodbye to it at 180,154 miles. Sniff sniff

With $3+ gas, I looked at the Prius. I looked at the Camry (of which I have always loved and helped my mother buy one last summer) and the Accord. And a car that I considered to be a similar midsized car with a growing reputation of great reliability, the Hyundai Sonata. What a nice surprise! I drove both the 4 cyl and the 6. The 6 was so much like my Maxima in feel and performance, but about $4000 to $5000 lower in price than a comparable Camry or Accord with a better warranty, and about $8000 less than a new Maxima. (There is/was a $2000 rebate included in that price difference.)

I transferred my GTHC sticker to my new "Duke White" Sonata SE V6 about 6 p.m. last night. So far, after ~40 miles, I love it! I'll let you know how it goes with a few more miles are on the odometer. Happy motoring to me!

[hurleyfor3]

I frequently rent from Hertz. For some reason I've been getting a lot of Sonatas recently. Including last weekend, when I got a V6. They're quite decent cars and get OK mileage -- 26 mpg on my last rental I think.

However, I like the current Altimas a bit better (I've scored Altimas from Hertz as well, although not recently). They seem to have a nicer level of trim and are a bit more comfortable.

[riverside6]

My 2000 Maxima just hit 100,000, and I love it as well. That being said, I just had a Service Engine Soon light come on once again. The last time it came was 3 years ago, and after taking it to "my guy", who couldn't diagnose the problem, I took it to the dealer and spent $800 to have something done (can't remember what to save my life).

Just curious Ozzie, did you see that light often in your 180,000 + miles? Any experience getting problems fixed when the dreaded Service Engine Soon light comes on?

[dukestheheat]

Ozzie,

Hey, I drive a Saab and so should YOU! I think you'd look good in one by the way, considering the Viking helmet/garb you wear in Cameron. !!

dth

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Ozzie,

Hey, I drive a Saab and so should YOU! I think you'd look good in one by the way, considering the Viking helmet/garb you wear in Cameron. !!

dth

That's not me. Not even close. I sit upstairs. I did wear his gorilla suit to a game several years ago though.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

My 2000 Maxima just hit 100,000, and I love it as well. That being said, I just had a Service Engine Soon light come on once again. The last time it came was 3 years ago, and after taking it to "my guy", who couldn't diagnose the problem, I took it to the dealer and spent $800 to have something done (can't remember what to save my life).

Just curious Ozzie, did you see that light often in your 180,000 + miles? Any experience getting problems fixed when the dreaded Service Engine Soon light comes on?

Sorry to laugh, but you have no idea the problems I had with the SES light.

I bought the 5 year, 100,000 mile warranty when I got the car in August 1999. At 99,800 miles in April of 2004, I took it into my favorite dealer and said "the warranty expires tomorrow (when I trip over the 100K mark), can you please check out the car? He asked if anything was wrong, I said no, and he said it would be $75 to do a diagnosis, which I declined. About a week later I was leaving Richmond just after noon on a Friday, when the SES light went on. Dang. I drove directly to the Goldsboro Nissan dealer and got there about 3:30 in the p.m. He said it was the O2 sensors. I asked him if he could cover it under the warranty (which still had 4 months on the 5 year time, although I had 102,000 miles on it. After all, how would Nissan know if they didn't tell them?) Anyway, after much hemming and hawing, they covered it and saved me that $450. 2 weeks later, at 104,000 miles, the light came on again. I took it back and the service manager said "no, it is not the same O2 sensors, it is the fuel pump, and no, we will not cover it under warranty". That cost me another $420, but hey, you can't mess with a fuel pump if you want to go anywhere. So, 2 weeks later, the SES light came on again, and I was getting more than peeved. The dealer said they needed the car cold to properly diagnose the indicated problem (swirl control valve - what the hell is that? It sounds like "blinker fluid" to me...) and I couldn't leave it, but arranged to leave it there the following week when I was traveling in our other car. Strangely, over the weekend, the light went off! A self-healing car! Wonderful. But the light came back on about 2 weeks later. Net result, for 2 1/2 years and 76,000 miles, the SES light went on and off every couple of weeks because of the swirl control valve, which would have cost ~$750 to fix and I wasn't about to spend it. I never noticed any change in performance or gas mileage. I finally bought an OBD monitor at Wal-mart a couple of months ago so I could erase the SES light myself (it's only about $100 there. Mine is now for sale, hardly used.) The swirl control valve is code P1130.

BTW, Auto Zone parts stores will do a FREE OBD diagnosis on your car if the light ever comes on again. It takes about 5 minutes from the time they leave the counter and walk to your car.

I loved driving the car, but the SES light and I were not on good terms. I learned to basically ignore it (after checking that it was the same P1130 code).

[riverside6]

Glad to know it isn't an uncommon thing. I'll probably just drive it till it blows and get me something new then. Although, I might check out the issue though at Autozone too.

Thanks a bunch for the info!

[xenic]

I also just got a new (used) car. I traded in my 2004 Jeep Wrangler, which I loved, but 14.5 mpg was just terrible, for a 1997 BMW 318iC with 135k miles on it. It is a bit under powered, which is ok because I have a speeding problem anyway, but so far it is getting me 26+ mpg. Very nice car to drive, and I love the fact that the the manual top takes me about 15-30 seconds to take down/put up... and as of about 1pm tomorrow, I'll have had it down for an entire week.

[The Gordog]

I was still in love with my 2000 Nissan Maxima. It drove great and was supremely comfortable. I ticked over 180,000 miles on Monday. But last Friday afternoon I had a glitch with the transmission. I thought it was blown, but thanks to its innate qualities, it self healed about 20 minutes later and continued to perform normally all weekend and this week. Nissan couldn't diagnose the problem because it was fine, with no lingering diagnostic codes to be read. But, due to the uncertainty of when and where it might go out again, I traded it in yesterday and said goodbye to it at 180,154 miles. Sniff sniff

With $3+ gas, I looked at the Prius. I looked at the Camry (of which I have always loved and helped my mother buy one last summer) and the Accord. And a car that I considered to be a similar midsized car with a growing reputation of great reliability, the Hyundai Sonata. What a nice surprise! I drove both the 4 cyl and the 6. The 6 was so much like my Maxima in feel and performance, but about $4000 to $5000 lower in price than a comparable Camry or Accord with a better warranty, and about $8000 less than a new Maxima. (There is/was a $2000 rebate included in that price difference.)

I transferred my GTHC sticker to my new "Duke White" Sonata SE V6 about 6 p.m. last night. So far, after ~40 miles, I love it! I'll let you know how it goes with a few more miles are on the odometer. Happy motoring to me!

You are braver than I am buying a Hyundai. The reason they have such a good warranty is because the expected repair costs are so astronomical. I wish you good luck getting all your problems covered by the warranty.

[juise]

You are braver than I am buying a Hyundai. The reason they have such a good warranty is because the expected repair costs are so astronomical. I wish you good luck getting all your problems covered by the warranty.

I'm not a Hyundai lover or owner, but I don't believe your assessment to be true. Hyundai's reputation has been very good over the last five years. Google "Hyundai reliability" and you'll see that consumer reports has ranked them as high as Honda. The Sonata has been particularly good.

[Reisen]

Agreed. The Hyundai of the 1990's is not the same Hyundai selling cars today. Just like everyone else, they've improved. I prefer European to Asian cars, but if I was in the market for a car at that price point, I wouldn't hesitate to look at a Hyundai.

[captmojo]

To quote "Click and Clack", "Saab, good name for that car."
Hyundais used to spontaneously catch fire on the railroad unload yards back in the '90's. They seem to be greatly improved.
That service engine soon light is a marvelous job security feature for your local mechanic that does state vehicle inspections. EGR valves are the problem 90% of the time. Computer monitored emission systems detect changes within the system which activate alerts but still operate within tolerance to meet standards. They are extremely sensitive and your local shop loves them, so long as they can afford the equipment to read them.

[dukemomLA]

I bought my Nissan Maxima wagon in '84. GREAT car. In '98, driving cross country (for the 20th time), travelling with my sleeping bag and my dog, I blew a head gasket in-the-middle-of-nowhere in Colorado. Towed to Glen Springs, I learned that the repair would cost close to $1,000. That was okay by me, EXCEPT that the part had to be delived from Denver, and all-told I'd be a week without a car.

Since I was heading East to a new job and to care for my aging/ailing father, I couldn't do that, so... I sold my car to a local dealer and handing over my credit car to get "some car on the lot which would get me East and give me a good resale value when I got there." I ended up with a Pontiac Sunbird. NOT a car I would ever have bought -- but, much to my surprise, great gas mileage, smooth on the road, and happy cruising at 84mph.

BUT to this day, I still miss my '84 Nissan wagon, which I cruised to almost 200,000 miles -- and would STILL be cruising with today.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Help anyone,

I have a 1985 MQ Nissan Patrol wagon and have a major problem with my steering. When I get up to about 80km/h the steering wheel just goes out of control vigorously shaking to the point that I cannot hold the wheel.
Can anyone give me a suggestion as to the problem?

Welcome to the board with your first post. You obviously are overseas (80 km/h and a Nissan model I have never heard of). You have come a long way to get an answer!

Unfortunately, I think your answer is put the Patrol wagon out of its misery and to move on to another vehicle. Sometimes, a vehicle problem is terminal, and I suggest you kill the car before it kills you.

[Exiled_Devil]

Help anyone,

I have a 1985 MQ Nissan Patrol wagon and have a major problem with my steering. When I get up to about 80km/h the steering wheel just goes out of control vigorously shaking to the point that I cannot hold the wheel. I slow down to about 50km/h and then the shaking stops but as soon as I get in the 80km range, off it goes again. I have replaced the steering damper, shocks, bushes, and tires and even had numerous wheel balances and alignments but it makes no difference. I am at my wits end and I don’t know what it could possibly be and neither do most of the people I take the car too.

Can anyone give me a suggestion as to the problem?

Hey - interesting signature - it seems to point towards a product that will resolve your issue. Is that coincidental?

Exiled

[rsvman]

I am "THIS close" to buying a new Hyundai Veracruz crossover SUV. I wouldn't have believed how nice it is if I hadn't seen it myself.

For comparison, I looked at the Honda Pilot, and the Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 before I went (with low expectations) to the Hyundai dealer to look at the Veracruz.

Wow. Blown away. By FAR the nicest car of the bunch. Quiet. Smooth. Refined. Nicely appointed. Less expensive. Really a nice car.

Have fun with your Sonata, Ozzie. I, for one, think you made a good choice.

[cato]

Help anyone,

I am at my wits end and I don’t know what it could possibly be and neither do most of the people I take the car too.

Most of the people you take the car too [sic] don't have any suggestions? What about those people that do have suggestions? Would you care to share them? Perhaps with a link?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I am "THIS close" to buying a new Hyundai Veracruz crossover SUV. I wouldn't have believed how nice it is if I hadn't seen it myself.

Wow. Blown away. By FAR the nicest car of the bunch. Quiet. Smooth. Refined. Nicely appointed. Less expensive. Really a nice car.

Have fun with your Sonata, Ozzie. I, for one, think you made a good choice.

Thanks. Almost 1700 miles in 2 weeks, and I am very pleased. If you are in the Triangle area (and I think you are not), I would recommend Southern States Imports over the other two dealers. I can provide my salesman's name to get you (or anyone else) a good deal (and yes, I get a small referral fee from him.)

[xenic]

Help anyone,

I have a 1985 MQ Nissan Patrol wagon and have a major problem with my steering. When I get up to about 80km/h the steering wheel just goes out of control vigorously shaking to the point that I cannot hold the wheel. I slow down to about 50km/h and then the shaking stops but as soon as I get in the 80km range, off it goes again. I have replaced the steering damper, shocks, bushes, and tires and even had numerous wheel balances and alignments but it makes no difference. I am at my wits end and I don’t know what it could possibly be and neither do most of the people I take the car too.

Can anyone give me a suggestion as to the problem?

I had a similar problem in my 2004 Jeep Wrangler. They ended up fixing it by replacing some hydraulic (steering stabilizer? dampener?) with a bigger, heavier duty one than the stock one.

[rsvman]

Thanks. Almost 1700 miles in 2 weeks, and I am very pleased. If you are in the Triangle area (and I think you are not), I would recommend Southern States Imports over the other two dealers. I can provide my salesman's name to get you (or anyone else) a good deal (and yes, I get a small referral fee from him.)

Thanks, Ozzie, but I'm in Southeastern Virginia (Chesapeake, to be exact). It's about a 3.5-hour drive to Durham, which is not too bad, but I wouldn't want to be taking the drive over and over again for service, etc.