Re: maxima oil leaks

On May 8, 2:28 pm, pasqualot... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com wrote:

my 98 maxima is full of leaks 145K miles...it will cost $2400 the
dealer says for front and rear main seals and front engine cover and
valve cover gaskets...we love the car but??? I was looking for help
and saw the "but impossible " entries.....craig hardie austin tx

Your highly lovable car is worth exactly the amount they have asked to
repair it. Quite an ironic situation, isn't it? In a way, the negative
situation is merely theoretical, because you are looking at retail
costs of repair, vs. what it would cost the dealer to fix it up if you
traded it in today. What this means it that it will cost you about the
$2400 to walk away from the car, since that's about the difference
between what the car is worth now, without repairs, and what it would
be worth if it were in good shape and running well. On the other hand,
you could take that value towards the down payment for your next car,
and accept the "loss". The new car would have none of the damage that
your current car has, but a payment, instead. BTW, make sure you get a
2nd opinion on the repair.

Best of luck,
The owner of a '96 Maxima, running great at 135K miles. I had to
replace my oil-sending unit, but most of the engine is fine, despite
lots of other leaks they told me I had. (It doesn't leak at all now.)