Don't get me started on !@#$%@$! proprietary $#@%#$&* electrical plugs and connectors and the #@$%*(%^$#@@#% OEM will not furnish individual replacement items of the wiring harness. Some years back, my wife's '95 Altima inline 4-banger developed the typical oil leak into the distributor cap that is quite common on OHC engines where the distributor is driven off one end of a camshaft. As I unplugged the wiring connector at the distributor, the locking tab just broke off. Because this is a weatherpack connector, there is enough rebound off the sealing pack gasket to separate the connector unless it is locked in place. I was never able to find a new connector or even a new "empty shell" to transfer the wire terminals to. Searched salvage yards and guess what! Every vehicle checked either also had a broken locking tab, or the connector had already been cut off (a bunch of other people running into the same shoddy connector problem. For the short term, I fashioned a bracket and fastened it to the head via an unused bolt hole near to the distributor plug. Then I connected the plug to the distributor connector and used the bracket to keep it in place. Ultimately, I found out one of my friends knew a guy who worked at the Nissan plant in Smyrna as a technician in the post assembly line troublshooting department (you can't get any closer to being a "new car mechanic" than this). My friend carried my complaint about the unavailability of replacement connectors to his friend. His friend's boss told him to "cut a connector" off of one of the wiring harnesses that had been replaced for other reasons and send it to me. I was satisfied that my case came out OK but for crying out loud...........why don't they sell replacement connectors? Anyhow, like I said "Don't get me started."

I still have a 90 Maxima with approx. 250K miles (odometer intermittant) and it still runs great. Only normal wear and tear items have had to be replaced. Plenty of power still (it's fun to "race" some of the newer sports cars and beat or at least keep up with them and watch their faces - I just laugh at them and pi** them off). Paint and trim and interior still look really good. Everything works. Gas could be going up to $4 in near future, so keep that in mind. I still get about 29 mph on hwy (checked when odometer is working) - not sure about city. Also not sure about 2000/2001 year for either model. Overall, I think they've both done well for all years. My timing belt change interval is 60K miles. Can't remember it it has the "interference" type engine that can be damaged if timing belt breaks (there's a web site of a timing belt manufacturer that lists this for all car - Gates Rubber, maybe?). I usually do the water pump at same time since they have it opened up - about $400 here to have independent mechanic do both). Good luck on your purchase, whatever you buy. I'm hoping to get another year or two from mine, before buying another good reliable used vehicle.

Economy published in advertisements and sales literature is usually the best that the said vehicle can accomplish, like a steady 56mph or a vicar driving round town. Who in the real world drives round like that? Cartainly not my local vicar! He had a 3 litre Ford Capri and used every one of those 3,000 cubic centimeters. Best thing you can do to minimise fuel costs is improve your observation, so if you see red lights or slowing traffic way ahead, ease off the gas now. Not only will you use less fuel but your brake pads will last longer. Also, as you get down to a quarter of a tankful left, check the prices as you drive to work so you know which is the cheapest to fill up at on your way home. Sounds simple but judging by the hundreds who fill up at the rip off forecourts many are either blind, stupid or both. And there is some good news re fuel prices. It was announced here today that one of Ireland's retailers is to cut prices at the pumps by 5 cent per litre as the cost of a barrel of crude stabilises.

My car's job is to get me from here to there, and back, without a lot of hassle: as long as it does that, it stays. Plus ... without it costing an arm and a leg to do it: I have other important places to use my money. For those of you who like the small ones and have a yearning for a bit sporty and with some get-up-and-go ... ... have you considered Mazda? They have had some performance qualifications, and, lacking the rep of the Hondas, Toyotas, etc., can often be obtained ("used", that is) for a much lower price for the same level of car. Mine is over a quarter my age ... and I'm no spring chicken: it's 24, has cost me some money, lately, and may be about to cost me some more, so I'm wondering how much longer that it may go, with something over 180,000 mi. on its odometer. I'd like to get a standard tranny, as, being scarce and undesirable, they're cheaper - and use something like 6 - 10% less gas than automatics (which is a concern, not only for scarcity of the resource and pocketbook, but environmental reasons). Plus, unless someone is ready to crawl up my tailpipe, I not only shut off the engine and coast to signal lights that just turned yellow ... but am inclined to do it when travelling downhill, as well. As some of you know ... over seven years ago when I was travelling in my little Dodge "Colt" out from my townhouse in town to sleep in uncle's house prior to its sale after his death, to make the place look lived-in, often it was late at night and the road untravelled ... and I found that I could coast for over 16 of the 20 km. going out there (but the return journey was usually during the day, with more traffic, and coasting was much reduced). After the Mazda got hit enough to crookedify a wheel a few years ago, not too long after I got it ... I spent more to repair it than I'd paid ... but it takes a lot of resources to dig ore, smelt and manufacture a new vehicle, along with the petroleum-sourced plastic that they put into them ... ... and repairing requires few scarce resources and fuel/energy, is mostly work-related. ole joyful