I have a 2007 Altima with 148,000 miles. I have spent to this date $440 on repairs (on wiring harness - whatever that

Your AC, electric windows, electric seats, etc are all just fluff. Their working or not working is hardly a reflection of the health of the car. The important systems of the car (the ones that actually make it go vroom) are all suffering if you've put in 150k without anything more than oil changes.

Your timing belt is likely going to your biggest issue (don't confuse this with a drive belt). At 150k, you probably should have replaced it twice by now, and your car has what's called an interference engine. If you're timing belt breaks (which it is likely on the verge of) your engine is toast.

Your transmission fluid is likely completely toast by now too leading to a trans that can't function properly.

Your spark plugs, belts, hoses, etc are all likely on the verge of failure (if they haven't already, and you just don't realize that your car isn't functioning properly.)

Most people in today's throw away society are completely ignorant of the complex systems in a vehicle. They run the cars into the ground without required maintenance, then when they have a $3000 failure come along, they just say "oh well, I'll scrap the car, and finance a new one to destroy."

Don't be one of those people who continually loses money due to lack of knowledge and skills. Cars are not cheap. They should last a long time and with maintenance they will.

Remember people, 100,000 miles on a car is a lot like a high school graduation; it isn't impressive and is in fact completely expected.

ASE Master Certified Mechanic

To add some more:

Nissans and Toyotas are excellent vehicles. They can go and go with little maintenance. You've got a good vehicle. Do yourself a favor though; go get yourself a full inspection at your local certified shop (not the dealership, they just want to sell you a new car).

I'm certain they will come up with a list of issues that need addressing. Find the biggest issues, start taking care of them, and get your car to last another 150,000 easily.

I appreciate your comments. I will likely get a tune-up soon and replace the timing belt. But, if I had written this when it was at 100,000, you likely would have written the same things, and here it is 50,000 miles later. Who says it can't go another 50,000 with no problems? Again, I am appreciative of your knowledge.

I would make those same comments starting at about 75k.

You're absolutely right. Some cars can go surprising distances without any real maintenance. The reality is, sooner or later, major systems will fail if they haven't been maintained; when they do, not only will it leave you stranded somewhere, it will cost a lot of money and time to repair.

Its like a doctor telling a young person to stop smoking. The smoker says , "no I'm only 35, my grandpa smoked til he was 98, and he only died because he got hit by a truck." Sure, its possible, but the statistics say you are cutting your life short by decades.

Definitely get that timing belt looked into. A tune-up, transmission service, and coolant flush are all also important. Your belts and probably a couple hoses probably need replacing Brake flush and power-steering flush are also important, but not as high on the list.

I really appreciate your advice. I have been very lucky, but know things will eventually happen. Thanks!

I am not a car guy so I realize I could end up with mud on my face from this but I think the Altima in question has a timing chain that shouldn't need changing. I 've owned three Altimas and would agree with the OP that you can just drive and go and rack up the miles without having to put much money into them.

Wasabeterrower wrote:

I am not a car guy so I realize I could end up with mud on my face from this but I think the Altima in question has a timing chain that shouldn't need changing. I 've owned three Altimas and would agree with the OP that you can just drive and go and rack up the miles without having to put much money into them.

100% correct. No timing belt on these engines. Timing chain for the win. That being said, after 150k miles, the chain can stretch and tensioners can begin to lose their effectiveness.

You should consider a good/complete inspection/tune up. Spark plugs, all filters, wires, hoses, various fluids, a complete brake inspection, etc.

Good luck!

Sam Not the Mechanic wrote:

is. It is quite remarkable. I have done oil changes, changed air filters and tires. But besides that, I have done nothing. No tune-ups, nothing. And everything works perfectly, the AC, the electric windows, electric seats. Not one thing on car not working like it was when I bought it.

I have enjoyed this post.

Very informative and enjoyable.

Wasabeterrower wrote:

I am not a car guy so I realize I could end up with mud on my face from this but I think the Altima in question has a timing chain that shouldn't need changing. I 've owned three Altimas and would agree with the OP that you can just drive and go and rack up the miles without having to put much money into them.

I'm glad somebody pointed this out. I've never even ridden in an Altima and I knew that.

Shows how much a certified mechanic knows.

On a side note, I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris and have had $0 in repairs. Just regular maintenance (and I do change my coolant, tranny fluid, spark plugs, etc at the regular intervals).

I laughed at the OP. One can keep a car running forever with proper maintenance. I own a distribution business with vans and box trucks (both gas and diesel), with some that date back to the mid-90s and that have 400k+ miles on them.Don't brag about how little you spend on a vehicle. Instead, brag on how long you can keep them.

Sam Not the Mechanic wrote:

is. It is quite remarkable. I have done oil changes, changed air filters and tires. But besides that, I have done nothing. No tune-ups, nothing. And everything works perfectly, the AC, the electric windows, electric seats. Not one thing on car not working like it was when I bought it.

BTW, all things being equal, the number one factor in determining how long a vehicle lasts is the manner in which it is driven. If you drive like a bat out of hell, your vehicle isn't going to last very long. If you drive like a grandma going to church, it will. It's common sense, but it bears repeating.

I think the Cafactz report shows maintenance records as well as damage reports. This lack of maintenance could lower your trade-in value substantially or make your cat unsellable for anything but chop shop parts.

True but some cars as in the OP's case cost less to maintain and upkeep than others. As a certified cheapskate I want to laugh as I fly by the local garage or dealership in my beat up Japanese four cylinder car knowing my visits to them will be few and far between. I am shooting for low acquisition cost, low running cost, high mileage potential (250k plus) and minimal maintenance cost. I want all four in combination. That's where the tremendous value is.