Ok, so I ended up picking up a 2008 Nissan Versa for 100 bucks. 191k miles. No CVT, 4 speed auto. I didn’t buy it until I made sure it at least turned over. And the plan was worst case I could scrap it for 300-350. So anyway after battery, tires, fluids, brake pads etc I have 600 in it. Runs great, AC works, only thing broken is gas door handle and you can pull on the cable. So I moved past my scrap it plan. Use it as a beater or sell it. Went to get it inspected. One of the subframe bushings the rubber is cracked. So the guy fails it. The bushings are only 50 bucks so that’s not the bad part. Nissan engineers designed them so.... you have to pull the entire subframe, they are pressed in so getting the old ones out is fun, and they gotta be pressed back in. Grrrrr......
Unfortunately lots of vehicles are engineered that way without maintenance in mind. I can't tell you how many times I've cursed at the brilliant engineers at Ford for their designs throughout the years. Be a cold day in hell before I ever have a Blue oval in our garage. I'm not too crazy with the Toyota ones either that designed my 08 Highlander
A lot of GM products are designed just as poorly as Ford products. Chrysler products have even worse designs. I have seen Chrysler store the battery in the right fender. To get at the battery you have to jack it up, pull the wheel, remove the fender liner, and hall it out from behind the fender.
My mother sneakily bought a Sebring long ago like that. OMG I hated that car. The day it was towed away was a happy rejoice.
@toyotagrl
Please mind your language and make sure you are familiar with the rules. Thank you.
https://carkiller.com/scottykilmer/qa/welcome/#post-1271
#2. No swearing or profanity allowed
@toyotagrl pray you never have to do a rad replacement on a dodge car. I forget which one I was working on, but they decided in order to take out the thing you have to remove the bumper and rip apart the AC condenser to get to it. No other way about it unless you into jank solutions that could break things lol I had so much fun spending a day on that! {black}:afraid:
I won't ever have any Mopar either. Once in the 90's was enough for me.
Oh come on, don’t you have a burning desire to restore a Fiero? Nothing says perfection like removing a motor mount to change spark plugs. 😂
Wow. I didn’t realize some safety inspections involve checking the subframe bushings.
Yea me neither. For years before I take them in I always check, tires, brakes, emergency brake, lights, wipers, horn, defrost, tie rods, ball joints, steering rack. Hood latch, floor pans, trunk pan, all door handles, no srs/airbag or abs lights, all glass, all seatbelts. I mean they can fail it if your license plate bulb is burnt out. And I thought that was everything. New one to me to.
You got the cheapest car in America, and you got it starting up for $100. I would be happy with what you got out of it and give it some slack.
You already know not to put much money into it so I guess good luck.
Yea I know. I’m complaining more because I can’t currently do the work myself than anything. No access to a decent garage with a press atm, that and my left shoulder dislocated recently so it has no strength either. Gotta pay someone else 500-600 bucks to do the job. Still I’ll be way ahead.
At $100.00 you are still making out like a gangbuster.
Yea I know. I have a knack for deals. I bought a Subaru 2005 Legacy GT for 300. Got it running and driving less than 100 in parts. Bought my wife a 2003 accord coupe for 1200, guy said rings were shot. Was just PCV valve. Also have a Saturn Vue 2005 AWD with the honda engine and tranny, paid 300. Working on it. It runs to has 131k miles. It’s amazing to me because of dishonest mechanics what people will sell, park or junk a car for. The vue was just a rear wheel bearing i found out after I bought it, but she had told me the mechanic was gonna charge her for a complete “rear differential” so she parked it, bought something else.
Had an Ion quad coupe few weeks ago, guy thought the engine was dead asking 400, after talking to me he realized it wasn’t jumped price upmto 2,000. 🤣 it’s nice to help people.
Yeah, one really has to be careful of crooked mechanics.
Thankfully I don’t have state inspections, but what you just encountered is annoying to say the least. I got into a pickle last year with smog in my state and that was bad enough. I can see why Scotty moved to Tennessee.
The Versa has a subframe?? Isn't that a compact?
yes, *subcompact