My neighbors son, who has been wanting my 1990 chevy caprice for awhile now has made me a reasonable offer. He is offering me his 1989 nissan maxima (yeah I hate rice burner cars too, but I drive 20+ miles to work everyday). His car has 330k miles, but it had the engine changed at 250k, apparently with a new one (he says he has recipts I can see). My caprice on the other hand has 150k mile with the engine it came with and has a few minor problems. Do you all think it would be worth it to trade?


As far as I can tell his car needs a new muffler and the power windows dont work right. It seems to have no other problems mechanical or cosmetic. He says the car gets about 25+ miles per gallon highway that interests me, but then again the car does have 330K miles so I'm wondering if I might just be buying a money sink, what do you all think?

My cousin had an 89 Maxima with a 5 spd manual tranny. That car was sweet.I really wanted to buy it off of him but he sold it to his sister and she trashed it. Biggest downfall is that foriegn cars re more expensive to fix.

Canya post pics of the two cars?

If it had lower mileage I would say yes - even though it has a new motor, there still is 330k on the chassis... I'd pass.

Those Maximas were decently handling cars with good bits of luxury in them. Foreign cars will not always be expensive to fix, really it depends on the part and the situation. Something that might break the bank on a Maxima is probably going to break the bank on a Bonneville as well. I remember reading a magazine comparo once (Canadian mag), and they actually listed parts replacement cost for common replacement parts like a front fender, front struts, brakes, windshield, things like that. You'd be surprised at how much more parts are for a GMC Envoy over an Acura MDX.

I think I can get a pic of both, hopefully tommorow, and I'll post it then. The nissan has a new pain job as well (although its silver, not really my color). And it has an aftermarket exhaust system, but the muffler is disconnected atm. I'm kinda leaning against it though because of the huge mileage. The engine and tranny have 80k on them now anyway, I'm sure they have plenty more life, but Im sure tons of parts are gonna start going real soon, or possibly they already are. After driving it I noticed it does need break work somewhere, probly just pads, but Im sure other parts are ready to die at that many miles.

I can tell you that if the rear struts go, they are a real PITA to fix

with due apologies to all our younger members stop and think about this for a minute....a young guy wants to trade a nissan maxima( as you said, rice rocket) for a chevy caprice ( i've had em but grandpa'* car!)???

what'* the catch? :?

he wants to make it a scraper.

The catch is he wants to sell you a old tired out import that may need tons of parts soon, for a nice reliable caprice. Don't do it.

Exactly.

Caprices may suck gas down like a marathon runner, but man are they reliable. I had an 85 with 168k miles when I bought it... started up even in the coldest of days, and it was carb'd... never had a problem with it.

And if 25 mpg looks good to you, sell him your caprice then go buy a 1988-1991 civic sedan 5 speed lx (so you dont have to go TOO small). Same engine as my old CRX, peppy but mine got 34 mpg And I see them all the time on craigslist going for ~$1k