Johnhav430

Coolant is full, oil is full (have gone about 3,200 since change), brake fluid is 2/3 full and honey brown colored (darker than late '16, will be flushing myself soon). So it would seem the engine is in good health at 106k. Also, with a 9/05 production, time has taken whatever toll it would, already, maybe. Pretty sure my Maxima started to leak oil through the valve covers, maybe at 13 y.o., but it had normal mileage, maybe 200k by then. Not so sure mileage causes leaks, I think time does with the gaskets aging...

Seem to have lost interest in shining the engine bay, but I was able to clean it up nicely...

Thecar

It's funny, but I feel like I know more about your Maxima at this point than I do about my own cars.

Johnhav430

haha that was my first brand new car. Besides rust, I would say they built it pretty well, especially for reliability. I think the LS430 is even better (after all it was way more expensive brand new, and newer design)...so if the Maxima can last 20 years, I think the LS430 likely can too....maybe longer?

p.s. dang you have an '85 535i? I actually love that body style....maybe 2 yrs. ago saw a 535is maybe '88, mint condition. Bring back BMWs with hoods that open forward!!

Thecar

I do, but its hood opens normally (boo). She's my project.

Johnhav430

Nice...maybe the hoods changed in '81 not sure...buddy has a '05 330 ZHP that he will never give up, as I would never give up my 335i which has ZSP and ZPP. I laugh when carfax reminds me the car has a value of $8900, some guys on the forum are all offended (like if zillow says your house is worth less than last week, who cares if you're not selling?).

Looks like your LS is a twin of mine (moonlight/cashmere/ML) which is an '06. Maybe it was built a few months earlier and deemed an '05 (cuz mine was built 9/05)...