Nissan gets a thumbs up from me

[Slack]

I changed the oil in my wife's new-to-us 99 Nissan Maxima for the first time today.  Once I lifted it up, set it on jack stands, and crawled underneath I noticed that there is an access panel in the right wheel well that allows you to change the oil and filter without lifting the wheels off the ground!  Next time all I'll have to do is turn the wheel all the way to the right, remove 4 screws and the access panel and everything will be right there.  Whoever thought of this is a genius; I've never worked on a car (not an SUV or Truck) that I didn't have to lift in order to change the oil and filter.

Also changed the oil in my civic and the GS 

[tt_four]

I looked at the Nissan Frontier when I was truck shopping. I think it was second pick behind my Tacoma just based on the features and size of the seat in the extended cab for my dog. Some parts of it just looked a little cheap inside, like it was a truck made by car standards, if that makes sense. Inside the cab looked just like the inside of Heather's old Nissan Versa, and I feel like if anything a truck should be made more durable than a versa, even though it was a great car.

Do cars/trucks have more than one filter? I can get to my filter just by opening the hood, unless there's a second one tucked away underneith. It'd due for a change in about 200miles, so I guess I'll find out!

[slipperymongoose]

I had a 95 maxima, I think you guys would call the model I had a cefiro. I bought it with 212000 km on the clock and sold it with 330000 to the wreckers. It was the most unkillable car I had the motor went and went and went. Mind you it needed upkeep like new radiator, new shocks, bushes, alternator, starter motor (the old ones solenoid was bad for the 5 years I had it, it would leave the gear engaged for 5 seconds after the motor cranked to life), when the alternator went it fried the auto computer and a few wires and I drove it in 'safe mode' aka 3rd gear for 3 months till I had the cash to fix it. Everything on that car worked, it was quiet and comfortable and I even re sprayed the front of the car cause the paint was faded. Now Ive got myself a subaru liberty and I love it even more.

[BaltimoreGS]

Do cars/trucks have more than one filter? I can get to my filter just by opening the hood, unless there's a second one tucked away underneith. It'd due for a change in about 200miles, so I guess I'll find out!

You must have an '04-up V6 TT.  The filter on the front left of the engine is it.  There is a little drain tube underneath where the filter attaches that has a rubber cap on it unless someone forgot to put it back previously.  Take the rubber cap off before you remove the filter and hold something under the tube (a cap off a brake clean can works well) to catch the oil that runs out of the filter.  If oil does not run out of the filter, switch to a better brand filter with a good anti-drain back valve.

To the OP:  Toyota's old 5S four cylinder engine used in 90's Camrys and Celicas had the oil filter right on the front of the engine and the 1MZ six cylinders in many 90's and early 2000's Toyota and Lexus vehicles had an oil filter that was accessible from the top.

-Jessie

[tt_four]

You must have an '04-up V6 TT.  ]

Yup, that's the one. It's got that filter on there at a 45 degree angle facing downward, which makes me assume I'm gonna be dumping all all over the motor when i try to put it back on haha.

[knowles]

On my 94 S-10 i could change the oil without jacking the truck up, only because it had a lift kit in it and bigger tires. I like the Tacoma SR5. Sweet looking truck and i have heard nothing but good things about them.

[BaltimoreGS]

You must have an '04-up V6 TT.  ]

Yup, that's the one. It's got that filter on there at a 45 degree angle facing downward, which makes me assume I'm gonna be dumping all all over the motor when i try to put it back on haha.

Just put the new filter on empty so you don't make a mess.  That is why getting a good filter with a working anti-drainback is important with that engine, if the filter stays full of oil it can build oil pressure faster on a cold start   

-Jessie

[Watevaman]

 I technically don't have to lift my Subaru Legacy to change the oil or filter, but it makes it a whole lot easier.

[yamahonkawazuki]

I looked at the Nissan Frontier when I was truck shopping. I think it was second pick behind my Tacoma just based on the features and size of the seat in the extended cab for my dog. Some parts of it just looked a little cheap inside, like it was a truck made by car standards, if that makes sense. Inside the cab looked just like the inside of Heather's old Nissan Versa, and I feel like if anything a truck should be made more durable than a versa, even though it was a great car.

Do cars/trucks have more than one filter? I can get to my filter just by opening the hood, unless there's a second one tucked away underneith. It'd due for a change in about 200miles, so I guess I'll find out!

my frontier held up extremely well.

[manofthefield]

I technically don't have to lift my Subaru Legacy to change the oil or filter, but it makes it a whole lot easier.

I had a 97 Legacy GT and I never lifted it for oil changes.  The filter was far enough forward I could reach without getting fully under the car.  Spark plugs on an H4 are another story though

98 Tacoma was no problem either, but that thing had tons of ground clearance.  Actually I'd grab the filter through the wheel well on that, it was the easiest way to reach it.

My current ride (mazda3) must be put on ramps.  Plus I have to remove a mud guard/aero skirt/ whatever you want to call it.  It has a cartridge filter like the GS 

[Flux Maven]

My current ride (mazda3) must be put on ramps.  Plus I have to remove a mud guard/aero skirt/ whatever you want to call it.  It has a cartridge filter like the GS 

That plastic thing is dumb. I have changed the oil on my friends speed 6 a few times and I really dont see the point in having a big plastic skid plate down there....

[slipperymongoose]

Saves crap getting up and ruining your nice engine bay.

[bombsquad83]

Just changed the oil in my 2008 2.3 Mazda3 a couple weeks ago.  That plastic plate is a pain.  What I find annoying is that the plate has a hole cut out in it, and you would think it would be right where you need to get at the oil filter, but no.  It is in completely the wrong place.  Quality engineering there!

[manofthefield]

Just changed the oil in my 2008 2.3 Mazda3 a couple weeks ago.  That plastic plate is a pain.  What I find annoying is that the plate has a hole cut out in it, and you would think it would be right where you need to get at the oil filter, but no.  It is in completely the wrong place.  Quality engineering there!

LOL... yeah, I don't get that either.  From mazda3forums.com I know it doesn't line up on the 2.0 either.  Maybe for a JDM or Euro engine?

Taking the tray off sucks, but it's no more than 2 minutes, so it's not that big of a deal.  I only put it back on because I figure it helps with aerodynamics.

[cbrfxr67]

My pops had a Datsun, then he got a Sentra so when I was young I remembered him driving those old Nissans for years and years.  Picked up a Sentra as my first car and smashed it all the way to the firewall in an accident, though I wasn't hurt.  Then picked up my second Sentra and been driving it for,.....twelve years.  Feels like part of the family, even with its dents, flaws and faded paint.  I'll keep driving it until it can't take anymore.

[bombadillo]

I've had really bad luck with nissan in general.  I had a new 2004 Sentra SE-R Spec-V and it had so many recalls, issues, leaks, and other problems that they outweighed the gains.  It was a fun car to autocross, 17" tires stock, 2.5L motor from the Altima, and polyurethane bushings all around with a few performance goodies, but it really had a lot of problems.  If you actually wanted to drive the car hard at all, you had to remove and buffer the knock sensor because it would retard performance by a LOT, and a few other things here and there.

I stick with Honda for my cars and Dodge or Toyota for my trucks. 

[yamahonkawazuki]

Saves crap getting up and ruining your nice engine bay.

such as speedbumps, stones, alligators ( pieces of truck tires with nasty steel belts can puncture oil pans etc)

[slipperymongoose]

Yeah that's the stuff Yamma.

[yamahonkawazuki]

and the oil from the aforementioned pan pucnture lol

[manofthefield]

Saves crap getting up and ruining your nice engine bay.

such as speedbumps, stones, alligators ( pieces of truck tires with nasty steel belts can puncture oil pans etc)

I did have an alligator crack that cover and no oil pan damage, so I guess it did its job.  But now it's $150ish to replace it

So far I've just superglued it together.  And replaced the parking brake cable because that got kinked too.