Reliability of VQ30

:feedback: Hey PPL, I'm new and find some of the posts here incredibly funny (especially ones about VQ's smokin SI's). Very Entertaining. Anyway I will soon be in the market for a new or used car and more and more, I am leaning towards the 2000 - 2001 Nissan Maxima. I just want to know How Reliable are these Kaa's (< British Charm LOL). Whats the mileage on yours, known probs, etc. Thanx and I would greatly appreciate the feedback!!!!!!! :newbie:

They are reliable engine. Though, as with anything, there could be a chance you could get a bad egg. I've got a 95 with the VQ30DE not the DE-K like the 00-01s, and the only major problem I've had with it has been the alternator. There are some with 200,000+ miles on them and still running strong. And hell, whats not to love about a motor that can take 10 pounds of boost on stock internals and make 476hp and 503lb/ft of torque to the ground?

:feedback: Hey PPL, I'm new and find some of the posts here incredibly funny (especially ones about VQ's smokin SI's). Very Entertaining. Anyway I will soon be in the market for a new or used car and more and more, I am leaning towards the 2000 - 2001 Nissan Maxima. I just want to know How Reliable are these Kaa's (< British Charm LOL). Whats the mileage on yours, known probs, etc. Thanx and I would greatly appreciate the feedback!!!!!!! :newbie:


i had two 1995 nissan maximas. the first i bought with 40k and the second with 231k.
the first one gave me a faithful 70k without problems except for a new rear main seal and retainer/crescent seal. i was fairly rough on the car and i really couldnt complain. i had to get rid of it as my wife was hit in the passenger side (right) when some idiot ran a red light. the car was totaled so the car had to go. it still ran strong actually, you could chirp three gears in it, but the frame was folded.

the second one i bought had 231k and it still does the dash. none of the sensors, solenoids or valves are blown i dont have a check engine light so far (8k miles since june) i have noticed it lost about a half quart in between oil changes. i want to do a compression check within the next 10 days, check me then and i will a more solid idea of the motors condition.

the only thing i could say is to inspect the hoses and belts on the car. those are the things that are easier to fix (DIY) but can cause some really serious (more annoying) problems.

i had a 95 last til 167,000 miles and was still running well when i traded it in for this car. i don't doubt that the car would have seen 200K without a hitch. the biggest thing i had to do to it was have my tranny rebuilt but only cuz the person who had the car before me beat the hell out of it.

They are reliable engine. Though, as with anything, there could be a chance you could get a bad egg. I've got a 95 with the VQ30DE not the DE-K like the 00-01s, and the only major problem I've had with it has been the alternator. There are some with 200,000+ miles on them and still running strong. And hell, whats not to love about a motor that can take 10 pounds of boost on stock internals and make 476hp and 503lb/ft of torque to the ground?

10lbs of boost and 476hp! Holy Shizznit! Maxima fo me! :grinyes: :eek:

i have automatic 1993 maxima se with almost 152,000 miles on it and it runs pretty strong i've had it for almsot 2 years now and the only problem that it seems to have is sometimes that power/comfort switch blinks the P for power(when i have it in comfort mode) and makes it buck/jerk like the computer is sending it weird signals or having trouble changing gears or something otherwise the only thing i've had to do was change some spark plugs(got those dual bosch ones with the 2prungs that makes the sparks on the end instead of just one). and im 18, almost 19 and as soon as i get enough saved up i'll take it to shop to get it looked at and find out what causes that weird P light flash and engine jerk/buck like it does.

476 hp wtf are u smoking? maybe if u do a hell of alot of mods.... otherwise 00-02 maxs only put out around 265hp....don't get me wrong thats still alot, especially considering my 93 max only has 190hp(if even that cuz its prolly lost some of its stock hp over the yrs) but nowhere near 476hp!

476 hp wtf are u smoking? maybe if u do a hell of alot of mods.... otherwise 00-02 maxs only put out around 265hp....don't get me wrong thats still alot, especially considering my 93 max only has 190hp(if even that cuz its prolly lost some of its stock hp over the yrs) but nowhere near 476hp!
he's talking about hals car, he ran a 12 psi turbo and a shot of nitrous and netted 476 hp and 500+ lbs of torque all on stock engine internals and components. a true testament to how near indestructible the VQ motor is.

Hal is over 500 at the wheels now. Our VQ30s take to boost much better than the VQ35.

~THT

only beef ive heard about the vq's are in relation to the timing chain of the vq30de -k's...my friends dad owns a repair shop and says thats an area of increased probs with this motor.

otherwise id say its one of the best 6's ever built...mines at 135 and pulls like its brand new.

he's talking about hals car, he ran a 12 psi turbo and a shot of nitrous and netted 476 hp and 500+ lbs of torque all on stock engine internals and components. a true testament to how near indestructible the VQ motor is.
Actually He was making 476 on 10 Lbs, he's not making 530 I believe on 12 or 13 lbs. He was only using a 20 or 30 shot of Nitrous just because it had a larger intercooler effect.
www.fastmaxima.com

VQs are basically bullet proof. Mine has 163,500 on it and it still pulls amazing!

There is a reason why the VQ motor has made Ward's 10 Best list for 9 years in a row, and I'm sure it will be 10 next year.

What 1/4 times do the 2000-2002 V-6 put down???

2000-2001's are mid-low 15's. 2k2's can do mid 14's or better, depending on the driver, vehicle options and a whole lot of other variables.

how about 4th gens?

2000-2001's are mid-low 15's. 2k2's can do mid 14's or better, depending on the driver, vehicle options and a whole lot of other variables.

Thanks for the info.

My mechanic may be wrong(he works strictly on foreign cars)but he told me that the VQ30 is the most reliable V6 ever made so far. Now there may be others but I haven't heard as many good things about any other V6 as I've heard about the VQ30.

how about 4th gens?
Real close to the 00-01's. Same engine with a VI in a heavier car. I've heard that 4th gens are faster tha 00-01's but I've also heard they are slower. Eitherway, its probably not by much.

From what I've read the 4th Gen with 15's is the fastest pre 2k2 Maxima, folowed by the '00-'01 with 16's. Score for smaller wheels.