Hello I am the lucky new owner of a 1985 Nissan Maxima wagon GL. I am 55. I am also a portrait artist, electrician, woodworker. I do a little bit of everything ... master nothing. I keep trying. My art teacher, more like adopted Mother, gifted me this vehicle because I was sideswiped which totaled my truck. I have fallen in love with gem of a car and I am tying to get it in good working order. The heater core is going out or at least there are symptoms saying it is...antifreeze leaking on passenger floor....still have heat tho. I cant seem to find a replacement heater core and that problem has led me here. Any help will be greatly appreciated
Welcome. That is odd about the heater core, but you're right. I can't find one for an '85 Maxima anywhere. Rockauto does have heater cores for SOME '85 Nissans, but not the Maxima. The way I see it, you have four options. 1. Have yours repaired. Heater cores are just little radiators, and radiator shops can fix them if they're fixable. You'll have to remove it and take it to a shop for an opinion. 2. Find an NOS core on ebay or still sitting on the shelf at the local Nissan dealer. In fact, you might call or visit a nearby Nissan dealer and ask about this. They might have options that don't show up on the internet, or they might be able to search their parts network to see if a dealer anywhere still has one on the shelf. 3. Find a good used one from a junkyard car. 4. Compare yours visually to what IS available for other '85 Nissans or nearby model years and see if anything matches close enough that it could be used. Again, you'd have to remove yours to get a good look at it and make measurements, or you might find this information in a service manual.
So sorry to hear about your truck getting totaled, hope you weren't in it at the time. But look where that incident has lead you. You are now the owner (thanks adopted mom) of a fun little wagon and you're about to make a bunch of new friends right here. Good luck with the parts search, hope you get that cute little wagon on the road soon.
Welcome from the pacific northwest! I once owned that same wagon..as i recall the maxima was the top of the line with the same inline 6 cyl used in the Z cars...it was a pleasure to drive...good luck on the heater core...as was mentioned you may need to try to have yours repaired but I would try Desert Valley auto parts, or Hidden Valley auto parts, they are online and will do a search for you in their inventory and get back to you if you fill out a parts request form, ive had good luck with them several times and some parts from the dry desert fare pretty well...good luck! and post more pics of your ride!
Welcome to the forums, beckjr! There's nothin' like a good ol' wagon to fall in love with! I'm sure just about everyone here agrees. Sorry to hear about your truck. I hope no one was seriously injured! I like your '85 Maxima though. It kind of reminds me of the 1983 Toyota Cressida wagon my parents had when I was in my teens. I always loved wagons, but it was that car that only further cemented my love for the longroof. But I hope you get her fixed and please, please take care of her! There aren't that many mid-80s Maxima wagons left! Cheers.
Anyone notice that the OP has not been back here since the original post on October 11, now more than two weeks ago? Will he/she ever be back? I love these one-and-done message posters.
