Nissan Repair: rough idle, nissan maxima, vacuum leak

Question
I have a 95 Nissan Maxima, 124,000 miles.  It idles smoothly when in park, but when put in drive & at low speeds, it idles roughly with a tremor.  As speed picks up, it pretty much smooths out.  This just started yesterday.  I don't hear any unusual engine noises.  As a single female, I'm afraid of being ripped off at a car repair place.

Answer
Hi Kay -

Sounds like maybe a vacuum leak, but if you have not had a tune up lately, might want to do it now. This will include replacing the spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, and perhaps even the ignition wires if they are worn.

You are correct, there are a lot of places that they will get you for all they can, including the dealership. I don't know where you are, but a lot of my clients go to Autozone. I think they are pretty reliable. Avoid commission based mechanics, as they will do everything they can to bump up your bill so they can bump up their paycheck. Most dealerships pay their mechanics base pay + commission. Find a repair shop that has proven integrity.

The juiciest jobs for mechanics are brakes and tune up. They can be a LOT added to the bill, so please be wary. If you get an estimate first, I will be more than happy to evaluate it.

Let me know, and good luck -
aloha
calvin