Nissan Maxima

dklanecky · April 2003

is something I don't know any longer. The language Edmunds showes appears to mean choice #2 from the way I'm reading it.

(Back when I bought my 00 SE in Sept 1999, it was calculated as 3.85% of the MSRP).

You can certainly use the holdback in your dealings but be cautious, most of that holdback money is probably "used up" at this point in time.

The cars (03 Maxima's) sitting on the lots now have been there for about 4 months minimum (since production ceased on the 03's).

lilelvis · April 2003

Kp40m -
I was cross shopping both the GLE and EX-V6(haven't bought either yet). Here is what I liked/disliked:
Accord -
Liked the interior, dual climate, comfortable seats (subj). Disliked the exterior(subj) and the limited color choices (i.e. can only get black leather w/ silver exterior).
Maxima -
It's bigger, has memory seats, better color choices, heated mirrors, but no dual climate, and I don't think the interior is quite as nice (subj). At the time, it was also $2K more.

Really, I was just test driving the Honda because I thought I should at least compare it before I bought the maxima. After test driving both, it made the choice more difficult because I really liked the honda - not that I disliked the max - i just wanted to be "wowed" by a car that I'm going to drop 25K for. As much as I liked the max, it was hard to justify paying 2K more for a car i liked about the same (although my heart was with the max).

For my wife and I, we aren't going to get the honda because there was not a color combo we liked (not a big deal to a lot of people). Now, they are probably less than a thousand bucks apart. You just need to test drive both, and go with the one you like, with the amenities you like. The good news is you can't go wrong.

Because we couldn't decide, I went and test drove a TL and liked it but will wait until the 04s come out if I decide on that. I am also going to test a I35. Even though it is just a dressed up GLE, I'm hoping there will be something in it that makes the decision easy (plus they are down to around 27 or 28). Good luck - I feel your pain.

jeff186 · April 2003

That's the current deal on the remaining '03 Maxs, according to dealers in my area. I'm pretty sure that is a national program. If you want one, now's the time to jump imo. Carsdirect has a lower purchase price that what dealers are offering in my area, though the dealer agreed to match carsdirect's price on my last Nissan purchase, so here's hoping. Good luck all.

guardener · April 2003

socal_racefan: Sorry to hear about your warped brake rotors. I have a 97 SE with 149k miles and get service (oil, plugs, cooling, etc.) at either of 2 nearby Nissan Dealers. Whenever I know that the service department will be taking off one or more wheels, I check the torque on the lugs as soon as I get the car home. At my last oil change, I agreed to have a "free" inspection and sure enough they removed and reinstalled front and rear wheels to check the brakes. When I got home, I found the torque on the lugs varied from well over 100 ft-lbs to 60 ft-lbs. I then retightened to the correct amount. I have had this (incorrect torque) experience on other car brands and other dealers over the years. Apparently, some techs (mechanics) and their service managers just don't care to do the correct job - or is there an ulterior motive?

kennyg5 · April 2003

With the huge discounts Nissan is offering on the remaining 03 Max, I think it is no brainer as to which car one should choose. But if you want better mpg, go with Accord since it is more fuel efficient, otherwise pick the Max, even though it may cost slightly more than the Accord(no more than $1k at current price for similar equipments). No matter what your choice is, you cannot go wrong with either one. Just my two cents.

f1jules · April 2003

Well, I just bought an '03 Maxima SE. Silver with grey interior (how bland huh?). Oh well, I like the car very much. It had 9 miles on it and still had the peel off sheets of plastic on it this morning when I test drove it. The only options I got were the sunroof, rear spoiler and floor mats. I really really like this car though.

Oh, I got almost $4,000 off MSRP and 1.9% financing for 5 years. What a deal!!!

kp40m · April 2003

Just bought a Silver GLE, everything but Nav and spoiler for 24,800 (MSRP of 30,022). $6K under would be great, but I'm satisfied and got Kelley Blue Book for my trade (POS 98 Taurus). Less then a 100 miles on it and enjoying the ride.

p100 · April 2003

I test drove the 03 Accord EX V6 about three months ago. The MSRP was about $ 26K. You get a lot of standard equipment for the money, including power sunroof, leather interior, heated seats, 6 airbags, 6 CD in-dash changer, power front seats (both sides). The car comes with excellent Michelin MXV V-rated tires, lot better than anything they put on Maxima (especially the lousy Bridgestone Potenza tires on the SE model). Fog lights are a dealer installed accessory. The engine is a 3.0 liter V6 and puts out 240 HP and is very quiet and refined. It still uses a timing belt, but the replacement interval is 105K. The Accord is designed to run on regular unleaded, while Nissan recommends premium in the Max. Fuel economy in the Honda may be better - it is listed as 30 MPG highway. Honda will also have better resale value than Maxima. Do not expect much discount on this car, but it is already priced considerably lower than a Maxima with the same equipment.

jeff186 · April 2003

Well, the Max and Accord are both solid, reliable vehicles. The Accord also has the advantage of a 5-speed auto. But the Accord is more a "plain jane" vehicle that directly competes against the Altima, imo. The Max is in that nebulous "entry luxury" class of more upscale cars. I personally love the standard HID headlights. And a few miles plus or less per gallon or regular versus premium fuel is of no importance to me.

kp40m · April 2003

I just bought a 93 GLE. The manual says to use at least 87 octane as long as the engine doesn't knock. The sales manager at the Nissan uses 87 octane in his 2002 (or 2003) Max and puts in a tank of 91 about every ten tanks. My dad has a 2001 Infiniti I30 and uses 87 octane w/o issues. I will use 91 at least until my break-in (1200 miles) but was curious as to any one else's experiences. I know 91 will perform the best, but has anyone found a brand/octane that gives the lowest cost per mile while avoiding knocking?

dklanecky · April 2003

This issue has been debated numerous times on this board (over the last 6994 messages). It seems that some people want to spend the least amount on their Maxima's on a daily basis and use regular.

Others recognize that the incremental cost of putting Premium (which the manufacturer recommends) is for most of us, inconsequential.

Your sales manager most likely doesn't own his Maxima, he's driving one for free and will most likely use the cheaper route. Your dad's experience on the other hand is significant. How many miles does he have and what's his experience with repairs been so far?

I have a 95GLE with 192,xxx miles on it and a 00 SE with 124,xxx miles on it. Both get Amoco premium grade all the time. My repairs on the 95 have been nothing but normal maintenance and the same with the 00. I personally want all the power that the VQ can deliver, when I want it and that means Premium for me.

There is no definitive answer for everyone. Let your own needs and want be your guide.

georged98 · April 2003

I have tried both Premium and regular unleaded gasoline in my 2002 GLE. I could not tell any difference no matter how much I tried to pay attention when I ran the different grades of gasoline. I ran several tank fulls with each grade and again I could not tell any difference. The owners manual states that you can use regular unleaded but for better performance to use Premium. This again is an neverending question: if the owners manual states that you can use regular and you don't notice any or little difference, why pay and burn premium when it's really not needed.

bobfeld · April 2003

i too compared both cars...in the auto "pecking order" the max is considered above the accord...the max is most oten comparred to the audi a4 and acura 3.2 while the accord is compared to the altima..the max has a lot more "cache" than the accord...tell ur friends and family ur thinking about buying each..their response to the max will be much more positive..accord is considered "boring" the max is considered "cool"..

bobfeld · April 2003

if it doesnt "ping"on regular...putting premium in is throwing ur money away

bobfeld · April 2003

the current NATIONAL NISSAN rebate is $1500 plus 0.9% fiancing for up to 36 months

blh7068 · April 2003

I found on my 02 SE that mileage went down using premium...but performance increased. So I guess it depends what you are looking for.

habitat1 · April 2003

This debate is like an old penny that keeps popooing up. I'm not quite the road warrior dklanecky is, but I have 136,xxx on my 1995 SE 5-speed. The only time it's seen regular gas is twice on the highway when the premium pumps were not working and I was running on fumes. In both cases, I didn't notice any pinging or significant reduction in acceleration, but I did get 1-2 miles per gallon less than the prior and following tankfuls, also on the highway.

Here is the way I look at it: In 8+ years and 136k+ miles, I've burned through a total of 5,670 gallons of premium gas. Assuming I would have saved an average of 10-15 cents per gallon for regular, I theoretically would have saved $567 to $850 total. If my gas milage dropped by even 1 mpg, I would have eaten up $350+ of those savings in extra gas. Losing 1.5-2.0 mpg and the savings are wiped out.

If the possibility of saving $60-$100 a year in gas on a $25,000+ car is worth using regular to you, go for it. It's not to me.

P.S. According to a friend with a M3 and former E55, by the time you "hear" a ping in today's well sound insulated and high engine technology cars, you already put the engine at risk for slight damage. These are not your father's cast iron Oldsmobiles. My friend has a masters in mechanical engineering and material science, so I tend to listen to his advice regarding cars.

P.P.S. As an alternative for saving money, jump your collision deductable up to $1,000. Or drop it altogether. You'll save a lot more than by using regular gas and be a safer, more careful driver in the process.

brymil · April 2003

Has anyone changed their Maxima's cabin air filter on their own? If so, was it difficult? I own an '02 SE and have instructions but sometimes they are not a good indication as to how difficult the task is.

Also curious if anyone has time saving tips on changing the oil and filter on the 2002.

dahuber · April 2003

Link to installation instructions:

http://www.courtesyparts.com/instruct/inst_a33_incabinfilter.html

Dave

norbert444 · April 2003

yes, it's an old penny ... here is my input:
I get about 10% better mileage on premium (91 octane at Costco) vs regular (87 octane at Costco). Therefore I always look at the price and if the difference is less than 10%, buy premium -- and vice versa.

Take this from an old hand in petroleum refining: Pinging is no good for your engine (occasional engine ping during hard acceleration or steep hill is OK but no more than that). However, I am told that the Maxima engine can handle ANY gas without pinging since it has an automatic advance adjustment. My Max engine has proven it to me. There has been no pinging ever on my 00 GLE no matter what gas I bought all over the West (only 28K miles so far, though).

Therefore it comes down to pure economics: Buying gas that is more expensive than you need to avoid pinging is no good for your wallet in general. For a Maxima then, it means that the gas that gives you the best mileage for your dollar is the gas to buy.

brymil · April 2003

Thanks Dave for the instructions. Any idea how long it takes?

As for premium vs. regular, I have run my '02 Maxima on regular unleaded for 20k miles now and have not experienced any knocking or pinging.

victord1 · April 2003

I've got my '03 SE since January, and enjoyed driving it since. The only complaint I have so far is with the paint job. It seems like the paint are either too soft or too thin. The car is like a magnet for small scratches. Fortunately most of those scratches are superficial and don't go through the clear coat layer. There is one spot, however, where a thumb-size paint is gouged out. Does anybody else have same problems? Any worthwhile solution to make the paint more resistant....like regular waxing? And does anybody know how to get the color code for the touch paint? I went to the dealer for help, but the paint that they gave me looked a shade lighter than the one on the car. Thanks.

p100 · April 2003

The code for your car's paint should be on the door sticker(at least it is on my 98 SE). There is no way to magically protect your paint against scratches. I have been using Zip car wash for years and it adds just enough wax to keep the paint in top condition. Of course, I wash my car every week with a spoonful of Zip car wash in a bucket of water and this has kept the finish in showroom condition for 5 years in hot and humid central Florida. I have used the Zip car wash on other vehicles as well and results are incredible. No paint fade whatsoever after 8 years on my 95 Nissan truck. The secret here is applying the product regularly, like once a week. The good news is that you never have to wax your car again if you keep using this product regularly. Most car waxes contain abrasives, so frequent waxing can even actually your clearcoat. Zip car wash is non-abrasive and also acts as a detergent to better clean the car finish.

aggiedog · April 2003

I'd try another dealer. I went to my dealer and they just pulled up the right paint color from a book in the parts dept and it was an exact match. They should have your color or at least be able to order it.

vanbo57 · April 2003

Hello all. I have an '01 SE and just had the front rotors resurfaced at 22,000 miles today. This was done no charge as there is a TSB on the rotor "pre-mature run out". I think is is number 00088a. Shouldn't happen but what bugs me more is that I got a call from service telling me that there is aprox. 20 to 30% wear remaining on my REAR PADS! Whats the deal with that at 22,000 miles? I've never heard of rear pads going before the fronts - service said that I have 60% remaining on the fronts. Service said that this is a Maxima trait. I didn't have the work done as I can get it done cheaper at the Midas around the corner from where I live and the car stops fine, although the petal isn't as high as it was in the past. Stamford Nissan wanted $85. One of the things I liked best about this car in the beginning was the brakes however, the parts seem cheap for the long haul. Does anyone find what I have described above as odd?
Thanks for your feed back.

f1jules · April 2003

Make sure you shake that touch up paint very well before using it. Shake it until your arm feels like it's going to fall off. Then shake it for 3 more minutes and it should be ready to use.

victord1 · April 2003

Thanks a lot for the input everybody. I did looked at the door sticker, but didn't find anything about the car color and the color code. I'll look again once it stops raining. The color of the car is sheer silver, and the dealer said that was the only silver color paint they had so it would be impossible to have a mismatch.
I also find it really odd that the paint was scratched off without any dent to signify that there was an impact. My 15 years old integra has dents all over the body, but no paint scratches.
Oh, well. Thanks again.

dklanecky · April 2003

Change dealers!

There's at least two (and I think three) shades of silver. Try Courtesy Nissan online for an accurate rendition of the paint colors.

Here's a link that well show you part numbers so you can show up your dealer.

http://www.courtesyparts.com/paint/maxima.html

he probably just doesn't have your color in stock and figures you won't know the difference. Some times these dealers are Nissan's own worst enemy!

habitat1 · April 2003

That does seem very strange that the rear brakes are wearing out faster than the fronts. I have a 95SE 5-speed and didn't need to replace the fronts until 90,000 miles and the rears until 105,000 miles. Never needed the rotors resurfaced. I do a fair amount of highway driving, but I don't "engine brake" using the clutch.

What the hell did Nissan do between 1995 and 2001 to the brake design?? They seem to have gone form some of the best in the business to needing to issue TSB's and perform warranty repairs. Really makes me wonder if the new 2004 US made Maxima will only be a shadow of it's former build quality.

bobfeld · April 2003

where did you find the instructions for the microfilter? is there a web-site for all repairs?THANKS

bobfeld · April 2003

i just ordered new sill plates for my 03 max...does anyone know how to change them out? do the original equipment ones just "pop-out"?THANKS

dgraves1 · April 2003

A few possible causes of the rear brake wear:
1. 75% of the time I bring my car anywhere for service, they tell me my brakes need replacing. Since I check this often and do my own brake jobs, I know they are lying 90% of the time. Whenever I hear that a shop told someone they need brakes, I am very suspicious. If you can, check them yourself or have someone you trust check them.
2. Maybe the rear rotors are a little warped, too.
3. Misadjusted/partially engaged parking brake.
4. Misadjusted proportioning valve.

kyleknicks · April 2003

Dgraves.... i am one that would very much like to check my own brakes/rotors, after being "taken" a few times, but have no experience in doing so..

can you tell me what tools i need to meassure the thickness of the pads.. and how would i be able to tell if the rotors are warped... etc..

i'm sure there's a few of us on here that wouldnt mind checking our own brakes/doing maintance, but need a lil push/guidance towards the right direction... thanks

dklanecky · April 2003

When you get the new ones, you'll see how they are attached (by looking at the back of them).

It's a simple press and fit operation and the stainless steel ones look very nice!

Just cover the blade of your screw driver with a rag before you pry out the old ones to avoid scratching your paint.

dgraves1 · April 2003

kyleknicks - Inspecting the pads is pretty simple. You can probably peer through the openings in your wheel and see the outside pads. If they look too thin (less than 1/8 inch, some would say 1/4 inch), then they need replacing. If they look OK, you still need to check the inside pads. This will usually require removing the wheel to get a good look. The only real way to check for run out of the rotors is to take them off and bring them to a brake shop to check.
Replacing pads is pretty simple. Here is a generic article on how to do it:
http://autorepair.about.com/library/weekly/aa090300a.htm

If you actually want to do it, I recommend getting a repair manual for your car. Something like a Haynes or Chilton manual is usually good enough for most people (about $15). I like getting the factory manuals but they are typically quite expensive ($100-200).
Model specific boards like www.maxima.org often have a lot of "how-to" articles on how to do certain things on specific models.

ldldl5 · April 2003

P100 or anyone else...
How does Zip Car Wash compare to Nu Finish Car Wash? I don't want to get to the point of having to use touch up paint on the 2004 Maxima!

collinjeremy · April 2003

Man, I really had to slam on the brakes today on my way back from lunch. I noticed that the pedal seems to travel down farther and get a little squishy when you really jam on the binders. It did stop me in time though and the brakes seem fine after.

dahuber · April 2003

Bobfeld: I got the link I posted from someone else-it's already been posted under #5968.

Brymil: I don't know how long the installation takes-my wife's '01 Maxima will need the job done in the next year and then I'll find out. Let me know what you find if you do the job yourself.

Dave

ssn171 · April 2003

Congrats on the door sills - they're a great, simple addition to make your Maxima look even better. That was one of the first things I added to my '02 Max 6-speed. You'll need a flathead screwdriver to put under the original sills and pop out. It requires a bit of pressure so be sure to wrap your screwdriver with a towel so you don't scratch your paint. Once they're out you simply pop the new ones in. It's actually pretty simple.Good luck and enjoy!

kp40m · April 2003

Has anyone had any experiences with this combination? I'm interested in both good and bad experiences. I've heard that some car CD players get jammed with CD-R's because the thickness is often different than music CD's. I just bought my 2003 GLE and am reluctant to take the chance of jamming the CD player with my CD-R collection.

kyleknicks · April 2003

i dont think there are any diff's between music cd's you buy from the store or cdr's.. AS LONG AS, you do not put a label on your cdr.. that is what adds to the thickness of a cd...if you use a marker to label your cdr's.. it's fine..

all i ever use in my bose is cdr's... i make copies of the cd's i have and keep the copies in my car so i could throw them around without caring if i scratch them...

bobfeld · April 2003

thanks for the info on the door sill plates..you guys are great!!

burrsr · April 2003

Has anyone driven a 6-speed with and without the LSD? If so, how well does the LSD minimize the effects of torque steer? And, on 02 and 03 models, how rare is it to not have the LSD with the 6-speed?

BTW, I test drove a TSX and 04 Max back-to-back this past weekend. While the TSX is very smooth and nice, it is pretty tight on interior space (esp. in the rear), and the engine lacks the vast flexibility that the extremely torquey 3.5L in the Max affords.

sct75 · April 2003

Hello Maxima Owners:

I wonder when/what milleage is the recommended/required time to have a transmission servive/flush on a 2000GLE.

By calling service dept of a dealership, I get to know that transmission flush service seems more sophiscated than regular transmission service.

Given the >30K milleage on this car (I owned it from new), when would be the time for a flush services (30K, 45K, or 60K)?

Thank you in advance for your suggestion.

norbert444 · April 2003

I just want to add my 5c to what dgraves described so well:

Worn brakes "announce" themselves by an annoying squeeking noise coming from their area. First it starts at, say, right turns only. Pretty soon, if allowed to go on, you'll get it all the time. Sometimes, but not all the time, the squeek disappears when you apply the brake. This squeeking tells you it is the REAL time to replace the worn brakes. When you buy the new brake pads, you may notice on them the bent sheet metal that automatically engages the rotor when the brake pad is worn.

Regarding the warped rotors, they can be diagnosed by applying the brake at about 55 mph (on a smooth road). If you get a steering wheel shake at that point, it is highly likely from warped rotors.

Good mechanics apparently can also see tell-tale whitish color of warped rotors.

victord1 · April 2003

I used the linked you posted, and got the right code for the touch-up paint. It turned out that the dealer did give me the WRONG paint. When I went back today, the moron who sold me the paint blamed me for not giving him the right info, eventhough, I did give him the car model, year, and color name (sheer silver). Then I noticed that he was using the catalog for '02 maxima!!!I then pointed that out to him. He didn't even apologize. Instead he started blaming Nissan for changing the color code between '02 and '03?!?!?

Anyway, they put in an order for the right paint, and I have you to thank for.

kyleknicks · April 2003

sct75,

check the back of the owner's manual... i dont recall what the interval is (flushing transmission), but i'm thinking it's 60k miles.... dont quote me on it.. i'll check when i get home...

the engine coolant is definitely at 60K miles.. according to the manual..

ekster · April 2003

Well, it is time to replace the tires on my 2000 GXE- 15 inch rims. Occasional posts discuss tires recently purchased. Any comments from folks with some mileage on tires they would/wouldn't reccommend? Tirerack reviews give great ratings to the Bridgestone Turanza. Most other tires have mixed reviews.

Thanks

socal_racefan · April 2003

ekster:

If you have a Big O tire in your area, you might want to check out Fulda tires (bigotires.com or fuldatires.com). I have a set of Assuro's on my 96SE. I've thrown them into some hard corners and they handle real well. I think there might be a quieter tire out there, but I like the performance they give me, and they're not that expensive. I think they're rated at 40k miles and I think they'll make that easy. I've got 25k on them and there is plenty of tread left. Just my 2c.

gg2k2se · April 2003

Hi gang, I posted this last year and here it is again. I figure there is a reason the engineers specify premium despite it being considered a negative selling point. I use premium whenever possible.

I thought the following article might be of interest. It's called Car Clinic by Brad Bergholdt, Knight Ridder Newspapers as was published August 31 2002 in my paper.

"The primary benefit of high-octane fuel is its anti-knock characteristic. In addition it may contain higher grade additives that help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean.

Modern engines deliver far more power and fuel economy than their predecessors by employing a higher compression ratio and utilizing sophisticated combustion chamber designs and valve, fuel and ignition management systems.

Operating the engine on a lower octane fuel than specified will invite engine-damaging detonation and reduced power and lead to expensive repair bills. Premium fuel burns more slowly than less costly 87 or 89 grade. The air-fuel mixture burns at a lower temperature, providing a smooth and controlled flame front, lessening the chance of a hot and stressful explosion. Detonation can damage pistons, valves and head gaskets."

Nissan Maxima

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