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Nissan Maxima

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Comments

  • nd4spdnd4spd Member Posts: 23
    That's interesting, because all of the Maximas, at the dealer I bought my car, had the "optional"
    Halogen bulbs, except for the one's with driver's preferred package, those had HID's on'em.
    Oh well, that dealer is a jackass anyway. Like I said, G35 or 300C seem like a lot better choices right now. Even the new 2005 Mustang is starting to tickle me. If only my wife didn't want that damn SUV.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I may have misread your original comment (#8385). You used the word "manual" , but you obviously meant the owner's manual for the car. Do you have a manual or auto transmission in your car? My recommended oils and change interval are obviously for the manual transmission. Changing auto transmission oil and filter at 30K would not be out of line in my opinion, because auto transmissions are hydraulic devices and they can easily be damaged by overheating.
  • rampedramped Member Posts: 358
    Finally traded my '92 Maxima SE on Thursday for a Mazda 6s sedan.

    I really hated to give up the SE. It was a great car for a long, long time. We've owned it since it was new and never left us stranded. Unfortunately, many things started going south not long after it turned 100K.

    Since the new Maxima is a little too far "out there" for what I need, and since it is almost impossible to find an Altima with ABS and side curtain airbags here in Florida, after a lot of consideration I went with the MZ6. To me, it is the closest thing on the market today to what the Maxima used to be: "The Four Door Sports Car."

    I'll always consider my SE to be one of the best cars I've owned. Hope I have as much luck with the Mazda.
  • george2kmaxgeorge2kmax Member Posts: 94
    Does anyone know where i can purchase a new remote for my 2000 Maxima for a reasonable price. Also does anyone know where I can get the programing instructions. Thanks for your help.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    You could try eBay by clicking on a link on the left side of the page.
  • babe915babe915 Member Posts: 34
    I have a o5 max 3.5 booklet that says 87 octane may be used.
     dealer has no booklets for the 04 3.5 is the
    04 ok to use regular also.
  • babe915babe915 Member Posts: 34
    I have a o5 max 3.5 booklet that says 87 octane may be used.
     dealer has no booklets for the 04 3.5 is the
    04 ok to use regular also.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    If you use regular unleaded, you get lower performance and lower fuel economy. Using premium pays for itself, because even if it is about 20cents more per gallon, you may see 10% improvement in fuel economy.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    10% improved fuel economy?!?! in which universe did they change the laws of physics?!?!

    you would be lucky to get a whole mile to the gallon better. in many cases, people get worse mileage with premium.
  • georged98georged98 Member Posts: 34
    That is true. My gas mileage went down when I switched to premium gas. I'm back to using regular gas, 87 Octane. No problems at all with this grade. I have 48,000 miles on my 02 GLE so far and still running great on regular gas.
  • pegasus17pegasus17 Member Posts: 536
    Pls confirm that you've been using regular (87 octane) gas for most of 48000 miles with no problems? What is your fuel economy like? BTW, the onboard trip computer MPG on my 03 Max is off by 2-3 mpg consistently...
  • aggiedogaggiedog Member Posts: 238
    You are not alone regarding the onboard "trip" computer. Mine has never been right (02 SE with 37200+ miles).
  • georged98georged98 Member Posts: 34
    When I purchased the car in March of 2002, I used regular gas for about 2 months and then switched to premium. This is when I noticed the difference between the two gas types. Ever since I have been using regular gas. I get around 25 - 27 mpg driving mostly in the city. I don't use the trip computer to get my mileage. I keep track each time I purchase gas to determine my mileage. The trip computer is good for checking outside temperature, not gas mileage.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    Every vehicle I own gets better fuel mileage with premium gas. My 99 Mazda V6 gets about 10% better fuel economy with premium. And use of premium in this car is only recommended, not required. Even my 95 Nissan v6 pickup gets better fuel economy when using midgrade rather than regular. I also noticed markedly more sluggish performance with regular fuel in both vehicles. As for my 95 Nissan SE 5 speed I have always used premium fuel in this car, and the mileage is around 26-27 MPG combined with A/C on.

    Interestingly enough, I have never had any sensor go bad in any of the vehicles in almost 100K miles each, never had injectors cleaned in any of them (although I use Techron injector cleaner in fuel tanks on a regular basis), and engine check light never came on in any of the vehicles to date either. And I never have any pinging in any of the cars, and they all run great.

    I know a person who bought a used mint condition BMW 750 iL and used the cheapest available gas in it. Few months later, the engine needed fuel system related repairs to the tune of $ 4000. So being cheap is not always a good idea.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    you are comparing apples to oranges. the 750il requires premium fuel. period.

    other than the 350Z, nissan allows a person to make the choice without jeopardizing longevity.
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    I have driven 3 Nissan VQ's (95 Maxima, 00 Maxima and 03 Murano) over the last 10 years for over 360,000 miles combined.

    85-90% of my miles are highway miles, and have been driven over roughly the same roads on the same trips over this time.

    I also buy gas from the same 3-4 gas stations over and over again. I am very careful in maintaing the vehicles (Dealer service on everything except oil changes and tire roatations) and I monitor my air pressure in the tires at least weekly. I also use Mobile one.

    Since I use my vehicles almost exclusively for business, I maintain riduclously detailed expense logs regarding each vehicle operating costs, including maintenance and repairs.

    Without a doubt, the VQ engines I'm familar with (3.0 and 3.5) both get better gas mileage with Premium (93 octane where I live) than with mid grade (89 octane). I don't get 10% better mileage with premium, more like 7-8%, but it is no doubt better.

    I have never tried regular in any of the three vehicles because I bought the Nissan(s) in the first place because I wanted better performance
    not lower operating costs.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    You missed my point. It is this: Yes, 1992 BMW 750iL probably requires premium fuel, but like all computer controlled cars, it has knock sensors that will cause the computer to retard ignition timing when low octane fuel is used to protect the engine. Using good quality regular unleaded would not have caused these problems. The real problem was that this person used the "CHEAPEST FUEL THAT COULD BE FOUND". This means buying gas from nondescript no-brand places. In the eighties and early nineties some gas stations illegally mixed large amounts of ethanol with gasoline, causing all kinds of problems. States have cracked down on these illegal practices, but I am convinced that some of this is still going on. In case of this BMW, injectors got damaged, so did both fuel pumps (yes this car has two of them and 12 injectors), as well as number of O2 sensors.

    So my point is, you are always better off buying name brand gas from a gas station you know and trust, even if you use regular gas in your vehicle. And when you use name brand premium gas, you are not relying on knock sensors to retard your ignition timing, and potentially risking damage to your engine. Also, if your EGR valve quits working, rest assured that you will get engine pinging and knocking with regular unleaded, no matter what car you put it in.
  • rampedramped Member Posts: 358
    Seems like a timeless topic on this board. Go back a few hundred posts and I'll bet this discussion has come up a dozen times.

    It is never resolved. Some are adamant that premium fuel is the only way to go; others are satisfied using regular.

    Anybody doing anything beside putting fuel in their Maximas? Like driving them or buying them maybe :^)
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    I can only add this: If you spend $ 600 or more replacing several oxygen sensors because of using cheap contaminated fuel, you have just wiped out all the savings you may have accumulated over the years by using cheap fuel. And getting worse performance while using it.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    "States have cracked down on these illegal practices"

    really???

    is that why over 22000 fuel pumps had to be replaced at ashland/mobil's expense earlier this year?

    beleive it or not, 68% of the problems were with premium fuel.
  • rampedramped Member Posts: 358
    You are bringing up two different issues: the fuel octane rating, then contaminated fuel. Any fuel, no matter what its octane rating, can be "cheap and contaminated" depending upon how it is processed, delivered and stored.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    What state(s) was this in? I have not heard about this one. Maybe states are only not doing enough to stop these problems.
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    I just purchased a 2000 model year Maxima "GXE?" and I noticed a huge difference when I filled up with 91 octane. Incredible engine performance! I think the dealer had used regular unleaded for test drives. My first impressions of this car is that it is fabulous!

    I have a question for knowledgeable 2000 Maxima owners. Buying this car used, it is very clean and all the features work perfectly, however, there was no owner's manual in the glove box, plus the model type designation is missing from the trunk. It was listed as a GXE model, but I'm starting to wonder.

    I've checked out MSN's used car site and noticed two important points when I read the available options for the GXE/SE/GLE models. The options list says that leather seats are "optional" on both the GXE and SE, plus, traction control is stated to be only available on the SE and GLE models. My Max has cloth seats (which are great), but it also has traction control, plus it has so many other extras like the power driver's seat, heated front seats, automatic climate control, ambient outdoor temperature button, apparent premium Bose stereo (no brand name listed), convenience lights everywhere, very solid sport handling etc., that it's hard to believe that this is the base GXE model.

    Can anyone please give me more information about how I can verify if the car is a GXE or SE? When I run the car's VIN number online, it just tells me that the car is "GXE/SE/GLE". Is what MSN autos web site stated correct? Is the traction control not available on GXEs? Thanks everyone for your help. I've enjoyed reading the posts on here.
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    gxe and gle's have the chrome door handles .. SE's have door handle colors that match the rest of the car...

    if it has climate control, i believe it's an SE or GLE and they just removed the lil GLE/SE logo on the trunk.. since climate control is not offered on the GXE.. it's an option on the SE and standard on the GLE

    if you have the BOSE system, it has the BOSE logo on the cassette door of the radio..if it doesn't, it's not BOSE.. that i dont think you could modify to hide it's a BOSE system
  • cheerioboy26cheerioboy26 Member Posts: 412
    You can get manuals at http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/nissan
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    here in louisville, KY. ashland/mobil over-diluted their fuel with ethanol, and corroded the electrical connections to the fuel pumps/sending units.

    my ford focus was affected by regular gas, but most were affected by premium.

    it was causing gas gauges to fail and read full when it was empty, and hundreds of people got stranded on the side of roads with no gas.
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    Thanks, Kyle, for your advice and comments. Given the following it's kind of difficult to be certain that my car is a GXE:

    -Exterior door handles are chrome;
    -No Bose markings on stereo, but it is a premium stereo integrated with the automatic climate control;
    -Car has the Traction Control feature;
    -Car has many upgraded convenience features.

    I think that we have to rely on the exterior door handle test. Therefore, it's probably just a GXE that's been optioned up like crazy to be very much close to what's included in an SE.

    Concerning the use of premium fuel and the amount that I drive per year, I've estimated that it's going to cost me about $130 a year (CAN$) more for the extra cost of 91 octane gasoline/petrol. Given the performance I've noticed from the engine using 91 octane, this is money well spent, whether or not it improves fuel efficiency!

    Again, having only owned this car for 2 1/2 days now, all I can say at this time is "WOW! GREAT CAR!"
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    Can anyone provide more information about the 2005 Max interiors, including guages, instrument panel, etc.? Did Nissan decide to make interior improvements in the 2005 Maxima like the huge improvements that they made to the 2005 Altima? I thought the 2003 Max model interior was great, drooling over it when I went to a local dealership. But in my opinion, I think the Nissan Maxima interior regressed for that new 2004 model. Ugly!! Starting to look like Star Trek or something.

    Any other opinions on this?

    I formerly owned a '98 Altima and just bought a 2000 Max GXE. I thought that the Altima was a good value vehicle....well, the y2k Maxima is outstanding!! The quality is excellent and it is truly "loaded". Absolutely LOVE the engine!!!
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    woahhh, i just realized something, you're from Canada..and the canadian maxima come fully optioned out as i recall.. so auto climate control and TCS could very likely came on a GXE.. everything I'vd said prior on SE vs GXE do not apply since i was referring to maxima's in the US
  • carman4carman4 Member Posts: 15
    im looking at a 05 sl maxima any input from you out there will be appreciated tom
  • maxamillion1maxamillion1 Member Posts: 1,467
    From what I have heard (and seen at local dealerships) the 05 Maxima has not received significant changes interior-wise.

    They add chrome door handles and the metal trim is a bit different and I also saw the power outlet beside the shifter now.

    I don't think Nissan will really improve on the Maxima's interior until it is facelifted or even redesigned...but there needs to be somethng done about it.

    I think the Maxima's interior will probably be as drastic a change as the Altima's facelifted interior was...but judging from how the 05 G35 looks, I would not expect much...

    However, I must say that lately I have grown to like the latest Maxima...would I buy one?

    Probably not...but it does look better now than it did when it first came out. I guess my eye have gotten used to it.

    So to answer the question NO, the 05 interior is not changed very much over the typical 04 model.

    And for Carman,

    The SL IMO looks a bit nicer than the SEs do. I am a BIG fan of the SL's wheels and like them...and I also think the wood trim in the SL model looks better than the silver-metallic trim they are using now.

    Overall, I think the lower-priced Altima has the better interior over both the Max SE or SL.
  • carman4carman4 Member Posts: 15
    MAXIMILLON1 THANKS FOR THE REPLY I THINK I AM GOING TO BUY THE SL TODAY IF THEY HAVE THE ONE I WANT IN STOCK I AM GOING FOR THE MOON ROOF AND VDC WHICH IS A ANTI SKID OPTION THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ME NOW THANK TOM
  • b10609b10609 Member Posts: 37
    Guys, I looked up the Canadian 2000 Maxima info I got back then, the GXE base automatic included traction control. The GXE Convenience Package option included 16" alloys (GLE style),215/55 R 16's,pwr seat,automatic air,premium 6 speaker (120 watt)AM/FM/CD,Casette, armrest, Homelink,and cargo net. FYI price was $30,290 CDN for automatic incl traction, and GXE Convenience Package took it to $31,900. PS There are no trunk letters on GXE's here. -Waterloo
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    Thanks for the info, b10609 from Waterloo, that's exactly the used y2k Maxima model that I just purchased in Ottawa. it has all the features you mentioned, plus the Convenience Package. So there's a reason why there is no "GXE" badging on the trunk lid.

    I have the upgraded GLE style rims and fortunately, the tires that are on the car are almost new all season Yokohama AV Y4s, which seem great so far. Has anyne had any experience with these tires? The reviews all say the AV Y4 model is excellent.

    All in all, if you don't need leather seats or a sun roof, this dressed up XE Canadian Maxima GXE package is wonderful! The heated seats work great, the stereo, while not BOSE, is an upgrade and sounds pretty good, plus I find the auto climate contol very convenient. I'm wondering if the suspension on this model is also an upgrade, because the handling is great. I'll find out more about the traction control this winter. ;)

    This car is very solid and the quality oozes from every square inch of it. My wife even wants to trade me her Subaru AWD Outback wagon for my y2k Maxima. No deal!
  • b10609b10609 Member Posts: 37
    Hello again, DUKE WA. You've bought a good GXE there, the Convenience Package upgrades the Maxima perfectly. Suggestion: Ottawa gets a lot of snow, you might be better off buying a set of plain steel wheels and putting on a set of snow tires if you need to travel around more than most people. My 2001 GLE TCS has been good in winter but the original spec Toyo Proxes AO5 all season tires don't cut it for serious winter driving. Confession: My wife - big Subie fan also- has a 2003 Forester AWD and lends it to me on snow days & the Maxima stays home in the garage. Your GXE standard spec wheels are 205/65 R 15's with wheel covers - deleted when Convenience Package was ordered. A set of those could probably be located cheaply and that wheel size gives you all kinds of reasonable winter tire choices plus go anywhere ability with your TCS. Regards from WATERLOO.
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    I also have a 2001 GLE and until recently, a Subaru, and the Maxima went everywhere in snow that the Forester did, with the exception of extremely icy days. If you get a lot of very deep snow the snow tires might be a good idea. I have regular Bridgestone Turanzas on my Max.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • carman4carman4 Member Posts: 15
    I just picked up my new 2005 sl I just have one question I have leather in the car but there is a very strong odor in the car I can't tell if it's a cleaning odor or the car it's self anyone else have this . The car has 20 miles on it. I will stop by tomorrow and ask the dealer Tom
  • max05max05 Member Posts: 29
    I just bought an 05 maxima SL, love the wood vs. the SE and prefer the 17 inch wheels...my previous car was a 2000 maxima SE. Biggest difference is the Bose stereo....320 watts, 6 cd changer and 8 speakers vs. 200 watts, single cd and 5. I also have memory seats and power tilt wheel as well as audio controls on wheel...and a heated steering wheel and power folding mirrors and side curtain airbags and night vision mirrors and 43 more horsepower and a manual shift mode as well as automatic, vs my 2000, which i loved by the way....

    As far as the 05 interior vs. 04, I think the differences are subtle...i'm told the "titanium" is made from a different material, since the 04 scratched too easily. Also there is now an indicator light (next to the red security light) on the dash to signal when the passenger airbag is disabled or enabled. I was also told the leather seats are softer...I did notice the 04 SE i test drove had "stiff" seats compared to the car i purchased.
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    Thanks again, b10609, I never realized how sweet these Maximas are. This y2k model is truly a first class 4dr. sedan. I see the posts that complain about the rear axle. Well.....why don't you check out the ride and handling? This car is for real!

    I was also checking out the posts concerning Accord vs. Maxima and as far as I'm concerned, the Maxima is far more sporty and has at least as good quality as the Accord. Any other comments about this?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    ...responses to that question should be placed in that very same Nissan Maxima vs. Honda Accord, so let's invite folks who want to respond to click on that link and continue there.

    :)
  • b10609b10609 Member Posts: 37
    Accords are great cars - many more around. Since all Maximas have had only hot V-6's for years, they've gained a lot of respect in auto buff circles. The switch to US manufacturing has hampered Maxima quality of late, Honda would probably win for now. But, Nissan won't sit still on these issues. I see Altima as more direct competition for Accord, price wise and style. Enjoy that Maxima ! Waterloo
  • otis12otis12 Member Posts: 171
    Are these lighted on the SL model?
  • dklaneckydklanecky Member Posts: 559
    Not on any Nissan, at least through the models released currently.
  • p100p100 Member Posts: 1,116
    One would assume that these control would be lighted and tied to the dash light dimmer switch.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    You know what they say about the word assume ;-)
  • big_guybig_guy Member Posts: 372
    I had an '05 Maxima as a rental car for a recent business trip. I liked a lot of things about it but noticed a few quirks that made me wonder if they are typical for this car.

    First; the Maxima seems to have a very large turning radius (at least much larger than the vehicles I am used to driving). Is this an accurate statement?

    Second; The cruise control works great uphill and on flat stretches of road but it gets confused going downhill. Whenever I had a downhill stretch the cruise would shut down to a coast mode and then engage the engine for a short burst then go back to a coast mode. This repeated itself several times which resulted in a kind of herky jerky ride down the hill. For those stretches I just shut down the cruise and modulated the gas myself then re-engaged the cruise at the bottom of the hill. Is this typical?

    Third; The view out the back window isn't very good and there are some substantial blind spots due to thick pillars and a narrow rear window opening.

    Fourth; The instrument lighting isn't all that attractive ... I didn't care for the orange-yellow coloration.

    Fifth; The trunk deck metal felt rather flimsy. It felt like it would dent pretty easily if you closed the lid by pushing down with more than a light closing motion.

    Sixth; The steering didn't communicate back to the driver as much as I am used to (I currently drive a VW Passat). It wasn't really bad but felt a bit over-boosted compared to what I'm used to.

    Seventh; The driver seat isn't all that comfortable for a long drive ... at least not for a tall driver like myself (I'm 6'-7"). My back was pretty fatigued after a 300 mile trip.

    Eighth; The gaps in the body panels seemed rather large. Of course, I'm used to the tight fitting sections of my Passat.

    Other than that it was a pretty pleasant vehicle with great engine response and a pleasant cabin.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Hey Big_guy - how does that Passat fit you? What other sedans seem to fit you well? At 6' 4", I am always on the lookout for sedans and wagons that fit.
  • big_guybig_guy Member Posts: 372
    The Passat fits me very well. I like a lot of things about the Passat but it has its quirks too.
  • duke_waduke_wa Member Posts: 12
    You've made a profound comment, Big Guy. I have no doubt that your Passat is a very nice car, but as you say, every vehicle has strengths and weaknesses, "quirks." The important thing is to realize what quirks are minor and can be overlooked when evaluating your car and realizing what quirks are serious quality or mechanical problems.

    There are a lot of bad cars out there and a lot of gems. I think the Maxima is truly a cut above. Yes, it has some potentially expensive quirks, like the O2 sensors and ignition coil issues. But other than these things, this car is wonderful! I'm a big guy too and I am very comfortable in this car and so impressed by my Maxima's quality!
  • rluv623rluv623 Member Posts: 1
    i recently puchased 04 maxima SE with all the luxury upgrades, navigation, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel. bucket rear seats and sky view roof, very rare car but i must say that i am not pleased with the way it handles bumps on the road. i think the suspension need to be changed ifeel every bump, i do live in nyc however and the streets here are very bad.if anyone feels the same way i do please respond. thx
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