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Nissan Maxima vs. Honda Accord
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Oh wait, are we suppose to be making logical arguments? ;-)
We are supposed to be talking about the pros and cons of the vehicles as they compare with each other. Obviously, we are all entitled to our own opinions. There is no reason to snipe at someone because that person's opinion differs from yours.
In a highly scientific poll that involves my workplace (cough), the engineers and IT guys drive Maximas, and the accountants drive Accords. Obviously not all of them, but you get my point, though fully half of our accounting staff DO drive Accords.
I'm not knocking either car, but I do think they definately appeal to different audiences which makes a lot of the (repetitive, stupid) arguments in here moot.
Well, off I go to tear up some highway in my Maxima. Yee-ha!
just got back from extensive travel related to a project during which I got to drive 2003 Accord and 2003 Camry, when I came back I drove my wife’s 03 Max and Here are my impressions:
Accord:
Exterior = UGLY, especially the rear end
Interior = Fine, like the stereo.
Acceleration = OK, better than camry but slower and louder than Max.
Handling = OK, better than Camry but worse then Max (the front end feels too heavy)
Camry:
Slow, Ugly and BOOring as hell.
Max:
FAST, Better looking out of three and definitely
catches more attention then the others.
Accord was nice, but the soul was missing, felt like Buick on steroids,
I'd go with the Max, if I had to
Fortunately I drive its' better looking younger brother the Z.
And what extensive project are you talking about.
Seems after reading your post,your "indepth project", is worth about as much as the maxima (residual value) will be in 5 years, nada..
Pros:
Accord: Nice dash (love the led); great emissions; very good gas mileage, scored very well on safety ratings from www.highwaysafety.com and the government; reliable; GREAT resale value.
Maxima: POWER; roomy; can get xenon lights; sporty; unique.
Cons:
Accord: Every where you go, you see one; back is UGLY, but the coupe looks nice; no xenon head lights; too bland.
Maxima: PAINT. THE PAINT SUCKS. Huge turning radius; look isn't for everyone; resale value is horrible; service from dealer sucks at a lot of nissan dealers; over priced.
Thats my 2 cents for now.
I wonder how the 04 acura tl will compete with the maxima...
Reliability shouldn't be an issue with either the Accord or the Maxima. Both have proven reliability records.
I agree that the Maxima's paint quality stinks. It scratches and chips VERY easily. As an owner of a 02 Maxima SE, this has been my biggest disappoint with the car.
One last issue, Nissan elected to fit the Maxima with an odd tire size which means $$$ when replacing your worn out tires.
I am in total agreement, the paint quality in my 2k Maxima is terrible. Mine is black and a scratch magnet. That's my only beef with the Maxima. I should have gone with a lighter color.
Yes, I have a few front chips and a couple of small "garage scratches" here and there but nothing that was the fault of Nissan.
Any dark color is terrible to try and maintain, not just Nissan's. Check out any used car lot and look at all the black cars and you'll see what I mean.
A 1997 Maxima was a totally different car from what the Maxima is today. Judging a whole company on one bad car experience is a little hasty. There is a lot more to the Maxima than just the engine...it is a more engaging car to drive than Camry or Accord.
Dklanecky,
I know that dark color cars are harder to take care of than lighter ones. I've had other black cars before and so far the Maxima's paint job has been the worst I've seen. Nissan does well with light colors, sterling mist is a nice one, I should have gone that route.
It would be nice is nissan had thicker paint on their cars. My dad has a S430 and it feels like the paint for that car is twice as thick as on the maxima. I think even accord's paint is thicker then the maxima.
Yes, the paint quality is quite poor...less than a year and the majestic blue paint is already chipping on hood.
As for pricing on the 04 max...Was at the local auto show this past weekend and sat in an SE 6 speed w/nav...stickered for 31.9. Like with any new model, let the novelty wear off and there will be better deals in the future.
I owned an Accord SE back in 97, bought new. It had a lot of problems. No manufacturer is exempt from producing lemons.
Now i'm going to start admiring those honda/toyota hybrid cars and POINT and roll on the floor laughing at the people that drive Tahoes, Suburbans, Land cruisers. HA HA HA. lol.
History showed that governments and companies don't change their policies for decades. From my point of view the 1997 Maxima I owned was not a different car from what the Maxima is today. I don't care they made them more powerful. What matters to me is the feeling of perfection. The feeling I had with my 1994 and 2001 Accords was that the car was glued to ground at any speed. Driving my Maxima at high speed I felt disconnected, like I was on a plane almost taking off. Or perhaps this is what you call "engaging car to drive". Better buy a small plane. It's certainly more powerful than your Maxima and it really takes off !
Seriously, you cannot compare the Accord's double wishbone front wheels suspension with Maxima's cheap McPherson struts. You cannot compare Accord's rear independent suspension with Maxima's broom stick who connects the rear wheels. Why put a great V6 on that structure I can't understand. Obviously it takes off !
By the way, talking about perfection, can one of the new manual transmission Maxima owners try to drive it in the 1st gear and oscillate around 1500 RPM. I tried this in 2001 when I was shopping for a Maxima or Accord and it was jumping back and forth like somebody was rear ending me. I am curious if they fixed it. Nissan called it the fuel-cut problem and the lady dealer explained to me that it's done on purpose to save gas. I tried the Accord and it didn't jump like that. It's not thirsty though. About the stick, does it feel like connected to the gear box with some kind of elastics ? And the finger moving inside the gear box (to switch gears) feels like a screwdriver moving inside a pile of rocks ?
The Accord inherited anything Honda ever learned at the car races they fought. Except the engine block. Finally out discussion is useless. Take the VQ engine block and put it in an Accord and you get the best car. If not learn to live with mediocrity. Sooner or later we all have to learn it.
You are wrong, the 1997 was a totally different car than the current Maxima, and the company has gone through a total overhaul in the ealry 2000's.
Let's talk about tranmissions, Honda can't seem to build a good automatic transmission. My old '89 Civic jerked you abruptly when the car shifted between first and second. I test drove a 2000 Accord auto when I was shopping for my next car and Honda still has not fixed the problem. Honda makes a good stick shift, but what's the use, since you can't get it on a V6 sedan. Your only choice is Nissan here. BTW...the 2004 Maxima uses a close ratio 6 speed tranny (taken from the 350Z), that you can't even get on an Accord sedan.
Let's talk suspensions. Sure, the Accord suspension is more sophisticated, more expensive. But it is tuned for "boredom", the ride totally aliantes the driver from an enjoyable driving experience. I don't care how much the suspension costs, the suspension tunning on the Maxima is just head over heels more enjoyable to drive than a Camry or Accord. Anyway...all of suspension talk is moot since the 2004 Maxima comes with a fully independent suspension.
I've been reading the boards on this fantastic website for a few months now in an attempt to come to a decision between the 2003 Accord EX V-6 and the Maxima GXE or SE (can't afford the GLE). And the more I read the more confused I become.
Postiives for the Accord include an excellent reputation for reliability and safety. Fuel economy is pretty good for a V-6. The interior is nicely laid out and the seats are comfortable. And resale values are very good (although I plan on keeping my new car for 5-8 years). Negatives include the styling (awful back end), it rides like my wife's Odyssey (I'd like something a little more "fun" to drive), and it's pretty expensive relative to my budget ($22-24K).
Positives for the Maxima include the the styling (I love this car), the award winning engine, and the currently low prices for the '03s. The negatives for this car are poorer than expected gas mileage, premium gas requirement, lack of side and curtain air bags, paint problems, and the overall cost to maintain the car including insurance and the famous headlight theft problems.
Maybe I should try and hold out and find an '03 GLE at a rock bottom clearance price so I could get the side airbags and traction control (very concerned about safety).
Bottom line is I'm looking for a sporty sedan that I can haul my young family around in that is still fun to drive and is safe.
My head says Accord, my heart says Maxima.
Good luck
If safety is your number one concern, go to www.highwaysafety.com
Also, if safety is very important to you, I do not recommend a maxima. Try volvos, volkswagen, lexus, mercedes, toyota, 04 accord. If your budget is around 25k, I would recommend you buying a used 2000+ mercedes E class or C class with low milage. Those cars are built like a tank.
If you're going to drive a car to the bottom, then there's no point in worrying about resale value.
The SE comes with SIDE AIRBAGS as an option. IT is the titanium edition option. I don't recommend the GLE. The transmission isn't as responsive as the SE. Also, for the price of GLE, you can probably haggle 8 hours at an Infiniti dealer for a I35 for the same price as the GLE, AND they'll have better service then the nissan dealers.
Join us tonight, 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for another
round of automotive trivia and member-to-member chat.
Test your skills (or multiple choice guessing ability)
against other Town Hall members.
http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html
Hope to see you there!
Not so, Nissan totally re-designed the Maxima in 2000. The engine was the same but was totally tweeked, and the suspension was modified for the larger car. Go drive a '97 and then a 2000, two different animals.
If one compares the interiors of the new Accord and the new Maxima, the Accord wins by a long shot. By the way the Honda is about 6 or 7 k less!
Booble,
We agree to disagree.
However, it's about 35K!
Again, if the 2000 Maxima wasn't a redesign, the new Accord surely isn't because in some ways it still looks similar to the previous Accord, plus don't they share the SAME suspension?
You can pick up a G35 without leather, for around $27K.
Maxamillion,
We both know that the 2000 Maxima was a re-design. It seems that Honda owners are "all knowning" about Honda and about Nissan as well...let's not burst their bubble...ignorance is bliss.
Carmakers are either masters or amateurs of carbuff psychology in the way they treat car windows. Ford, for example, changed all body panels except the doors & windows on one Taurus generation and to the car enthusiast, the car was just a rehash. Ditto for Explorers. Audi, on the other hand, gets the windows right (particularly the A6) and their cars are forever regarded as beautiful - if not problematic.
On the 2000 & 1999 Maxima, Edmunds' photos indicate a complete redesign based on this reasoning.