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Nissan Maxima vs. Toyota Camry

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Comments

  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    lol, forget about your "semi-educated" and why don't you make it an "educated bet" and look up top gear acceleration numbers, 30 - 50 mph and 50 - 70 mph times? Then, you'll know that the Camry V6 is faster period.

    As for looks? lol... now you're trying to use a subjective argument?
  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    Completely Agreed rennie4, the Altima is the natural competitor for the Camry. We'll have to wait and see some comparison numbers.
  • bv050506bv050506 Member Posts: 97
    Sorry it's taken me a little while to get back as I've been on vacation. I'm not alsmming the VQ, it's a great engine. I don't know about the CVT tanny enough to comment. The Maxima is rated at 6.5 0-60 and the Camry 6.1 and 99.9 in the quarter mile. That's movin' especially for a car that is thought of like the Camry is. Not a sports car! anytime you can get a car to 100mph in the quarter it's a fast car. The difference isn't huge, but the Camry is quicker. By the way its not 161 pounds of torque, more like 262 at 6000. I need to drive the new Max to know which one is quicker. I think at 200lbs. lighter the Altima will be quicker and under 6 sec. as others have stated.
  • maximafanmaximafan Member Posts: 592
    I agree that one would have to drive these two
    cars back to back if you're wanting to compare
    the two vehicles, specifically the acceleration
    part. I was wondering, are the quotes on the
    0-60 times on the Maxima for the '07 model that
    were quoted from Road and Track and Consumer
    Reports?
    I recall that the '06 Maxima had a 0-60 in 6.1
    or 6.2 seconds. I believe that comparo was
    from Car & Driver.
  • bv050506bv050506 Member Posts: 97
    I know the quote on the Camry is R&D for the V6 '07. The 6.5 was an estimate for the new Max by Car and Driver. I won;t pslit hairs with anybody about 5.9 or 6.5 or whatever. Both are quick and great in their own right. But the Camry would not be thought of as a Max would and yet it hits 99.9 in the quarter mile, which nobody would have dreamt! Its faster but sure doesn't look it. quciker and far superior in gas mileage. Carry on!
  • bv050506bv050506 Member Posts: 97
    The most recent Motor Trend speaks VERY highly of the Camry. It beat the others it was compared to, although the Maxima was not in the group. The Altima SE-R was and the Camry still came out on top. If you are still considering a Camry, it is a must read. They even loved the tranny! The quickest in the group, albeit by a fraction at 6.1 0-60. Not sure if the comparo was of the 2007 Altima with the 270hp engine. I think that will go under 6 seconds for sure. I'm still waiting for some press on the new Max and the CVT tranny which sounds superb.
  • maximafanmaximafan Member Posts: 592
    bv, I saw the article in Motor Trend also.
    That was a 2006 Nissan Altima SE-R. The 2007
    SE-R apparently won't be available until sometime in the spring.
  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    " Not sure if the comparo was of the 2007 Altima with the 270hp engine. I think that will go under 6 seconds for sure."

    Apparently, the 07 Camry shares the identical drivetrain/ecu/compression ratios/etc. as the Lexus ES 350 which produces 272 hp because it uses 91 octain gasoline. So, technically, if you were to spend the extra little bit at the gas stations and opt for 91 octane... you'd also be producing 272 hp and thus 2 more hp than the new Altima.
  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    It was the Toyota Camry SE vs. Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart vs. Chev Malibu SS vs. Nissan Altima SE-R

    Here's the score card. 1st place) Toyota Camry SE: Best overall package on a superb new platform. Performance, quality, safety, and comfort -- what a concept.

    2nd Place) Nissan Altima SE-R: If you put more emphais on sport than sedan, this is you car. Can't wait to test the new one.

    3rd Place) Mitsubuishi Galant Ralliart: A nicer car than its third place finish indicates. Doesn't overwhelm, but does everything well.

    4th Place) Chev Malibu SS: In this case, you don't get what you don't pay for. Costs less, but gives less. We'd like to try one with GM's 3.6 L DOHC V6 and a 6 speed automatic, even if it costs $1000 more.
  • bv050506bv050506 Member Posts: 97
    You have it exactly as printed, thanks for the accuracy. The real surprise for me was the Mitsubuishi which sounded and looked like a very nice car. Vastly improved.
  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    "You have it exactly as printed, thanks for the accuracy. The real surprise for me was the Mitsubuishi which sounded and looked like a very nice car. Vastly improved."

    No problems... as for the Mitsu... Just keep praying that they don't go bankrupt, eh?
  • rennie4rennie4 Member Posts: 55
    And the Maxima (3599 - 3617 lbs) also weighs 100 to 150 lbs more than the Camry depending on trim level of Camry (3461 - 3516).

    Oh... and since you seem to appreciate the dynamics of what creates a fast car.... The Maxima has an coefficient drag of 0.30 versus the extremely lower coefficient drag of the Camry at 0.28.

    Also, the Maxima runs a 0 to 60 time of 6.5 seconds (Road & Track) to a 7.1 seconds (consumer reports) versus a 0 to 60 run in the V6 Camry in 6.1 (Road & Track) seconds to 6.2 seconds (consumer reports).

    So urbancar, forget about 'theoretically', because literally, the 2007 Camry 3.5L is faster than the Maxima objectively, subjectively and in reality.


    The Camry did 0-60 in 7.1 seconds on edmunds. An earlier Camry that they tested did it in 6.5 seconds. They explained the difference in acceleration in the take-off of the car. So, i believe that time of 7.1 seconds from consumer reports was not under ideal traction conditions.
  • drjamesdrjames Member Posts: 274
    "The Camry did 0-60 in 7.1 seconds on edmunds. An earlier Camry that they tested did it in 6.5 seconds. They explained the difference in acceleration in the take-off of the car. So, i believe that time of 7.1 seconds from consumer reports was not under ideal traction conditions. "

    Yeah, with no offence to the editors here at Edmuns. I believe the editors of such magazines as Road & Track or Motor Trend using closed race tracks for testing are much better at lauching and racing their cars. That said, the editors at edmunds should have tried a 0-60 run with the VSC/traction control deactivated.

    I'd agree that the consumer reports editors too probably could have gotten a better time in testing the Maxima than 7.1 sec.. which is why I posted the best time of 6.5sec (Road and Track) I could find.

    Quite simply, the 07 Camry should faster than the Maxima simply because of the better power to weight ratio and lower co-efficent drag. Doesn't matter how good the driver is, these advantages are simply in the Camry's favour.
  • denver_nissandenver_nissan Member Posts: 18
    :surprise: Is the horsepower and torque ratings always power to the wheels? That would include the efficiency of the transmission in the equation.

    I can't wait to start selling the new Altima. We have a Maxima in our showroom with tricked out Nismo wheels and low profile tires that looks very, very sweet. Even though I am selling Nissan, I find the '07 Camry much better looking. Not nearly as dull looking as before. The CVT/tiptronic tranny in the Maxima is great. Super responsive, smooth, quiet. I have not driven the new Camry yet.
  • barroncbarronc Member Posts: 44
    Before I bought my '07 Toyota Camry XLE V6 I owned a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE and loved it. I had zero problems with the car except I kept having my Zenon headlights ripped out (twice they were stolen) of the car, hence my reason for selling it. I actually liked my Maxima better than my new Camry. I seemed faster even though it had a 255hp V6 instead of the Camry's 268hp V6. I had no transmission problems either. I also thought it was a better looking car. I really didn't care for the new style Maximas so I bought the Camry.
  • maximafanmaximafan Member Posts: 592
    barronc, I hear ya, I hear ya about the '02
    Maxima. My '02 was totalled in an accident
    back in July and, boy, do I still miss that car! Never had any major problems with it
    except for spending some money on replacing
    02 sensors two weeks before the accident.
    Heck, the car didn't even have a very good
    suspension, but I sure loved the power on that
    baby!

    I'm now driving a 2007 Lexus RX350, and though
    I really like it, it definitely is not as zippy
    as my Maxima was, although it does have a nice
    ride and definitely a beautiful interior. But
    I still mourn my Max! Sorry to hear about your
    xenons getting stolen. That didn't seem to be
    a problem over here in the Tampa Bay Area.

    The 2007 Camry is still a nice-looking car too,
    much more improved over the previous generation. Good luck with your Camry.
  • alexstorealexstore Member Posts: 264
    I can't compare 07 maxima, But I have 05 one. Same engine, different tranny. I love it - quick acceleration from any speed. I cannot say same thing on Camry( I was helping my in-law to chose a right car for her, she chose Rav4). I drove Camry V6 and Avalon( when I was on a market for a new car) and found something unusual for a car with over 250hp. Both cars from Toyota while driving did not accelerate no matter how much pressure I was applying to gas pedal. I drove this cars at different dealerships and it was same issue. I agree with previous posts, Camry's natural competitor is Altima and Maxima's is Avalon. Now my reason for choosing Maxima over Avalon.
    1) Looks- I am 28 and in Avalon I looked much older
    2) Power and delivery- As I said before in maxima I press gas and it moves , in avalon its thinking......and still not moving.
    3) Price- I got fully loaded maxima without Navi with stability control and full size spare ( none in Avalon) new for 25,6 plus taxes and charges, the best I was offered Avalon was 34g.
    4)Folding seats- I have no idea why Toyota chose to have rear seats slightly moving over folding Ability particularly with a small trunk of Avalon. I was able to buy large shelves ( 7 ft tall) in Ikea and take it in my car not order delivery or borrow someone else's car.
    5) Now if you drive carefully without lead on your feet, you can get EPA ratings of Avalon in Maxima (look at my post in Nissan Maxima: MPG-Real World Numbers), though using premium gas.

    So make comparison of Nissan and Toyota products properly.
    Altima vs Camry and Maxima vs Avalon
  • bv050506bv050506 Member Posts: 97
    I had an "04 Maxima with the velvety smooth VQ V-6, but my '07 Camry is quicker. Doesn't sound like it, but it is. I know the new '07 Max is about 6.5 0-60, my Camry is about 6 flat. Also had an '05 Avalon with the 5 speed and it was a tich quicker too at 6.2 Just tellin' you I had both and the 'yota's are quicker. The new Max looks better than my '04 did, but to each his own.
  • maximafanmaximafan Member Posts: 592
    I have to agree with you about the -- some
    folks refer to this as "hesitation" -- on the
    Lexus/Toyota cars. It's been a real adjustment
    for me on the RX350 vs. my '02 Maxima. Sure,
    I understand that it's an SUV and it's a heavier vehicle, and it does have good pick up
    for an SUV. But there's something a little bit
    weird about the shifting of the tranny on
    the Lexus/Toyota cars.

    For instance, I've noticed sometimes when
    pulling, say, into a parking lot of a bank,
    once I turn in, which by this time, I'm at a
    very slow speed, it seems that the engine will
    rev, and I'm pretty sure I'm not pressing on
    the accelerator at that point, maybe just resting the foot on the accelerator before giving it a little gas to proceed. This is
    strange behavior. I wish I could document it
    better, but it doesn't happen every single time
    so it's difficult to try to document this.

    Similarly, if I'm coming to an intersection and
    I do the similar coast to go into a turn, but
    this time I need to accelerate, as I'm still on
    a fairly busy road, all of a sudden it feels
    like there's no power and I feel like I have to
    stomp on the accelerator to get the car going.
    Admittedly, I've often cursed when this happens
    because I don't like this at all. Other times
    this does not happen. Once again it's been
    hard for me to document.

    Other than these two idiosyncrasies, the car has
    been great!
  • barroncbarronc Member Posts: 44
    Too bad about the accident with your '02 Maxima, hope nobody was injured. Your Lexus RX350 is one nice car, I see quite a few around here. I'm enjoying my Camry, it has a nice ride, definately much softer than my Maxima but I miss the punch of the Nissan. My Camry has some hesitation which my Maxima never had. Also, my Camry is only :( getting about 14 miles to the gallon in the city. Good luck with your Lexus!
  • barroncbarronc Member Posts: 44
    Motor Trend November 2006 issue tested an '06 Altima SE-R and it ran 0-60 in 6.2 seconds. Quarter mile in 14.7. The car had 260hp. The '07 Camry SE ran 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. Quarter mile in 14.6. The car had 268hp. If Nissan bumps up the Altima's hp to 270 in 2007 the car probably will run under 6 seconds 0-60 and probably around 14.30 in the quarter. Both cars are quick but I don't like the looks of the Altima nearly as well as the new Camry.
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    I think the Max is heavier than the Altima so 10hp more isn't going to make it any faster. Certainly won't get under 6 sec or low 14s in the 1/4.
  • carnut21carnut21 Member Posts: 38
    I have an 07 Murano and my in-laws just purchased on 07 Maxima SL and sweet it is. My FIL said he paid $30,xxx and his 2000 Avalon was $34,500 and the only think he does not have on the Max is the date but comes with MANY more options. I know some consider Toyota the quality leader but I think this is perceived. We had a Toyota Sienna and had serious alignment issues that never were completely repaired and it used oil from day one but was reported as "normal." I think it might have started sludging (5k oil changes with Mobil 1 synthetic)

    Recently saw a new 07 Camry in a parking lot and noticed the paint coming off the hood. It looked like the old Ford and GM products that lost their paint because of heavy coating/galvanizing on the sheetmetal. That is quality? Must be normal "racing" look.

    With regard to style, the Maxima is much more attractive and appealing for both young and old. I know the magazines compare 0-60 and such but is this why we really buy the cars? I don't think so but it is nice but who is going to feel 0-60 in 5.9 or 6.1 seconds.

    With regard to the CVT, I was hesitant at first in our Murano but after a couple if trips I wonder didn't this come out many moons ago!? Just smooth!!! It may not be for everyone but feel that 9 out of 10 will enjoy the experience and best of all it requires "no maintenance" best I can tell in the owners manual.
  • carnut21carnut21 Member Posts: 38
    Drive the Max before you buy anything else
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    Untill Nissan can prove to me that they have fixed some things I'll not buy another one in the near future. It may be minor to some folks but here's my experience.

    In 2000 I purchased a new body style Maxima. Loved it. However at 10,000 miles the rotors needed turned and at 20,000 they needed replaced. Then within 6000 miles it was giving me the shakes and needed turned so I traded it. (I drive 30,000 miles per year and do not want to replace rotors every 8 months).

    In 2003 I purchased a 350Z. At 3000 miles the tires made a horrible noise, I had it aligned but the cupping continued and by 10,000 miles I was embarrased to show it off to my friends because it sounded like a truck going down the road. The tire whine was unbearable and I started writing letters. At first they said mine was not in the date range of complains (meaning most people were not putting a lot of miles on them and had not started complaining yet). By 12,500 miles I had it. I was finally able to get Nissan to take some responsibility and they replaced the front tires and "fixed" the alignment. At 15,000 miles the new tires were starting to cup again. I traded it.

    In 2003 I also bought an Infiniti FX45 (high$ Nissan). I'll admit to it being the most satisfying car I've ever owned, BUT it too had to have premature brake rotor wearing and soon after turning them I had the shimmy's when applying the brake as I come off the interstate. I actually liked this car enough though to put up with it, but if I had kept it long term I imagine the brakes would have cost me a lot every year and a half. The biggest problem with the FX was that my tires wore out (evenly, nice wear pattern) at 12,000 miles. I was able to get Goodyear to replace them at 50% of the cost as they were expected to get 25,000 miles. Duh, that set was worn out at 25,000 miles (2nd set). I put a set of high dollar Bridgestones on it which seemd to help, but I traded it in May

    I love the styling, interiors and performance of Nissan but I traded my cars and sold my stock in Nissan and am avoiding them until I'm sure they will make a car I can be happy with long term.
  • dmaljunkdmaljunk Member Posts: 160
    undersized rotors is a known issues on some of the Nissan models. A powerful engine such as Maxima's or FX's needs sufficiently well designed rotors. Instead of replacing stock rotors with other stock rotors you should have purchased a set of cross-drilled rotors, there are plenty of them made for Nissans and then your issue would go away. Any car has under-developed parts or issues. Your experience with Nissan only indicates your personal dissatisfaction and if you wanted to make it a more pleseant experience then you could have. Your issues do not indicate Nissan to be a bad or worse vehicle. The only thing they indicate is bad service at dealerships. That is part of a buying experience of course...
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    I have a 2001 Maxima. I replaced the original tires at 40,000 miles; the front rotors at 60,000 miles. At almost 70,000 miles the rear brakes are still fine. My only other expense so far has been a new battery after 5 years/67,000 miles. I have also owned Toyotas and they too have been very reliable. I don't see reliability as an issue with either make. They do, however, drive very differently.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • carnut21carnut21 Member Posts: 38
    It sounds as if you drive a car harder than the normal person. I have had several Toyotas and now have a couple of Nissan's (05 Frontier and 07 Murano) and have not had the least of problems. With the Toys, did not have any problems either. Got 98k on the front brakes and 120k on the rear brakes of a 90 corolla and 89k/121k on a 98 Sienna. I have not done anything with the Frontier and the Murano is 2 months old so time will tell. I work with others that have had Nissan's and the only problem was with 05 Titans and Nissan replaced the rotors with larger ones.

    With regard to the 350Z, the geometry was the issue with the 03 but I think this has been corrected.

    With regard to Nissan quality, they have come way past the "old days" with regard to quality. I heard they spent several million dollars on test tracks to insure that cars did not arrive with the squeaks and rattles. Just look at their resal value. It puts Ford and GM to shame. Also, if you build comparable Avalons and Maximas, the Maxima is a bargain.
  • catkins1974catkins1974 Member Posts: 1
    I recently rented a 2007 Nissan Maxima over the holidays in Phoenix. While I was impressed with the power, handling and features indicative of the Maxima line, I was dissapointed in the styling and comfort.

    The new body in a nutshell is too "Altima". I use to own a 97 Max and my wife currently drives a 03 Nissan Altima. I loved the true Sedan look and feel of the vehicle in past designs and wish they'd go back.

    This latest Maxima is modest at best. The cabin seems to shrink as you move from front to back and blind spots seem to be greater. Simply the car seems to be more fit for 4 passengers (Sparingly) than 5. And all I can point to is the new (Too Altima Like)design.

    Admittedly, Im 6'6" tall and I know I am off the scale in average hieght but my past Maxima made me feel like I was in a "Luxury Performance Sedan" which I feel sets the Maxima apart from other vehicles in this segment.

    So overall, not what I was expecting in styling and design but it still has the soul of a Maxima.
  • ch3456ch3456 Member Posts: 4
    Maxima or Camry? To me, that's like comparing apples with oranges.

    I like Toyota's and Nissans. I own a '07 Camry, but have never driven a Maxima before. They are beautiful cars though. If it's anything like the '06 Altima we own, I'm sure it's a great ride.

    But when it all boils down to it, I'm a Toyota fan. Through my research of the Maxima, it appears to be a strong car with Infiniti-like touches.

    I guess I'm no help, huh? :P
  • bobbassbobbass Member Posts: 34
    I currently have an '04 Max SE. Other than the "busy" ride which has driven me NUTS, the only other thing I find unacceptable is the turning circle. After reading ALL the posts in this thread, many others seem to agree.

    One poster said that he has an '07 and the turning circle is improved, but the actual spec is conspicuously absent from the '07 brochure and website. According to Edmunds, it is 40 ft. which is the same or worse than my '04.

    Can somebody with an '07 comment on this? I had written a new Maxima off in my search for a new vehicle, but if Nissan has improved the ride and turning circle, with that beautiful new interior it might be up for my consideration.

    I'm very leery at this point about the Toyota 3.5 powertrain and NAV systems, otherwise they would be at the top of my list.
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    My 2003 Maxima SE has made me a Nissan customer for life. The car is just shy of its 4th birthday in my house, and I STILL look forward to getting into it every day.

    At its 30k mile service (it now has 40k miles), I had 75% of my front pads remaining, and even more on the back. My rotors are perfect. Maybe the key to buying a perfect car is waiting until the model is about to be replaced? Mine was built in October of '02, and I believe they ceased production about 2-3 months afterwards.

    The sole problem I've had on the car is the Bose stereo. I blame Clarion for this more than Bose. I'm on my third head unit, and since my warranty is up it will be my last. I'll replace it with a nice Eclipse with Sirius/iPod integration and call it a day.

    In the past, I've turned cars over with as little as 7 months of ownership. Not this one. Some cars are born with halos on their roofs, and I'm driving it until the wheels come off it. It just amazes me that a 4 year old car, driven over crappy pothole-infested Michigan roads still has zero squeaks or rattles. The thing is as tight as the day I drove it off the lot.

    I did test drive a Camry, and I know EXACTLY what you guys are talking about with the hesitation. However, what really killed the car for me was actually the handling - I'm too young for a Buick, even if it's made by Toyota. :P

    That said, I didn't really care for the '04-'06 Maxima. Didn't really like the bucktooth or the interior. They fixed all this with the '07, but I'm not ready to part with my '03 yet. The Grey Max and I have many, many more Grand Prixs to torch in the future. :shades:
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    I'm trying to find a way to say "you guys are nuts", but I just can't.

    You guys are nuts.

    The TR on my '03 is abysmal, but after the first month of driving it I just got used to it. Maybe it helps my wife drives an Explorer, so I'm used to driving something with the TR of a school bus. :P

    It's such a minor problem with the car, though. That engine is the sweetest thing on 4 wheels. You goose it, doesn't matter which speed you're going, you will take off like the car is getting ready to take to the skies. As a semi-frequent flier, when I start the Max up an entrance ramp onto the freeway, that's exactly what it reminds me of. When the plane is turning onto the runway, you're going slow, but then stomp on the gas and WATCH OUT.

    The most unbelieveable thing about my car is that I haven't gotten a ticket yet. I did get pulled over once for doing 50 in a 35, but that was purely by accident (I don't normally speed in residential areas). On a wide-open highway, though.. let's just say the speed limiter comes up in this car way too fast. The sucker just never runs out of breath. :shades:
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    Do I ever agree with you! I feel exactly the same way about my '01 GLE. Oddly enough, it too was at the end of a production run, just before the retooled '02 came out. My Max didn't need new front pads until 60,000 miles. My only other expense has been a battery (after 5 years, and the battery was still working but getting a little weak). I keep thinking I will want another car someday, but I smile whenever I'm driving it.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • 16wheels16wheels Member Posts: 2
    I currently own a 2001 Maxima AND a 1999 Camry 4 cyl. (originally purchased for mom-in-law). Bought the Max 1 year old, Cam was 5 years old. Max has 75K miles and NO ISSUES at all - still like new. Cam has 62K miles, front end rattles (see strut TSB) and developed blue smoke on start-up (bad valve stem seals). Got a notice in the mail regarding a class action lawsuit about this and other Toyota vehicles that are predisposed to develop oil gel.

    More details are available at oilgelsettlement.com. Camrys included are 1997-2001 4 cyl. and 1997-2002 6 cyl. See website for MANY other vehicles included. I have lost trust in Toyota, and would recommend you do not buy one based on my experience. An entire generation of defective engines is unacceptable.

    I am not biased toward Nissan at all, and have owned most brands of cars in my 30 years of driving. VERY disappointed in Toyota!
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    Let's be fair to Toyota! While I wouldn't trade my Max for a Camry for myself, I bought a used '99 Camry (also 4 cyl) for my college daughter. After two years, with nearly 115000 miles on it, nary a problem with it either. And it gets better gas mileage than the Maxima. I've been very pleased with it. If there really was a "whole generation of defective engines" the Camry would not be the best selling car in America.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • barroncbarronc Member Posts: 44
    A friend of mine who bought my 2002 Nissan Maxima SE said at high speeds (65 mph +) the hood of the car would shake. Has anyone experienced this problem and if so what causes it?
  • virusvirus Member Posts: 21
    I had a 2002 Maxima GLE with tons of modifications. It was the first car I truly fell in love with. Unfortunately, someone hit me and it was totalled. I tried to do what I thought was responsible and purchased a 2k6 Civic EX. Great car and fantastic mpg. Unfortunately it wasn't a Maxima and I missed the power and the size. I couldn't justify the price of the Maxima when the G35 is so close in price. I then compared the Altima and the Camry. I liked both of them appearance wise and liked the Altimas interior better strictly based on visuals and layout. The Altima requires premium fuel, so I decided to go for the Camry SE loaded. Extremely quite car with good pickup. Pickup when it doesn't flare that is. Even though I have the latest build date, I too am experiencing what tons of others are and the dealership has no answers although the tech did verify the problem with a test drive with me today. This is my first Toyota and it's a love hate relationship. The mag times for this car seem inflated. My old max seemed to have more torque and much better throttle response. When I explained to the tech and service advisor that my 2k2 maxima had the same problem that was resolved by ECU upgrade, the service advisor quickly went into why Toyota is much better than Nissan, blah, blah, blah. While Nissan service is horrific in the Washington, DC area, I would definately consider another Nissan.
  • pernaperna Member Posts: 521
    This is a reaaaaaaally simple fix. Pretty much all '02/'03 Maximas do this.

    Open the hood, and on each side of the engine compartment towards the front you will see one large rubber stopper. Take and screw it in a bit tighter, which will allow the hood to close tighter. Problem solved.
  • hiredhandhiredhand Member Posts: 7
    Hi Bob,
    In July I traded my 04SE for 07SE. Both are totally loaded with the Elite PKG. My 1st Maxima was an 87,plus 89,91,93,03,04 &07.Between 93 & 03 I had various other cars. My point is I am back to Maxima and as far as I'm concerned it's the best car for the money. I have never had a problem with any of the Maximas', except they changed my brake pads @5K n/c never had another problem.
    I do agree with you and others regarding the turning radius & torque steering in 04 was awful. Other than those two items I loved driving it and constantly received compliments on its looks.
    Now the 07 I bought because of the improvements. The t/r is much much tighter than the 04 & the T/S is barely noticeable. Naturally the T/R is not going to be as tight as front wheel drive. The styling,form & fit are very good.
    I have never personally heard of any complaints with the engines other than this forum. I am surprised to hear that,but as far as I am concerned Toyota is living on it's laurels.
    My wife has a 99 Q45t Infinity we bought new, it has 60K and we have never had a problem just normal maint. I keep trying to get her interested in the M Infinity, but she will not part w/ her 99.
    I hope my babbling has been helpful to some.
    Hiredhand
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    Your experience with Nissan only indicates your personal dissatisfaction and if you wanted to make it a more pleseant experience then you could have. Your issues do not indicate Nissan to be a bad or worse vehicle. The only thing they indicate is bad service at dealerships. That is part of a buying experience of course...

    Sorry for the late response. I judge a car by the way the factory builds it. Me having to install non-OEM parts to make it an acceptable car, is not acceptable, especially when the car is still on warranty. Of course my experience with the 350Z uncorrectable alignment issues and eating tires in 6000 miles has indeed hampered my open-mindedness about Nissan quality.
  • luvmymaxie2luvmymaxie2 Member Posts: 1
    Since I bought my 04 Maxima when it first came out I have loved it. Yes, I have had the front struts replaced, recalls and new rotors etc. But, I love my car. I have tweeked the engine also. Put on graffic's and a bigger spoiler. Well, I guess someone else loved my Maxima also. They tried to steal it! My door lock on my drivers door stop working. Took it into my dealership and found out someone tried to break into it using a slim Jim. It messed up the locking mechanism but I guess they couldn't get in. I still have my car! Now I have been racking my brains out where all I have been where someone could do this. It is garaged parked at home. I have to wait now four days for service to get my new locking mechanism in!
  • alligator2alligator2 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I have a 1996 Nissan Maxima that has 107,000 miles and was running great! Love this car. I was hit in January on the left front fender and both air bags went off and the insurance company totalled it. I had just put $3900. to keep it running great. I purchased the car back from the insurance company and would like your recommendations on how I should sell it. NJ does not require a salvage title for this car. It needs left front fender, grill and 2 air bags. Started right up from the accident.

    Any expertise you can contribute will be appreciated.
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