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Comments
ksatbjh - I'm looking at the EX V6 - 200HP. Big difference from 150. Plus I've been driving a Volvo with 180HP and it accelerates like a son of a gun when merging/passing so 200 is more than sufficent. I gotta figure if the manufacturer says to use premium, then you should use it. Like you say, maybe you don't notice a difference but maybe you damage the engine and don't notice that either, in the long run. I have heard similar concerns about US-manufactured Hondas too but like you say, you can have problems with any car - even domestic ones get it right sometimes...lol
JHermon - very interesting! I drive a 97 Volvo and the coverage will go up $150/yr with USAA
bianca2 - about 14K a year so you're right, maybe $150 extra. Not a big deal but when added to increased insurance costs, distance to dealer for service, etc it adds up. I have test driven both cars and don't notice much of a difference, performance-wise. The extra HP def is NOT needed unless you want to rack up speeding tickets! And yes, I have given USAA VIN numbers to get exact quotes, with a super clean record and well over 25....lol!!! They say Maximas historically have higher rates due to cost to repair, etc (I find that difficult to swallow but them's the rates I have to go by)...
Bottom line - would be happy with either car, so why not go with the one that costs less?
Pro's & Con's (not including engines):
The accord had a better suspension for bumpy roads, but it's noisy. I believe that the 01 and later accords have more sound insulation so this may have improved.
The maxima is quieter and the 02's, at least, look great, plus you don't see them at every stop light. Also, the Maxima has a lot more goodies (trip computer, nicer stereo, steering wheel controls, fancy headlights), but you pay for it. I guess the big difference I feel with the maxima is that I feel like I'm driving a higher class of car - that's just a feeling, though, and in reality the accord is very similar.
Regarding the gas. Everything I've read, including the owners manual, says that lower octane fuel only damages an engine if it causes pinging. As I said, the Maxima, and many other new cars, have sensors that allow the engine to adjust for different octanes w/out pinging. The only thing that higher octane will do in slighly increase performance. Correct me if you have other information.
The first two dealers I went to said no way. The third one matched the price and "ordered" my vehicle.
The problem is that you cannot order from the Nissan factory - basically the dealer checks with other dealers over a period of time to see if they can find a car with your specs.
Turned out they found one, but with a few more options than what I wanted (6 disc CD changer, traction control, and microfilter were extra).
As I have already signed a contract they agreed to sell me the extras at a very reduced price, so I ended up paying less than the carsdirect price for all the options I got.
I was prepared to go though carsdirect.com if my price wasn't matched though. I've heard of people who were happy with their carsdirect.com purchase.
good pts on the gas too....will check with the Nissan mechanics....hopefully, they will confirm what you said - would help me make my decision... -)
PS Which Max are you driving?
If you figure that your extra insurance plus premium gas (and DO use the premium, don't risk harming that great engine) will cost you an extra $25 a month or so, that's maybe 4 or 5 stops at McDonalds. Cut out the junk food and you can afford the car of your dreams. Sounds like a decent trade off to me! (Not that I would encourage anyone to get in over their heads financially - but it's amazing sometimes what small trade-offs make big dreams possible.)
The dream is alive!!!
We'll see.
godeacs, keep the dream alive! Either get yourself into a 2001 right now, or wait until November when prices might be a little more negotiable on the 2002s. You won't regret it. And let your son buy his own car, what does he think parents are, a bank??? (Um, well...good luck getting out of that one! lol)
Conley, the Maxima compares very favorably to BMWs, IMHO. You have to get a 5 series to be comparable on size, and comparably equipped, the 5 series is about $20,000 more than the Maxima. I can't see at all where it's worth it. I looked at the 3 series before I bought the Max, and thought the trunk was tiny and the seats were too hard. Just me, though, others might find they like that Teutonic style. Personally I didn't care for it.
However, as I look to replace my Maxima in a few months, I am considering (among several alternatives) a 2002 530i 5-speed, sport + premium package plus other goodies for about $41,500 (European delivery). I suspect that's only about $13-$15k more than a fully loaded 2002 SE 6-speed (not $20k). This still doesn't change your analysis that the Maxima is a heck of a good value. Although I prefer the 5-series handling and the very comfortable sport seats, I have real difficulty giving up the low cost service and maintenance that I have been accustomed to for the past seven years.
For my friends or associates, I have never hesitated recommending the Maxima.
Any suggestions/views on this ?
merlion, be sure to drive each one. If you object to feeling potholes and bumps, the GXE would probably be your better bet. The SE has a stiffer, more "sporty" suspension, and you will feel the bumps more. Drive and compare, don't be overly influenced by what your friends are saying. The GXE and GLE are designed to have a smoother ride.
I second the suggestion that you test drive each on a similar "course" that includes a variety of conditions to see which you like better.
P.S. In 1995, the GXE did not have the same liquid filled engine mounts and sound insulation as either the SE or GLE. As a result, I know of some people who bought the GXE and although the suspension was softer, the ride was noisier and rougher than the SE's. Nothing like getting the worst of both worlds. Nissan may have changed the GXE specs for the new model, but I would check it out and drive it hard before you get the GXE.
All I wanted to add was traction control. It said that in order to have traction control I will have to select sunroof. I selected sunroof. Then it said that in order to have sunroof I will need to select leather seats. I selected leather seats, then... I don't remember what else, but it forced me to select 6 or more options that I did not want.
Blueguy-- That's Nissan for you in general; before you can get Driven you have to get Driven Nuts for a bit . But according to their site the only prerequisite for traction control is the automatic transmission. This looks more like CD's mistake.
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BMW Coupe was significantly better looking
BMW titanium silver color was better looking
BMW cornered and handled better
I'd owned a Maxima, but not a BMW
Maxima was a better value
Maxima was more practical - more room
Maxima was lower cost, especially with $3,500 discount off $29,000 vs $1,300 discount on BMW off $35,500 (both cars with leather, etc.)
After 25 months on my 39 month lease I'm again thinking about next year. The Maxima has the new 255 hp engine and six speed transmission. The 2003 models are scheduled for a redesign, so I need to see the results (new Altima looks promising, so maybe Maxima will follow suit). I want to see how R&T, Autoweek and other reviewers rate the handling and see if the 255 hp results in significant performance improvement. Not an easy decision.
Being in Michigan, is traction control a must (using an auto gear)? If I add traction control, it would add a bunch of unnecessary options and jacked up the price by 2-3k.
I test drove the GLE,not GXE. (assuming the suspension is the same) I will test drive the SE if there is a chance.
I believe the GXE has the liquid filled engine mounts. My usual roads are straight roads, nothing twisty.
Thanks to bianca2,habitat1 for your comments.
With my Maxima, the only time when the traction control was useful was when accelerating hard from a standing start, in the wet or snow. But all the traction control does is prevent the wheels from spinning - and there is no real danger when that happens. Actually, any FWD car even without a traction control will have better traction from a standing start than a RWD car with traction control. This is because FWD cars tend to have more weight on the front wheels. With my old M3, I had a 50/50 weight distribution, and the rear wheels were rather wide, so even with the traction control, I had great difficulty moving forward in the snow. I remember people getting annoyed with me when the lights change and I try helplessly to move forward. My only consolation was that in the dry I got back at them really well
It looks like Blueguy and Merlion are right about the other option requirements and I was wrong. The specifications page at nissandriven.com does say it only requires the automatic, but their "Build your Maxima" page (as well as Edmunds) says you do have to take all those other options to get it. A pity. If it were just a matter of spending $300, I'd say it's a no-brainer for someone living in Michigan. (And a no-brainerd for someone living in Minnesota?) Why Nissan thinks needing traction control has anything to do with needing a Bose radio and a hole in your roof is anybody's guess.
My Saab doesn't have traction control and I went this route for winter use (my car came with summer tires only). Never been stuck -- not even close -- in snow up to 15 inches.
Also, if you plan to lease, buying 4 snows on steel wheels might come out cheaper than replacing the tires on the car before turning it in at 45000 miles because you've worn them out. If you put 12,000 miles on the snow tires, with the remaining on the tires that came with the car, you probably won't have worn the tries enough to replace them when you turn in the car.
A couple of random thoughts...
Some dealers can work around this rule, some don't know how.
Does anyone know whether VSC will be offered as an option on the Maxima at a later time, if at all?
thanks!