Nissan Maxima

danny25

What dealership in San Antonio did you buy from? I live in the DFW area and don't know of any "no haggle" dealerships up here. If I can't negotiate a good price on the Maxima SE I want, I may have to go down there.

stickguy

Go to tirerack.com and plug in the model you have. They will list a whole bunch of choices in your size, and include a review and ratings. There is also a place for owner feedback, so you should be able to norrrow it down to a few good choices for your needs.

bianca2

I drove our GLE in a lot of snow last winter in the midwest and had no problem. 16" wheels and traction control, if that makes a difference. It handled very well.

robertr

We had near record snowfall last winter in the greater Detroit area. I had no problems with my 2000 SE five-speed with 17" all-season performance tires. I have not found the alleged "fuel-cut problem" to be an issue either. Overall, I am very happy with the car-it is probably the best overall driving car I have ever had (my previous Maxima and 300ZX came the closest, though).

traesmoov

I have been talking to a couple of local dealers here in Southern Cali and no has a firm date on the 6spd yet? I saw the one post about 6spds coming in but nothing else. If anyone else has additional info on dates, please post your info. Thanks.

JHermon

I have had 2 dealers in metro Detroit tell me they were getting cars yesterday or today -- only to have the cars not be there when I called to arrange a test drive.

No one seems to be able to give me a straight answer about when they will be getting a 6 speed in stock. I can't believe that these dealerships have no idea what cars they are getting until they roll off the truck, but that is the story I'm getting.

Anyhow, over at maxima.org there is at least 1 report of someone taking delivery (I think in the southeast), and 1 report of a car on a dealer's lot for sale (in South Carolina).

I'm getting a bit nervous; my lease is running on my current car in less than a month, and I'd like to at least test a 6 speed Max before committing to my next car.

mirth

Jim,

Have you seen any pricing for Maximas in the SE Michigan area? I was just checking carsdirect.com and they're listing the Maximas for $1200 over invoice! In Massachusetts (where my folks live), it's only $50 over invoice. Don't know what the deal is around here.

Btw, I think I heard Nov 1 for the 6 speed. But you're right, nobody really knows for sure. I feel for you - my lease doesn't run out until next April.

merlion

I checked the price for this car from carsdirect.com in late Sep/early Oct (SE Michigan zipcode). It was at 24,200 at first. Now it had skyrocketed to 24.9k which is ridiculous.

I am planning to get this car too. Hopefully I can talk to the dealer abt getting a good price for it. Wish me luck.

peteroddo

jsalsy Oct 18, 2001 6:41pm

I have a 2001 5 speed SE, fully loaded. I previously owned a "Datsun" 280Z, BMW 2002, BMW320I, and BMW733I.

When I tell you this is the nicest car of them all I know you will snicker, but I really love this car. Believe it or not the 2002 cornered the best of all, but was slow.

The horsepower is plenty with the 5 speed, and I don't need anymore, particularly since I get 25 mpg.

No fuel cut problem. Just need to add a FSTB for high speed handling. I got the Courtesy version and installed myself.

I have 17" tires and have let some air out (to 32 psi) to smooth the ride. I haven't been through a winter yet. I will let you know how that goes.

Good Luck.

habitat1

..at least in DC (VOB Nissan, Rockville, Maryland)as of yesterday. Unfortunately, the one the dealer had was sold by the time I got there so no test drive. He was expecting 1-2 more to arrive today, but I didn't hear from him. Check around. Other dealers I called yesterday in the DC area said that Nissan wasn't releasing them for a couple of weeks. Obviousely, they were clueless. I saw one, just couldn't drive it.

amazing2u

If you want a first impression (very good) of the person who bought it, go see this link :-)

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?s=3064e1b2e262969d0fb7cea1b1bb4463&threadid=72236

booboo9

My 2001 GLE has 2600 miles on it. Gas mileage to date is 19-22 mpg in mixed driving. I do not drive the car "hard", at least not too often. This seems a little on the low side. What are others getting?

A note on the buying experience. I purchased the car in late July for a few hundred dollars under invoice. Finding it at this price required a significant effort. Fortunately the internet helped me get a decent price from a local dealer. The Nissan shopping experience was quite mixed. The dealer I purchased from was professional but I must comment on another dealer. Nissan North in Columbus, Ohio was ridiculous. They would not budge more than $500 off the sticker price. They tried to get me to buy a GXE for sticker, saying that it fit better into my price range. Additionally they tried to convince me that the cloth seats in the GXE could be removed and replaced with leather. Unbelievable. Reputations are earned.

habitat1

Guess I'll have to be quicker to the dealership next time!

charlew

I took my 2000 Max into the dealer earlier than normal for an inspection (I've had them do all my oilchanges/inspections/rotations,etc)because of the vibrating and front end "shimmy" I was experiencing. After my car was inspected, the desk gal said the technician found nothing wrong w/brakes or rotors, and the car passed without needing any brake work. Six weeks later, I returned to the dealer (600 miles later, also) and told them the vibrating was getting frightening, especially at speeds above 50. They turned the rotors and charged me $98 for new pads,even though the pads passed inspection 6 weeks (and 600 miles) earlier. So, I checked in here, and was referred to the ntsb that dealt with the problem. I printed it up, took along my 2 work orders from previous trips, and presented the info. to the service manager.I felt that the whole mess should have been covered under warranty (the car has 15,700 miles)- he replied that "I wanted him to pay for my brakes". Am I wrong thinking that the problem should have been covered entirely,especially when there is a known ntsb on the problem and I alerted them to the problem months ago!As I said before, I have them do all my work, have referred a friend who bought a Max from them, and now they want to nickel & dime me on brake pads? I can afford the $98, but once I was aware of the bulletin, it became a matter of principle. Did anyone else who had this fix have to pay for new pads? Thanks, Chuck

jimxo

Great car except for the vibrating noise (humming) from the front drivers side. Turns out I need to replace the hub, bearing and seal for $200.00 plus labor. 50k miles and this type of repair seems premature plus I have some shimmy now in the front which I am hoping will go away with this repair.

I have had all new brake pads, cut rotors and fresh tires recently, so what else can it be?

This still my best ride yet (excluding my 93 SC400).

godeacs

Gunn Nissan, just one of the 6 or 7 "no haggle" dealerships they have in SA. A very pleasant buying experience....

blackstone3

Does anyone know if there is a computer chip to boost performance on the 2k Maxima?

harleybc

I am experiencing a lot of wind noise in the
back seat on both sides. It seems to be coming from the rear windows.
Has anyone had a similar problem?
It is only apparent at highway speeds.
30,000kms on vehicle

Thanks

JHermon

I was a bit shocked as well by the spike in Carsdirect.com pricing for the Maxima in SE Michigan. I'm not too concerned about it, however. There are other tools to use to get leverage against a dealer to push a price down.

Last week I drove the I35 at an Infiniti dealership. I'm not sure I'm interested in the car, but I was able to get a price of $30,500 for an I35 with sunroof/sunshade and the cold weather package without any real negotiation (by the way, the heated steering wheel is really nice on a chilly evening).

Anyhow, I plan to use that price against the Nissan dealers I'm dealing with, since I want a pretty loaded car. If I get prices in the range of $28,500 or above, I can use the Infiniti $30,000 option -- "Why would I want to pay that for an Max when I can get an Infiniti (better dealer, more prestige, extra equipment, longer warranty) for only a little more?"

Also, I think you can use the Acura TL (even at sticker) for a lot of leverage, as well as the prospect of traveling out of state to get the car, if necessary. I haven't looked, but I"d bet I could get a ticket to the southeast or to New York for no more than $350. If that ticket and a 8 hour drive will save me a few grand, I'm willing to take a road trip.

Push come to shove, I can walk away and find something else. I really don't think it will come to that. There are a lot of Nissan dealers in Michigan and northern Ohio to call...

iluvmax

I own a 2000 max Gle. At 34000 miles my front rotors warped causing the front end to shake when braking. I took my car into Woodbury Nissan and they replaced the pads and turned the rotors completely under warranty. You should not have paid a dime and I would fight to get your money back.

I now have 45000 miles on it and other then the warped rotors and a tcm replacement the car has been perfect.

madmax2k1

There is an official Nissan TSB for the wind noise from the rear side windows, I had the same problem with my 2k1 Maxima, the Nissan dealer fixed it under warranty, they apply some type of foam seal to both rear quarter windows.

hope this helps

mikemajesty

in my are is selling under invoice.

JHermon

Where are you? The links to member ids seem to be broken this morning.

amazing2u

For Canadians:

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/011019/b101957.html

WOW!

Now THAT would help my financing on my "soon to be" 6 speed SE. :-)

canadiancl

I noticed Nissan changed the keyless entry key fob remote for the '02 Max. Are there any significant changes (ie. more features) for the keyless entry/alarm for the '02 Max? What I would like to see included would be glass-break sensor, passive arming or auto re-arm, and audible "beeps" instead of the horn.

Obi, you should know. Thanks

danny25

All I know is that now the key fob can roll down the front windows.

canadiancl

I think the '00 and '01 had this feature already.

amazing2u

that featur was unavailable for the 2000-2001 model Maxima. It's back on the 2002.

stickguy

Hopefully they recessed the lock button. I have 2 1999 Nissans with the same style fob, and I always end up locking them in the garage when I walk by (from the fob rubbing in my pocket, since the button sticks up).

canadiancl

Actually I have the opposite concern. I had a '95 Max that on a couple of occasions I had accidentally unlocked by somehow pressing the unlock button when the keys were in my pocket. (The car was parked on the street and I guess I was still within range of the transmitter). That's why I want to know if the new ones have the auto re-arm feature.

pateros67

amazing2u - I have an '01 GLE. If you unlock using the fob & don't open a door for 5 minutes, the locks will automatically re-arm.

booboo9 - My mileage is 19-22 also - mixed driving. Looks like it's not going to get much better for either of us - I have 22,600 miles on mine.

canadiancl

"I have an '01 GLE. If you unlock using the fob & don't open a door for 5 minutes, the locks will automatically re-arm."

Are you sure it's 5 minutes? That's a long time for the auto re-arm to kick in. On Hondas and Toyotas, for example, the system will re-arm and re-lock within 30 seconds.

slothead

slothead

I took my 2k max in with 22,000 miles on it with TSB in hand. They turned rotors for free but told me new pads would be my charge...forget price. I said are they out of meat already? My Honda went 70k on original pads. Both are 5 spds. They siad getting low need to replace soon, now have 26k and still haven't changed them, but figure must be getting the metal indicator squel soon.

merlion

Attn: Bianca2

I finally bought the 2002 Maxima SE base (silver color) . Still waiting for dealer to deliver the car. It will be awesome !

bianca2

Well done, you'll be happy with it! When do you expect to pick it up? How difficult was it to find a base model?

Booboo9 and others re gas mileage: I've found that the mileage differs a lot depending on what percentage of that "mixed" driving is on the highway. I get close to 30 mpg if it's highway only, around 19-22 if it's mostly or only city. Definitely the mileage per gallon improves as the ratio of highway to city driving improves.

mikemajesty

my zip is 91105

fangio2

the car max dealer here in SC is advertising new 2001 Maximas for under $20,000.This seems like a bargain compared to the new Camry.I see people in other topics bragging about getting a new Camry for around $27,000(fully equiped 6 cyl).The new 2001 Maxima seems like a much better deal.I don't know what my point is-just wondering if the price was the same would any Maxima owners prefer the Camry?

bianca2

The Camry and the Maxima appeal to two different audiences. The Camry is more of a family sedan, dependable, reliable, quietly good-looking, nothing much wrong with it. The Maxima is all of those things plus fun, sporty, better handling, somewhat firmer suspension (varies between SE and GXE/GLE) - maybe you could say it's for the family person who still has some bad-boy vibes in their soul!

merlion

I would add to bianca2 's comments on difference between Maxima & Camry. Try imagining Camry having Maxima's features and imagine the price. It would cost much more than current Camry's prices for sure.

Camry - made in US,
30% Japanese parts

Maxima - made in Japan
95% Japanese parts

merlion

bianca2:

Dealer delivering car on Sat. Guess it is easy to find base SE in Michigan. I got it for 23,700+ with floor mats & splash guards.

cyranno99

not always true.... my bro bought a Maxima... then Camry... now Sentra.... no logic to his madness.

bianca2

Cyranno, I'm curious, how long did your brother have each of those cars? Have his family circumstances changed so that he wanted to down-size to the Sentra (which is also a good car, I think)? Actually, I owned a Camry in mid-90's also, and like I said, nothing much wrong with it. But I have more fun in the Maxima. When I was car-shopping I test-drove both the Camry and the Avalon, and just didn't feel any attraction to them as compared to the Maxima. The current generation of Camry seemed somehow chintzier inside than the previous versions, and the Avalon I actively disliked, hated the dashboard and with the soft ride, felt I had aged 10 years "in the best Buick Toyota ever built."

Merlion, well, you can have a nice weekend out for a long drive, enjoying the fall colors! Tell us all about it when you get back.

mirth

merlion - what dealership and salesperson did you you get your Max SE from? I live in MI, too, and will be looking at Maximas next year. Thanks!

JHermon

Merlion -- I'm interested too. I'm looking at buying in the next few weeks...

Any word from your dealer about 6 speed availability? Or was that something you weren't concerned with?

And the most important question of all -- what color?

cyranno99

he got a 93? Maxima GXE and the car was very reliable until the transmission literally disintegrated.... chunks of metals. He didn't like it after the transmission rebuilt so he decided to get something more reliable..... a Camry LE V6. He thought it was a nice car, but he hated how easily the paint chipped. So he bought some used cars .... Mazda Protege... then Mitsu Galant. Somehow he saw that the Sentra SE seems to be a good bang for the buck and he bought a new one. +++++++ See what I mean? Maybe because he's still single... hahaha

merlion

Mirth: I got it from Ann Arbor Nissan (sales rep is Dan)

JHermon: Yup, I got the automatic coz I am sick of shifting gears. I have a stick shift right now.
Dunno abt 6 sp availability. But they have new cars pretty fast. I got Sterling mist since it goes well with the tail lights plus it is a more practical color. I was considering Majestic Blue too.

bianca2

He's had four cars in the last seven or eight years? He's a busy guy! Obviously fickle, too! (Maybe that's why he's still single! ;-))

What in the world did he do to the poor transmission to explode it all to bits?

dmathew347

I've been deciding between the new Maxima and I35
Is there really any serious difference between the two that justifies the $3K price difference, after negotiating?? Especially a comparably equipped maxima SE(fully loaded) and I35
I personally don't consider light color wood trim and rear sunshade as worth an extra $3k!!

bigbadboss101

between the Maxima and I35 would be one you get better Infinity services. I don't know too much about the I35 but would it be softer riding, automatic, and has some luxury appearance stuff?
They definitely look different so that is one decision point. One is conservative, one is more daring.

I wonder for the similar parts would the infinity prices be much higher than the Nissan.