2013 and earlier Nissan Maxima Prices Paid and Buying Experience
I bought a 2000 Maxima instead of a Passat in part because the nearest VW dealer is over 50 miles away and East Tennessee Nissan is less than 1 mile from my house. However, I'm not too impressed with them so far. There are rumors around (it's a small town) that the owner is a Yankee from Michigan who uses this and several other car dealerships to launder his drug money. But I digress: what I know is that the buying "experience" was the classic old-fashioned boiler room runaround job with a salesman, assistant manager/closer, sales manager and finance guy all trying to work us over. The service manager isn't very efficient or competent, either. But I like the car.
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kyleknicks@aol.com
Thanks
Good luck!
KarenS
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Tom and Ray of Cartalk.cars.com have calculated that every car (regardless of age) needs about 1200/year for maintenance and repairs. I took their advice about 3 years ago and have the appropriate amount deducted directly from my paycheck into a special auto account. This allows you to save up in easy years for those that are not so good. I generally purchase cars at 50-60K miles and my goal is to run them to 200,000. I’ve got a 1988 Dodge Aires to 170,000 miles. Let me relate this year’s experience with one of my vehicles.
My wife (spotless driving record) slid on some ice in January in our 1991 Mazda. We thought that it just needed an alignment. We took it into the tire shop. They said it needed a new wheel. Purchased the wheel. They couldn't align the car. A lot of stuff was bent. Went to the Mazda specialist and not only did we need to replace steering components because of the accident, but many had to be replaced because they were worn out. We also had to replace suspension items on the side that was not harmed in the accident. So we replaced the both struts, both strut mounts, the steering a-arm, right control arm and right wheel bearing. I had to pay for the strut mounts, and left side strut myself.
After that repair, the car still jerked and wobbled when it hit a bump. We needed new tires anyway. Went back to the tire shop. Couldn't align it again. This time the left side needed a power control arm, and a new ball joint. Frankly the car had vibrated since I bought it 3 years ago, and we’d ignored it since an alignment seemed to minimize the problem. But it was now much worse.
Fixed, and the car drives like it's new. Quiet and beautiful. Total Cost about 3,400. Half paid by insurance. I'm jealous of my wife because her accident actually saved us a bundle. The 2 prior years, total maintenance and repairs was only about $300.00 a year. If I take off $750.00 for the repair that was only caused by the accident, my total costs for 3 years comes to $2650.00. Well within the maintenance amount. The car behaves like it's new. What's more important is that I know know exactly when these components were replaced. I'd rather have a vehicle where I know the repairs that have been done and need to be done.
This has happened on other cars I have had before. There is one bad year, then it works with minimal repairs for 3-5 years.
My view is that if the car still looks and if the engine is intact without a huge expense go after the repairs. Let's look at your repairs.
Tires -- there are a maintenance item, replacing them and an alignment them will improve your ride.
Exhaust. This is a little early for that kind of a repair, but generally the repair for this will be free replacement parts for as long as you own the car -- if you go for a muffler specialist. (I prefer a local specialist over a chain since I was cheated by a major chain. George, are you listening). This is because they generally won't have to replace them again. The first set lasted 100,000 miles, and the second should last at least as long. I would consider this an ordinary maintenance option.
Brakes. Maintenance item. If you've gotten more than 60,000 miles on these in suburban driving, this is excellent. The brakes are due for a replacement as ordinary wear and tear items.
Ball Joint. This is a fairly normal wear item, depending on how it has been driven. I would recommend taking it to a tire store with a good reputation, who has a very experienced mechanic on steering repairs. Let him see what needs to be repaired.
Valve Job. Find another trusted Nissan engine specialist. Have them check on the valves, and do other engine quality checks.If it is really expensive, and requires a full overhaul, then it might be time to consider letting it go.
You don’t have to fix everything at once. The valve job appears iffy at this point. Unless it is damaging the engine further it can be postponed. I would probably fix the brakes, ball joint, and replace tires at the same time as the first repair. Also check shocks control arms and other suspension units.
I find it hard to believe that a Maxima at 100,000 is shot, but a Nissan specialist mechanic outside of the dealership can tell you that independently. He is not involved in car sales – even indirectly.
seems dealer is pulling a fast one
Thanks,
Tom.
Any info can be posted or send to mwatermasysk@yahoo.com
Thanks to all who reply!
Basically, it needs to be done. Your only options are to either try another dealer or find an independant shop.
Could anybody recommend a reputable service department at Nissan dealership in Northern, Central NJ or NYC area?
Thanx
Also, has anyone ever had a Nissan dealership actually be able to replicate a problem?
Steve
While waiting for the alernator to be replaced, the technician comes to me and says "Sir, the belt needs replacement as its quite cracked up. We will do it $90 instead of the usual $120 because we have already removed the alternator, replacing the belt will be easier." The alternator replacement was free for me as it was a manufacturer recall. But somehow I was not convinced of the "new" cracked belt problem the dealer discovered. I felt he just wanted to make an extra $90 for a lark. Ofcourse I did not get the belt changed.
I still don't know if by "belt" he meant the timing belt or alternator belt. If its the alternator belt, has anyone of you had to replace it and if so after how many miles?
I will appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.
Finally he went to Thompson Nissan in Doylestown, PA and they were immediately able to find the problem, and they had to install some kind of brake kit which cost around $250. Anthony, my friend , decided to call Nissan Customer Service to complain
about the inept service at the other dealerships and his waste of over $200 to do inspections that didn't find the problem. Nissan was nice enough to pay for the service at Thompson as a one time customer service gesture.
I think that the quality of dealer service depends on the area and type of customers that normally purchase vehicles from the dealer. Thompson is located in an area with higher incomes and Thompson also has Toyota, BMW, and Lexus dealerships within the area, and they are more likely to be more understanding of customer complaints so they can get repeated, higher spending customers. They even have valet service and wash your car after every service. We have never seen that before.
So far here is my experience with dealers:
Acme Nissan - NJ
Sales - Salesman, Fred Nass, was great! I would trust him with my life. No BS and no run-arounds. The Sales Manager, forgot his name, was a slime ball. Had the nerve to tell me I HAD to pay for the window etching that I did not want. Told him to take it off the invoice or I walk, which he did. Then he tells me that if I buy LoJack that my insurance would go down. Since I had LoJack in my current car, I knew all about it, and it was a lie. Even after telling him that it was a lie...he kept on going. What a jerkoff....do they think everyone is an idiot?
Service-
So far, just oil changes....pleased with them.
Peruzzi Nissan- PA
Service-
Since I lived in PA I took it here for the first several years. If you like to be bent over...go visit the boys at Peruzzi. Their mechanics are a joke and their service manager stinks. Tells me that they design the car to ping. The gave the usual "can't find the problem" all the time. I even got my car back scratched and they wouldn't fix it. It was a nice big scratch and AFTER showing them the damage, the manager went to the back and brought out a "damage inspection" report showing the damage....yea...this guy should work for Enron. Had to replace all 4 wheels since their idiots don't know how to use an air wrench. They scratched the hell out of the lug wells. Don't let them touch your car!
(non Nissan)
Davis Pontiac - AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE! Car was a lemon....mechanics made it worse. They had the car for over 1 month and over $5000 in parts and still couldn't fix it...again, they treat you like you are an idiot.
Norms Auto Glass - NJ
Had my windshield replace on my Max...asked for a PPG window since that is the OEM. They did a nice job.
Just my honest opinion....your results may vary...
After a state inspection and tire rotation, the car started to pull hard to the right. I took the car back and the service manager told me that they were going to "cross rotate" the tires. The repair order stated this, as well. However, due to simply dumb luck on my part, I noticed that all that they did was "unrotate" the tires. The only explanation of the service manager was that he misunderstood what the tech told him (a flat out lie) and then took offense with me for questioning the work.
Then, without looking at the tires, said that they would gladly sell me new tires; the current tires were one year old with 15K miles.
So, don't be overly infatuated with Thompson. Also, they don't know how to handle coupons. Their definition of repair and service somehow differ.
As a parting comment, if Nissan continues to make cars that need excessive repairs (at least mine has), the least that they could do is have some form of quality mechanics to fix them. I have heard too often now that they "could not replicate the problem". I think they issued a TSB on it.
Steve
Thanks.
My 2002 SE Maxima was purchased at Quirk Nissan in MA. I moved to NY and took my car to Koeppel Nissan where I had the oil changed. After they changed the oil, I noticed that the car was leaking oil. I was back in MA for the holidays and took it to Quirk to have it looked at. They indicated that the Koeppel mechanic did not tighten the necessary pieces (where the oil is drained off) and that I could have done serious damage to my engine had I not brought the car to be looked at. Strike one.
Prior to the repair, the Quirk Nissan consultant must have thought that I worked for him as well. He asked me to go outside to my car to put the repair tag # on my rearview mirror and report the mileage to him. Strike two.
Quirk Nissan than convinced me that I needed some maintenance done (15,000 mi/1 year service), fuel injector cleaned, alignment and balance and an in cabin filter change. Cost me $500--all for a car that is less than a year old. (What can I say? I (did) like my car a lot.) They also gave me an unnecessary tire rotation (part of the 15k/1 yr service), even after I asked them to exclude that portion of the service. Koeppel Nissan had just rotated the tires when they performed the faulty oil change.
After I picked up, my car from Quirk, I noticed that there was a plastic nut lying on my mat under the glove compartment. Probably from the in cabin filter change. I just shook my head. That's what $500 will get you these days. Strike three.
I thought my car would be fine after that. Wrong. See Master Cylinder failure.
To vent (which I am still doing if you could not tell) I decided to call Nissan to complain. In all fairness, they have promised that if I can show them the repair invoices they will reimburse me for the faulty oil change and unnecessary tire rotation. I recognize that Dealer Service is something they probably don't have a lot of control over.
In summary, I think my relationship with Nissan cars will be very short lived.
I'm just about to buy a used 96 SE manual for $6600. Its got the leather package and is in great condition. Dealer will let me take it to the local Nissan dealership for complete check.
Current miles is 111,150. Still not sure if the price is right though both Edmund and kbb.com suggest the retail to be higher. What d y'll think?
Much appreciate.
For example FL has 57 dealers, then select only those with the logo of "Nissan 2003 Owner First Award of Excellence".
Click here for Edmunds.com's "Dealer versus Aftermarket: The Service Arena
Enjoy your new car and post your comments on the Max board, where all Max members meet.
I think we could have done a little better if we played a couple of dealers off each other, but we liked the salesman. HOpe this helps.
"kennyg5 Jan 05, 2004 (9:14 pm)
Thanks for the elaboration. FYI, most of the people on these boards understand that a price quote usually includes destination charges. The only items not included are taxes, registration fees and handling charges. It appears that you have bought a stock car off the dealer's lot, which usually gets you a better deal than ordering a tailor-made car."
The cars sitting on the dealer lots cost more than the factory-ordered cars (to your exact packages, colors, etc. A matter of time to get them). For example they need to pay insurance on them on the lots whereas coming off the trailer and sold them immediately almost zero.
Of course the dealers want to sell the cars on their lots first, the longer they sit, the more money they have to pay for them.
Momzmax
Thanx in advance...
Bocreek - Where are you located? Any info on the deal you got would be great.
I am in Chicago and it appears you can get one anywhere from $300 to $1000 below invoice.
Anyone with fresh thoughts??