Has anyone bought a Maxima SL in the Houston area recently? I'm thinking about buying one. What were the drive-out prices you have paid? Please let me know. Thanks.
I haven't seen that many new Maximas on the road. Also, like you said, there seems to be a lack of board activity. BTW, I saw an ad over the weekend that new Maximas are discounted $3000 off MSRP at a dealership in the Houston area. They must be hurting for business. I'm considering the new TL's as well as the Maxima. I have a 97 Maxima and I love it so I'd like to give Nissan a shot first. Still prefer TL over Maxima now. However, if I can buy Maxima $5000 less than TL, then I might do it.
I can see your point, but you have to figure that the eventual resale of the TL may make up for that initial savings. Plus, the interior of the TL is light years better than that of the Maxima.
Yeah, I agree with you that TL's interior quality is way better than the Maxima (I've found my 97 Maxima GLE's interior materials to be much better than the new ones. The materials for later designs feel and look so cheap). That's one of the reasons I'm leaning toward the TL, not to mention Acura's service. Nissan's service department is terrible. However, resale value shouldn't matter since I usually keep the car for at least 8 years. I just have to weigh the pros/cons of both cars if the difference is indeed $5000.
looked at a 3.5 SL today and the only thing that I want on it is the Elite package for the back seats... any clue as to what I might or should at least try to shot for in terms of a good deal on em.. there hard to find in ohio but I just came back from a trip to omaha nebraska and I stopped in a dealorship.. they have 20+ all with the Elite package on them... they say they just can't move em... people don't like it... whats the chances of getting a good price @ a dealor in ohio to have them bring in one from nebraska... its not like they'd need to actually do any looking... cause I know the dealorship that has em already... any comments
Since some buyers are comparing both, FWIW I paid $33,310 for a TL 6-speed w/ Navigation and HPT (High performance tire) package. Those are the only options you can get on a TL. That price equates to around $1,000 over invoice. Deals on non-Nav, non-HPT models as low as $300-$500 over invoice ($30,500 +/-) have been reported.
I think the Maxima is a fine car at $25-26k. But if I got up to or approaching $30k, I would lean heavily towards the TL, myself. The interior is in a different league and I prefer it's smoother higher revving engine to the Maxima's slightly torquier, but lower revving engine.
P.S. I've kept my 1995 Maxima SE w/ 153k miles. It's a great car that just won't quit. Got it for $21k in 1994 with the only option being ABS brakes.
I appreciate your input. I'm a newbie to the site so forgive me if I ask questions that have been answered several times. I'm downsizing from a SUV so I'm most concerned about the safety of a smaller car, decent gas mileage, reliability, and longevity. The max seems to have good features for the price. Can you tell me why it gets such poor (only 2 buttons) ratings for mechanical quality? Same ratings come up for the TL and G35. The Avalon is rated at 4 out of 5. The articles I've read seem to indicate that the engine is reliable and not problematic. I'm not sure how seriously to take the ratings I find.
As for your Max, I'm impressed with the longevity! I'd keep it too.
My 1995 Maxima was the first year of the "generation 4" Maxima that ran from 1995-1999. It appears to have been one of the best versions of the Maxima from a mechanical quality / rliability standpoint. I know of others who purchased 2000-2002 models that had problems. Example: brakes. I have had the front disk pads replaced twice, the rears once in 153,000 miles. The original rotors are fine and have not needed to be replaced. There are reports of future Maxima models needing new rotors in as little as 30,000 miles. I did not have my first true significant "repair" on the Maxima until 110,000 miles, when I needed to replace the water pump. Some would even say this is a "maintenance" item.
As for the TL's low rating, I think a lot of that may be due to the well known automatic transmission problems that Acura (and Honda) have had over the past several years. I bought a 6-speed. My limited (2.5 years, 18,000 miles) experience with a 2002 Honda S2000 was completely perfect, as far as mechanical quality. And the fit and finish of the car was the best I have ever seen, although it probably helps that the S2000 is hand built in limited quatities in Japan.
It is unfortunate that the Maxima quality has slipped a bit since 1995, but I think it is still well above average compared to most cars. And, trust me, unless you have a severe case of insomnia, driving an Avalon for any period of time will make you wish it would break down so you can get something else. It is the perfectly built Buick. So is pretty much everything else in the sedan line from Toyota or Lexus.
Hello. Had exactly the same reaction in Grand Rapids. Would suggest Dealers in Detroit if you can make it. I just purchased a car today to be delivered on Monday at Tamaroff. They whipped the pants off the deal, got the car, when above and beyond and made money.
Have been trying to work the GR angle for 3 months - no success. They HAD a captive audience.
I'm in the market for a Maxima. Anyone have any suggestions as to a good dealer in the Central Florida area? I'm actually in St. Pete (west coast) but will drive some for a deal. My last Max came from Bill Ray Nissan in Longwood, FL and I will contact them again. Unfortunately the sales associate I dealt with has moved on.
Alas, my beloved '02 SE was stolen on Monday and promptly totaled by the thief. Dang those airbags! The thief walked away from the wreck and hasn't been seen since.
I recently test drove a 2004 Max and liked what I saw. My question is what price should I be aiming for? I also like the TL, and G35; neither of which I have test drove yet. It will be between one of the three.
There are way too many variables involved to help you decide what a good deal on a Maxima in your area is.
However, you should easily get an SE with a few options for under 30K out the door. There is currently a $1K rebate being offered. Check the Edmunds TMV board here and that will give you an idea of what you should pay. If I was buying a Maxima, I don't think I would offer anything more than invoice minus the rebate (Or, more simply, $1K under invoice).
See my post #53.It dpends on where you live and the number of dealers in the area. You should be able to get an 04 SE with DPP, Sunroof, VDC, floor mats and mudflaps for at least $200 under invoice plus the $1000 rebate. You will also have to decide is taking the 1.9 interest worth more then the $1000 rebate.
I would suggest that you check the TMV board here at Edmunds under the New Cars tab, and also carsdirect. That should give you an indication of what a good deal is in your area.
We have 2K SE Max which overall has been a great car. My wife has put 52K on it since we bought it new (I get to drive it get its bath and home). I would like to get another SE but I am not a fan of the SkyView, I would like to hear from people who have purchased a Max in Calif, and if they felt they received fair deal. When I purchased the 2K I work with 3 different dealers to a price of 2% over invoice. Any input would be appreciated. One last question has anyone heard when the 05 Max might be offered? Everywhere I look I see nothing to state when Nissan will make it available.
Check out CarMax.com. They have 3 04 Maxima's with Nav at between $29,118 to $29,668 which is from $4300-$4400 off MSRP, including the $1,000 rebate which puts you about $1290 below invoice.
Stock numbers 2287427, 2287766, 2162188. You'd of course have a bit of a road trip to bring it home, but perhaps you can use these numbers to help you at your local dealer?
I have been getting quotes on 04 maximas from several dealers. Most are offering $4,000 to $4,700 off MSRP. I would shoot for $5,000 off as it gets closer to the 05's being out (which I hear will be the end of August or early September).
I haven't seen any recent information about 2004 Maxima purchases so I'll add mine to possibly help someone else - or humiliate myself. On Tuesday I'm purchasing a base SE with mats for: $24,275 + $1,764.25 (RI sales tax + registration) + $60 processing fee for an out-the-door price of $26,099.25. I hope this helps someone else (and please don't tell me how badly I got screwed).
You didn't get screwed at all. You got an excellent, roomy sedan with plenty of power and safety equipment for about the same price of a Camry or Accord. You should be happy. Good luck wih it!
Hi--have never purchased used before--looking for help buying a Manufacturer Certified 2001 Maxima SE, 3.0L V6, leather interior, automatic. Car has 42K. Dealer is asking $17,962. I was thinking of offering $16K. Not sure what site to check other than KBB which I have found to be too high. Any thoughts?
I've got 2 offers on the table (both at 200 dollars below invoice) Both are XE Offer 1: Driver's preferred pack, floor mats, navi, splash guards, XM, and skyview. W/ 2.0% financing- for 30593 -500 for college grad rebate= 30093 + ttl
Offer 2: Driver's preferred pack, floor mats, sunroof, Traction Control Package w/ 2.0 % financing for 29051 + ttl
Input would be greatly appreciated.
-P.S. Is the Traction Control package really worth it? The car already has standard abs brakes..comments?
Last Saturday I had a test drive on 2005 Maxima, 2005 Lexus ES330, 2004 Accura TL and 2004 Infiniti G35rwd. I like the performance and the roominess of the maxima, and the smooth,quiet ride and interior of ES330, so one of these two will be my final choice.
Lexus dealer is willing to take off about$1,000 off the MSRP of 34,964, which I think is still a little bit high although this is only the third week the dealer got the ES330.
I got a quote from a Nissan dealer: "In stock 2005 nissan max sl with sunroof, dpp. $29405+ttl not including rebate. Outside of inventory With Dpp and skyview, $28,725.00." I am not aware of any rebate for the 2005 Maxima, but I think this is an attractive offer. Any comments, advises?
Hi. I just purchased my 2002 Maxima SE which I have been leasing for the last 3 years. I'm interested in getting a Nissan Extended Warranty. I was quoted $877 for a 60mo/75K mile warranty from my local dealer. This seems a bit high to me, but maybe it's not.
Has anyone gotten a good deal on an extended warranty, or can anyone recommend a dealer that has better warranty pricing?
Been looking to buy an 05 Maxima SE, with the following options 6sp Manual, Drivers Preferred, Moon Roof, Traction Control, floor mats. Based on the research I've done the invoice is 29751. What would think is a fair price to pay? I am thining Invoice + 200?
I just picked up my 05 SL yesterday....and yes there is a $1,000 rebate, but there have been no ads at all in the Boston area papers for 05's yet, so i was fortunate to find an honest dealer...i went to buy an 04 SE at $6,200 off sticker (ad car), but I couldn't get enough for my trade and i didn't want 18" performance tires with the snow we get in New England, so i ended up going with the 05 SL with sunroof and driver preferred package...price was below invoice even before the rebate.
Does the 6 speed manual transmission add to the cost of the car vs. the auto? The invoice on my car was $29,075 without traction control, which is only a $300 (retail) option...that still leaves about $400 at invoice to get to your number.
I just wanted some opinions on the deal I have right now. I am looking at a 2004 Max SE with DPP,sunroof,mats,splash guards. The MSRP on the car is $32,370. I can purchase the car for $27,200(which includes the rebate). I can now finance this car at 3.9% for 4 years. My total cost for this car after tax and interest will be $31,660 ($5500 down plus 48 pmts of $545). Is this a good deal???
•Driver Memory Seat System w/Auto.•Heated Electric Folding Outside Mirrors .•Heated Power Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel .•Driver Seat Power Lumbar Support .•Includes compass in rearview mirror..
The rebate on the 04 is $1,500 and the best deal in the Boston area right now is $5,800 off sticker ($ 26,570. based on your facts), so your not too far off. On Sept. 30th, the same car was advertised (and available) for $25,999 (see my previous post). It appears that after the end of the quarter the price went up by $500??
Anyway, I ended up with an 05 SL....drove it 200 miles roundtrip to Hartford today and love it. The Bose stereo (320 watts) is much improved over the Bose in the 2000 maxima i traded.
You don't mention leather....$24,500 appears high considering a new 04 with leather, dpp, sunroof, etc... is only $2k more...but maybe you will get lucky....good luck
If, as max05 suggested, you are trying to get $2k less (7-8%) than a brand new Maxima for youe 2004 w/17,500 miles, good luck. I don't think too many smart shoppers - especailly on this forum - would be on the buying side of that deal.
I would think that a 20% discount from the new car price would be the best you would do across the table from someone with any decent ability to do a cost benefit analysis. That would suggest more like a $5,500 discount from a brand new car or something in the $21k range.
I'd ask you or anyone in this forum, why would anyone buy a used car with nearly 50% of it's warranty gone for a nominal discount over a new car?? The only possible reason I could see is on a limited production car that has a long wait list. A business associate sold his Ferrari 360 for more than he paid for it. Another sold his 2 year old M5 for only about 15% less than he paid for it. But the Maxima isn't exactly a limited production vehicle.
i am looking at 2000 GLE - quote ext. warr 60 mo/75 mile of 1500. maybe mine is higher due to older car???? Please let me know of other replies to your question and if possible, fax your quote to me....we are finalizing this soon. thanks PH
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
Sounds fair. I purchased a 2005 Maxima SL a couple of weeks ago for $500 over invoice. Did not have nav or traction control. What made the deal real "sweet" for me was the 2% financing that Nissan is offering this month.
Joe10, Yes the 2% financing is why I was doing the deal as well, it is a big difference in the payments. Actually price I paid was closer to 400 over invoice for SE with Moonroof, Splash Guards. But is was worth it for a great car.
I'm moving your post to our regular Nissan Maxima discussion, since this one is for pricing & buying questions only. You can check for responses by clicking on my link.
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MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
I've decided on a Maxima SL, Onyx, with Burnt Orange interior with the Elite package. Not one Burnt Orange interior in 5 dealer inventories that I've checked in northern NJ. Is it that rare?
Comments
Auto Trans
Driver Preferred Package
Power Sun Roof
VDC / Full Spare
Splash Guards
Floor and Trunk Mats
MSRP $33,220
INV $30,134
PAID $29,934
Driver prefered
Journey
VDC
Floor mats
Splash guards
Dealer: Jeff Schmidt, Beavercreek, Ohio
Red OP color out/leather int
All bells/whistles EXCEPT NAV and rear bucket seats
MSRP = $32,620
Dealer quote = $30,799 & 1.9% for any term financing
Tax and license takes the cost back to MSRP (almost exactly, imagine that!) and very close to TMV What Others Are Paying quote.
Dealer says they don't/won't deal any more than that. Live in Grand Rapids, MI area.
Comments?
I think the Maxima is a fine car at $25-26k. But if I got up to or approaching $30k, I would lean heavily towards the TL, myself. The interior is in a different league and I prefer it's smoother higher revving engine to the Maxima's slightly torquier, but lower revving engine.
P.S. I've kept my 1995 Maxima SE w/ 153k miles. It's a great car that just won't quit. Got it for $21k in 1994 with the only option being ABS brakes.
As for your Max, I'm impressed with the longevity! I'd keep it too.
As for the TL's low rating, I think a lot of that may be due to the well known automatic transmission problems that Acura (and Honda) have had over the past several years. I bought a 6-speed. My limited (2.5 years, 18,000 miles) experience with a 2002 Honda S2000 was completely perfect, as far as mechanical quality. And the fit and finish of the car was the best I have ever seen, although it probably helps that the S2000 is hand built in limited quatities in Japan.
It is unfortunate that the Maxima quality has slipped a bit since 1995, but I think it is still well above average compared to most cars. And, trust me, unless you have a severe case of insomnia, driving an Avalon for any period of time will make you wish it would break down so you can get something else. It is the perfectly built Buick. So is pretty much everything else in the sedan line from Toyota or Lexus.
Have been trying to work the GR angle for 3 months - no success. They HAD a captive audience.
Alas, my beloved '02 SE was stolen on Monday and promptly totaled by the thief. Dang those airbags! The thief walked away from the wreck and hasn't been seen since.
Lindsey
Is anything under $30k a good deal?
However, you should easily get an SE with a few options for under 30K out the door. There is currently a $1K rebate being offered. Check the Edmunds TMV board here and that will give you an idea of what you should pay. If I was buying a Maxima, I don't think I would offer anything more than invoice minus the rebate (Or, more simply, $1K under invoice).
Stock numbers 2287427, 2287766, 2162188. You'd of course have a bit of a road trip to bring it home, but perhaps you can use these numbers to help you at your local dealer?
You should be able to pick up an '02, maybe even an '03, for well under $18K. Plus, the '02s and '03s were considerably improved over the '01 models.
2004 SL with power sun roof: $27000.00, which is about $1300.00 under invoice.
Offer 1: Driver's preferred pack, floor mats, navi, splash guards, XM, and skyview. W/ 2.0% financing- for 30593 -500 for college grad rebate= 30093 + ttl
Offer 2: Driver's preferred pack, floor mats, sunroof, Traction Control Package w/ 2.0 % financing for 29051 + ttl
Input would be greatly appreciated.
-P.S. Is the Traction Control package really worth it? The car already has standard abs brakes..comments?
If you live in Minnesota, well, you already know the answer.
Lexus dealer is willing to take off about$1,000 off the MSRP of 34,964, which I think is still a little bit high although this is only the third week the dealer got the ES330.
I got a quote from a Nissan dealer: "In stock 2005 nissan max sl with sunroof, dpp. $29405+ttl not including rebate. Outside of inventory With Dpp and skyview, $28,725.00." I am not aware of any rebate for the 2005 Maxima, but I think this is an attractive offer. Any comments, advises?
Has anyone gotten a good deal on an extended warranty, or can anyone recommend a dealer that has better warranty pricing?
Thanks,
-n
I appreciate all opinions on this deal.
And, would I be expecting to see a 5K-6K off the MSRP for the 04 models ?
Any response are welcomed.
•Driver Memory Seat System w/Auto.•Heated Electric Folding Outside Mirrors .•Heated Power Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel .•Driver Seat Power Lumbar Support .•Includes compass in rearview mirror..
Anyway, I ended up with an 05 SL....drove it 200 miles roundtrip to Hartford today and love it. The Bose stereo (320 watts) is much improved over the Bose in the 2000 maxima i traded.
I would think that a 20% discount from the new car price would be the best you would do across the table from someone with any decent ability to do a cost benefit analysis. That would suggest more like a $5,500 discount from a brand new car or something in the $21k range.
I'd ask you or anyone in this forum, why would anyone buy a used car with nearly 50% of it's warranty gone for a nominal discount over a new car?? The only possible reason I could see is on a limited production car that has a long wait list. A business associate sold his Ferrari 360 for more than he paid for it. Another sold his 2 year old M5 for only about 15% less than he paid for it. But the Maxima isn't exactly a limited production vehicle.
kirstie_h
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kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle