Nissan Maxima 2000 Starting

banzi

I recently brought a Maxima 2000. I notice that
when starting the car, it takes a little longer, a
couple of extra second or so, before it starts.
Occassionally, I have to turn the key a second time
to get it to start. Is this typical of Nissan
Maxima or should I be concerned?

dunn3

I had a '90 Maxima a while ago, and I had the same problem. It is not common for the car, and there is a part that they have to replace. My dealer did not believe me, and I had to take it there 3 times before they realized what it was and fixed it. It was not the battery, or alternator, but another component (don't remember the name though-sorry). Hope that helps

streemer

My mother owns a '97 Maxima SE and experiences the same problem. I once read that other Nissan products, like the Altima, are notorious for this problem. She has never taken the car to the dealer to find out what is wrong. Maybe if you're not using premium fuel, the car won't start right away--I'm not sure though. It might be something else.

choosinu

It is not typical for me. I just gave my 92 Maxima tomy son and bought the 2000, because I had had no problems with my car. I was not the best in maintenance either. The first time the start up problem occurred, I kinda overlooked it. Thought I hadn't turned it long enough...who knows. When it happened again I said okay now this is not right. Now I read your comment, so I am going to begin logging the incidents. I hope people keep addressing problems here.

jmcnaughton

I have a '96 Maxima as well as a 2000. We have a sloping driveway and when parked for more than a hour at an incline, neither car starts immediately. This is the only instance where the engine will crank longer than usual before starting. I don't see this as a problem, just an idiosyncrasy.

mdarya

Just bought a 2000 SE, Sunlit Sand, with all the options. Car has some pinstiping that I am not crazy about. Anyone know an easy way to remove the pinstriping without damaging the paint/finish?

Car is a rocket. Also, spoke witht the maintenance chief at the dealer. He said that the 55 mph limit for the first 1000 miles isn't correct. He stated that the car develops its personality (his word) during the first 1000 miles and if you want it to perform well, drive aggressively during the first 1000 miles. Any recommendations.

daveman314

I agree that the 55 mph rule is a bit conservative, but I do not agree with the mechanic's "aggressive break-in" theory. The car really doesn't develop a psyche during this time. The purpose of the break in is to get all the moving parts familiar with each other. During the first 1000 miles, there's a lot of internal metal grinding going on that smooths out all the burrs and imperfections of the machining process. I would advise sticking to the 4000 rpm rule and keep the engine demand reasonably low.

mhillgartner

I'm looking at buying a new car, and test drove a 2000 Maxima GXE this afternoon. It seemed to perform okay, and with only a few options I think it would make a decent car. My question to you Maxima owners: If you had it to do over, would you buy one again, or would you get something else based on what you know now?
Thanks (in advance) for your opinions.

jongroth

I just replaced my 97 Infiniti I30 with a 2000 Maxima GLE. I loved the I30, but the new Maxima is even better. The handling is extremely tight and the ride seems a bit smoother than the I30. The car is extremely well made--real quality throughout. You can't go wrong with the Maxima.

madha

I just finished buying a 2000 GLE and really like it so far. We were actually Infiniti shopping and ended up at a CarMax/Nissan dealer.We all ready have an Altima that we like and is paid for, so we checked out the Maximas' while looking. I drove a Infiniti G20t, I30t, Q45 and the Maxima. The G20 is stylish looking, but really lacks horsepower. Besides, I'd swear that it's interior is smaller than our Altima! The Q45 is nice but, pricey. Although they had a clearance on a 99 Q45t for 40k. Not bad. The I30 and the Maxima are practically twins! Different badging, but much alike. I liked the Maxima every bit as much as the I30, and we got it for 6500 less.It's a strong driving car with good interior room (I'm 6'4 and have a family)and the trunk is large. So far, we're happy.

jimstep

We just purchased our first new non-American car. We were sports car shopping and test drove the Maxima at the salesman's request. It was love at first site. Very well engineered. Smooth engine. The whole experience has been a pleasure. We have owned more than a dozen GM, Chrysler, and Ford vehicles. The Maxima is a great balance of sports and luxury. I am 6'3" and this is the first car that I can put the seat too far back. It's great.

dszbj

mhillgartner - about two weeks ago I purchased 2000 Maxima GXE. I know it has been only 2 weeks but we (wife and I ) are happy with it.
I looked at VW Passat, Honda Accord Toyota Camry and Subaru Legacy, and I still think that Maxima feels most luxurious of them all, has most power and "behaves properly on the road".
I was not to crazy on stiling, however I am getting used to it. We were looking for 5spd and it was hard to get with other cars.

jazzgirl95

If there's any question about what car to buy, you can make no mistakes by buying a nissan maxima. i've owned two of these cars (in addition to a nissan 280z, pathfinder and a little 60's silver datsun convertible with a rollbar). all the nissan vehicles i've owned are amazingly built. the maximas are my favorites. they are fast, sexy and most reliable. for the money, you'll get the an awesome value in a maxima.

monicas

We bought the 2000 Maxima GLE and love it. Only complaints are the body design is kinda of strange, and the 200 watt stereo doesn't sound as good as the 150 watt one in our Infiniti Qx4. They are both BOSE systems so they should sound alike. Other then that we felt it was a good buy. Its perfect for those who need the family car, but don't want to feel like your driving a family car.

edwardh3

Has anyone had valve noise at startup with the maxima infiniti V6? I have one, I purchased new with 6000 miles on it now and on one occassion the valves all rattled a lot for 10 seconds at startup after an overnite sit in 45 degree weather. Has not done it since. I changed the oil filter thinking it was a failure of the NIssan filter's anti drain back valve. I put in a purolator pure one which has a silicone valve. The dealer said "yeah they sometimes do it but very infrequent"

Any ideas out there?

eagle21

Just a question for anyone who has bought their Nissan Maxima 2000. Any options that I should not get and ones I should get. Considering to get the Maxima in 6 months.

eagle21

Just a question for anyone who has bought their Nissan Maxima 2000. Any options that I should not get and ones I should get. Considering to get the Maxima in 6 months.

projo

Depends on the model. If you buy a GLE, there are few options--Moon roof (mandatory option), traction control (not worth the money),splash guards (get em) and floor mats(buy after market),
deluxe seating package (really nice). If you get an SE it will cost $1200 more to option it up to GLE level(but you do get a wing and expensive tires). And if you buy a GXE get a stripper and buy it under 20K. We got GLE and rather like it!!

lee65

I bought a used 1996 GLE in April of 1998 and a friend bought a new 1998 SE. We were not aware of the 2000 coming out. We have talked to a sales man about trading ours in on a 2000 and we were told that we were so upside down on the cars that we would have to wait for a rebate to get one. CAN ANYONE HELP OR GIVE ADVISE TO GET WHAT WE WANT PLEASE.

eagle21

Projo: Thanks for the reply. I am considering to getting the SE version of the Maxima 2000. I went to the Auto Show in Boston and the car looked great inside and outside. The wheels and the seats were nice. But, thanks for the opinion on the traction control. Some people have said the samething about it. I've looked at the options and I am planning for the convience package and the seating ones. I definitely want the 17" wheels! They look great! Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. And to owners of the 2000 maxima, any advice on the experience of owning one would be great!

gusr2

Dear Nissan lovers:
I just purchased the Maxima Y2K SE and I'm in love again! My last car was a 1994 Chevy Camaro and regret the day I walked into the dealership. I learned that you don't buy on looks alone! The Camaro was pretty but lousy vehicle to drive and built like a soda can! The only concern I have with my Maxima is why do we have to use premium gas? Its only a 6 cyl. Can anyone answer! Will it affect performance and milage if I drop down to regular gas? Gas is very expensive in Upstate NY.
Help!!!!!!

dklanecky

Gus,

I have 2 Maximas (95 GLE) & (00 SE)and have driven the 95 over 167,000 miles with only normal maintenance. Read your owners manual for your 00 and follow the directions and I believe you can expect the kind of reliability I've experienced.

imo, you'll seriously degrade the short term performance of the Max by using anything less than the gasoline suggested and you may be doing long term damage to the engine.

Your call every time you fill up, but I'd rather spend a few dollars more on a regular basis then risk replacing an engine down the road, or worse yet not feeling the full power the engine is capable of delivering when fed properly.

dk

martyd3

I called Nissan and talked to my neighbor regarding the type of gas. (My neighbor owns a tire store and is a part-time race car driver. He knows cars!) They both said regular gas is OK. You will lose some performance, but it will NOT damage your car.

gotnads

I have had a 98 SE for 18 months. The car is so perfect (with the exceptions of dash sqeaks and rattles and slightly inadequate driver legroom) that it gets boring. It is fast as blazes, and no one can outrun you unless they have a Z-28 or some Euro exoticar. One of the greatest pleasures I have is being flipped off by the nimrods here in Mass. who park in the far left lane and only do 60 to 65 mph and refuse to move over for faster cars. They will try to keep you from passing their 96 four cylinder Caravans by speeding up, but the scowl on their faces when you do pass is priceless. Acceleration is truly effortless.
The valve tapping you hear at startup happens to me also, especially if the car has sat for 3 or 4 days. At 6000 miles I changed from a regular oil to Mobil-1 5W-30. This oil flows faster when cold, and my change intervals are at 5000. Also, I have never run anything but premium fuel. That is what the owner's manual calls for, and Nissan being the manufacturer knows more about their product than anybody's neighbor. Unless that neighbor is one of the Japanese engineers who designed the car.
All this said, I am considering trading it for a VW with the TDI diesel engine. Why? Because I drive 55 miles one way to work, and I want 50 mpg rather than 30 (oh, I forgot to mention, when I don't drive like a bat out of hell I get roughly 31 mpg). I am becoming a tightwad now that I am 40, and want to keep more of my money. Gas is so expensive up here in the land of the Yankee, and I am not sure why. So, VW will probably get the nod.
To you Maxima owners, take a little care of them and they will be great cars. Then you too can anger the thick lense wearing road hogs in your left lanes with the greatest of ease.

gotnads

The 1998 Nissan Maxima Owner's Manual states the following is recommended: "Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91 AKI (RON 96)." It also has a sidebar with this under the heading of "FUEL RECOMMENDATION": "Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) number (Research octane number 96). If unleaded premium gasoline is not available unleaded regular gasoline with an octane rating of at least 87 AKI (Research octane number 91) can be used. However, for maximum vehicle performance, the use of unleaded premium gasoline is recommended." There it is, straight from the bible for Maxima ownership. If a person is such a tightwad that they do not want to take care of the car by using premium as the owner's manual suggests, why not buy a 4 cylinder Camry? It takes regular.

Nope, use of regular won't fry the engine, but it will degrade the performance. Regardless of what some customer service phone person says. And besides, if people read their manuals they won't have to run up Nissan's phone bill by calling 1-800-anything to find out something that is in black and white right in front of their noses.

dklanecky

I just reread both owners manuals from my 95 GLE and '00 SE. BOTH have exactly the same quote in the fuel recommendation section that is referred to by Greg in post #25 for his '98. It certainly appears that Nissan has been consistent with their fuel specifics.

I can understand saving a couple of dollars at every fillup by using lower octane gasoline but
I can't understand why you'd want to use anything else in a car with the performance orientation of the Maxima.

Especially knowing full well you're compromising the performance of an engine that has proven over the years to be one of if not the best 6 cylinders in the world as defined by years of reliability and performance.

ottersden2

Just a side note. We own 3 maxima's 94, 96, 99. We use only regular gasoline. No problems ever. I traded in my 89 GXE with 165,000 miles (Digital dash) for the 99. Never an issue with the fuel. Actually, I spoke to several Service managers and they said that Premium gas was just throwing the money out the door. Living in NY is brutal at the pump- so- I'll stick to Regular fuel. No problems passing, as I've had the 94 up to 115mph without a hesitation or knock. The Nissan 6 cyl are relentless and the best around.

erik333

Just bought the 2K Maxima SE and love it! I have every available option except the 17" wheels. Apparently they came with 16's in July. Oh well... The car handles excellent, and the Deluxe seating package is well worth the $. The Bose radio is not the same as in my Camry but does the job. And it is a great feeling to finally be able to pass somebody without redlining your engine! So far... so good!

amysue2

I'm considering buying a 2000 Maxima GXE w/ comfort/conv. package & a rear spoiler. Price excluding tax & tags $22,300. Is this a good deal?

pat455

The best place for discussions of "good deals" is in our Smart Shopper conference and our Sedans conference. If you use the Search feature at left, you will find lots of topics on the Maxima.

Why not take a look at them, you should find lots of discussion on what folks are paying.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

hilliard1

I bought my daughter a 96 nissan maxima and she just loves the car;however, the wind noise and turbulence is terrible. My son has 95 mazda 626 that is almost as bad. I want to buy a new y2k maxima,but I cant tolerate this wind noise. How many of you have experienced this on new maximas. Someone told me the doors may need readjusting(tightened) to get a bette seal. I love the way this 96 maxima runs. Iam used to a z28, so I like high performance cars. Thanks Larry

dklanecky

I have a 95 Maxima GLE and a 00 Maxima SE. The wind noise on the 95 has always been more than I'd prefer (but I just turn up the Bose) The 00 Maxima is much quieter than my 95 in regards to wind noise. (I spend most of my time on the highways at 75-85 mph)

Regarding turbulence, both cars have sunroofs, but the 95 didn't have the wind deflector and the 00 does. The deflector completely eliminates the turbulence that is very annoying on the 95.

I'm going to spend the $70 in the spring and put a deflector on the 95 now that I've seen the difference its made on the 00.

dk

butch11

This can be caused by a oil filter with a non functioning anti drain back valve. Reportedly the standard orange Fram filters are the worst offenders. One of the much better low cost alternative oil filters is made by AC Delco. The valve noise at start up is an indication of low oil pressure and that means excess wear.

blackmax2k

I just purchased my 2K Maxima SE and i love it. Traded in a raggedy 98 Explorer for it. I hated that truck with a passion now i love this car with a passion. Looks great, rides great. I hit 105 and didn't even realize it.

xlegend

I'd be interested in knowing what kind of pricing deals are available on the Maxima GLE especially in NJ. I have owned Maximas over the last 15 years and they are great.

pat455

Why don't you check out the various Maxima topics in our Sedans conference? This is where folks are discussing purchasing vehicles. You can find those topics by entering Maxima in the Search window at left. Here is a link to one popular topic: Nissan Maxima - Part 5 (Topic #2919)

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

iluvmax

I have 10800 miles on my 2000 Gle and it has always started on the first try quickly. My 96 gxe did the same. My car is parked in the garage every night and I use premium fuel all the time.

This is the best car I have ever owned and yes I would buy it again and again and again...

The only problem I have is my wife loves it to so on weekends she does all her errands with it and I never see it!! She is driving a 1991 oil leaking explorer and we are looking to replace it with a pathfinder.

bacon1

The exhaust system bangs against the bottom of the car on uneven road surfaces, it doesn't have to be a rough surface, the dealership has replaced the rubber bushings and repositioned the brackets, the problem hasn't gone away, is anyone else having this problem? What have yoiu done to correct?

pat455

You may also want to check into Nissan Maxima - Part 5 (Topic #2919) to find other recent purchasers of the 2000 Maxima.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

karmann99

I have a '00 Maxima GLE with 5,000 miles on it. I noticed that the transmission hesitates and shifts hard between 1st and 2nd when cold. After two or three cycles between gears, it shifts smoothly.

I called dealer service to ask about this. I was told that it was normal for the car to shift roughly when cold and not to worry.

Has anyone else had this problem? Was it looked at? Did the dealer do anything to correct it?

It doesn't seem to be a problem, just a nuisance.

Thanks.

pat455

You also may want to check the link I posted in #39. That would be a very good place to find owners of the '00 Maxima GLE.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

yaeger

I just bought my SE on Dec. 30. So far I am thrilled and my family loves it. My long-legged son loves the room and comfort in the back seat. I did a lot of research on the internet and made personal visits and checked out many cars before I purchased and nothing in the below 30 grand price range really compared to the Maxima. I looked closely at Volvo 40 series, Mazda 626, Camry, Accord. Not one of these cars had the detail, comfort, performance or style that the SE has. I would definitely recommend this Nissan. My family couldn't be happier. Also the 2.9% financing that Nissan offered at the close of 1999 was awesome.
Has anyone found any after market wheel locks that fit on the 17" factory wheels?

lss4444

I just went from a 98 Pontiac Grand Prix to a 2000 Nissan Maxima. WHAT A MISTAKE! I was influenced by the Macho speed-devil racing ads. Yes, yje Max ride is fast and smooth but GM cars are so advanced with electronic features which far surpass any of those in the Maxima. I never dreamed a Maxima would be that far behind the GM cars. What's worse is the poor Service I've been getting on warranty work on the Maxima. I can't believe the difference and it's the same dealer!

dklanecky

Would you care to elaborate on your warranty woes for those of us who have yet to have any problems? So far my 2000 SE (3,300 miles) has been perfect.

andresenbm

No problems on my Max yet (3K miles) either. Also, I rented a 99 Grand Prix when in CA a few months back for 8 days (car had less than 10K miles on it). Driving the car was like driving a log truck. Not at all nimble like the Max. Not to mention the styling was/is far past it's prime, the interior was nothing to write home about, and the orange/red lighting inside made me want to vomit. Gotta disagree with the GM is better comment. My 2 cents.

Brian

eblum

Well...I WENT from a 1998 Grand Prix GT to a 2000 Maxima SE. My GP was re-purchased by GM (with the help of a top notch lemon law lawyer).

There are pros and cons for both cars but I know that the Nissan will last longer than my GP would have. GM has some quality issues.....ok...they stink...the car just fell apart! I got the run-a-round...now Im laughing because they paid for me to buy my Maxima..

The Maxima is a refined, expensive looking car...the GP looks like a lot of things...expensive and refined is not one of its attributes....you may get more for your money in a American car as far a features..but you are not paying for quality.

andresenbm

I would say take your $1210 and put it in a savings account. I think Nissan makes money every time they sell an extended warranty because their cars seldom have problems. Seems like the general consensus in this and other forums is that extended warranties on nissans are a waste of money.

daddyofgoo

Let's see if I got this straight:

you bought a 2000 Maxima - because of the TV commercial;

you bought the car in such a hurry that you didn't notice what electronic features it had, or didn't have - now you are blaming the car for not having the same electronic "stuff" as your OLD car;

even though your car is relatively brand new, you are taking the car in for warranty work;

you are blaming the car for making the dealer give you bad warranty service, because you conclude that if you had bought a GM car from the SAME DEALER, he would have given you good service?

Hmm..., well the way I see it is:

You are either:

a) used to buying expensive items on impulse, then selling them immediately once the "thrill" passes;

b) being taken advantage of by things that are beyond your control;

c) an anti-Nissan guy who wants to rock-the-boat on the Nissan Maxima page.

Let's vote shall we.

andresenbm

I vote D. All of the above.

hays1

I just got a '00 GLE in Dallas. Options include moonroof,wind guard,spoiler,splash guard, mats.
Stickered at $28,300 plus TTL. I drove off with it
at $26,300 including TTL (6.25%). Great car..
how does this compare to other areas of the counrty. This is a high volume dealer.

pat455

That's a great question for our Sedans conference. Just use the Search feature at left to join one of the Maxima topics that are underway.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference