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I'm in the exact position you were - driving (pun intended) myself and everyone else crazy about a choice between an Accord and Maxima. It's nice and helpful to read your story and resolution. Hopefully I'll make a decision by the end of the week.
Yes, there is a lot to consider. The Accord is cheaper - no doubt about it. I figured, I would have spent around $29,000+ for a fully loaded Accord, while I spent $6,000 more than that for my fully-loaded Maxima. Did I get $6,000 worth of extra stuff in the Maxima? For me, the answer is "yes."
Nissan's navigation system is better than Honda's navigation system (and I'm well qualified to make that comparision. I have Honda's nav in both my '07 Civic and my '06 Odyssey). For example, Honda does not offer XM Traffic Alert with their nav, while you do get it with Nissan. In addition, the map graphics are much better with the Nissan than Honda's maps...and more up-to-date! I live in a neighborhood that was built approximately 4 years ago. Honda's nav system does not recognize my neighborhood (any of the streets)...and that is true for the '06, '07, and '08 Honda system. I suppose you'll eventually be able to purchase updated maps (what do those run, $300?), but I'm not sure when. Nissan's system, on the other hand, does recognize my neighborhood.
I've also found Nissan's nav system to be more accurate (as in, recognize more accurately when you are at a given point) and calculate better routes than Honda's system. Not everybody needs the nav, but I do, and Nissan's is better.
The Accord has a decent 6-cylinder engine. I like it's fuel-saving feature of shutting down up to 3 cylinders, when it's able to do so. You'll run on 3, 4, or 6 cylinders with the Accord. That's nice. But it really doesn't offer a huge efficiency gain over the 290 HP Nissan engine, and while opinions vary on this, I absolutely love the CVT transmission in the Nissan! The first car I drove with the CVT was a Jaguar, about 6 years ago. This is pure luxury smoothness, with excellent response and a fun throaty note from the exhaust! The Nissan 6 trumps Honda's, in my opinion. If (and ONLY if) MPG was the only criteria for comparing the two, Honda would win. Factor in any other criteria, and Nissan trumps Honda.
Nissan has quite a few more "toys" that I really like! I got the technology package, which included a 9.3GB "Music Box" hard-drive. I still have a bunch of CD's at home, and I can store 500 CD's and/or 3,000 songs. This isn't a big deal to me, but it is cool and I like it! I've got CD's I haven't listened to in years, because I don't like carrying around a lot of CD's in my car...but now they I've got them all downloaded in my car. The Accord does not have this hard-drive.
Of course, this feature is less valuable if you only use an iPOD or other MP3 player...in which case, you'd just plug the player into the car (which both the Accord and Maxima support).
Both the Maxima and the Accord have excellent interiors. The fit and finish of both really is great. But even here, the Maxima trumps the Accord, in my opinion. Nissan's interior just looks/feels to be of higher quality, and the Maxima driver's seat, with the front extension, is just awesome! Having sat in both the Accord and the Maxima, I was much more comfortable in the Maxima.
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I needed a 4-door sedan. I really like the looks of the Accord Coupe, but the Accord Sedan looks totally different, and boring as could possibly be! With the Maxima, you get a 4-door sedan that simply looks awesome! The exterior of the Maxima is absolutely beautiful.
Bottom line, the Maxima was well worth the extra $$ over the Accord, to me.
I never noticed that the Accord didn't include XM traffic. The Acura models do have it (my MDX did). That's just stupid.
I do not see the Accord as a competitor to the new Maxima. The Accord to me is more in the league as the Altima. To compete with the Maxima you need to go to Acura. There in lies the main issue for Nissan, selling an Infiniti/Acura class car at a Nissan dealer. We know from history that has been an issue for Mazda with the Millenia and Volkswagon with the Phantom (that was crazy expensive).
I've driven the Accord and Maxima. I'll take the Maxima in a heartbeat -- but -- there is that sticky little issue of price difference in a tough market.
My local Nissan dealer said they aren't even selling V6 Altimas right now, everyone is buying 4s (they sell around 85 Altimas a month). Your typical Nissan buyer isn't looking to throw 38K out for a sedan.
To me, Infiniti has a hole in their line-up to compete with the ES. The Maxima would have looked perfect in that spot and I think will have sold better. The Maxima is that good and for 38K I want Infiniti level service.
Yeah - apparently, Honda sees XM Traffic as one of the differentiators between the Honda and Acura brands.
And I do fully agree - it is really not fair to Honda to make the Maxima/Honda comparison...but that is one of the shopping comparisions I made and I think many consumers will do the same.
I think 38K is a bit much for the Maxima. I'm sure dealers will initially attempt to sell them for that price, but many are already selling fully-loaded Maxima's for less than that. Yes, the Maxima at 36K+ still lands in Infiniti territory, but squarely in the G's space, and not close to the cost of an M series. To me, it doesn't seem unreasonable for Nissan to have the Nissan flagship car around the price of the cheapest Infiniti. This is definitely at the level where there is a convergence of classes of cars.
If the Maxima were priced ridiculously expensive, relative to Infiniti, such as the Phantom's price relative to Audi, I would agree that Nissan really blew it. But as that is not the case, I think Nissan's move makes a lot of sense: Re-establish the brand as having a bona fide "flagship" vehicle that is a bit pricey, but offers a great package for the price.
I also fully agree that the average Nissan buyer is not going to thow down this kind of money for a sedan...but again, most buyers of any brand are not buying that brand's flagship vehicle.
The Maxima is aimed squarely at the consumer that could purchase an Acura or Infiniti, but cares more about the actual car than the badge on the front of it.
I suspect I'm not the average buyer of the Maxima, but the truth is, I was more drawn to this car specifically because it's an "Infiniti" without being labled as such. I appreciate this "covert" elegance!
But yeah...Infiniti-level service would be nice. What does that entail? Free rentals for any all-day service? I know it does not include free scheduled maintenance, like BMW offers...but if it does include the free rentals, that would be nice. Still, for the cost savings over the M (the G didn't interest me), I suppose I can rent my own cars.
I was wondering how many speakers are in the Bose system in the Max and how does it sound? I am used to and spoiled by the Mark Levinson sound system in my Lexus GS but it will be time to replace the car soon and want a car with a comparable factory system. Also, does anybody know how many watts the Bose system puts out? I have heard mixed reviews about the Bose system in the Infiniti G sedan and wonder how it compares sound wise in the new Max.
8 speakers come standard in the S and 9 speakers (2 woofers and a central channel speaker) come standard in the SV.
I'm not an audiophile, and can't comment from the perspective of a highly discerning ear. I can say the Bose system sounds great. I would be extremely surprised if the Bose stereo suffers in comparison to any other OEM stereo. Not saying it's better than all others...just that it's of sufficient quality that it would really be nitpicking to find anything audibly wrong with this system.
I think you'll have to simply sit in the Maxima and compare the sound to your Mark Levinson system.
Thanks very much. You obviously have the technology package. Do you also have premium package? I'm seriously looking at SV with technology package (which as you know requires addition of HID-Xenon headlights and bluetooth), but not premium package. The final negotiated price is looking like $34,000 inclusive of all dealer fees (full tank of gas), excluding sales tax.
Do NOT pay MSRP for this or ANY car. Do not believe the "Upward Market Adjustment number". Read the newspapers. Car sales are at an all time low. The economy is struggling. Stock market is in a freefall. People do not want to buy cars by liquidating their investments at a loss. Nissan could not have picked a worse time to market this gas guzzler. It is a nice looking car but at $5/gallon on a 20 gallon tank your looking at a cool $100 to fill up-WOW!!
You need to let your salesperson know what I am telling you. At first they will balk and then come calling back..
Be smart. It is your money!!
You should pay invoice or below invoice within 1-2 months-I know-I am a Nissan car salesperson
Until it overheats and won't let you rev past 4K, and when it any part related to it fails requires an entire 5K+ replacement, since when in the HELL was it acceptable for a "Sports car" to allow it's transmission to overheat?????????
The MZ6 Will meet this in the handling department and pass it in the value department, the Mazda6 is much more of a comparison to this than the Accord.
"Until it overheats and won't let you rev past 4K, and when it any part related to it fails requires an entire 5K+ replacement, since when in the HELL was it acceptable for a "Sports car" to allow it's transmission to overheat?????????"
The Maxima is a "sporty sedan", not a "Sports car" (despite Nissan's marketing).
Anybody looking for a true sports car should stay away from the Maxima. Anybody looking for a true sports car should not only stay away from the CVT, but all automatic transmissions, in general.
Having said that, the CVT is a perfect match for the '09 Maxima, and the driving style of the vast (VAST) majority of potential buyers of this car.
I test drove the Accord today to compare it to the Maxima (test drove last week). The fully loaded Accord stickers at $30,900. The Maxima was somewhere between $37K and $38K. That is a difference of almost $7,000. The Maxima definitely has more features than the Accord. The tilt & tlescope wheel on the Accord are manual and there is no seat memory. There also is no backup camera in the Accord. The Maxima was much more fun to drive with better power and handling (plus more torque steer). The only thing I prefer about the Accord is the quiteness. For some reason, Nissan designed substantial exhaust noise into the Maxima (one of the test reports said the car is so quiet they did this on purpose). I had hoped going in that I was going to be happy with the Accord and save some $$$. But after driving them both I feel the Maxima is worth the extra money.
My local dealer received 5 2009s today to go with their demo. The wildest looking one is white. The double sunroof is black on it. Very different looking.
"Thanks very much. You obviously have the technology package. Do you also have premium package? I'm seriously looking at SV with technology package (which as you know requires addition of HID-Xenon headlights and bluetooth), but not premium package. The final negotiated price is looking like $34,000 inclusive of all dealer fees (full tank of gas), excluding sales tax."
What is the sticker on that, rkurlander? $36K and change?
Sounds like a decent deal to me. Of courses, these will be cheaper later in the year, but for what you can expect to get now, $34K is a decent deal.
Somebody else on this board mentioned a quote of $34K+ for the premium package...but that is an absolutely smoking deal. I don't think there are many deals like that around.
I agree - white looks great. I've had so many white cars over the years (my current other two cars are both white) that this was the single color I was determined to most avoid. That was just a little baggage I brought to the table, but judged purely on its own merits, this car looks great in white!
As an aside - I have yet to see a single one of these on the road besides my own! I've driven mine in LA, Phoenix, and Vegas since purchasing it, and I've had a couple of people come up to me in parking lots and ask about the car, but I haven't seen another one on the road yet.
I too have test driven multiple 2008 Accords as well as the 2009 Maxima. At normal cruising speeds, I believe the Maxima is actually a much quieter vehicle. In fact, one of the more common complaints on the new Accord is excessive road noise.
At full throttle, I agree the Maxima is more loud - but that's part of the fun!!
Has anyone spotted a blue, red, or mystic jade (light green) 2009 Maxima?? My 5 local Nissan dealers have yet to get any of these in, but claim they are being produced.
SV MSRP with technology package, HID-Xenon headlights, bluetooth, splashguards, and floormats is $36,100. The deal I'm considering is $34,000 (including full tank of gas). NC tax is 3% on top of that.
Did you buy the car? I looked at the 09 Maxima two weeks ago and couldn't even drive it w/o the salesman in the car and him telling me to slow down and take it easy when I gave the car 1/2 throttle. I really hate the whole car buying process. It would be so much easier if the dealers had dedicated demo vehicles that one can REALLY test. The new Maxima is a great car!!!
Yeah they are trying to charge a $2000 fee on top of sticker.....Because of the "$2000" market adjustment since it's in such "high demand".. In this economy you have to be kidding me!!
I test drove a black with black 09 Maxima with the tech package. It was a short ride but a good one. This car is awesome! Pulled out onto the automile and the car zoomed right up to 60mph in no time. The car is extremely quiet and comfortable, the brakes are smooth and sure. Variable steering is nice and quick and easy to use in parking lots, tightens up on the road. The seats are very supportive and comfortable. Simply a great car!
I was actually offered $1,000 below sticker today so there is hope. We live in South Jersey. What this means is that Nissan is realizing that their marketing ploys are not working. The model I was offered was the next model over the base-no sport or premium package. MSRP was $33,300. They took $1,000 off. I passed. I did test drive and the car is extremely quick-abit noisy also. Nissan is trying to emulate the Infinity G series with the Indy sounf. No crazy about the front "Pickachoo designed" headlights.
I just bought o Lexus ES 350 for $34,700. The extra $2,400 over a 4 year loan or roughly $50/month was worth the price. I am still concerned about the Maxis mpg...Very nervous..If you can wait please do and find out as much as possible
Be very concerned about the Nissan Maximas MPG!!! I brought the car today with a full tank of gas. 110miles later, only a half tank left. Granted, I opened it up a bit cause i just got it and it was BEGGING me to, but this is not what I was expecting. I have a family of five and needed to save on gas so I got rid of my 05 Yukon which was killing me. After today i'm seriously wondering if I made the right choice. I LOVE this car to no end. I never cared for Maximas until this car. All the features are crazy. Maxima really hit the mark with this car. This car is both luxurious and sporty at the same time. Its a lady in the Street, but a FREAK in the BED!! All that! I have 3 children. a 4 year old, 15 year old and 12 year old and they all fit in the back seat comfortably. everything's perfect... except for the gas mileage. 19, 26??? I seriously doubt it. Although the car is beautiful, and I am turning heads left and right, the main reason why I got the car was to save on gas, and, I know its early, but so far... I don't see the savings.
btw.. I purchased a premium w/Tech for $34,500. MSRP was 38,800. got a really great deal
ok - just took my second road trip and put another almost 800 miles on the car.
This time I did my own calculations, and mine came out almost identical to the car's onboard stats. Once again, I averaged just shy of 23 MPG on the highway.
Looks like that's about what I can expect. Works for me, as my city driving will be minimal. If I drive in town, it's just to go a few miles. Most of my driving will be long-distance trips.
So here's the deal: If you need something that's going to hit around 30MPG on the highway, don't bother with the Maxima. (Again, I can't provide an estimate for city driving because I haven't done enough of it).
But if you are looking for a heck of a great car that gets in the low 20's on the highway, this might be the car for you.
23 sounds kind of low. What speed was this at (80)? I recently bought a Lexus GS350 because of the mileage rating (19/27) and consistently get between 28 and 29 on the highway at 70-80 MPH. Looked at the Infiniti's but passed due to low MPG ratings (16/23 for M35 & 17/24 for G35). The Infiniti's turn over 3000 RPM at highway speeds. My Lexus turns 2300 at 80. What RPM does your Maxima turn on the highway? Hopefully the G35 will be better for 2009 with the new 7 speed automatic.
I def. will wait cuz the gas is not gonna lower anytime soon. Iran, Nigeria, and Hugo> combined. good luck. Just might get a 4 cyl Altima or Accord instead. Its just the gas price its holding me back. We'll see.
Cyberpunk or someone who currently owns a 09 Maxima:
Please tell me how many miles you are getting per tank and the cost to fill up the Maxima, also it is necessary to use the premium gas? I am considering this against a Tahoe, my friend owns ones and says it gets 350 miles to the tank at $80 a fill up on a 26gal tank. I really need the space so if the Maxima gets even close to the Tahoe I will probably go with the Tahoe. Please help? :confuse:
Ive already test driven the 09 Maxima and your right its great! But Tahoes have always been a love of mine so you see why my decision is hard.
No - the Tahoe's MPG is not even close to the Maxima's. You are comparing a heavy SUV with a V8 to a sedan with a V6.
Sounds like your friend is averaging 13.5 MPG in the Tahow. But I'd really like to know where he's purchasing gas for $3.07 a gallon!! That's what he claims to be paying, if he claims to pay $80 to fill up a 26 gallon tank. That same tank would cost about $107.00 if you have to pay the national average for regular unleaded.
I'm averaging well above 400 miles on a tank, and the Maxima's tank is 20 gallons (not sure how much fuels costs where you are, but you can do the math on what it costs to fill up 20 gallons). I can't give you a good feel for the Maxima's city MPG, but I'm get about 460 miles out of a tank (I'm averaging right around 23 MPG on the highway).
I believe that the Maxima's rating is pretty accurate. It's rated at 19/26. I'm sure I could easily get 26+ out of my Maxima, but, well...I'm a bit of a lead-foot and this car is just too fun to open up! I am undoubtedly my own worst enemy, when it comes to my car's fuel economy.
But to get back to your post - it's very difficult to compare a Maxima to a Tahoe. They are simply too different. But the Tahoe is certainly not in the same league with the Maxima (or just about any sedan, for that matter) when it comes to fuel efficiency.
Well as someone pointed out already, your friend isn't telling you the truth about the cost of his fill ups. I have a 08 Altima with a 20 gallon taken and at $4.06 its costing me $79 to fill up.... I would assume once some of these people start getting some miles on thier cars the miles will increase, that is what happened with my Altima....
Boy did your friend lie to you!!! I just returned a GMC Yukon (which is the same as the Chevy Tahoe) to get the 2009 Maxima. It was costing my $110 to fill up the Yukon. and I was filling up once a week. I was getting 13.4 MPG City/HWY. When I first got the Maxima I was pushing it to the limits and wasn't seeing any savings. First day I was averaging only 12MPG because the car was begging me to open it up and its so fun to drive. Also, because I came from driving the Yukon, I have a heavy foot. I have since eased up on the pedal and learned how to drive the Maxima and I am now averaging 18.5mpg City and Hwy combined. That's 5.1 gallons more than the Yukon, or an extra 102 miles per tank. There is absolutely no comparison!!! I filled up yesterday at $4.25 a gallon premium and It costed me $82; that's $28 dollars I'm saving per week. You'll be saving at the pump and it will not burn as fast if you go with the Max. DO NOT BUY the Tahoe if you expect to save on gas. You'll make a huge mistake. Besides.. The Maxima is a much better ride! and you'll be surprised at how roomy it is. I have 3 kids and they all fit comfortably. This car is amazing!!!!
I have to say that the Maxima mpg is pretty disappointing. My wife's 2007 Odysssey is rated the same as the Maxima--19/26. And it weighs a good 1,000 pounds more and takes regular gas. Fuel efficiency may hurt sales of this car. It can't muster better mpg than a minivan?
I test drove the new Maxima and liked it a lot. We need another car and I was seriously considering a 2009 Maxima, but the early fuel economy reports are not encouraging. We just returned from a round trip down to Oklahoma City and back north for a total of 1400 miles in a 2007 Avalon - averaged 29.3 mpg and that included 3 days of running around in OC. Think I'll stick with something in the Toyota or Lexus line with that wonderful 3.5. Hope mpg improves with age for the new Maxima for those who buy it.
It's not my intent to do Nissan's job and convince anybody to purchase this car, but I will say, those of you that are concerned with the MPG of this car are missing the bigger picture of what this car is all about.
This isn't a hybrid with an advertised 50 MPG that delivers a dissappointing 38.
This is an entry-level luxury car with a boatload of additional horsepower over the model it replaces, and improved gas mileage over that same older model. That is quite an accomplishment and kudos to Nissan for pulling it off. It must be acknowledged that Nissan increasing horsepower significantly while simultaneously increasing fuel efficiency is worthy of praise.
It's easy for a manufacturer to take an easy out and deliver one or the other without spending the time & money on inovation. Want more horsepower? Put a larger version of the same motor in the car (at the sacrifice of MPG). Want better fuel efficiency? Put a smaller motor in the car. Nissan didn't bow out like that, but rather, did what I expect an automaker to do: Innovate.
The Maxima's fuel-efficiency is absolutely respectable for a car of this size, weight, and performance capability.
The luxury and "toys" that this car offers are second to absolutely none in its class, and right on par with cars much more expensive that carry a luxury badge.
If you want a minivan, buy a minivan. If you want an SUV, purchase an SUV. Neither of those types of cars have anything in common with the Maxima.
If you want a car that provides better MPG, they are out there. But none are in the class of this car when you look at the complete package of luxury, performance, comfort, and fuel efficiency that the Maxima offers.
Most buying decisions are a trade off. For me, the wholistic package offered by the Maxima was way more compelling than any other option out there, for the space that this car plays in.
I totally agree with you. You cannot compare an SUV to a SportSedan. My points were with the recent gas prices its harder to over look the MPG on any car. The review from Edmunds did not help Maxima out at all on fuel efficiency (15/21)on premium. I don't doubt this is the BEST Maxima ever made, but it just the timing is not great for alot of Nissan enthusiasts. I don't remember ever paying $350-400 for gas a month thats all.
All good points which I agree with. As I stated, I like the 2009 Max a bunch. I would buy this car IF I were hearing that it was averaging the economy that was on the window sticker. There are cars out there with similar power-to-weight ratios that can easily do it. Most of the "real world MPG" threads that are on this site will have people on both sides of the sticker......those with a heavy foot that are below and those with habits/eye for economy that will actually do better than EPA estimates. Not hearing that here, although it is still early.
I am looking at the 09 Maxima SV with Premium package including NAV (no double sunroof), the sales man told me sales price of 38K MSRP :surprise: (on the website its list is 37,380) I'm not willing to pay either with auto sales down. What is a reasonable counteroffer, I live in Houston Texas. I was thinking 32-33K
Based on my experience with this car, I have no reason to believe it's EPA ratings are inaccurate. I've pushed the car hard, and averaged under the rating. rkurlander is apparently hitting right at the car's ratings.
EPA ratings are much more accurate, now that they've been revamped. For comparison;
Toyota Camry/Avalon: 268HP, 19/28 MPG Honda Accord: 268HP, 19/28 MPG Acura TL: 258 HP, 18/26 MPG 286 HP, 17/26 MPG Audi A6: 255 HP, combined 21 MPG Audi A4: 200 HP, combined 24 MPG Infiniti G: 306 HP, 17/24, 17/23, 17/25 (depending on options) MPG Infiniti M: 275 HP, 16/23 MPG BMW 328: 230 HP, 19/28 MPG BMW 335: 300 HP, 17/26 MPG BMW 528: 230 HP, 18/28 MPG BMW 535: 300 HP, 17/26 MPG
Nissan Maxima: 290 HP, 19/26 MPG
The Maxima stacks up very nicely when looking at the HP/MPG ratings.
300 miles would be less than 1 tank of gas. How have you been calculating your mpg? Multiple top offs? 1 top off with an average mpg and an estimate of city vs. hwy miles?
Comments
I'm in the exact position you were - driving (pun intended) myself and everyone else crazy about a choice between an Accord and Maxima. It's nice and helpful to read your story and resolution. Hopefully I'll make a decision by the end of the week.
Yes, there is a lot to consider. The Accord is cheaper - no doubt about it. I figured, I would have spent around $29,000+ for a fully loaded Accord, while I spent $6,000 more than that for my fully-loaded Maxima. Did I get $6,000 worth of extra stuff in the Maxima? For me, the answer is "yes."
Nissan's navigation system is better than Honda's navigation system (and I'm well qualified to make that comparision. I have Honda's nav in both my '07 Civic and my '06 Odyssey). For example, Honda does not offer XM Traffic Alert with their nav, while you do get it with Nissan. In addition, the map graphics are much better with the Nissan than Honda's maps...and more up-to-date! I live in a neighborhood that was built approximately 4 years ago. Honda's nav system does not recognize my neighborhood (any of the streets)...and that is true for the '06, '07, and '08 Honda system. I suppose you'll eventually be able to purchase updated maps (what do those run, $300?), but I'm not sure when. Nissan's system, on the other hand, does recognize my neighborhood.
I've also found Nissan's nav system to be more accurate (as in, recognize more accurately when you are at a given point) and calculate better routes than Honda's system. Not everybody needs the nav, but I do, and Nissan's is better.
The Accord has a decent 6-cylinder engine. I like it's fuel-saving feature of shutting down up to 3 cylinders, when it's able to do so. You'll run on 3, 4, or 6 cylinders with the Accord. That's nice. But it really doesn't offer a huge efficiency gain over the 290 HP Nissan engine, and while opinions vary on this, I absolutely love the CVT transmission in the Nissan! The first car I drove with the CVT was a Jaguar, about 6 years ago. This is pure luxury smoothness, with excellent response and a fun throaty note from the exhaust! The Nissan 6 trumps Honda's, in my opinion. If (and ONLY if) MPG was the only criteria for comparing the two, Honda would win. Factor in any other criteria, and Nissan trumps Honda.
Nissan has quite a few more "toys" that I really like! I got the technology package, which included a 9.3GB "Music Box" hard-drive. I still have a bunch of CD's at home, and I can store 500 CD's and/or 3,000 songs. This isn't a big deal to me, but it is cool and I like it! I've got CD's I haven't listened to in years, because I don't like carrying around a lot of CD's in my car...but now they I've got them all downloaded in my car. The Accord does not have this hard-drive.
Of course, this feature is less valuable if you only use an iPOD or other MP3 player...in which case, you'd just plug the player into the car (which both the Accord and Maxima support).
Both the Maxima and the Accord have excellent interiors. The fit and finish of both really is great. But even here, the Maxima trumps the Accord, in my opinion. Nissan's interior just looks/feels to be of higher quality, and the Maxima driver's seat, with the front extension, is just awesome! Having sat in both the Accord and the Maxima, I was much more comfortable in the Maxima.
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I needed a 4-door sedan. I really like the looks of the Accord Coupe, but the Accord Sedan looks totally different, and boring as could possibly be! With the Maxima, you get a 4-door sedan that simply looks awesome! The exterior of the Maxima is absolutely beautiful.
Bottom line, the Maxima was well worth the extra $$ over the Accord, to me.
I do not see the Accord as a competitor to the new Maxima. The Accord to me is more in the league as the Altima. To compete with the Maxima you need to go to Acura. There in lies the main issue for Nissan, selling an Infiniti/Acura class car at a Nissan dealer. We know from history that has been an issue for Mazda with the Millenia and Volkswagon with the Phantom (that was crazy expensive).
I've driven the Accord and Maxima. I'll take the Maxima in a heartbeat -- but -- there is that sticky little issue of price difference in a tough market.
My local Nissan dealer said they aren't even selling V6 Altimas right now, everyone is buying 4s (they sell around 85 Altimas a month). Your typical Nissan buyer isn't looking to throw 38K out for a sedan.
To me, Infiniti has a hole in their line-up to compete with the ES. The Maxima would have looked perfect in that spot and I think will have sold better. The Maxima is that good and for 38K I want Infiniti level service.
And I do fully agree - it is really not fair to Honda to make the Maxima/Honda comparison...but that is one of the shopping comparisions I made and I think many consumers will do the same.
I think 38K is a bit much for the Maxima. I'm sure dealers will initially attempt to sell them for that price, but many are already selling fully-loaded Maxima's for less than that. Yes, the Maxima at 36K+ still lands in Infiniti territory, but squarely in the G's space, and not close to the cost of an M series. To me, it doesn't seem unreasonable for Nissan to have the Nissan flagship car around the price of the cheapest Infiniti. This is definitely at the level where there is a convergence of classes of cars.
If the Maxima were priced ridiculously expensive, relative to Infiniti, such as the Phantom's price relative to Audi, I would agree that Nissan really blew it. But as that is not the case, I think Nissan's move makes a lot of sense: Re-establish the brand as having a bona fide "flagship" vehicle that is a bit pricey, but offers a great package for the price.
I also fully agree that the average Nissan buyer is not going to thow down this kind of money for a sedan...but again, most buyers of any brand are not buying that brand's flagship vehicle.
The Maxima is aimed squarely at the consumer that could purchase an Acura or Infiniti, but cares more about the actual car than the badge on the front of it.
I suspect I'm not the average buyer of the Maxima, but the truth is, I was more drawn to this car specifically because it's an "Infiniti" without being labled as such. I appreciate this "covert" elegance!
But yeah...Infiniti-level service would be nice. What does that entail? Free rentals for any all-day service? I know it does not include free scheduled maintenance, like BMW offers...but if it does include the free rentals, that would be nice. Still, for the cost savings over the M (the G didn't interest me), I suppose I can rent my own cars.
I'm not an audiophile, and can't comment from the perspective of a highly discerning ear. I can say the Bose system sounds great. I would be extremely surprised if the Bose stereo suffers in comparison to any other OEM stereo. Not saying it's better than all others...just that it's of sufficient quality that it would really be nitpicking to find anything audibly wrong with this system.
I think you'll have to simply sit in the Maxima and compare the sound to your Mark Levinson system.
Thanks very much. You obviously have the technology package. Do you also have premium package? I'm seriously looking at SV with technology package (which as you know requires addition of HID-Xenon headlights and bluetooth), but not premium package. The final negotiated price is looking like $34,000 inclusive of all dealer fees (full tank of gas), excluding sales tax.
You need to let your salesperson know what I am telling you. At first they will balk and then come calling back..
Be smart. It is your money!!
You should pay invoice or below invoice within 1-2 months-I know-I am a Nissan car salesperson
The MZ6 Will meet this in the handling department and pass it in the value department, the Mazda6 is much more of a comparison to this than the Accord.
The Maxima is a "sporty sedan", not a "Sports car" (despite Nissan's marketing).
Anybody looking for a true sports car should stay away from the Maxima. Anybody looking for a true sports car should not only stay away from the CVT, but all automatic transmissions, in general.
Having said that, the CVT is a perfect match for the '09 Maxima, and the driving style of the vast (VAST) majority of potential buyers of this car.
What is the sticker on that, rkurlander? $36K and change?
Sounds like a decent deal to me. Of courses, these will be cheaper later in the year, but for what you can expect to get now, $34K is a decent deal.
Somebody else on this board mentioned a quote of $34K+ for the premium package...but that is an absolutely smoking deal. I don't think there are many deals like that around.
As an aside - I have yet to see a single one of these on the road besides my own! I've driven mine in LA, Phoenix, and Vegas since purchasing it, and I've had a couple of people come up to me in parking lots and ask about the car, but I haven't seen another one on the road yet.
At full throttle, I agree the Maxima is more loud - but that's part of the fun!!
Has anyone spotted a blue, red, or mystic jade (light green) 2009 Maxima?? My 5 local Nissan dealers have yet to get any of these in, but claim they are being produced.
SV MSRP with technology package, HID-Xenon headlights, bluetooth, splashguards, and floormats is $36,100. The deal I'm considering is $34,000 (including full tank of gas). NC tax is 3% on top of that.
Where are you getting that deal already in NC? I may be in the market for one, and am in Raleigh.
Thanks.
Did you buy the car? I looked at the 09 Maxima two weeks ago and couldn't even drive it w/o the salesman in the car and him telling me to slow down and take it easy when I gave the car 1/2 throttle. I really hate the whole car buying process. It would be so much easier if the dealers had dedicated demo vehicles that one can REALLY test. The new Maxima is a great car!!!
If that means you bought it, congrats! You're going to love it (I'm sure you already know that).
I just bought o Lexus ES 350 for $34,700. The extra $2,400 over a 4 year loan or roughly $50/month was worth the price. I am still concerned about the Maxis mpg...Very nervous..If you can wait please do and find out as much as possible
btw.. I purchased a premium w/Tech for $34,500. MSRP was 38,800. got a really great deal
This time I did my own calculations, and mine came out almost identical to the car's onboard stats. Once again, I averaged just shy of 23 MPG on the highway.
Looks like that's about what I can expect. Works for me, as my city driving will be minimal. If I drive in town, it's just to go a few miles. Most of my driving will be long-distance trips.
So here's the deal: If you need something that's going to hit around 30MPG on the highway, don't bother with the Maxima. (Again, I can't provide an estimate for city driving because I haven't done enough of it).
But if you are looking for a heck of a great car that gets in the low 20's on the highway, this might be the car for you.
Please tell me how many miles you are getting per tank and the cost to fill up the Maxima, also it is necessary to use the premium gas? I am considering this against a Tahoe, my friend owns ones and says it gets 350 miles to the tank at $80 a fill up on a 26gal tank. I really need the space so if the Maxima gets even close to the Tahoe I will probably go with the Tahoe. Please help? :confuse:
Ive already test driven the 09 Maxima and your right its great! But Tahoes have always been a love of mine so you see why my decision is hard.
No - the Tahoe's MPG is not even close to the Maxima's. You are comparing a heavy SUV with a V8 to a sedan with a V6.
Sounds like your friend is averaging 13.5 MPG in the Tahow. But I'd really like to know where he's purchasing gas for $3.07 a gallon!! That's what he claims to be paying, if he claims to pay $80 to fill up a 26 gallon tank. That same tank would cost about $107.00 if you have to pay the national average for regular unleaded.
I'm averaging well above 400 miles on a tank, and the Maxima's tank is 20 gallons (not sure how much fuels costs where you are, but you can do the math on what it costs to fill up 20 gallons). I can't give you a good feel for the Maxima's city MPG, but I'm get about 460 miles out of a tank (I'm averaging right around 23 MPG on the highway).
I believe that the Maxima's rating is pretty accurate. It's rated at 19/26. I'm sure I could easily get 26+ out of my Maxima, but, well...I'm a bit of a lead-foot and this car is just too fun to open up! I am undoubtedly my own worst enemy, when it comes to my car's fuel economy.
But to get back to your post - it's very difficult to compare a Maxima to a Tahoe. They are simply too different. But the Tahoe is certainly not in the same league with the Maxima (or just about any sedan, for that matter) when it comes to fuel efficiency.
This isn't a hybrid with an advertised 50 MPG that delivers a dissappointing 38.
This is an entry-level luxury car with a boatload of additional horsepower over the model it replaces, and improved gas mileage over that same older model. That is quite an accomplishment and kudos to Nissan for pulling it off. It must be acknowledged that Nissan increasing horsepower significantly while simultaneously increasing fuel efficiency is worthy of praise.
It's easy for a manufacturer to take an easy out and deliver one or the other without spending the time & money on inovation. Want more horsepower? Put a larger version of the same motor in the car (at the sacrifice of MPG). Want better fuel efficiency? Put a smaller motor in the car. Nissan didn't bow out like that, but rather, did what I expect an automaker to do: Innovate.
The Maxima's fuel-efficiency is absolutely respectable for a car of this size, weight, and performance capability.
The luxury and "toys" that this car offers are second to absolutely none in its class, and right on par with cars much more expensive that carry a luxury badge.
If you want a minivan, buy a minivan. If you want an SUV, purchase an SUV. Neither of those types of cars have anything in common with the Maxima.
If you want a car that provides better MPG, they are out there. But none are in the class of this car when you look at the complete package of luxury, performance, comfort, and fuel efficiency that the Maxima offers.
Most buying decisions are a trade off. For me, the wholistic package offered by the Maxima was way more compelling than any other option out there, for the space that this car plays in.
EPA ratings are much more accurate, now that they've been revamped. For comparison;
Toyota Camry/Avalon: 268HP, 19/28 MPG
Honda Accord: 268HP, 19/28 MPG
Acura TL: 258 HP, 18/26 MPG
286 HP, 17/26 MPG
Audi A6: 255 HP, combined 21 MPG
Audi A4: 200 HP, combined 24 MPG
Infiniti G: 306 HP, 17/24, 17/23, 17/25 (depending on options) MPG
Infiniti M: 275 HP, 16/23 MPG
BMW 328: 230 HP, 19/28 MPG
BMW 335: 300 HP, 17/26 MPG
BMW 528: 230 HP, 18/28 MPG
BMW 535: 300 HP, 17/26 MPG
Nissan Maxima: 290 HP, 19/26 MPG
The Maxima stacks up very nicely when looking at the HP/MPG ratings.