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Thanks Again
Jim
The tire place card is the reccomended tire pressure and it is what you should use. Try it and I bet the ride will improve. Also, check the pressure at least each month.
STEVE
Also what should I use to wash and eventually wax the outside.
Thanks
As for the noise (thundering sound), I had a noise too (not thundering) when I went over the curb entering our driveway, turning the wheels parking the car, and hitting some bumps.
I took the Max in twice before the dealer fixed the problem. The Max had a bad front/left strut. The strut was replaced and the noise was gone. I think there's a Nissan Technical Service Bulletin (NTSB) for this problem.
One more thing. I do not know why, but the strut noise was more pronounced when it was colder outside.
Good Luck. Semper Fi.
There have been a few occasions where I drove the Blazer right after I drove the Maxima and I feel like there is zero horsepower in the thing and I wonder why I keep it. Actually it's been relegated to trips to the supermarket, Home Depot and other local errands. For anything else, we take the Max. My wife feels that way too!
You should be very happy with your new Maxima compared to your 99 Grand Cherokee. I got rid of my 99 Grand Cherokee Limited 1 year ago through a buy back from Chrysler after repeated attempts at fixing all the problems that my Jeep was having.
The Maxima engine is rated as being unquestionably the best revving V-6 engine ever by Wards Auto. They went on to say there isn't a better V-6 engine in all of automobiledom regardless of price. Enjoy the ride, here's the link to Wards Ten Best Engines.
http://www.wardsauto.com/be2001/engines.php3
George
I have tried many different leather cleaners and conditioners over the years. The best that I have ever used is Zaino leather soft spray cleaner and leather in a bottle treatment and conditioner.
1. It cleans and conditions your leather seats without leaving any residue on your seats.
2. It contains the highest quality leather oil concentrate available on the market.
3. After conditioning your seats they will feel and smell like brand new leather. Remember before you buy a leather conditioner in the store, open the bottle and see how the conditioner smells. This is how your entire car will smell after you get done using it. Zaino conditioners make your seats smell and feel like brand new leather without a chemical smell like other products. Here's the link to Zaino bros.
http://www.zainobros.com/
BTW: Zaino show car polishes are one of the best on the market. They are so good that once you use them you will likely never go back to regular waxes. Here's another link to Edmunds Zaino Car care Experiences. Either all the people at this Zaino group are nuts or Zaino products are great.
/direct/view/.ee9975f
George
1. Bumper tsb (4 photos)
2. Rattles tsb (24 photos)
3. Rotor tsb (1 photo)
4. TCM tsb (1 photo) Old version
5. TCM tsb (6 photos) New version
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1536952
George
Blackdog, interesting, you made the same switch I did! I had a 98 Grand Cherokee, and liked it a lot. But I was living overseas in a South American country where the roads weren't that great. I only had it for about 6 mos. in the U.S., although part of that was winter, had it two years overseas, sold it and came back and bought the Maxima.
The Maxima is fine on snow - see my post above about driving in Michigan in the winter. Hope you got the traction control - really, for the low price of it, I don't see why anyone north of the Mason-Dixon line would even think twice about getting traction control.
Once in a while I miss not having the Jeep, but 99% of the time a sedan is better for me. And one weird thing - my husband always used to get shocked when he got out of the Jeep, but that never happens now! I guess it's the difference between the fabric seats vs. the leather.
Anyway, take the Max out on some nice long drives, on country roads and on the highways - you'll love it. Have fun.
-Jon
(Bill, I did see your email)
Which Zaino products do you use on your max, specifically? I have a black max which I assume is clear-coated. So that would be Z1 and Z2...then I could use Z6 if I wanted to spruce it up between waxes...right?
Also, thanks for the tip on the leather treatment. I use Lexol (I think that's what its called) and I can't stand the smell! I thought all leather conditioners smelled the same.
Please get back to me on the zaino products.
Was thinking of getting a new Max GLE and was wondering if Nissan will offer lower interest rate on a new Max? If yes, went?
Thanks.
If you want the ultimate car finish, these are the steps:
1. Wash your car using liquid dawn dishwashing liquid. (Dawn dishwashing liquid will remove your old waxes, oils, grease and dirt.)
2. "Optional Step if you want the ultimate car finish" Claybar your car using Zaino Z-18 Claybar. Make sure you keep the surface of your car well lubricated while using the claybar. Use 1/2 capful of Zaino Z7 car wash mixed with 12 ounces of water in a spray bottle to lubricate your car while using the claybar. (Remember if you drop the claybar while claying your car don't reuse that claybar again. It will be contaminated with dirt which will scratch your car.)
3. After claying your car rewash your car using Z7 car wash. Dry your car using 100% cotton towels.
4. Apply a very thin coat of Zaino Z1 Polish Lok. Let haze, and apply Z5 polish for swirl marks on top of the Z1 Polish Lok. If your car does not have any swirl marks you should use Z2 Show car Polish on top of the Z1 Polish Lok. (These polishes do not stain your car's trim like most other waxes.)
5. Let the Z5 or Z2 Polish dry for at least one hour or more. Use 100% cotton bath towels to remove the polish.
6. Use Z6 Gloss Enhancer spray after removing the polish for the ultimate car finish. This will give your car an incredible mirror like finish. (I do not recommend using Z6 Gloss Enhancer between washes unless your car is clean and dust free. Remember any dirt that is on your car could scratch your car's finish.)
Tips:
1. The more coats of Zaino you use the more mirror like your car's finish will become.
2. You should switch to Z2 show Car Polish over Z5 Polish for swirl marks as soon as there are no more scratches or swirl marks on your finish. Z2 has higher optical properties then Z5, but Z5 will remove small swirl marks. Have fun!!
George
George... You have a black Max, and you use a claybar ? You know you're just asking for problems. Claybars ALWAYS scratch the top layer of clearcoat, and cause spider scratches. And on a black car...thet problem is magnified. This is why Nissan, and any good autobody shop will tell you to steer clear of the bars. I've seen a few customers cars who swear by those silly bars, ..lol...until I show them all those awful swirlmarks the bar leaves...especially in direct sunlight. And on black ?...has to look awful....unless Zainos' next step fills them all in, which will only become visible again, once the car is washed.
Joe
/direct/view/.ee9975f
George
Another question for you...does zaino make a product that I can use between washes to remove light dirt? I always keep my 2000 max covered in my driveway when I'm not driving it (wish I had a garage but that'll be a priority w/ the next crib) and I usually don't drive it in foul weather (esp snow). So most of the dirt I get on it comes from bird droppings (every car lover's enemy), the occasional drive through a puddle, and fingerprints on the doors and hood (yes I'm a fanatic about keeping her clean). I use a California Car Duster to remove the dust that is especially visible on dark cars (that really works!)
I'm looking for something that I can use to take off 'light' dirt (i.e. not dirty enough to warrant dragging out the water hose). Does the Z-6 also sub as a cleaner or is it for another pupose?
Thanks again for the assistance.
PS: Does zaino offer UV protection? Black cars (as you probably know) fair the worst against the sun. Thanks again!
The Z6 product description as stated by the manufacturer is the following:
"This product dramatically boosts and intensifies all Show Car Polishes. Z6 contains seven optical clarifiers and our unique wet gloss enhancers to increase the wet looking mile deep show car polish shine. We highly recommend it for fast cleaning of dust, water spots and light soil painted surfaces, without scratching. Forms a tough molecular bond with show car polish to increase the depth of gloss, optical clarity, slickness, and durability and reinforce the UV(40) protection. Super anti-static formula reduces dust and dirt pickup by up to 60%. Z6 will not streak, smear, haze, dull or leave a film. A must for quick touch-ups and the show winning edge."
The look you can achive using Z6 after polishing or washing your car is just incredible. But I would use caution using any product as a go between for washing your car, that's just my opinion.
George
sterling mist,moonroof,spoiler,C&C pkg,loaded short of leather seats,(I don't like leather seat's)We paid 24,872.I'm ok with the price but I
have to say I was really upset by the game they play when it's time to purchase.We were told that the intrest was 6.9%,but lo and behold when the credit report came back we could only qualify for 8.9%,pretty funny because my husband just(the same day)got 2.9% for his mustang,because we had great credit.Needless to say we told them no way we were paying 8.9% and got up and walked out.I
was at home last night and the phone rang,it was the dealer,guess what?We got 6.9%Then of course the sob story about how strings were pulled.(boo-hoo).Some one asked above about the rates with nissan right now,We were also told when we went back(at the time of the 8.9% bull)"great news because we waited the rates were actually 5.9%,you could try,but good luck,I think only god
and Bill Gates qualify for 5.9%.Thanks for letting me blow my fuse....I'm happy I got the car I wanted,and will let all know if all goes well.We're picking it up today (3/27/01)
Segril7 : does that 24872 price include the Bose system??..if so thats a great price...wayyy under cost....I got 7.95% financing for 6 years...to stretchhhhhh it out...didnt mess with the dealer financing...another thing that pissed me off was 200 dollars for doc fees..WHAT A FRIGGIN JOKE...just pure profit there...Thanks again...Joe
I used another company's paint sealant about 4-6 times per year (May - September) and in between I waxes, I use a combo waterless wash/spray wash to keep the shine. Stuff worked pretty good (I have a black car and absolutely NO swirls - one of my neighbors calls me Mr. Clean) But they stopped making that product so I leaning towards zaino. If the car is really filthy, then I'll hit it with soap and water or use a high pressure hose (quarter car wash) and dry it with a shamois.
I don't like using soap and water too often because it seems to strip off a layer of wax (I always see more cobb-webbing and hazing after using soad and water...even using soaps that advertise "will not strip wax").
I use the 2000 max as my second car so I rarely drive it in the bad weather (and I keep it covered when my using it). So the worst contaminants my car sees are bird crap, dust, and sunshine (which fades the paint).
I think I'll give zaino a try, but I wanted to know if z6 can be used as a quicky wash. Esp in the winter (I'm in the Northeast). If we catch a 45 degree day in Jan or Feb, I'd like a quicky waterless cleaner to use instead of dragging the hose out and catching pneumonia (I had that a few years ago, not fun).
Thanks for your help. I'll give it a try.
Randomly, when making stops, driving rather fast, I hear a noise that is very loud, can be heard through radio noise. It sounds like the front end is grinding to a halt. I have been to the dealer several times since I purchased the car in Sept 00 and no noise when they drive it. Today I took off from work and had a service manager ride with me. We rode around 10 mins, no noise. Finally he asks if I can remember specific times that it occurred.
Most often braking when coming fast down a hill. So he tells me where to drive where there is a hill and BINGO. Finally the noise. Horrible noise. He drives the car and same thing happens. He takes my car back and asks me to wait while he drives it with a service technician. They can reproduce the problem.
He tells me he is going to talk to TSR about it and MAYBE he can get me a free brake job. He says that I have plenty of pad, so no explainable reason for the noise. He says that I am in no danger because the car stops well, just sounds like it is falling apart to do so. He says Nissan will consider brake job normal wear and tear, hence the MAYBE. My question though is , If I have plenty of brake pad, what is a break job going to do unless he is talking about something more than the brake pads being replaced. Is there some known problem that he is not telling me about. In the past I have searched for recall info and TSBs and found nothing. I just ran across someone who posted Tsbs on a site and there was something about Brake Judder. I don't know if that is what I have or not. The symptoms don't mention excruciating noise and I don't notice any steering wheel vibrations.
I am 30K into my 36K warranty and would like help. This is my second Maxima. My 19 yr old is driving my 92 with 190K miles on it. I bought this one because I had had such good luck before. Was it only luck?
Thanks!
LOOOOOVVVEEE it!!!!!!!!!!!!My husband bought himself a mustang,funny how he keeps asking me to let him drive mine.HHHMMM????all went well at dealership,financial guy was a little pissy with us but I don't care,we got the 6.9%.I'm happy!!!
2) If I were to pay just the minimum drive-off for an SE with the following options, what should the maximum payment be on a 36 month, 36,000 mile lease?
- Comfort & Convenience
- Cloth Seats
- BOSE
- Air filter, mats, guards
Thanks!
Choosinu...No...it wasn't just luck. Maximas are very reliable cars, always have been. It sounds like the pads have gotten glazed. Maybe from a recent hard panic stop..etc. As long as the rotors are ok, meaning they're not out of round, cracked...a simple pad replacement should cure the noise.
La_max.....If you put down roughly $1000 to $1500, a 3/36 lease should be in the neighborhood of $345 to $360....Maybe less if you can talk them down in price BEFORE telling them you want to lease....which is how you should do it. THEN , after you get the rock-bottom price, find out how much to lease it at that price. Good luck
Joe
In the end I paid for nothing extra but destination fee,because they did have to find my car and have it brought in.I'm now a VERY HAPPY max owner.
Joe
I'm seriously considering purchasing a 2001 Nissan Maxima SE. I looking at a FULLY loaded, with every option but 6-Disc changer. $26,200
Is this a good price? Can I do better?
I want to hear from those of you who have this car and tell me what you think of it. Other cars I looked at are BMW 325, Volvo s40, Passat. But for my money I keep coming back to the Maxima.
The only other question is the color. Sterlin Mist or Grey Luster?
This decision is much harder than it looks. They are both great cars.
Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Just purchased that exact car ('01 SE with every option 'cept the 6 disc) about a month ago. We paid 26,430 for the car and felt very good about it...so it sounds like you are right where you need to be on the price. Your price is about 700 under invoice so that is pretty good.
What more can I say about the car. You will love it. The heated leather is wonderful in winter months...the BOSE is a very nice stereo...and the 17" tires look sooooooomuch better (in my opinion) than the 16".
Although Sterling Mist is a beautiful color...you gotta go with Grey Lustre. Here is why: Our local Nissan dealer had 7 Maxes on the lot. 4 were Mist, 2 were Sunlit sand, and the last was black. Had to have the Grey Lustre trucked in from the West Coast. Still have not seen a Grey Lustre SE since January on the road. Heck...when we got ours shipped in...it was sitting on the lot while we did paperwork. When we came out to take it home...there were 2 families gathered around ours and nobody hanging around the Mist's. Grey Lustre is a very pretty color...and very unpopular on the road (along with Merlot and Majestic Blue (20th Anniv SE)). Good luck!
I also have a Toyota Sienna mini-van and a Maxima SE. If you had a green Sienna and a black Maxima like me it would be too freaky!.
I have bigger bones to pick with Toyota. My radio buttons are falling off, my driver's side mirror is loose, the illuminated visor mirror fell on my head, the driver's seat belt sometimes doesn't latch. While my Maxima is built like a Swiss watch, my Sienna has been put together with silly puddy. Enough complaining, I drive the Maxima, wife drives the Sienna..eheheheh
Speed
My 2000 SE with the works (except leather) continues to be fine after 12,000 miles. I had the brakes, TCM, and trunk-bumper scratch fixed. Everything else is perfect. I recommend the heated seats, traction control and snow tires in the winter (mid-state NY). Gas mileage ranges from 25-26 highway down to 18 in town with frequent stops.
A blast to drive, great Bose, with room for your friends.
Helps needed, any thoughts ? Thanks!
I want to addd a sub to my stock system. I'm undecided between the Bazooka RS 10AHP and the Infinity Basslink? Any suggestions? JoeNissan I know you added a sub to your max, what do you think (Both are 10 inch). I can get the Infinity for about $220 and the Bazooka for $315. Also, where is the best location ti unstall a sub in the trunk (to minimize the rattle).
Also, any news yet on a compatable 12 disc changer for the 2001 stock radio?
Thanks
YO SPEED: What are you doing to that poor Sienna...LOL....we have the Beige color Sienna and a Silver Max...nice to see you have good taste in autos....looked at an Odyssey...way too much money...but thats another forum...the Siennas not holding up for you eh??..let me know..Joe D.
I have a '98 Sienna (wife mobile), I got it when it first came out. Paid full MSRP just to be one of the first to drive it. I guess I got a first production run, they had not worked all the kinks out yet...it is otherwise a very nice van..very confortable, but they dropped the ball putting it together. I got my Max when it first came out as well, it will be 2 years old this summer, and it has been perfect. Go figure, Sienna made in the USA...Maxima made in Japan, I rest my case!
Later,
Speed
For kimj1, the Maxima is a better deal all around. (You were expecting to hear something else???) I briefly considered a BMW also, but look at the size of the trunk - the Max. is very spacious, the Bimmer is tiny. Since my husband and I like to take long trips, that alone ruled out the Bimmer for us. Then consider the cost of insurance, maintenance, repairs, etc. No comparison. And by getting the fully loaded GLE (which is what we have also) I can't see that you're giving up a thing. Really, it comes down to what you want out of a car and what you feel most comfortable driving, defining "comfort" in any way you choose. For us, the Max was the clear winner of about 10 cars we test drove.
Rod - I have to agree with the vote for Sterling Mist. A much prettier color. The Grey Lustre looks great for half an hour after it's washed, and then terrible after it's driven once around the block. Plus it can get hot, so depends where you live if that's an issue. Of course my own favorite is Satin Blue Pearl, so you can see I like the lighter colors better!
Interesting, the only colors I don't see much of around here (Washington D.C. area) are Sherwood Green and that brownish-reddish color - Mahogany? I see fair amounts of just about everything else. I just wish Nissan would do a nice, clear true red, with a beige interior - that would have been my first choice in a heartbeat!
By the way...if you want a color that's both sporty and classy, easy to keep clean, and shows no scratches...you MUST look into the Islandic pearl (white). No other color on the Maxima has it's class.
NY.....Either will do. Just be sure you get AT LEAST 100 watts. and place it sideways up against the rear seats.
G...I'll have to check but, I'm unaware of any TSB pertaining to brake glazing. But you are correct. Hard stops will eventually glaze the pads. Switching to a softer pad will help...also wear out a bit quicker.
Kim....Right...the two cars are very different. If you want to spend more for a car that's quite a bit smaller, slower, less reliable, and rougher riding but has that "Hey ! Look at me" factor (not that that's a bad thing..lol), then go with the 325.
If you want a fun, powerful, and fairly large-ish sedan, with very high quality...the Maxima is the right choice. Only you can decide which you'd prefer.
Joe
Can you confirm that the super black max is clear-coated? I'm 99.9% sure it is, but I need a confirmation (if you wouldn't mind).
Thanks!