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Nissan Maxima

L8_ApexL8_Apex Member Posts: 187
Welcome to the continuation of the Nissan Maxima -
Part 10
topic. Those of you joining us from that
topic are welcome to continue your discussion.

If you're new to this topic, you may want to
follow the above link for additional archived
posts.

Thanks,

L8_Apex
Sedans Host
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Comments

  • bigmoneymikebigmoneymike Member Posts: 6
    Hi everyone,

    I hope this is the right forum to put this topic up here. I scanned a bit in archive but couldn't find the topic.

    Anyways...

    I have 1996 Maxima GXE with the standard AM/FM cassette. I went to Best Buy to get a new stereo installed and they told me that because I have the Bose stereo system, the amp in it requires all the wiring to be done completely differently. So instead of getting free installation that comes with a new stereo, I have to pay additional $160 (for a $300 stereo!).

    I left and thought that this didn't sound right. I didn't think GXE came with a Bose system (i thought only SE & GLE did) and they were just trying to take advantage by making me pay this amount.

    Any advice, comment, or similar experience?

    Thanks all.
  • dicemaxdicemax Member Posts: 5
    My dealer took about 1-1/2 hours to fix the trunk and that included an oil change! I would just use some touch up paint on the trunk lip to prevent any rust.

    Dice
  • budhinckleybudhinckley Member Posts: 25
    I have 4 Blizzak snow tires that I got for my 1998
    Dodge Intrepid that are 205/70R15. The original
    equipment on the Intrepid is P205/70SR15.

    The 2001 Maxima GLE original tires are
    P215/55HR16. Is it possible to use my 15 inch snow
    tires on the Maxima GLE? (I don't care about any
    speedometer difference - only if it can be used
    safely.)
  • shermaxshermax Member Posts: 31
    You're not planning to put 15" tires on 16" rims are you? or are you going to buy 15" rims to put on the Max? I don't know if I'd try the mix and match routine? Good luck
  • bigk200bigk200 Member Posts: 170
    I stuck up for you on the 5-speed board.
  • gymshoegymshoe Member Posts: 80
    Hey there.
    If you have a bose system, the front lid/door of your Cassette player should say BOSE.
    The 96 GXE should not have come standard with BOSE system.
    Also....I thought it was just the speakers that were BOSE.
    So...if you don't see BOSE labeled on your cassette player, then you most likely don't have a BOSE and those guys at that store are either completely out of it or just trying to make undeserved money off of you.
  • lsflsf Member Posts: 98
    I am confirming my suspicion with a friend of mine who works at Bose and helped design the system that went into the 1990 Max. I think it is more than just speakers. In fact, I believe there's a Bose amp attached to underside of the rear deck on my 2K GLE. However, if you don't have the speakers, you certainly don't have the Bose. You can always check the sub woofer which may not have the Bose name on it (on the grill) in older models. But underneath (from the trunk) the id should be easy. If you don't have the sub woofer...you don't have the Bose.

    BTW, he told me that Bose has designed a new system in the STS. That makes the Max, the STS and Saab?
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    You're absolutely correct. The Bose system wasn't available on '96 GXE's, only SE's and GLE's.

    The AMps were different from the 4th gen to the 5th gen. In the 4th gen...the AMPS were at each speaker, not so on the 2k's.


    Joe
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    I thank you..I guess....but, this isn't a 4th grade schoolyard, it's a forum for USEFULL info to be passed on (hopefully). Not a forum that has the need to be "stood up for". All my years with Nissan can speak for itself....if others care to listen. If not...lol..oh well....my car run perfect !

    Thanks again

    Joe
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    It depends on what year you have....for 2k, they come already painted.

    Joe
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    you mentioned that if someone gets their bumper repainted by the shop that there might be a mismatch in color. i have a question, is it true that if you order a spoiler as an option on a max such as my gle, that it comes unpainted to the shop then painted and "baked" and then installed before delievery? i only ask because it looks like an exact match between my spoiler and the rest of my car. just curious if the shop did a really good job or they were just lying to me. thanks
  • bamadjbamadj Member Posts: 18
    Hi Joe, I asked last week about this and didn't hear back. I'm only bugging you because I'll be taking my car in next week for an oil change and want to deal with other issues as well while the car is there...

    Anyway, I wanted to know if it was possible to get the paint dots on each wheel removed? If so, what ramifications are there to doing this? A few folks around me seem to think it wouldn't be a big deal, but I want to take care of my car and do the right thing.

    Thanks
    dj
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    why would u care about that little paint dot on your wheels?? it's there for a purpose obviously since every maxima wheels have them. i saw them on mine when i first got my car, but if you keep your wheels clean, that little paint spot is the least of your worries. i'm more into making sure i dont have rattles and things like that than removing a tiny paint spot that was meant to be my wheels
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    I don't know if it's possible to remove it w/o removing the paint on the wheels themselves. The dot on the tire is easily taken care of but, You can ask the dealer if you'd like, I'd leave it alone if it were me though.

    Joe
  • freewillfreewill Member Posts: 6
    i know this is GLE place, but had anyone see nissan X-trail! this SUV looks so cool!!! hey joe do you know this SUV well, i want to know how good is this X-trail

    willy
  • canadianclcanadiancl Member Posts: 1,078
    You mean Xterra? If so, it is apparently a very capable off-roader, but I would wait for the power upgrade.
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    Currently the X-Trail is a mini-ute only for Japan...then for Europe. In order for it to arrive here, Nissan needs to drop a V6 in it (only 4's are scheduled so far), and be sure it won't clip the heels of it's XTerra. probably in a few years.

    A fullsize SUV is in the works though....I just hope it gets here before the craze ends...lol.

    Joe
  • eblumeblum Member Posts: 52
    I removed the dots on my wheels with my finger nail...no damage to the wheels.
  • jamberjamber Member Posts: 21
    Joe, I just wanted to thank you and everyone else who gave tips a while back for changing the oil/filter yourself. I reached 1000 miles this past Friday on my 2001 5spd SE and I changed the oil/filter, it was real easy, the filter required a wrench to lossen it up, but it was easy and only took me 15 minutes of actual work (I waited 1/2 hour to have just about every last drop of oil drain out). I used MobilOne and a PurOne Purolator Filter. I also put on wheel locks and rechecked the torqued on my lugs.

    I noticed the paint spots on the wheels before I drove off lot, the salesperson did not know what they where but pointed out the all 4 wheels had them... When I washed my Maxima the first time I scrubbed a kinda hard on one of the paint spots and it came right off, but the other three did not so I took a wood popsickle stick (thought it would be good since it was softer than the wheels), but when I gently tried to scrape a paint spot off, it took a tiny chip of clear coat... urrrgh I should have left it alone! I used some clear nailpolish to seal the tiny chip.

    I'm still waiting for the dealer to get the replacement side moldings in that they messed up in detailing with the buffer. I'm PO that they even used the buffer on my new car, I hope they did not mess up my clear coat! How would I tell, or do I have to wait until the paint starts to fade in a few years? I also found a small "burn" mark from the buffer on the corner of my spoiler and my rear window black frame as well as the sunroof wind deflector. I called the dealer and spoke to a manager, he said to bring it in and they will take care of it, that they want to make sure I'm completely satisfied. That same day I got a letter from the dealership saying to let them know if I'm not "Completely Satisfied" and if I cannot give them a perfect 10 on the survey that Nissan may send me.
    I got the survey and will wait to fill it out until they fix these small blemishes from the "Buffer Happy" person in the Detail Dept.

    Other then that I'm so happy with this car, it is such a pleasure to drive... so quick...love those 4k rpm and higher shifts... I now have 1900 miles (yes I put 900 miles on it in 4 days, I drove to Homestead FL for the NASCAR races). and I have loved every mile I have driven!
  • stevek180stevek180 Member Posts: 4
    When I apply the brakes on my 2K Max (17K miles), I get a rapid oscillation in my steering wheel, which slows with the car, and the braking isn't very smooth. Is this a sign of warped rotors? The brake pedal does not pulsate. I have read past posts about overly tight lug nuts, and the front tires haven't been removed since I've owned the car.
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    It's highly unlikely that you don't also have a pedal pulsation...however slight. If you say the steering wheel is vibrating when you brake, and goes away when you let off the brake...take it back to the dealer, you need new front rotors.

    be sure they REPLACE them...NOT turn them on the lathe, and ...make sure they're torqued properly, not put back on with the air wrench....you'll just be back in another 17k.


    Joe
  • budhinckleybudhinckley Member Posts: 25
    No, the 15 inch snow tires are already on the 15 inch rims - and on my '98 Intrepid. Was wondering only if I could put them on a 2001 Maxima GLE.

    Bud
  • adg44adg44 Member Posts: 385
    Make sure they have the same amount of lug nuts, the same offset, and the same rolling diameter within 3% of the stock wheels.
  • umpopaumpopa Member Posts: 37
    Joenissan: Clearly you are the "go to guy" in this topic, and I appreciate and respect all that I have seen you write as informed and clear in communication. I read your response to Bamadj, who asked about this in response to my post (#850), and need further clarification: I have negotiated for an ordered-right-from-the-factory GLE. I am aware you have stated it isn;t possible to get a car ordered to your specs, only what comes off the line, but Dealers #1 & #2 both say they DO accept orders for the specs I want (as does the 1-800-Nissan1 phone number), and that it takes roughly 3 months for delivery.

    Dealer #1 and the 800 number people say I can get the Meridian Edition without traction control or sunroof, but Dealer #2 says I must get the sunroof, if the Meridian package is ordered (I don't want sunroof or traction control). Dealers 1 and 2 differ in price by $100 (with #2 at invoice, and #1 $100 above, both plus regional advertising, warrantee fee, TT&L).

    Do you think #2 trying to bait and switch, to get me to pay more upon delivery? Could they be right? (edmunds.com and other sites don't say the sunroof must be bought as well, only Dealer #2 says that!) It seems Dealer #1 sounds like a better one to deal with (even for $100 more)...if he is telling the truth! Help!!

    Thanks for your reply!
    -umpopa
  • sgrd0qsgrd0q Member Posts: 398
    I couldn’t help but respond to the above post.

    I too “ordered” a GLE with the Meridian package, but no other options (particularly no sunroof). I waited 3 months and was finally told the order was cancelled – they couldn’t get the car. I believe joenissan to be right – they look for a car with your specs and colors to come up within the 3 months – if nothing comes up they cancel the order. That is, your order never makes it to the factory. The question, in my mind, remains – how actively do they really look during the 3-month period.

    What they did for me, however, was that they looked around a little more and found me a car with my specs, but with a CD changer, traction control and some other minor stuff. I was given the option of buying that car at its higher price, or get my deposit back. I was really unhappy with the situation, and almost got my deposit back right away. Now I am considering their offer, and also considering some other cars.

    It does seem as if it is very difficult the get the GLE with the Meridian package but with no sunroof. They finally found one for me (after waiting since the end of July) but it also comes with a traction control, cd-changer, and some other minor stuff.

    Hope this helps.
  • bamadjbamadj Member Posts: 18
    My guess, based on Joe several times telling me you can NOT order a car and now with sdrg0q's response, I think the dealers are full of crap! I think they pacify you telling you "Yes, we can order it..." and then they try to find it after promising it. It seems like umpopa is experiencing just that. If you really could order the car, then no dealer should be able to tell you what certain options the car has to or not have. And poor sdrg0q was promised a car, waited 3 months, and then bam! I think that sucks and I too was frustrated with my dealers. They also told me I could order the car, but I settled with the exact one I wanted, but having 2 options I didn't care to have.

    So, from now on, do NOT believe your dealers when they say you can order one. They just want to tell you that to pacify you, but in all reality it's a lie. It makes sense now why dealers tell you certain things about the options and why they differ so much on that. I think it is awful that they waited 3 whole months to tell sdrg0q they couldn't find one. They would know within a matter of days, and if they cared, they would also have kept looking those whole 3 months and been honest about it.

    Ugh! That's ridiculous. Now, on the other hand, I absolutely LOVE my car, but it sure is awful that you have to deal with people like several of us have to to get the car. I'm very happy with my decision, but I hate the frustration some of you are having to go through and lots of frustration I already did...

    OK, I'm done venting now... ;-) Must be all these long hours I'm working as well...

    bamadj
  • safetybob1safetybob1 Member Posts: 2
    I plan to put Michelin Pilot Alpin snow tires on my '00 GLE. Does anyone know of a mail/net source of steel wheels? I have tried tirerack.com and they have only alloy wheels available. Thanks
  • lofquistlofquist Member Posts: 281
    Folks,
    A large number of people continue to contact me about buying a Maxima in Canada and bringing it home to the US. The posts I've made before have been lost a couple boards back so I will summarize again here. I bought in Canada a couple months ago and all worked smoothly.

    So why to do this? Save some big money! The exchange rate just keeps getting better for the US. Here's some sample prices for Maximas in Canada (converted to US dollars, and including duty):
    1) Maxima GXE, auto trans, traction control, and convenience pkg. Convenience pkg contains everything in the Meridian and Com and Con pkgs. $20,800. (US dealer invoice is $22,740)
    2) Maxima SE 20th Anniv Ed. Auto trans. Includes traction control, Bose, Meridian pkg, and leather. Does not have the ground effects though. $23,500. (US dealer invoice is $28,006)
    3) Maxima GLE. Auto trans. Includes traction control, sunroof, Meridian pkg. $22,700. (US dealer invoice is $25,852)

    Here's the answers to the most asked questions:
    - Yes, it's perfectly legal as a US resident to buy a new car in Canada.
    - Maxima meets all US safety and emissions requirements (California too).
    - You will have to pay some Canadian sales taxes, but they send you a refund after you take the vehicle out of the country.
    - The warranty is honored in the US.
    - It's identical to the US Max, but in Canada they come better equipped with options.
    - Speedo is in km and miles; odo is in km, but can be changed if you prefer.
    - I have found some dealers willing to sell over the phone at close to invoice, far below list price.
    - Get your financing at home first.

    Quick summary of the process:
    1. Call dealer and make a deal. Get VIN number.
    2. Call Nissan and get US emissions and safety compliance letter (will fax if in a hurry).
    3. Go to Canada, pay, drive away.
    4. Stop at Canadian customs. Get form stamped.
    5. Stop at US Customs. Show compliance letter. Pay 2.5% duty.
    6. Register vehicle and pay your state's sales tax when home just like normal.
    7. Get Canadian sales tax refund check in the mail.

    I bought in Canada in September and I know of ten more people who have done it or are in the process. It's not difficult at all. Sure, there's a little paperwork to do. Many people are surprised how close to Canada they really are. Anyone from Chicago to D.C. is easily within a one days drive of Toronto. And much of the West Coast is close to Vancouver.

    I'm glad to help anyone out with questions or good contacts. Just email me.
    -Jon
    [email protected]
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    I don't think I would call it "Bait & Switch"...It may just be that the one dealer is being a bit more realistic as to what he can find for you. TCS and the sunroof are stand-alone options on the GLE but.....most are built with them anyhow. That's not to say the dealer can't find one.....He just wants to sell you a car, and not have to wait the 2 or 3 months it may take to find that exact car.

    You have a few options ( you..not the car..lol), you can either wait and see what they can find or, insist that you don't want those 2 options in your car. If one comes in with either or both the TCS, and sunroof....you can say "I'll take it but...I'm not paying for the 2 options I wanted deleted from the car".

    Keep in mind...TCS can be turned off. You have 40.5" of headroom WITHOUT the sunroof. That number changes by less than an inch WITH it. Unless you've tried one with the S/R, and need more headroom, I'd take one with it. If you need the headroom....they're out there w/o a sunroof...you'll just need to give them time to find one.

    As for the ordering thing...lol...They can (and WILL) tell you what you want to hear but...Their hands are tied. They have to search from whats produced to find the car you want....they CANNOT direct order from the factory. Besides....Mr Ho Yen Chi doesn't speak english...LMAO...Good luck!

    Joe
  • jkwcmwjkwcmw Member Posts: 11
    Joe: I recently had to replace one of my tires after getting a tear in the sidewall. I decided to have them rotated at that time since I was at about 7,500 miles. I asked them to torque the lugs as opposed to using the impact wrench. They ended up using a torque stick attached to the impact wrench. Is this OK? I really don't want to go out and buy a torque wrench, however it would be cheaper then having to change or resurface the rotors. Thanks in advance.
  • bamadjbamadj Member Posts: 18
    JoeNissan, you stated TCS can be turned off and indeed it can; however, it will have to be every time you start the car. The default is ON. Is there any way to keep it off without having to toggle the switch...

    It's not going to kill me, but just curious... Thanks.
  • dhoffdhoff Member Posts: 282
    Your best route may be to try to find some "take-off" Maxima steel wheels from a Nissan dealer. They may get these from a GXE that someone wanted alloy wheels on. You might want to try a junkyard or "automotive recycling center" also.

    You could try emailing dealers, and there is also a used Nissan parts place online also. Of course I've forgotten the name of it.

    Good luck.

    Dave
  • misel00misel00 Member Posts: 4
    I thought I'd put this on here first since I
    always read this thread...I am seeling my pride and
    joy ..2000 maxima SE, metalic grey, just broken in
    with only 7500 miles, 5spd, incredible
    accelaration...Light grey sports cloth interior..I
    believe my baby stickered at around $25,000, don't
    remember..The CAr is absolutely Showroom
    condition!!!!!!! I have to sell it because my job
    is relocating me....I figured the first 20,000
    takes it...I'm in Northern NJ, so if any body from
    the area is considering buying a great new 2000
    maxima you might want to give this a look other wise it will be traded in for a work car...if
    anyone would like further info please email me at
    [email protected] you!!!!!!
    PS..those are double zeros after my Email addy
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Why can't you take the car with you?
  • freewillfreewill Member Posts: 6
    By reading all of your stories, i think i was very luck. seems cars come this way: sunroof only or all of three options(srf, tcs, dlx) together. when i ordered my Gle with TSC only, the salesman told me it's easier to find the car with sunroof, but they end up given me a car with sunroof only w/o telling me or refund. but i was very luck to get meridain PKG and spoiler +some minor options for free after i find out i was over paid. they told me it's impossible to find a car with (srf & tcs)
    or tcs only. they said most cars come with srf, tcs and Dlx, or srf only. i think both of salesman will try to sale you more options later!! just make sure put everything on paper when you give deposit. by the way, umpopa. why don't you try another dealership if you think there is a "game" behind the joyful experience shopping and test driving. maybe, you could get better deal, then you don't have to go through long painful and exciting three months and end up with big disspointment of result: they cancel your order! i am sorry, sgrd0q.

    hey joe thank for the info of X-trail, here is a link for who is interesting of Nissan X-trail
    http://www.cardesignnews.com/events/paris2000/features/nissan-xtrail/

    willy
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    That Nissan X-Trail looks sweet!. It makes the new '01 Rav4 look lame by comparison. The CRV? Forget it! a 19th century trike!

    Hope Nissan brings it here.
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    In my opinion, I think what you see there ae the "X Trail", will be the upcoming restyled "X Terra" here in the states. I could be wrong but...why else would Nissan have 2 mini-utes ? And it looks very close in size and shape to the X Terra...have to wait and see.

    Joe
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    As long as they used some sort of torque limiter, they'll be just fine. Some dealers, as ours does, use a special torqued head on the impact wrench....does the same thing as a torque wrench.

    As for the TCS, if you wanted to...you COULD simply yank the fuse for the TCS system., although then you can't use it at all until the fuse id replaced. I would just leave it alone anyhow....it does nothing unless it's needed to begin with. The auto Maxima isn't going to leave any black lines at the grren light like the 5 spd anyhow..lol.

    Hope I've helped.

    Joe
  • dukehouston2dukehouston2 Member Posts: 36
    I ordered my new 01 SE Max on July 3rd and it arrived at the dealer in So. Cal. on Oct 6TH, exactly as I ordered it, A Sterling Mist SE Auto., Bose, SE C&C Pack, Meridian Pack, SE Leather, and Mats. Thats it, no Tcs ,no wind deflector, and no CD changer...You can order a car from Nissan as long as you get the correct option packages specified.
    No sweat, I got exactly what I wanted, it does take about three months to get it.

    Duke
  • lsflsf Member Posts: 98
    Hey, let's face it. The dealers will tell you they can get you something when they know they can't. Then after a while, you get impatient and buy what they have. Once you know what you want (you should be a little flexible on color and some options)...go see what one local dealer has. You will probably find that they don't have exactly what you want. The reason is..they often package things SR, TCS and meridien are good examples of this. Negotiate as best you can. Leave a deposit. Then call around to other dealerships, tell them what you want and start to negotiate. I think it works best if you end up going back to where you want to buy the car from and say...I've found this over here for $$ less. Evenutally, you either take the car with fewer options at a good price...or you get the more expensive car with more options thrown in for similar $$. Hey, it worked for me. :) These guys want to sell you a car.....at the end of the day, you want to drive a
    Maxima!
  • budhinckleybudhinckley Member Posts: 25
    My order in Maine was put in early in August for a GLE w/o a sunroof or CD changer but including everything else (including Meridian package). The car was built on 10/25 and on its way from Japan to Seattle on 10/28 - it is probably just arriving in Seattle about now. Unfortunately, it has a CD player that I didn't want. I would agree that you can't get it EXACTLY like you want. And in this case, there was little reason for the dealer to try to sell me extra stuff - I'm paying $200 over invoice.

    I now live in Indiana - next week I drive back to Maine to leave my car for the trade-in -- but I don't think the GLE will get from Seattle to Maine before the end of the month. Time will tell!
  • canadianclcanadiancl Member Posts: 1,078
    If anyone decides to buy in Canada and is close to Vancouver, the dealer I would recommend is Southside Nissan. Best service in sales and service I've experienced. The owner is a hands-on type of guy who's at the dealer most days talking to customers.

    If anyone is interested, let me know and I could line him up with the owner and/or one of the sales reps.
  • mhammy84mhammy84 Member Posts: 167
    stopped by at the dealership today to see if they had any used 97 I30s i could test out and compare with mine in regard to the excessive vibration I am experiencing. A quick look at the used car section, and they had one '97 I30, and a '98 I30. So i went in (I wasnt driving my I30 today), and talked to the Service Manager. I asked if he could print up the TSB for the problem, but he was kinda busy (I didnt call ahead). He handed me the keys to the '97 and '98, and i took out the '97 first. Upon start up, the RPMs jolted upon start, which is normal for all cars. However, it suddenly dipped to 100 RPMs!!! The car shook like crazy, and it kicked back up to over 1000 (the engine was very cold). Then i drove it around until it warmed up, and I noticed it had the same problems as mine...except much worse! The entire car was vibrating like CRAZY (with headlights/foglights on). The 97 had 36K miles on it. Then i hopped into the '98 which ALSO had 36K miles on it. I let it warm up, and it drove beautifully (just like the 2000 I30's, Maximas, etc...basically drove the way IT SHOULD drive). The 98 also did not have that hesitation from first to second the way my 97 and the dealer's used 97 had. Their 97 also exhibited that loud "helicopter" type chopping sound like mine, all absent from the 98, which was quiet, smooth, and did not hesitate. Luckily the Service Manager was just parking the 97 when i pulled in with the 98, and i told him, "This is the way it should drive." I told him what others were telling me on this Maxima board which was that the problem lies in either the motor mounts, or that the TPS is bad. So he said he would call and talk to the Nissan rep and see what was going on...I will call back tomorrow to see what he says. Big, any insight you can provide into rough idle associated with a bad TPS? Anything else that can cause it? My service Manager said that the motor mounts in my car are NOT electronic, instead, they are sillicone filled. I have also heard of bad fuel injectors that could be causing the problem...what do you think of all this???? Thanks!
  • maxa2kmaxa2k Member Posts: 1
    I have read many posts regarding replacing bulbs, but no one seems for sure bout one question. I have just purchased a pair of h4 100 watts for my max, but the reccommended wattage is like 55 for the headlights. I was wonderin if i have to change my harnass in order to use the 100 watts, and if i dont change the harnass and use the bulbs will my stock harnass melt or will it damage my headlight unit ??? Thanks.
  • gregg20gregg20 Member Posts: 17
    I spoke with several dealers and they said they could not order a vehicle. 1sf hit it right on the head-they know you are anxious to get your new car, so they tell you what you want to hear and then you take what they have. I wanted a 2001 SE sterling mist w/5 speed and c&c and waited 6 weeks through carsdirect. I then asked if they could tell me if they could see it on a build schedule and they said no, so I settled for an automatic.

    If they order the vehicle, they should be able to tell exactly what date it is going to be built and add in some time for transport. They are just waiting for a car with your specs to come in. That is why some on this board have been told by their dealers that they cannot package certain options together. The dealer knows that uncommon option packages are not likely to come through the pipeline, so they steer you away from the oddball requests.

    People say they ordered a certain car and then it comes in slightly different. Is it that the dealer is so incompetent that they ordered it wrong, or that the plant can't build what is on their schedule?

    I also find it hard to believe that Nissan would require a 3 month lead time like everybody seems to be quoting. I am in the materials management field and can tell you that if Nissan is not more flexible than that, they are in trouble (then again maybe that's why they are). Joenissan, is this assessment correct?
  • munrokrmunrokr Member Posts: 1
    I love my '00 Maxima except for one thing. I've noticed that as time has gone by (now have 22k miles), the wheels (especially in front) seem to be feeling out-of-balance. I took it into my local tire shop for balancing. It seemed to make the problem worse. I took it back and they used their more sensitive balance machine. That seemed to reduce the vibration significantly. However, now it seems that it's slowly returning. The tire shop made an interesting comment. They told me that because the rims on the maxima only allow for balance weights to be placed on the inside part of the rim (there's no place for balance weights to be attached to the outside rim) that it was more difficult to balance the tires because out-of-balance vibration happens not only up and down, but also sideways. Because they cannot perfectly balance the tires without the option to put weights on both sides, the tires will be more susceptible to what they called dynamic balance problems (side-to-side shimmy). Has anyone else experienced this? Maybe it has to do more with rotor warping. I'm a very sensitive driver, so I really want to resolve this.
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    The 17's can be properly balanced. They do have an "outter" weight...it's a tape weight located just inside the spokes. This does the same thing as an outter rim weight...IF it's done properly, and on a properly calibrated balancer. Try and find a dealer or tire shop that uses a "Load balancer"...they're more accurate since they acually put a driving load on the tire while balancing.

    Gregg...As I've said before ....Nissan cannot special order a car from Japan. All they can do is search for the one you want thats already produced, and on our shores. Thats always been the case. Camrys' Accords etc may be different since they're built here.
    Nissan offers some option pkgs, and variations of different equiptment. Keep in mind also that they're gonna built more of what sells most. For instance....although in theory, you can get a GLE w/o a sunroof but....it's not a popularly deleted item so...that's what they build. They DO make them but...in a small quantity so....it'll be hard to find, as someone here as already stated.
    Nissan is doing quite well, with all projected sales being surpassed on ALL models for the end of 99, and to date.
    maybe if and when the Maxima is built here, you'll be able to special order one....we'll have to see.

    Joe
  • dukehouston2dukehouston2 Member Posts: 36
    I in fact did order my Max EXACTLY the way I wanted it. My lease on my old car was up in mid Oct., and I went into the Nissan store in late June and was informed that we had a 5 day window in early July to order. PERFECT, I knew I needed a car in Oct., The car does in fact take about 3 months. You do have to order the packages as Nissan mandates...Ex..If you want leather on a SE you must take the C/C pack, and the Bose, and the Meridian mandates the C/C pack. I wanted all of those, my only question was leather or cloth, I took leather but I could have taken the cloth. Just think heated cloth seats!!! I guess I ordered a loaded SE, but I didn't want TCS, deflector, CD changer or flaps like the other loaded SE's on the lot had, and I wanted a new 01.
    So I ordered, and in fact ordered two, one Sterling Mist, which I took, and one Grey Lustre which I obviously didn't, looks great clean but...
    The car is in the garage, and its all good so far...
    Duke
  • joenissanjoenissan Member Posts: 313
    Wrong you are. They may tell you they're ordering it but....sorry...can't be done.

    They just do a search for the car you want, and...if it's nowhere to be found, they wait...they'll wait however long you let them, until the car you want is either found at another dealer or, finally comes off the boat. Nissan CANNOT special order from Japan.

    Joe
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