Nissan Maxima

loomis · June 2002

i'm sure this question has been answered elsewhere, but i'd appreciate any suggestions for improving the sound on the Bose system in my 2001 Max. To my ears, it's very flat--poor highs and lows. Should I change out the speakers? Add a sub/tweeters? I'd like to get away with as inexpensive a fix as possible. thanks.

ruski · June 2002

http://lenta.ru/auto/2002/06/19/nissan/

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carriemax · June 2002

This is my first time on this site, but I would like to know if you have gotten any message related to my current issue for my car.

1. My car is 2000 Maxima GLE with 36,625 miles, I purchased it new so the 3yrs will be up 8/20/02. I have already had the oxygen sencer replaced and this morning I had to take it in because there was noise.

The Nissan repair man said that the car now need prower steering pump, which is going to cost me $576.92 since the car no longer is covered under warr. since it has more than 36,000 miles, but under 3yrs.

Please let me know it you have any information concerning these (2) issues.

vocus · June 2002

Go to a website on the net and buy an extended warranty before having this work done. The warranty will cost about $700 or so (estimated), so you will have put the PS pump money into the warranty and the sensor. Cheaper that way.

Just put in "extended auto warranty" into your search engine on the net. Alot of them will come up.

porknbeans · June 2002

Being so close to 36k you may want to contact Nissan directly and see if they would be willing to help with even partial payment. Tell them you are a loyal Nissan owner, enjoy the product, but.... I don't know if you'll have any luck but it might be worth a try. Let us know what happens.

kvsm3 · June 2002

I am curious but would the power steering be somehow covered under the 60K powertrain warranty or does that just cover the engine and drivetrain.
Might want to look at the warranty booklet just to make sure.

tiger8 · June 2002

Nissan has raised prices on the '03 Maxima: $200 on the GXE and SE; $450 on the GLE. I would imagine options on the GXE and SE are also up.

bodydouble · June 2002

Maximas do tend to have a bit of a problem with O2 sensors. I had a '95 that went thru 4 of them (under warranty) in the first 35,000 miles.

georged98 · June 2002

Carrie - How can someone tell if the sensor is going bad or is bad?

bodydouble · June 2002

djp2c · June 2002

Nissan in Canada have agreed to correct the problem of Hood Bounce that earlier models of the 2002 Maxima have experienced.

My wife would not drive my Maxima on the highway because she was afraid the hood would come up.

It is expecially dangerous in windy conditions.

The service bulletin will be out in July.

albatros43 · June 2002

I remember there being some discussion about this a while ago, but I can't seem to find them. Anyway, my issue is the following: I hit a curb with my Max and blew out the driver's front tire (going a little too fast, I blame myself 100% for this part). I had a comparable tire put on because the dealer was out of stock Toyos and I needed the car for work. After changing the tire and redoing the alignment, the car was pulling to the right, but not as a result of acceleration. Since I wanted matching tires, I bought a replacement rim and got a Toyo tire from another dealer. I had the new rim and Toyo put on and am now using the other rim and tire as a full-size spare (which the trunk isn't designed for and my trunk floor is now not flat!). Anyway, now the car is pulling to the left significantly during moderate to heavy acceleration, but not at constant speeds. The dealer says the alignment is fine, but I find this hard to believe. It seems like this "torque steer" has just started after having the new rim and Toyo put on. I'm pretty frustrated after spending nearly $500 for a new rim, Toyo, alignment, and balancing of all tires. I'm taking the car to the dealer again to see if they can finally fix the problem. Does anyone have a similar experience with torque steer or does it sound like they just never got the alignment right to begin with? Could I have caused some other type of damage by hitting the curb that would cause the torque steer? I don't really think that's the issue though, as the car was pulling right, now it's pulling left. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

kennyg5 · June 2002

I have a GLE with a trunk lock problem, which I discovered several months ago. I cannot open the trunk manually with a key, but only with the remote trunk release located inside the car or with the key flob unit. The dealer told me that the lock cylinder probably "froze" due to prolonged non-usage, but I find that hard to believe. Dealer also said it would cost about $100 to fix since my warranty has expired. Does anyone have this problem?

patti2ray · June 2002

we just bought a 99gxe and are having big problem with malfunctioning security system (immobiler system)that prevents engine from starting. not sure what tripped it but we didn't have any of the items mentioned in the owners manual such as toll road or gas staion speed passes. any idea what could trip it? we did however have a few of those bar code tags that stores hand out for their purchasing programs.

sgrd0q · June 2002

albatros43 - I had a faulty Toyo tire that made the car pull under acceleration. I too initially thought it was a wheel alignment issue, but it turned out it wasn't. When I had my tire rotation done I realized it was a bad tire - the car stopped pulling (actually started pulling very slightly in the other direction).

I may be wrong, but if I were you I'd rotate the tires to see if it is a tire problem. This is assuming that the alignment is within specs, and the suspension is undamaged which seems to be the case with you.

scotty20 · June 2002

I'm in the process of buying a new car and one of the must haves is a navigation system. I'm thinking about a 2003 maxima - anyone have any experience with the maxima system. does it work well? is is easy to use? is this the same system as the infiniti i35?

mcontreras · June 2002

You're not, by any chance, using the valet key to try and open your trunk??

leoniv · June 2002

Hi everyone,
I received a letter through carpoint and NHTSA saying there was a recall for 01/02 Maximas, I30's, and I35's because of faulty lower control arms. The NHTSA number is 02V146000 and I've verified it's on NHTSA's website. The problem is when I call my dealer or Nissan NA, everyone pleads ignorance telling me there's no recall for my 01 maxima. Maybe the recall doesn't apply to my particular car, but they keep saying there's no recall period on maximas. Does anyone know which cars this recall pertains to or if it's legit? And if the recall does apply to my car, how do I get the dealer to see that?

Leon

sgrd0q · June 2002

leoniv - thanks for pointing out the recall.

You may have to give Nissan a few days, as the recall seems to be very recent.

prayerfor · June 2002

You should be able to answer the question of whether or not the torque steer problem is related to the new wheel/tire by rotating tires. Put the new one out back and two originals up front and see if the problem is still there.

dabronxr · June 2002

i COPIED THIS FROM NHTSA SITE ABOUT 2002 MAXIMA TROUBLE
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 02V146000
Component: SUSPENSION:INDEPENDENT FRONT CONTROL ARM:LOWER
Manufacturer: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Year: 2002 Make: NISSAN Model: MAXIMA Recall Date: 06/03/2002
Type of Report: Vehicle
Potential Number of Units Affected: 90500
Manufactured: 06/2001 - 01/2002
Defect Summary:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE PIN AT THE END OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK (LOWER CONTROL ARM) COULD BREAK WHERE IT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME.
Consequence Summary:
THIS CAN CAUSE A KNOCKING SOUND AND ABNORMAL STEERING. THIS COULD RESULT IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Corrective Summary:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSVERSE LINKS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES WITH NEW ONES. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

autos3 · June 2002

I will be in the market for our another car (this will make 4 for our house) The last Maxima I owned was a 99SE 5spd and loved the car. I did drive a 02 SE 6spd and enjoyed the car, but thought the ride was a bit "harsh" but could live with it. A local dealer has a 99 SE 5spd with only 12k on it and was thinking of purchasing that car.

I like the new Max's for many reasons, HIDS, Style, 6spd, larger, but will use this car for long trips weekly and remain concerned about the ride, can anyone previous generation Maxima owners provide me with personal preference over the last gen max vs the current. THANKS

kvsm3 · June 2002

autos3,
I also have a 99 SE 5 speed with 43K miles. I love the car and it has been my primary car since I bought it new. Besides routine maintenance, the car has been trouble free. I am still on original tires and brakes.Its true the 02/03 has more power,features, room than the 99s, but it appears that the newer ones seemed to be recalled more often than the 4th gen Maximas.
If you can get a great deal on the 99, then go for it. Of course there are huge incentives on the current Maximas as well. I personally like the 97-99 styling than the current ones. Just my personal opinion. I have had no recalls at all.

kennyg5 · June 2002

I don't think the 95-99 models of Maxima GLE come with valet keys (mine is 98 and I do not recall ever having a valet key); the 90-94 models did (but I lost the valet key for my 92 GXE quite some time ago).

My understanding of the nav system on the Maxima is that it does not compare well with navs on other cars, such as the Acura. I heard Maxima's nav. is not user friendly because, among other things, a lot of other buttons (such as climate control)are only accessible thru the nav. screen. Moreover, it is not a dvd system, and you need to purchase many CDs if you drive across the country. Also, with the nav., your disc changer will have to be in the trunk.

inetdee · June 2002

Hi All,

I am planning on getting a Nissan Maxima GLE
2002 fully loaded..brand new from the dealer.
Includes everything from the Meridian Package
to sunroof, leather heated seats, side air bags,
traction control, mats, splash guards(4), and
rear spoiler...now here are my questions:

1. What is a good price to pay for this car?
Is $25k decent, knowing that the 2003's are
coming out any day now..dealer wants to offload
his 2002 stock..I want to know what you all think.

2. What are the major differences between the
2002 and 2003 GLE as I describe above?

3. Does the 2002 GLE use only Premium fuel? Can I put in the regular cheap stuff? How about 2003?

4. Are there any major problems with the 2002
GLE? I've owned a Toyota before and it was
always trouble free...required nothing but normal
maintenance.

Thanks so much for your help.

habitat1 · June 2002

My thoughts:

1. Compare '02 price to '03. If you intend to keep car for less than 4-5 years, the '03 will probably be worth at least $1-2k more on resale, all other things equal. If you intend to keep it more than 5-6 years, it doesn't matter much (i.e. get the best deal you can on an '02).

2. I'm not in market, so I don't know of changes between '02 and '03, but assume they are minor/cosmetic, since a complete redesign is coming next year.

3. Use premium fuel. I have 127k miles on an 1995 SE and during that time have used 5,250 gallons (24.02 mpg). Any savings in buying cheap gas would have likely been lost on lower fuel economy. The Maxima engine is an engineering jewel that still feels as strong in my car as when it was new. You don't really want even a slight possibility of screwing it up to try to save for a few pennies, do you??

4. I have owned Toyota's and Nissan's and, albeit just one person's experience/opinion, I think my Maxima is built better, with less corner cutting, than any comparable Toyota. My front brakes lasted 90k miles, my rears 115k. I'm on the original clutch. No major repairs in 127k miles, period. Even the paint finish still looks great. Not to mention that an SE Maxima is a hell of a lot more fun to drive than the Buick (I mean Toyota) Camry / Avalon.

Good luck.

njruss · June 2002

What dealer offered you 25k for a loaded GLE? I am looking now and would love that deal!

dcmike · June 2002

Haven't posted in a while, still trying to decide what to buy. Here is my dilemma:

1. Tried to wait for the new Accord. Saw the pictures - disappointing!
2. Tried the Camry - no personality, hated the seats
3. Afraid of VW quality
4. Drove the Altima - great ride, loads of space, questionable interior
5. Drove the GLE Max - loved the engine, questioned the ride quality.

Really torn between the Max (GLE) and the Altima (3.5).
What should I do?

afty · June 2002

It really comes down to personal preference since both the Altima and the Maxima cost about the same once you start negotiating.

I chose the Altima for the following reasons:
1) Altima is a newer design. The current Maxima will be replaced around March 2003, at which point the current Maxima will look dated. Altima is at the beginning of its product cycle and will look fresh longer.
2) Altima's exterior design is better IMO.
3) Altima has a more advanced chassis with independent rear suspension.
4) Altima seems sportier than the Maxima. Maxima seems more luxurious, but that is not what I'm looking for right now.

The downside as you said is that the Altima's interior materials are not as nice as the Maxima's. That wasn't enough to sway me, but maybe your priorities are different.

Hope this helps.

jenks2 · June 2002

Looking for tire replacement advice. My tires are just about ready for replacement. Bought my 2k GLE Maxima new and love it. My only complaint is too much road noise from the original Toyos. I'm hoping a new set of skins will reduce the noise. Tirerack recommended the Bridgestone Turanza. The most important characteristic to me is a tire that provides the quietest, smoothest ride. Also, I live in the northeast,so they need to perform well in snow. Is there a tire that will reduce the road noise or is the noise typical for this car?

rickmtb2 · June 2002

I just replaced my 2k GLE's Toyos with Bridgestone Potenzas RE950s. I considered the Turanzas but I wanted a tad bit more performance from the Max. I suspect the Turanza will be smoother and quieter since it is Bridgestone's touring tire. When I was looking to buy Bridgestone was running a special on Turanzas... buy four and get a free Elph camera.

btw, when I was buying mine the Firestone dealer quoted me a really good price. I was able to get Sears to match, so I got 4 Potenzas for $550 out the door.

Anyway, the other tire I really wanted was the Dunlop SP Sport A2 but it would have been weeks before local (Houston) dealers were going to get four in my size, so I went with the Potenzas.

nmchop · June 2002

I'm considering trading "down" but really up to a Nissan maxima (1998 SE)...it's got the Bose and sunroof, cloth seats (i like that since I live in the desert and it's 100-degrees every day).

It's dark green with a little bit of sun damage around the fake wood where the dash goes around the radio (very minor, the plastic covering is coming up a little, it happens out here).

I got them down to $14,995 on the Maxima SE (52,000 miles). I currently drive a 2000 Dodge Stratus ES (I want out of the leather). So I'm $2500 upside down in the Maxima, so the purchase price will be roughly $17,500 after the upside down figure is factored in.

I'd like to hear from those who have had the SE and the 1998 model. I really loved the way it drove, it's more car then I have now, though i'm going from 32,000 miles to 52,000 miles.

I still think i'm getting a lot more car but just a little nervous about trading back two model years and picking up extra miles. Anyone want to address my fears or give me a review on their 1998 (or any year) Maxima.

Thanks

sgrd0q · June 2002

nmchop - you should be able to get the Max for less - check the discussions in the Smart Shopper section.

kvsm3 · June 2002

NMCHOP,
First of all $14995 is way too much for a 1998 Nissan Maxima SE. If you want to find out the TMV (true market value), check the TMV value for used cars at the Edmunds site.
Second, The Nissan Maxima is a great car and is way better then the Dodge Stratus by a long shot!
I have a 1999 SE 5 speed with 45K miles and it hasnt given me any problems. Very reliable, quick and the VQ engine is bulletproof.
I also have a 96 Maxima GXE with 145K miles of which I am the original owner. the car runs like new. Besides routine maintenance, I have had no problems. The car doesnt even burn or leak any type of fluids.
The Maxima is definitely a great buy but u should be able to do much better on the price.

bodydouble · June 2002

I can't comment on the price being fair or not, but, assuming the '98 Max is in sound mechanical condition, the 2 years and 20,000 miles that you're "trading away" are absolutely no problem because Maximas of that vintage are pretty well bullet-proof (other than occasionally popping an O2 sensor). I don't mean to slam Chrysler, but I think the Max would easily outlast your Stratus. And like kv said, the Max is a whole lot more car.

njruss · June 2002

Bought a 2003 SE yeasterday, offered the dealer invoice and he accepted - I did pay the $300 marketing allowance. This dealer also adds about $400 for pin striping, door guards, etc. which he wanted to charge for. I asked the salesperson to make that go away, so they took $200 off. Good deal I think - any opinions. Also got 4.9% 60 months from NMAC. I went in looking for a 2002 which would have cost me around $600 less and 3.9% but for such a small difference, I went for the newer model year.

bodydouble · June 2002

Any difference in features between '02 & '03?

dg95 · June 2002

njruss,

I may be in the market for an SE 6sp. I have owned 2 SE's in the past, a '92, and a '96, and they are great cars. I'm in the market for a new car and there are some great choices in the low $30k range. But, if I decide I really would rather spend less at this time (might be buying a new house soon too), a Max. needs a definite looks see. I'm curious, what options did you get on the car and what was invoice. Edmunds doesn't have '03 invoice listed yet, but I imagine that it would be similar to the '02 - $26k or so with a lot of goodies.

mirth · July 2002

$14995 might not be a bad dealer price for a '98 Max, depending on what the options are.

sgrd0q · July 2002

Edmund's dealer TMV seems to be 14.5K for that car, in my area anyway.

nmchop · July 2002

Thanks for your posts...It's an SE, Dark Green, Tan cloth interior. Moonroof, Bose, clean, 52,000 miles, alloy wheels, ABS, power driver seat (not sure on passenger seat), it didn't have the keyless entry doo hickey that I saw. So it's pretty well loaded minus leather.

kvsm3 · July 2002

nmchop,
Are u saying the car didnt have the keyfob with keyless entry? As part of the leather package, you get 4 way passenger power seat, automatic climate control and rear mappocket. Does the car have side airbags and heated seats?

packwolf · July 2002

I just bought a 2K2 GLE, everything but the NAV. Price was 26,983 (which if I recall was 200 below the TMV). Got them to throw in their "total lasting care" paint warranty for free (sticker of 499). Subtract the rebate (1000), add the extended warranty (849) for a total of 26,832. TTL brings it to 27,855. The car stickered for 29,752. I guess if I had pushed harder I might've been able to get between 25 and 25,500 after the rebate. I'm trying not to think about it though. I just keep reminding myself how much I like the car, and try to forget about the numbers (afterall, I beat TMV so that means I must've paid less than most others did).

10ttaml · July 2002

Packwolf, you sure got a good deal. I was offered 27400 merlot gold package gle spoiler moonroof etc except Nav.system,sticker was 29752, haven't accepted yet.Now I'm looking at gle,meridian,moonroof,spoiler and extras for the same price, do you think that's good price?Don't know anything about extended warranty and so on.

njruss · July 2002

Here is what I have for invoice prices. I got basically no options.

Base: 23051 (MSRP 25649)
Floor Mats 61 (79)
Trunk Mats 41 (59)
4 splash guards 91 (129)
Destination 540 (540)
Mktg Allow. 300 (0)

Total 24084 (26456)

Hope this helps!

jcw915 · July 2002

Hey,

I have a sheer silver maxima the front bumper needs to be repainted. my cousin was driving my car and somehow he scrapped against the wall. do you guys know what I have to type in to search for a good body shop in my area (atlanta)?? also, you guys know how much it's gonna cost?! the front bumper's paint is stripped and im assuming that they have to repaint the entire bumper or else it won't match too well...???

thanks,
Jerry

roar1 · July 2002

I bought a 2k2 GLE in May, everything but Nav. ( includes floor mats,
Painted splash guards, Wind Deflector, etc ) and paid $26,892. I opted
for the 3.8% financing rather than the $1000 cash back. I had to do
ALOT of negotiating to get this price.

packwolf..................I think you got a fair and honest price. I feel I could
have done better but I'd probably still be at the dealership haggling on
price. :-) BTW, this car is awesome. For the money, it's gotta be
one of the best performance / luxury deals around !! imho

ccermak · July 2002

Haven't posted in a while. I've got a 00 SE Auto, loaded with everything possible at the time. Really wishing I would've got the 5sp, but then again I'm in the vintage with the "fuel-cut" problem. I bought early so I've got the 16" wheels.

Here's my ?s on this car, hopefully somebody can offer some advice.

1.) My steering wheel vibrates for about 3 to 5 seconds EVERY time I slow to a stop. Is it the electronic motor mounts? Sometimes in rush hour, like stop go, it'll sit and vibrate constantly until speed is completely stop or more than 10mph.

2.) The car seems lame from 0 to 20 mph, almost doggish. She wakes up if you stomp on it, but it just doesn't have the pep I wish it did coming out of the hole. I think it's the nature of the beast with this vintage. No torque off the line. Any cheap mods to help? How bout Stillen Intake? Maybe an Underdrive Pulley? Can't afford to trade up to 02 6sp.

3.) I've got a K&N drop-in filter. Doesn't seem to make any difference at all. Waste of money in my opinion. Would love to dyno with and without to prove theory.

4.) Tranny seems to shift into 2nd gear way too early sometimes when going slow. I'll pull out from a stop sign making a turn, or pull out in front of somebody and be going like 5mph, hit the gas and NOTHING happens for a full second. Then she drops down to what must be 1st (feels like passing gear) and she takes off like crazy. Shift from 1 to 2 is crisp and I supposedly have the TCU from the TSB, although I'm not 100% convinced since I never saw the old one or verified part #s or anything.

I'm now approaching my 3yr/36K and the car has its quirks but I still like it. Bought it for its size, value, etc.

Just looking for comments on mods, etc.

Seeya

packwolf · July 2002

10tt...Off the top of my head you are right at TMV, so I think that's good (for whatever my opinion is worth). To borrow from roar's post, its "a fair and honest price."

Roar...I was getting 5.8 from my bank so I figured w/ the rebate I could "buy" a little peace of mind w/ the extended warranty. This is the first time I've spent this much money on a car and I just wanted to feel like I was protected should something awful happen (as unlikely as that seems w/ the maxima track record).

No doubt about it for those on the fence... this car is a wonderful blend of power, luxury and practicality.

roar1 · July 2002

Besides the 2k2 GLE ( mine ) I have a 2k GLE ( wifes) .I recently came back
from a 385 mile trip with the 2k Max. ( car has 43,000 mi. on it ) and averaged
29.3 mpg with the cruise set on 70 and the Bose and A/C set on high. BTW,
premium fuel was used. Only the best for the Max.

Fantastic !!!!

Nissan Maxima

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