Nissan Maxima

kennyg5 · January 2003

I am pleasantly surprised to learn that the Maxima is named the most reliability car in the executive/luxury class. The survey was done in Germany and was listed in this toyota website -- http://www.toyota.ch/fr/news-jdpower-pressrelease1102.pdf. I think this is significant coming from the Germans and, most importantly, from a Japanese competitor.

kennyg5 · January 2003

Maxima's most coveted top ranking is for its customer satisfaction. The categories are: quality-reliability 35%; vehicle appeal 25%; service satisfaction 23%; and ownership cost 22%. Maxima owners should be proud of their cars top ranking. Even the mighty Toyota has acknowledged and so conceded, by publishing the JD Powers survey on its website.

jg28 · January 2003

Nissan ties with Citroen? That can't be too good. Also, remember that the Maxima in Europe is the I35. That's why it's in the luxury class.

deyounk · January 2003

Does anybody know what sort of deal you should expect on a new Maxima GLE in Canada?

bartalk2 · January 2003

I rented an '03 Max SE for two weeks.. Liked its power (compared to my '97 SE), but the turning circle with those big 17" wheels was horrendous--44 feet, I believe. The car is cumbersome, awkward and hard to maneuver in tight spaces. I hope they correct it in the '04s, but I'm not optimistic.

dzuba · January 2003

Bought a 98 GLE two years ago with 48K miles on it. Today it has 109K miles, and runs great. It has been a very reliable and fun car to drive. The car has been extensively serviced by my local Nissan dealer and has had all the recommended check-ups, etc... No major problems at all.

It seems I am consistently sent mail from my dealer recommending service programs about every 7500 or 15000 miles - are these really necessary things that need to be done, or is the dealer just trying to make money on services.
They each run on average about $300.00.

Back in 1991 my 1984 Grand Prix ran great, had 160K miles on it -and never needed all these scheduled maintenance visits. Aren't cars made better today?

madmax2k1 · January 2003

Actually the turning circle of 2000-2003 Maxima with 17" wheels is 40 feet. The turning circle on the 04 Maxima will remain the same. For comparison purpose I checked the turning circle on the following cars:

Acura TL TypeS : 40
Mazda6: 38.7
Altima: 38.7
Neon SRT: 41.5 (can u believe that?)
Lambo Murcielago: 41.5

vocus · January 2003

The dealer just tries to wring money from your wallet on service visits. Follow the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual, and you should be ok.

habitat1 · January 2003

vocus: I believe that the owner's manual does recommend services every 7,500 miles (A), 15,000 miles (B) and 30,000 miles (C) with extra things at 60k, 120k, etc.

dzuba: It appears that you drive roughly 30k miles per year. Assuming that is a lot of highway milage, I think you can skip the "A" Services without much worry. I started doing that a few years ago on my 1995 Maxima and only take it to the dealership every 15k miles. I average 20k miles per year, until I got an S2000 as a third car. I am hesitant to skip the 15k mile services, since I'd rather know that they've checked the brakes, belts, etc. than have them go. Example, I timed the replacement of my brakes to before any further wear might have resulted in rotor damage. Had I gone too far, a relatively inexpensive brake pad replacement would have turned into a much more expensive rotor replacement. The "B" service at my dealership runs about $225, but they always seem to have 10% off specials, plus give me credit for changing my own oil.

jg28 · January 2003

I couldn't agree more about the maneuvering. It's definitely noticeable in parking lots and even making U-turns. My slightly larger (5 inches in length, 3 inches in width) Oldsmobile Intrigue was easier to maneuver and felt smaller than my Maxima does (and for good reason... the turning radius is 40 ft on the Maxima and just 36.6 on the Intrigue).

bartalk2 · January 2003

I wonder if the turning circle of the Max with 17" tires is only 40 feet. I know someone checked it, but I recall that in their test of the Infiniti I35, Consumer Reports listed the turning circle with 17" wheels as 44 feet. The Infiniti is slightly longer, yes,a couple of inches maybe, but I would think the turning circle is the same. I may be wrong.

But for contrast, check out the BMW 325 or 330. Amazing.

mirth · January 2003

It's almost all in the size of the tires. My '02 GXE with the 16" tires only has a 36ft. turning circle.

habitat1 · January 2003

There may be some correlation, but not much. When I test drove the BMW M3 last year, I noticed that it has a tight 36' turning radius with wider 18" wheels (optional 19" = same radius), which is 4' less than a 2003 Maxima SE with narrower 17" wheels/tires.

I've also noticed a significant difference in the steering "ratios", if that is the correct term. The amount of steering wheel input needed to turn a given amount in a Maxima is substantially more than in a BMW M3, 5-series or my S2000. That seems to contribute to the Maxima steering feeling loose, compared to these other cars. I would like to see Nissan steal a steering engineer or two from BMW. It can't be that difficult to design tight steering with a small turning radius.

poog · January 2003

Does anyone know if you can tell the model (GXE, GLE, SE, etc.) from the VIN? I see ads for Maximas but a lot of times they don't say what model. I've been assuming that if they don't say the model, it means it's the GXE. Is that a safe assumption?

bartalk2 · January 2003

Yes, it's a safe assumption that when dealers advertise unbelievable low prices, they're referring to the base model stripped. Also beware of the ad that says, "One at this price." Because when you call they'll tell you that one's been sold, but we do have others near that price (i.e., bait and switch). "Near that price" means a lot more expensive.

dklanecky · January 2003

VIN #, How to Read it.
1st digit is where vehicle is built, 1,4,5=USA, 2=Canada, 3=Mexico, Puerto Rico or Costa Rico, 6=Australia, 9=Brazil, J=Japan, K=South Korea, L=Tawain, S=United Kingdom, V=France or Yugoslavia, W=Germany, Y=Sweeden, Z=Italy.

2nd and 3rd characters indicate specific manufacturer.

4th through 8th characters are a portrait of the specific vehicle, Brand, Body Style, Engine Size & Type, etc.

9th character is a security code that identifies the VIN as being authorized by the manufacturer. Law enforcement can determine if a VIN is authentic or not from this character on a specific vehicle.

10th character is the model year of the car. 1980=A, H=1987, J=1988, N=1992, P=1993, T=1996, V=1997, through Y=2000. Then 1 = 2001 and so on. There are no I, O, U, or Z years.

11th character is the specific plant which assembled the vehicle. Each manufacturer uses different codes to identify their plants.

12th-17th characters are the serial number of the specific vehicle. Not all companies start at #000001, practices vary among manufacturers.

blh7068 · January 2003

What you need to look for is the stock number, not the VIN. Thats how the dealerships get away with the "one at this price", because that stock number IS the one offered at that price. Thats how they can still employ the ol'bait and switch(never had it happen to me) and avoid false advertising at the same time.

mirth · January 2003

For cars of similar length, tire will mostly determine the turning circle. The M3 is a good 1 to 1.5 feet shorter than the Max.

habitat1 · January 2003

mirth,

The M3 is indeed almost 15 inches shorter than the Maxima, but that still doesn't explain the Maxima's 40' turning circle on "only" 17" wheels and tires. And actually, wheelbase has more to do with the dynamics of turning a circle than does vehicle length.

Look at the 5-series and 7-series by comparison.

Maxima = 191.5" long, 107.5" wheelbase, 17" wheels, 40' turning circle.
BMW 530i = 188" long, 111.4" wheelbase, 16" wheels, 37.1' turning circle.
BMW 540i 6-speed = same length/wheelbase, 18" wheels, 37.4' turning circle.
BMW 745i = 198" long, 117.7" wheelbase, 18" wheels, 39.7' turning circle.

Looking at the 5 series, which is comparable in size to the Maxima (BMW = 3" shorter, but 3" longer wheelbase), the difference between 16" wheels and 18" wheels is only 3" on the turning circle, which is negligible. And both are nearly 3 feet less than the Maxima. Even the behemoth 745i with 18" wheels has a smaller turning circle than the Maxima.

Clearly, the Maxima has a much greater than average turning circle for a car of it's size (and wheel size) at least compared to BMW. I suspect it is related to the engineerig design of the steering. Perhaps FWD vs. RWD has somethong to do with it. It's certainly not due to 17" wheels which, although bigger than previous Maximas, are average or small by today's sport sedan standards.

nissangirl · January 2003

in my turning circle. I don't think this comparison would hold me back from buying my Maxima. BMW makes a very, very attractive vehicle, but not an attractive price.....I only wish there was a BMW dealer where I live. But I'm very satisfied with my Max!

obiwankenobi1 · January 2003

But, they are out of my price range!

Oh well, I'll take my Nissan as well. It has been an awesome car.

Obi

jg28 · January 2003

And I think agree that it must be even more than 40ft. Now that someone mentioned it, it does seem like it takes an unusual amount of left to right movement to steer the car, especially in parking lots and tighter corners; certainly not a tight feeling. Perhaps this is why there's an amazing amount of torque steer too... just too much play in the wheel from left to right.

hammer19 · January 2003

Hi All, sorry to say that I have finally met the third and most annoying problem with the '03 Max.....the leaky sunroof! I've met and fixed both the hood rattle and the faulty Bose stereo head unit (I hope!), but now I've encountered the leaky sunroof. I took my car into a touchless carwash (don't want to mess up my paint and Zaino coating!) the other day to get the winter road salt off my car and noticed upon exiting that my roof liner was wet, especially along the driver side. Boy, was I pi**ed!!! I'm hoping it was a fluke with the cold air temperature (-15 celcius) causing the rubber/vinyl seal around the sunroof to harden, thus making it easier to "move" under the high pressure of the sprayers(?). Anyway, has anyone else out there had a similar problem? What was the solution? Did the dealer have a good fix? Is there a TSB for it? I will contact my dealer this week for an appointment to have it looked at, but I would appreciate being "armed" before I go. One thing I find real frustrating in my area is how sleazy and dishonest the Nissan dealers are. I had a lot of trouble with them in the past with my '97 SE, so I'm not looking forward to another "fleecing". Thanks in advance.

nissangirl · January 2003

hammer19: Yes, I have an '03 SE and the ONLY problem I've encounted SO FAR is the sunroof leaking when I went thru a car wash, it did not leak in the rain. But, my dealer fixed it. My service manager contacted a nissan engineer and they said that the glass needed an adjustment. I'm not sure if they took the glass entirely out, but whatever they did, it fixed my leak. After I picked it up I went straight to the same car wash, and it did not leak anywhere. So hopefully, you just need it adjusted like mine. Good Luck!

So far, that is the only problem that I have had. I bought it back in Nov. and it only had 5 miles on it. It now has 1500 on it. I love the car, period.

al57 · January 2003

I am looking for some answers based on my Post 6205.Are the amount of posts based on the turning radius of the max so important? When you test drive isnt the turning ability or lack of evident right there? Lets entertain some possible waranty concerns of fellow max owners

bobfeld · January 2003

is it okay to use regular unleaded fuel in the 03 maxima??

blh7068 · January 2003

bob-
Thats fine. Premium is recommended for optimal performance, however.

hammer-
Thats one problem that I looked for based on whats been said here...no leaks with my 02 SE.

However...Half of the hood(drivers side) experiences the proverbial hood bounce, the other half is OK. According to the TSB(VIN range) my car is not supposed to be affected. Not really a big deal, but does anyone else have half-a-hood bounce?

bill_l · January 2003

I'm going to buy a 96' Maxima with 106K miles on it. I'm wondering 96' maxima uses a chain or a belt, and at what miles it should be replaced and how much it could be cost.
Thanks a lot.

kvsm3 · January 2003

Bill,
dont worry, your maxima has a timing chain. I have a 96 and 99. All 4th gen, 5th gen and upcoming 6th gen maximas have timing chains. they all have the bulletproof VQ engine. :-) Timing chains do not need to be replaced.

madmax2k1 · January 2003

The 2k-2k1 Maxima that came equipped with the 16" tires had a turning radius of 35.5' even though those models (GXE, GLE) have virtually the same front suspension as the SE model. I believe Nissan put some stops on the steering rod of the 17" wheel models to prevent tire rubbing. However, when you put the 17" OEM wheels on a GXE Maxima there is no rubbing. I have no idea why Nissan engineers decided to artificially increase the steering radius on the Maxima.

bill_l · January 2003

Thanks. It's a good news. Hope timing chains can last longer than engines. I did hear a couple of days ago a chain in a 96' Maxima was broken at ~90K miles and will cost over $1K to fix.

sbbinau · January 2003

Ok Max lovers,

We have an '01 Max SE. Love it...great car, nuff said. Our '90 Pathfinder needs replaced...and we are looking at '03 Altimas. However...dealers are trying to steer into another Maxima with GREAT prices. One dealer must have had 50 03's on his lot with another batch coming.

1). For those of you who have bought an '03 in the last 60 days...what was your price OTD either purchase or lease?

2) Is it weird to own two of the same car? While exciting...the thought of lifting my garage door and seeing two Maxes seems a bit odd.

3) I honestly think (based on dealings this weekend) that you can get into a loaded SE/GLE at 30500 discounted to well below invoice and pay quite a bit lower than for a loaded 3.5 SE Altima pricing at 29000.

Thoughts/Experiences?

nissangirl · January 2003

I bought my '03 SE w/Titanium Pkg., Leather back in November. Sticker was $29744, my cost was $26,400. I went thru Nissan on my financing.

However, when I open my garage door, I see an '03 Maxima SE and an '02 Pathfinder LE. We have been very pleased with both purchases.

Good Luck!

achadha · January 2003

Nice Nissangirl I have the same two cars as you when I open my garage. The wife drives an 02 Pathfinder SE I got the 03 Maxima

...I know many people who have two maximas but they have two different generations a 92' GXE and a 98 GLE..I think if you have different generations it is ok two have 2. Maxima is a way better car then the Altima just take a look at the interiors of both and you will realize!

lmp180psu · January 2003

Hello everyone, I am hoping to find a solution to a problem that my friend's Max has; one day last week he was driving at around 60 when the car decided to suddenly jump forward then back, but didn't shut off. Then later it did it again, and this time it decided to shut off with the CEL and battery light lights lit. He started the car again with no problems then a 1/4 mile later it shut off again. He was near empty( but no low fuel light) and went to get gas close. After that he drove it home a couple of miles never going over 40 mph making sure it wouldn't studder or shut off again. He had it towed to the dealer but of course they couldn't duplicate the problem and the diagnostic test brought up no codes. Has anyone had their car just shut off like this. I am wondering if it is an electrical problem, ignition coil, or maybe the fuel filter( or not enough gas?). any ideas would be helpful as he is picking up the car tomorrow. Thanks, Lou.

lmp180psu · January 2003

My friend just got his Max back earlier and it seems to be running well now. Hopefully it was just something stupid like a combination of the very cold weather lately in the Philly area and a lack of gas( it was near E, but not low fuel light).

vocus · January 2003

The Maxima is better than the Altima on the inside. I think the advantage of the Maxima ends there. You can, however, get a nicely equipped Maxima for about the price of a loaded Altima. Beware of resale value though...

ikay99 · January 2003

Hello,

I am considering buying a 2000 Nissan Maxima GXE. It has about 43000 miles on it. I haven't personally seen it or test drove it yet but planning to do that this weekend.

Can anyone give me some tips what to check for when I test drive the car? Any problem areas? I am kinda nervous and just want to make sure it's a clean car and won't give me any problems for a long time. The dealer says it's very clean and in excellent condition. I have seen the picture online; looks good.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

JM

vocus · January 2003

Check for maintenance records, make sure no warning lights on the dash are on. Also check the feel of the brakes for pulsating (rotor problem) and for the hood flutter.

ikay99 · January 2003

Thanks vocus. I appreciate your advice. I will make sure I check those things.

Regards,

JM

dzuba · January 2003

Interesting that you mention hood flutter. I have a 98 GLE and notice this a lot on the highway. Is this a common problem, and what can I do to fix it?

rbross · January 2003

I own a 2003 GLE and noticed a hood bounce also (only once and this was on a very windy day). I thought the hood was going to pop up so I stopped to make sure it was secure, which it was. I'll have to ask Nissan service if they're aware of this.

markw11 · January 2003

does anybody know of any problems with the 2000 max having problems with warped rotors/brake squeal.

vocus · January 2003

I don't own a Maxima, but have read several things about TSB's here on the site. I think you can find TSBs by searching http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov and running a search on "technical service bulletin". This should help.

kyleknicks · January 2003

markw11,

there is def a problem with Brake rotors warping on 2000 maxima's.

if you need the TSB... i'll try to find the link to it...

-kyle

monte4 · January 2003

I had the same problem with the Hood Flutter, I took mine in and they adjusted the hood stops and know its gone. Its easy to do it is 2 black knobs near the light at the front of the engine bay just twist them a little. Take a test drive until you get it.

poog · January 2003

Thanks for the responses, especially dklanecky with the actual "VIN Decoder Ring". Some ads don't list the options and I was wondering if somehow from the VIN I could tell (or find out from a dealer) what options it has. I guess that's too much info to put in a VIN.

rbross · January 2003

Thanks for the info. on the Hood Flutter. I'll make sure my Service Dept. takes care of this.

ikay99 · January 2003

Hello fellas,

I am planning to buy a 2000 Maxima GXE. I haven't test driven it yet but will do that over the weekend. My question is about how quiet the ride is inside this vehicle at highway speeds (like 70-80 mph)?

I drove a Camry 2 weeks ago and it had a very quiet and smooth ride inside the vehicle. We didn't have to speak up to be able to hear each other. We could speak just like we would inside a quiet room.

Does Nissan Maxima 2000 GXE have the quietness and smoothness like that or close to it? I would greatly appreciate any input. It's very important to me. Thanks,

JM

kyleknicks · January 2003

http://apollo799.50megs.com/Maxima/Maxima.htm

Nissan Maxima

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles