Although I do believe the GXE is the bottom line of the Maxima's, you should find it probably smoother than the Camry, possibly due to the Max being a bit more heavier than the Cam, and probably the sound should be equal. But, hey, I'm on my 4th Maxima, and I have been totally satisfied with my purchases, therefore, I tend to be a bit biased when it comes to the Maxima.
Good luck with your decision, we know it can be difficult at times.
saw and sat in the the 04 max at the st.louis auto show...VERY COOL...i even liked the grill(it looks btter in person)the car attracted a lt of attention and lots of ooohs nd ahhhs...anyone wanting an 03 should wait...they are piling up on the lots here...the incentives can only get better as the 04 approaches
"On the open road, the six-speed 3.5 SE isn't quite the sport sedan the specification makes it out to be. The 3432 pound Maxima has poise, but its newfound grip in tighter corners is accompanied by LOTS (emphasis added) of body roll and all that horsepower would overwhelm the front tires without electronic help." (Automobile magazine/March 2003)
Personal comment: Goodyear RS-A tires (apparently oem on the new Max SE) sure don't help the matter. The reviewer had a critical comment about the tires as well.
Oh, one other thing..........they note a $34,000 estimated price for the SE they tested. My '00 retailed @ just about 30k. If Nissan thinks that I'm going to be inclined to absorb a $4,000.00 price increase to buy a '04 comparably equipped to my '00, they have another thought coming.
Another observation.......they did away with the GXE right? So, all those buyers who bought GXE's are not going to be inclined to consider spending numerous thousands more to get into an SE, imho. Plus.....they make the HID's optional instead of standard equip. on the new models? Whose brainchild was that? I have to wonder what they're smoking at corporate?????????
I think they did away with the GXE model because it was only about 5% of sales anyway. Most of the Maximas I see on the road seem to be SE models or GLEs...
They probably made HIDs optional because they seem to be a high risk item now, with all the thefts. That would be one good reason to them I assume, but a bad reason in the consumers' eyes.
In the Northeast, I heard the HIDs in the Max and Acura TL are "hot" items. There are many cars now with HIDs, are the ones on the Max and TL easier to steal due to poor anti-theft design? One would hope Nissan and Acura are not thinking of gouging their customers for replacement HIDs by designing easily stolen headlights.
I saw the picture of the 04 Max dash in the new Motor Trend issue. I think it looks like the G35 but am not 100% sure. I am not too frilled with the new design. It looks too bare and cold . . . yet high tech.
Hello room, I just wanted to ask a question. I have a friend in the market for a newer car under $25K. He is looking at a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE with leather pack, auto, sunroof, bose. He has been cross shopping other cars. So far he has came up with a Linc L.S. V8, an Acura CL coupe Type S, and a 2000 BMW 325i sedan. All cars have between 20-30K miles on them, except the BMW, it has 40K. All except the Maxima come with a certified pre own warrenty. The big selling point for the L.S. is 3.9% intrest rate up to 60 months. The Maxima is the cheapest out of the group at $ 20K. A lot of car for the money, except it doesn't have a pre own cert warrenty, and it's up at 36K. Out of all of the cars, we would just like some imput from the smart people on edmunds. Love to hear any comments. Ben
If I were your friend, I'd probably pay another $5k to $6k for a brand new 03 Max SE and not have to worry about the troubles assoicated with a used car. Also, for a one year old car with 36k miles, I wonder how the previously owner treated it. More importantly, the fact that the car is not certified gives me qualms and gitters.
If reliability is a main concern, the Lincoln V8 is not a star, neither is the BMW. The Acura is not a bad choice except for rumored transmission problems and the fact that it lacks the versatility of a four-door sedan.
I triple what kennyg5 and kelly523 recommend: a brand new 2003 Maxima SE makes more sense than $20k for a used one.
I also agree that the Lincoln LS should be scratched off the list. A business associate traded his 10 year old 220k+ mile Acura Legend fo one in 2001 and he has had more breakdowns and repairs in 30k miles than he had over the life of his Legend. What's worse, he's getting lousy service and response from Ford.
I part company on the opinion regarding the 325i, however. In my research, BMW has improved significantly in terms of reliability over the last 10 years. And BMW's at 60-90k miles seem to feel more solid and rattle free than many other cars at 30k miles. The BMW 325i isn't the most powerful of the bunch, but it's RWD and will handle better than any of the others by a wide margin. Unfortunately, the 3-series holds its value well, so you pay a lot for a used one.
For what it's worth, my 1995 Maxima SE is nearing the 135k mile mark and I didn't have any repairs that would have been covered under an extended warranty until nearly 130k miles (water pump). So, even if it were available, a 7 year/100k bumper to bumper wouldn't have saved me any money.
Ran across a 2000 6spd at a dealer Saturday. I liked it because it had a roof and cloth interior, which is next to impossible to find here in Florida. Anyway, I thought I recalled seeing a few posts way, way back about problems with the manual transmission in the 2000s. Am I remembering correctly? Also, are the brakes a problem? This one has 34K.
I need some advice and help. I just bought a 2000 Maxima. When I got home, I was trying to put the child car seat in the back when I noticed that the seat belts in the back are broken. The base in which the metal buckle slides in, is broken for all three back seat belts. When I inspected the car at the time of purchase, the dealer had the back seat belts laid out real nice on over the seats making it look like they are perfect.
I had to drive about 170 miles to another city in our state to go get that car; now I feel so worried about how to fix this problem. I have two kids and I can't have a car without seat belts. Can someone please advise me what my options are? Do I have any right to claim I was cheated and get the dealer to either fix the seat belts or take the car back and return my money? or is it totally out of my hands?
The car still has manufacturer's 60 month/ 60,000 miles powertrain warranty and the dealer also gave a 3,000 miles/3 month warranty on powertain but I fear none of these warranties will cover this problem. I wanted to know that if the seller fraudulenty sells a defective item, does it give the buyer any right to get their money back or get them to correct the problem?
Lastly, can anyone tell me if its possible to replace the seat belts in the back seat of the 2000 Maxima and how much roughly it may cost? I am very concerned and worried as I have two little kids and I don't know how I will transport them. I would greatly appreciate any help. God bless,
you'll have to check the owners manual, but I think there is a very long warranty for seat belts mandated by the federal government since it is a safety component.
Cherrioboy26 is correct, there is a "lifetime" warranty (page 12 of my 00 maxima SE's warranty book). The only exceptions are "misuse, alteration, accident, or collision damage".
You must take it to a Nissan Dealer for service under the warranty.
If I were you I'd run the vehicle identification number through Carfax.com to see it's title history.
I can't understand how all three seat belts would be broken unless there was an accident or something like that?
Did you buy this car from a Nissan dealer?
As far as your rights on a used car purchase, check with your local state web site. All states have different rules and regulations governing automobile purchases. They all usually have a web site as well that you can use for this research.
Ok, first of all, I would like to thank you who replied to my message. I am very thankful and grateful to you. It shows that there are good people out there who still care for one another and do what they can in their capacity to help.
Fortunately, and I thank God for that; I had my back seat checked. They pulled the whole seat out. And there, we found that the right and left side seat belts were intact; the base end of those belts had been pushed underneath the seat deep inside and so it was just a matter of pulling it out of there.
Only the center seat belt is broken which I will get fixed from the dealer. I am so relieved I can't begin to tell you. The support and advice I have received from people here, is just amazing. I will continue to be active in posting messages here and learn from you guys.
Thanks once again. No good deed, no matter how little it is, is ever wasted. God bless
I don't recall any specific problems about the 2000 Maxima's 5-speed transmission, but I recall hearing that the 2000 redesign had a fair number of bugs, TSB's and recalls. I myself have a 1995 SE 5-speed and the transmission - as well as the rest of the car - has been bullet proof. No sign of clutch wear and the engine runs strong and smooth at 135k miles. In 2000, Nissan "tweaked" the 3.0 liter engine from 190 to 222 hp, but I am not sure if they made any changes to the manual transmission.
Also, FWIW, in my own test drives as well as the reviews I read, the 1995 SE 5-speed with 190 hp is quicker than the 2000 SE 5-speed with 222 hp. So I certainly wouldn't pay any premium for the extra (hidden) horsepower. A nice 1999 which was the last year of that model would also be something to consider. The 1995-1999 model seems to be given higher marks than the 2000-2001 model by most of the posters in this forum.
I saw in an earlier post this weekend a TSB about the brakes. I've generally loved my '92 SE, but it has had its share of brake rotor and electronic problems. It only has 109K on it, but it is starting to behave like an 11-year old car. Wish they built the 89-94 generation brand new again. Good looking rides.
Since the new 2004 Maximas will be on sale here starting next month, does this mean that production of the current Maxes has already stopped in Japan? I know that the new-gen car will be built in the States.
I was directed to the Maxima back in 1994 (1995 model) by a friend who had a 1989 SE 5-speed and loved it. He still has it, but with 130k miles on his and 135k miles on my 1995, he has had quite a few more repairs than me. Brakes, rotors, transmission, etc. I'm not sure the 1995-1999 model was built better, rather the difference is probably more related to the highway driving I do vs. his shorter trip mix. I didn't even replace my front brake pads until 90k miles. My Nissan dealer also sells BMW's and he mentioned that the new BMW maintenance computers/indicators use an algorithm based upon number of starts, ambient temperaturee, gear shifts, hours of operation, etc. more than miles driven. One 300 mile highway trip at 65 mph produces less "wear" than 5 3-mile cold start trips totalling only 15 miles. By this measure, I still have a relatively new car.
jrosamc - according to my dealer, the produciton of 2003 Maxima's is over. There are still some working their way to dealer lots, but that's about it.
Am looking to replace my original Toyos on my maxima. I live in northern minnesota so I need tires that will handle a certain amount of snow and or ice. I would rather stay away from snow tires and go with a good all season tire. any ideas? thanks much!
I want to replace the tires on my maxima which I recently bought. The manufacturer suggests using P205 as the standard tires for this class (i.e. GXE) but I noticed that the previous owner has P215 tires on. I assume P215 are a bit thicker and better, higher performance tires.
Can someone tell me what the difference is between using P205 and P215? Is the handling, performance, ride feel, comfort, and look a lot better with P215? Also, most importantly, is the gas mileage effected using a P215 tire which is optional on this kind of car and when P205 is standard?
I would greatly appreciate any feed back.
(P.S. Note to ahlin: I found Dunlop Tires 'SP Sport A2' as the best rated of all tires I searched on Tirerack.com. Here is the link "http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tire- Model=SP+Sport+A2". To get the best out of your tires, rotate them every 7-10,000 miles. If they wear out before the warranty, you can get them replaced with a new set at significantly lower price. Good luck)
I know someone who got Dunlop Sport A2 tires for their Protege, and they were worn out at 25K miles even though the treadlife warranty is 50K miles. Be warned.
That was me, and I'm PREDICTING they'll wear out by the time they have 25,000 miles on them. They have about 19,000 on them right now.
You failed to mention that someone else on the Protege discussion has a set that appear WILL go 50,000 miles.
Don't spread gloom and doom too prematurely, my friend.
To the guy wondering about the Dunlops -- they're excellent tires both dry and wet. Phenomenal in the rain, and not bad in the snow either. And mine are "plus sized" from the stock 195/55-15 to 205/50-15. Minuscule speedo error, and a wider tire for better grip.
I advise you to check out the user reviews at Tirerack. Just keep in mind that many of the people posting reviews seem to be doing so just after purchasing the tire; I did too. But I went back last week and shared my experiences after a year with the tires. I haven't been back to see if anyone else followed suit; hopefully they will. Good luck with whatever you decide!
I have been planning on buying a used 5-speed Maxima this summer. My new wife does not drive a stick and is bothering me about getting an automatic instead. I have come to realize that I like the Maxima more than just because it came with a stick and great engine. My question to the board is can anyone comment on having owned/driven both the stick and auto? Am I giving a lot up with the Max by going with the auto? As an additional arguement for the auto, there sure are a hell of a lot more of them than the stick and more volume and selection means better prices also. Thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
I think that the stick is more a personal thing to some people rather than a performance thing. It does help increase performance by reducing weight and giving you more engine control, but some people personally don't like stick shifts (like me). So it basically comes down to personal preference.
And I have never driven the Maxima in stick, but I would assume there isn't a huge difference between the two transmissions as far as power, because of the amount of torque the engine has.
It really is night and day. I'll sum it up like this....Maxima with auto is a sedan...Maxima with stick is a SPORT sedan. I have an auto and every day I drive I wish I would've gotten the stick. If you're into performance AT ALL, get the stick if you're buying an 00-01. If you're getting an 02-03, the added power and tweak to the tranny make an auto easier to live with. Depends on how much rush hour etc, but if you like to have fun get the stick. Go drive both at a dealer, you'll end up with the stick.
I agree with ccremak. I have a 1995 SE 5-speed and love it.
Back when I was shopping in 1994, I almost ended up with a GXE automatic, in deference to my wife. Although she drives a stick, she was pregnant with our first child at the time and I thought an auto would be easier on her. Bought the GXE, drove it home, and she made me turn around and take it back. The guys at the dealership had a field day, giving me s---t! They were good sports though and undid the paperwork for no charge. In 135k miles, I've never looked back.
In my opinion, the 4-speed automatic transmission in the 95-99, 00-01, 02-03 Maxima's is one of its weakest links. It's slow shifting and really seems to sap the engine. I am willing to bet that my 190 hp 1995 Maxima is (considerably) quicker than a brand new 255 hp 2003 Maxima with automatic. I don't drag race, but pulling in and out of traffic and merging is effortless with the 5-speed. BMW and Mercedes/AMG automatics (fast shifting 5-speeds) don't have much of a performance penalty vs. manual, but the antiquated 4-speed in the Maxima is long overdue for the bone yard.
I'll also put in a recommendation to go with an SE. It is considerably tighter, with less body roll and handles better than the GXE/GLE, with only nominal "harshness".
Dont get me wrong, I'd still recommend an automatic Maxima over a Camry or Accord of similar vintage. But a 5/6 speed SE is in a different league altogether.
Thanks everyone! I do love driving a stick, and have driven the stick Maxima and loved it. I'm newly married, ya know... I was trying to make my wife happy. She said I was kinda selfish for wanting a car that we both couldn't drive, but maybe she's kinda selfish for not wanting to learn to drive a stick... Good to get that off my chest!
I am concerned about finding a 5-speed to fit my criteria, though. Has anyone had a difficult time finding a used 5-speed Maxima without having to drive all over the country?
This is just a caution to other Maxima owners, who may not have experienced this problem yet. My 6-disc CD changer was jammed yesterday. It was fully loaded with 6 music discs (mix of home made CD-R's and regular store-bought cd's). But yesterday it wouldn't eject one of the cd's (a regular store bought cd). Anyway, my dealer essentially said that you're not supposed to load up your changer with home made CD-R's. One or 2 is ok, but not more than that. Although, according to the dealer guy, loading up your changer with store bought CD's are acceptable. He said the additional thickness of CD-R's makes it more succeptible to jams. So if you're gonna load the changer with CD-R's use alternating slots (i.e. 1-3-6 or 2-4-6).
He also metioned to not leave any CD's inside the chager for an extended period of time (like weeks or months), which i did. The temperature vairations could essentially jam a cd into its slots permanently.
Later i went home and used a millimeter scale to measure the thickness of a CD-R vs a store CD. And there was absolutely no difference. So i figured the dealer just made up that excuse. Attleast the temperature part made some sense, although i'm not sure if its true.
Has anyone else experienced jamming problems with their CD changers when fully loaded?
But anyway, the dealer was nice enough to replace my unit with a new one from BOSE.
Don't know where you are, but there is a gray 2000 SE 5 spd with cloth and a roof at Baird Ray Nissan in Orlando with 34K. Went to four Nissan stores last weekend and that's the only one I saw, new or used.
Thanks. I'm up in Michigan. I've got pretty tight parameters financially too, so that ought to just make it even more interesting. I'm hoping to find a '97 or newer SE 5-speed with less than 60,000 miles for $11ish. I've seen plenty of automatics that fit that, but sticks are harder to find that fit the parameters. How much was the 34k miles one?
The dealers are replacing so many of these that some will use any excuse not to exchange one. I have a great dealer/service dept. I had the left side speaker problem and when they replaced it, the new one didn't work at all so they had to order another one. That one has been replaced with no problems. It's a fact that some CD-R's won't play because problems in the download transmission and subsequent burning to the CD, but it has nothing to do with the physical CD. They are virtually all the same. I own an 02 SE and I've had 3 CD-R's in a row (1-3) and #5 as well for as long as I can remember but certainly for the last five or six months. I think they were hoping you would just accept their lie and go away.
Habitat have you driven an 02 or 03 Nissan beefed up the autotranny and it is way more responsive than earlier years. I had a 97 and 01 auto and this auto shifts so much smoother and is much more eager to downshift etc than earlier years. A 95 manual will be close to a 02/03 auto but the auto will be more consistent in a drag, although some guys with 02/03's have gotten to 14.7 in the 1/4 mile which is faster than a stock 95-99 manual and they posted time slips on Maxima org.
02/03 auto do the 60 deed in about 6.5-6.7 depending on the car and driver multiple time slips available on this one. Heck C/D got the heavier I35 to 60 in 6.9 sec a while back.
YOU CAN NOT PUT LABELED CD-R IN YOUR CD PLAYER OR THEY WILL STICK INSIDE AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE DEALER TO REMOVE IT! Now that said cd-r's witha printed label will "VOID YOUR WARRANTY ON YOUR STEREO" SO IF YOU COMPLAIN TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGE YOU TO FIX IT IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT. I had a cd-r with a home label stuck in my 6 disc in my mustang and i gently pulled it out with a very small pair of tweasers after i tried to eject it. Good luck but dont bash the dealer for something you did.
I wanted to get a 6 speed when I purchased too, but I couldn't talk the wife into it either. After having my 03 for five months, I can't say I am disappointed. The car performs pretty well with the auto, and the shifter in the SE is actually pretty nice. If you can get an 02 or 03 I think you will be happy with the auto. I absolutely love this car. Drives tight, flies and gets fairly good mileage. The auto's perform pretty well, although I imagine the 6 speed accelerates better.
ramped1 - That is a pretty good price for that Max! Why would anyone ever buy a new car with deals like that?!
yamadave - Thanks for the empathy! I'm glad I'm not the only one out there with a stickphobic wife! I think the 02/03's are a little out of my price range right now, but thanks for the info.
I think I will hold out as long as I can for a manual that fits my needs, but if that takes too long and becomes frustrating I may look more closely at the automatic. I think I would rather have an automatic Max than a manual, say 626. Why are there so few V6 manual cars out there?! The Max is by far my favorite out of those that are available, I'm just hoping I'll be able to find one!
When you are ready, just log on to nissanusa, do a dealer search for your zip code, and check the inventories over the internet. There is a Nissan store about 50 miles away from me that has three 2002 SE 6 spds in stock. Anyone who likes to shift could probably find a great deal there!
As many others have posted here and elsewhere, there isn't great demand for V6 manuals because most midsize sedans, even Maximas, are essentially family cars. And, it seems as though the traffic gets worse every day. For those who know where the roads are open and winding, though, the 6 spd would be a great way to go.
I have a fully loaded leased 2000 SE 5-speed that I will be turning in soon. Beautiful car - Gray Lustre with leather, Bose, sunroof, etc. in near-mint condition with about 40K miles. The purchase option on the lease is $17.3K. I live near the MI-OH border and I'm waiting on a G35S 6MT to arrive at the Detroit-area dealer. It's a hard decision to part with it, but a lease works better for me for business reasons.
That does sound nice! I just got married recently, though, and only have about $11k to spend, unfortunately. When do you turn it in? I'll be looking starting in May/June. Which dealership did you get it at? I'm up in Kalamazoo. Thanks for any info!
I expect to turn it in sometime between late-February and mid-March. Got it from an Ohio Nissan dealer but will probably turn it in at my closest Infiniti dealer in suburban Detroit (Novi) where I have a deposit on an incoming G35.
I understand NMAC won't negotiate buyout with either leasee or dealer, so most of the time returned lease vehicles go to auction if the purchase option is not exercised. Shame.
HID's/ Regardless of the reason Nissan is doing it, I find it bizarre that they would offer HID's on the 02's and '03's and make them an expensive option on the 04's. I can't recall any auto manufacturer ever pulling a "stunt" like this in the past.
'00 5-speed transmissions:
There was no problem with the transmission itself. What was a problem however was what owners referred to as a "fuel cutout" issue with Maximas equipped with the 5-speed tranny. This problem was later solved with a fix to the ECU. I have been on this board since late '99 and recall very vividly reading NUMEROUS posts related to this issue.
OK, ya'll have scared me about all the cd's sticking in the player. I bought my '03 back in mid-November, I stuck 6 cd's (no home made ones) in the player, and I haven't removed them yet! I hesitate to attempt it. Guess I should try it and see what happens.
Maybe I'll get lucky. I've got an "in" at the auto auctions in Schoolcraft and Grand Rapids. Maybe by the time I'm looking, your's will be making its way through the auction. We got my wife's '99 Taurus there for about $4k off dealer prices. I'll let you know if I come across it. Good luck with the G35 stick. That will be a nice ride!
Comments
Good luck with your decision, we know it can be difficult at times.
by LOTS (emphasis added) of body roll and all that
horsepower would overwhelm the front tires without
electronic help." (Automobile magazine/March 2003)
Personal comment: Goodyear RS-A tires (apparently
oem on the new Max SE) sure don't help the matter.
The reviewer had a critical comment about the tires as well.
Oh, one other thing..........they note a $34,000
estimated price for the SE they tested. My '00
retailed @ just about 30k. If Nissan thinks that
I'm going to be inclined to absorb a $4,000.00
price increase to buy a '04 comparably equipped
to my '00, they have another thought coming.
Another observation.......they did away with the
GXE right? So, all those buyers who bought GXE's
are not going to be inclined to consider spending
numerous thousands more to get into an SE, imho.
Plus.....they make the HID's optional instead of
standard equip. on the new models? Whose brainchild
was that? I have to wonder what they're smoking
at corporate?????????
berbel
They probably made HIDs optional because they seem to be a high risk item now, with all the thefts. That would be one good reason to them I assume, but a bad reason in the consumers' eyes.
I saw the picture of the 04 Max dash in the new Motor Trend issue. I think it looks like the G35 but am not 100% sure. I am not too frilled with the new design. It looks too bare and cold . . . yet high tech.
I just wanted to ask a question. I have a friend in the market for a newer car under $25K. He is looking at a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE with leather pack, auto, sunroof, bose. He has been cross shopping other cars. So far he has came up with a Linc L.S. V8, an Acura CL coupe Type S, and a 2000 BMW 325i sedan. All cars have between 20-30K miles on them, except the BMW, it has 40K. All except the Maxima come with a certified pre own warrenty. The big selling point for the L.S. is 3.9% intrest rate up to 60 months. The Maxima is the cheapest out of the group at $ 20K. A lot of car for the money, except it doesn't have a pre own cert warrenty, and it's up at 36K. Out of all of the cars, we would just like some imput from the smart people on edmunds. Love to hear any comments.
Ben
If reliability is a main concern, the Lincoln V8 is not a star, neither is the BMW. The Acura is not a bad choice except for rumored transmission problems and the fact that it lacks the versatility of a four-door sedan.
Good luck.
I also agree that the Lincoln LS should be scratched off the list. A business associate traded his 10 year old 220k+ mile Acura Legend fo one in 2001 and he has had more breakdowns and repairs in 30k miles than he had over the life of his Legend. What's worse, he's getting lousy service and response from Ford.
I part company on the opinion regarding the 325i, however. In my research, BMW has improved significantly in terms of reliability over the last 10 years. And BMW's at 60-90k miles seem to feel more solid and rattle free than many other cars at 30k miles. The BMW 325i isn't the most powerful of the bunch, but it's RWD and will handle better than any of the others by a wide margin. Unfortunately, the 3-series holds its value well, so you pay a lot for a used one.
For what it's worth, my 1995 Maxima SE is nearing the 135k mile mark and I didn't have any repairs that would have been covered under an extended warranty until nearly 130k miles (water pump). So, even if it were available, a 7 year/100k bumper to bumper wouldn't have saved me any money.
I need some advice and help. I just bought a 2000 Maxima. When I got home, I was trying to put the child car seat in the back when I noticed that the seat belts in the back are broken. The base in which the metal buckle slides in, is broken for all three back seat belts. When I inspected the car at the time of purchase, the dealer had the back seat belts laid out real nice on over the seats making it look like they are perfect.
I had to drive about 170 miles to another city in our state to go get that car; now I feel so worried about how to fix this problem. I have two kids and I can't have a car without seat belts. Can someone please advise me what my options are? Do I have any right to claim I was cheated and get the dealer to either fix the seat belts or take the car back and return my money? or is it totally out of my hands?
The car still has manufacturer's 60 month/ 60,000 miles powertrain warranty and the dealer also gave a 3,000 miles/3 month warranty on powertain but I fear none of these warranties will cover this problem. I wanted to know that if the seller fraudulenty sells a defective item, does it give the buyer any right to get their money back or get them to correct the problem?
Lastly, can anyone tell me if its possible to replace the seat belts in the back seat of the 2000 Maxima and how much roughly it may cost? I am very concerned and worried as I have two little kids and I don't know how I will transport them. I would greatly appreciate any help. God bless,
JM
You must take it to a Nissan Dealer for service under the warranty.
If I were you I'd run the vehicle identification number through Carfax.com to see it's title history.
I can't understand how all three seat belts would be broken unless there was an accident or something like that?
Did you buy this car from a Nissan dealer?
As far as your rights on a used car purchase, check with your local state web site. All states have different rules and regulations governing automobile purchases. They all usually have a web site as well that you can use for this research.
Good luck!
Fortunately, and I thank God for that; I had my back seat checked. They pulled the whole seat out. And there, we found that the right and left side seat belts were intact; the base end of those belts had been pushed underneath the seat deep inside and so it was just a matter of pulling it out of there.
Only the center seat belt is broken which I will get fixed from the dealer. I am so relieved I can't begin to tell you. The support and advice I have received from people here, is just amazing. I will continue to be active in posting messages here and learn from you guys.
Thanks once again. No good deed, no matter how little it is, is ever wasted. God bless
Also, FWIW, in my own test drives as well as the reviews I read, the 1995 SE 5-speed with 190 hp is quicker than the 2000 SE 5-speed with 222 hp. So I certainly wouldn't pay any premium for the extra (hidden) horsepower. A nice 1999 which was the last year of that model would also be something to consider. The 1995-1999 model seems to be given higher marks than the 2000-2001 model by most of the posters in this forum.
I was directed to the Maxima back in 1994 (1995 model) by a friend who had a 1989 SE 5-speed and loved it. He still has it, but with 130k miles on his and 135k miles on my 1995, he has had quite a few more repairs than me. Brakes, rotors, transmission, etc. I'm not sure the 1995-1999 model was built better, rather the difference is probably more related to the highway driving I do vs. his shorter trip mix. I didn't even replace my front brake pads until 90k miles. My Nissan dealer also sells BMW's and he mentioned that the new BMW maintenance computers/indicators use an algorithm based upon number of starts, ambient temperaturee, gear shifts, hours of operation, etc. more than miles driven. One 300 mile highway trip at 65 mph produces less "wear" than 5 3-mile cold start trips totalling only 15 miles. By this measure, I still have a relatively new car.
jrosamc - according to my dealer, the produciton of 2003 Maxima's is over. There are still some working their way to dealer lots, but that's about it.
Can someone tell me what the difference is between using P205 and P215? Is the handling, performance, ride feel, comfort, and look a lot better with P215? Also, most importantly, is the gas mileage effected using a P215 tire which is optional on this kind of car and when P205 is standard?
I would greatly appreciate any feed back.
(P.S. Note to ahlin: I found Dunlop Tires 'SP Sport A2' as the best rated of all tires I searched on Tirerack.com. Here is the link "http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tire- Model=SP+Sport+A2". To get the best out of your tires, rotate them every 7-10,000 miles. If they wear out before the warranty, you can get them replaced with a new set at significantly lower price. Good luck)
You failed to mention that someone else on the Protege discussion has a set that appear WILL go 50,000 miles.
Don't spread gloom and doom too prematurely, my friend.
To the guy wondering about the Dunlops -- they're excellent tires both dry and wet. Phenomenal in the rain, and not bad in the snow either. And mine are "plus sized" from the stock 195/55-15 to 205/50-15. Minuscule speedo error, and a wider tire for better grip.
I advise you to check out the user reviews at Tirerack. Just keep in mind that many of the people posting reviews seem to be doing so just after purchasing the tire; I did too. But I went back last week and shared my experiences after a year with the tires. I haven't been back to see if anyone else followed suit; hopefully they will. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Meade
You think maybe it was your particular set of tires (or a batch, maybe) that had something wrong with them that caused premature wear?
And I have never driven the Maxima in stick, but I would assume there isn't a huge difference between the two transmissions as far as power, because of the amount of torque the engine has.
Back when I was shopping in 1994, I almost ended up with a GXE automatic, in deference to my wife. Although she drives a stick, she was pregnant with our first child at the time and I thought an auto would be easier on her. Bought the GXE, drove it home, and she made me turn around and take it back. The guys at the dealership had a field day, giving me s---t! They were good sports though and undid the paperwork for no charge. In 135k miles, I've never looked back.
In my opinion, the 4-speed automatic transmission in the 95-99, 00-01, 02-03 Maxima's is one of its weakest links. It's slow shifting and really seems to sap the engine. I am willing to bet that my 190 hp 1995 Maxima is (considerably) quicker than a brand new 255 hp 2003 Maxima with automatic. I don't drag race, but pulling in and out of traffic and merging is effortless with the 5-speed. BMW and Mercedes/AMG automatics (fast shifting 5-speeds) don't have much of a performance penalty vs. manual, but the antiquated 4-speed in the Maxima is long overdue for the bone yard.
I'll also put in a recommendation to go with an SE. It is considerably tighter, with less body roll and handles better than the GXE/GLE, with only nominal "harshness".
Dont get me wrong, I'd still recommend an automatic Maxima over a Camry or Accord of similar vintage. But a 5/6 speed SE is in a different league altogether.
I am concerned about finding a 5-speed to fit my criteria, though. Has anyone had a difficult time finding a used 5-speed Maxima without having to drive all over the country?
He also metioned to not leave any CD's inside the chager for an extended period of time (like weeks or months), which i did. The temperature vairations could essentially jam a cd into its slots permanently.
Later i went home and used a millimeter scale to measure the thickness of a CD-R vs a store CD. And there was absolutely no difference. So i figured the dealer just made up that excuse.
Attleast the temperature part made some sense, although i'm not sure if its true.
Has anyone else experienced jamming problems with their CD changers when fully loaded?
But anyway, the dealer was nice enough to replace my unit with a new one from BOSE.
Now that said cd-r's witha printed label will "VOID YOUR WARRANTY ON YOUR STEREO" SO IF YOU COMPLAIN TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGE YOU TO FIX IT IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT.
I had a cd-r with a home label stuck in my 6 disc in my mustang and i gently pulled it out with a very small pair of tweasers after i tried to eject it.
Good luck but dont bash the dealer for something you did.
yamadave - Thanks for the empathy! I'm glad I'm not the only one out there with a stickphobic wife! I think the 02/03's are a little out of my price range right now, but thanks for the info.
I think I will hold out as long as I can for a manual that fits my needs, but if that takes too long and becomes frustrating I may look more closely at the automatic. I think I would rather have an automatic Max than a manual, say 626. Why are there so few V6 manual cars out there?! The Max is by far my favorite out of those that are available, I'm just hoping I'll be able to find one!
As many others have posted here and elsewhere, there isn't great demand for V6 manuals because most midsize sedans, even Maximas, are essentially family cars. And, it seems as though the traffic gets worse every day. For those who know where the roads are open and winding, though, the 6 spd would be a great way to go.
I understand NMAC won't negotiate buyout with either leasee or dealer, so most of the time returned lease vehicles go to auction if the purchase option is not exercised. Shame.
Regardless of the reason Nissan is doing it, I find
it bizarre that they would offer HID's on the 02's
and '03's and make them an expensive option on the
04's. I can't recall any auto manufacturer ever
pulling a "stunt" like this in the past.
'00 5-speed transmissions:
There was no problem with the transmission itself.
What was a problem however was what owners referred
to as a "fuel cutout" issue with Maximas equipped
with the 5-speed tranny. This problem was later
solved with a fix to the ECU. I have been on this
board since late '99 and recall very vividly reading NUMEROUS posts related to this issue.
berbel
Yikes!