Nissan Maxima

kennyg5 · March 2003

I think the Max is more appropriate for a family man or woman (just trying to be politically correct) who wants to have a little fun (than driving the more sedate but functionally great Camry). On the other hand, I think the G35 is probably more suited for a single guy or gal who wants a RWD sports sedan that goes fast but is still reasonably priced (as compared to the BMW 330). As pointed out in prior posts, the Max is a bit bigger but I prefer the rear reclining seats feature in the G35. Just my two cents.

viche · March 2003

Thanks, keep on talking you're all helping me!

I'd classify myself as a new family man who never had a cool car as a single man. That's why I was looking at these cars. I'm going to buy another family mobile. Unfortunately my wife has almost convinced me to get a minivan

so I need something to balance out that shame.

I can't afford the reclining seat option though.

I live in Maryland, and with the exception of this year of course, we usually get light to moderate snow with more slush and occasional refreezing to ice. Is rear wheel drive really that bad in these conditions with traction Contron and VSC on? I'm more worried about sliding off the road than getting stuck.

Thanks, and keep posting your thoughts.

Viche

cheerioboy26 · March 2003

I own a 2000 Max SE and a 2003 G35....both cars are great! I live in NoVa and had no problems this winter. Granted, I was in SoCal during the blizzard, but I was back shoveling 2 days later...Anyway, one other difference is the warranty - 3/36 for the Max and 4/60 with the G35.

beanctr · March 2003

Thanks for the tire info. Appreciate it!

aromas · March 2003

1 more reason for the G35, they wash your car everytime you get the oil changed.

viche: Look around other dealerships for the MAX, 3K less than a G35 for even a loaded Max seems kinda high. Where I am you can get a loaded Max S.E. for less than a loaded Altima. A G35 with leather shouldn't be in the same ballpark. The new ones are out, they should be giving the '03's away. Lowball them with an offer and I'm sure they will go way under invoice.

In Canadian prices 3K U.S. would mean about 5K CDN. I could get a loaded S.E. for about 38K(cdn)a G35 with leather would go for 47K(cdn),all prices after taxes. That would be 9K Cdn differnce which would translate between 5K or 6K U.S. difference. If you are able to follow all this converting it means offer them 6K less than what you would pay for a G35. See what happens. After reading this over my head hurts!

habitat1 · March 2003

I'll break rank with aromas and suggest you may be better off with a loaded Maxima SE 6-speed. Here's why:

1. For a FWD sedan, the 2003 Maxima SE is as good as it gets and it's an exceptional value with the current incentives. The G35 is, IMO, a decent value, but it's still second fiddle to either a BMW 3 or 5 series in driving dynamics. Frankly, I wouldn't stretch for it. I'd get the Maxima and set my sights higher the next time around. Drive a 330i or 530i w/ sport package and if you can't tell a big difference between them and the G35 in handling and steering, then perhaps the G35 is for you. Not for me.

2. You mentioned that you are from Maryland. In the DC area, VOB Nissan is a hell of a lot better relative to customer service than Coleman Infiniti. That has been verified by at least 4-5 business associates and friends who have had experiences at one or both. I'll wash my own car, thank you. I just don't want to pay double for a 15,000 mile or 30,000 mile service because of Infiniti "prestige".

3. In spite of being "out dated" I think the 2003 Maxima looks better than the 2004 model. And the G35 Sedan for that matter. I'm not sure why Nissan / Infiniti decided to go to a heavily chromed, fat sided slab body & hideous front grill design strategy, but I don't like it. Not to mention that, for all it's prestige, the G35 interior is dissapointing at best. It's certainly no BMW or Audi in terms of clean lines and quality materials. This is my purely subjective opinion, and if you like the looks of the G35 or 2004 Maxima, more power to you.

As a 1995 Maxima owner who actually "stretched" at the time to justify it over an Accord and Camry, I know that a lot of value trade-offs are subjective. If I were going to "upgrade" today a premium RWD sedan, I can afford and to go with a 530i via European Delivery. But if I were back in my old shoes and looking to be prudent and get a great deal on a great car, the 2003 Maxima SE has few comparables.

Whatever you decide, good luck. I overstated some points to make them, but either car is a good choice.

jdimotta · March 2003

I have seen the 02-03 fogs lit at nite..AND IF THEY ARE the same as the 00-01..then the new lens severly limits their ability...I dont agree that the 00-01 fogs are sooo bad ...they do a better job than the 02-03's IMHO.
I dont know what all the hub-bub is about with the current HID's ....yes they are briter...but not that much briter....they are definetly whiter...but true HID's that knock your socks off are on Mercedes and Beemers...From the sounds of it they're really expensive to replace as well...A pair of Silverstars could be the answer for non-HID Max's...Joe D.

ramped1 · March 2003

I think habitat covered most of the comparo bases for you. His points are excellent.

I've considered the same choice as you, and if I was going to buy today I'd go with the 03 Max (although I'd opt for the SE version). It's slightly larger inside than the G35 for the family, but it still looks good and it can really scat.

It's hard to imagine a better deal right now than the rebates on the 03 Maxs. Plus maintenance and repairs should be much less, if that's a factor.

kyleknicks · March 2003

I know i asked this question before... but i was concerned with changing out my engine coolant fluid so i took a look in the manual for my 2k maxima. it says that the first time it should be changed is at 60k and then at 90k and 120k and so on.

how do you guys feel about this? i thought it should be changed every 30k miles, but iwant to follow the owners manual and avoid having to service my car/spend time i dont have... if it's unnecessary....

norbert444 · March 2003

Most cars in the last decade have the extended engine coolant (antifreeze) initial replacement periods. While I do not know the reason for that, I would not change it before 60K unless I'd have a good reason.

To make double sure, I'd first look at the external coolant bottle for color and dirt problems. If that proved inconclusive, I'd draw a sample from the radiator and have it examined by a mechanic I can trust.

But then, if you are approaching 60K or 48 months, you might go for it anyway. The replacement procedure is well described in the Owner's Manual and it can be done in an hour.

jscottg64 · March 2003

Saw a post a while back regarding a "hissing" noise that someone was experiencing when the blower ran at a low speed. Anyone have a similar experience or familiar with a fix for this problem, i.e, TSB. I have the auto temp control, so the fan is usually running at a low speed, and usually hissing.

monte4 · March 2003

Victor I agree with habitat totally on this and I have both vehicles a 2003.5 G35 and a 2003 Max for the wife. Personally we get more positive comments on the Maximas styling vs the G35's. Here is the breakdown, the G35 handles better on turns on flat roads the Max taked the honors. Acceleration is a tossup, my wife who likes to stoplight so do I Have lined them up one day. One light I was at the Maximas front door up to 65 her not pulling or me not gaining. The second light I got a better launch and she was at my Trunk so acceleration is truly a tossup. Interior quality sorry but the 03 Maxima has higher quality materials and the thing I hate about my G is the seat controls nar th center console. I would recommend either but to be honest the Maxima is a better bang for the buck, it has more features than My G for a better price! One thing that I dont like about either are the grippy breaks but hey you get used to it. whast funny people talk about the rear beam but looking at previous handling numbers the 95-99 did better than their competition weaving through the cones and the 2000-2003 also generated higher numbers.

dgraves1 · March 2003

Maybe true but where the independant rear suspension shows its stuff is when the turns are not perfectly smooth like they are on a skidpad.

vanbo57 · March 2003

Thanks for the lead norbert444. I'll check out those posts.

ek01 · March 2003

My 2000SE warranty is going to expire soon. Who has bought the extended bumper to bumper warranty from Nissan? The cost is approximately $1500 for three years.

dgraves1 · March 2003

I personally wouldn't get an extended warranty on a Maxima. It's highly unlikely you will ever need it. If you really like the piece of mind, shop around a bit. $1500 sounds really high for three years on a relatively new car with an excellent reliability record. It seems to me that when I looked into an extended warranty for my 5 year old Explorer, it was only $700-800 and that's for a trouble prone vehicle.

vocus · March 2003

Check out warrantygold.com for extended warranties.

mirth · March 2003

My take is that your Maxima is only three years old, and by the time the extended warranty is over it would only be 6 years old. What are the odds that you'll have a catastrophic failure, coverable by warranty, not wear and tear, on your Max in the next three years that would cost you MORE than $1500, especially on a reliable model like the Maxima? Probably pretty slim. My last three cars, two of questionable reliablity, did not require those kind of dollars after the warranty expired.

sglator · March 2003

I bought Nissan-backed extended warranty on my 99SE back in 2000 when I had ~35K miles on it.
It cost $900 for total 5yrs/100K miles.
If I paid the whole sum at once instead of monthly installations it would have cost ~$100 less.

rgb2 · March 2003

I am trying to choose between these two (and Mazda6) and it's a real tough choice. Here are a few more considerations:

1) G35 has all the latest safety features standard
(side airbags + curtains), and it received very high scores in Japanese crash tests (sold as Nissan Skyline in Japan for a couple of years now).

2) Not sure why but for me the insurance was ~1200/year for Max (and I35 for that matter) vs. ~1700 for G35.

ek01 · March 2003

Thanks for the comments on the warranty. The price I was quoting is Cdn $ and hence would be more than the US greenback. I am concerned about the costs of breakdown items like ABS, O2 sensor, A/C and other costly repair items. My car has had a couple problems fixed under warranty (driver's powerseat and Bose stereo).

kyleknicks · March 2003

hey guys.. im getting my Dunlop A2's tomorrow and they mentioned on the phone that i need 4 wheel alignment.... i thought the rear wheels didn't need alignment cause it's a rear beam.. 2K maxima.. what's the deal?

habitat1 · March 2003

If it helps your decision, I have a 1995 Maxima SE w/ 136k miles and my total repairs are less than $1,100. Roughly $450 each for a new water pump and a new starter and a couple small items. Both of the "big" items occurred after 120k miles. The A/C, O2 Sensor, ABS, etc are all still perfect.

I agree with mirth - the liklihood of significant repairs (i.e. in excess of $1,500 Canadian) between 3 & 6 years is pretty slim. I'd be inclined to bank the money as "self insurance".

ekster · March 2003

A tire dealer I trust has recommended National Tire 'Ovation' tires for my 2000 GXE Maxima. Does anyone have any experience with National or this particular tire.

Thanks!

viche · March 2003

Thanks again for all of the great advice. Here are a few more questions for anyone who doesn't mind answering:

1. Are the repairs on an G35 really that much more then on a Max. I mean they are the same maker more or less. I use a trusted independent garage. Couldn't I just take it to them instead of a dealer? Wouldn't parts be about the same cost then?

2. How does the standard stereo in the G35 compare to the Bose stereo in the Max? I thought the Bose in the Max was way to boomy. I don't need huge bass. I prefer a full, rich, crisp sound.

3. Are the G35's seat really that uncomfortable with the controls embeded into them?

4. Is that free car wash at the dealer a touchless wash

? If not, I don't know if I'd be using it.

Thanks!
Viche

aromas · March 2003

ekster: Try www.tirerack.com, they have good reviews on tires and also list buyers opinions.

viche: I'm pretty sure they hand wash it for you as I've never seen a car wash at a Infiniti dealership.I'm pretty sure they clean up the inside too. If that's a deciding factor, boy you're easy to please.

kyleknicks · March 2003

i need you guys to help me before i go get my tires in an hour...

does the rear wheels (rear beam axle) need an alignment when getting new tires?

thanks

92drexel · March 2003

I wouldn't buy the Nissan warranty since it's NOT bumper-to-bumper (read the fine print). For example, Nissan doesn't cover any of the BOSE components. Additionally Nissan's warranty begins from the time you took delivery of your car...so if you bought your SE in 2000 and buy a 5-year warranty from Nissan now, you'll only have 2 years left.

I bought a warranty from www.warrantybynet.com for my 2000 SE (when I had it) and it cost me around 900. Plus a 5 year warranty from them starts the day you sign your contract (not the day you bought the car).

Nissan should be ashamed of themselves for charging >1k for a 2 year warranty.

By the way, I had to file a claim due to the famous "pinging under hard acceleration" problem last fall and they paid for it without any problems (I think it cost them >$300 for that claim).

Goodluck!

92drexel · March 2003

Good question...I would. What is the difference in price between a front wheel or all-wheel alignment? If it's cheap enough (<$20), the its cheap insurance...esp since the new shoes are prolly setting you back a few bucks.

ek01 · March 2003

Thanks so much for the comments. I always find the people on this board more than helpful. I am a big fan of Nissan products and the weird affinity amongst Nissan owners. Occasionally my wife drives my Maxima and she gets waves from other Maxima drivers and this makes her feel somewhat uncomfortable. I tell her that it is just something to expect. We have bought a Murano to replace her Odyssey and I will go to the Murano board and give them my comments on this car once I get it.

kyleknicks · March 2003

just had the dunlop A2's put on my 16in wheels and so far, they ride very nice. i dont remember how quiet my toyo's were when i first got the car, so i can't do a fair comparsion, but these new tires didn't sound any more noiser than my worn tires....they cost $99/tire plus $2/stem for each tire, $10/balancing per tire and add $29 for alignment for all tires...plus taxes came out to $502. got them at town fair tires in western mass. tire rack had them for $89... i'll keep you guys posted on how they are with wet conditions since i know quite a few of you are needing tires soon too..

i did manage to get 35,950 miles out of the toyo proxies...

my next assignment is to get the coils replaced under warranty this friday.

p100 · March 2003

I got almost 60K miles out of the original Toyo Proxess H4 tires on my 98 Maxima SE and they were great tires. The same thread design is no longer made by Toyo in the size P215 HR55-16 so I bought a new Proxess version (forget the exact name). They ride nice, however I noticed that they took fairly large weights (1 oz + on each side on the average) to balance. This to me does not indicate a well made tire with even weight distribution. These tires are still made in Japan, but that does not mean they are as good as the original H4s. A good quality H rated passenger tire should not take that much weight to balance on a decent alloy rim. The Michelin Pilots I bought for my other car certainly did not need that much lead to balance properly (average 1/2 oz on one side only). But the expected mileage for Michelins is much less - probably around 40K at best. The price of the Toyos was about $ 90 per tire, plus taxes, installation, and balancing. Michelins, on the other hand cost at least $ 30 more per tire.

kyleknicks · March 2003

p100, sounds like they were using longer lasting tires on the 4th gen maxima's... for whatever reason (probably performance issues), starting with the 2k max's, they put the toyo proxies A05 which last to about 36k miles.

i just hope the dunlop A2's i bought yesterday will last me 50K.. buying new tires every 2 years aint my cup of tea..

QUESTION: what PSI should i keep my new tires at? it was 32psi with the original toyos.. do i keep the same on the dunlops? anyone?

dklanecky · March 2003

is always designated by the car manufacturer, not the tire itself. A particular tire can be used on a wide variety of cars, so they can operate on a relatively wide variety of pressures, hence the maximum of 44lbs you often see on a sidewall.

I keep 32 in my 00 Maxima and 29 in the 95 Maxima, both are specified on the car itself and in the owners manual.

kennyg5 · March 2003

Just got my new insurance bill. I was a bit surprised to learn that my 03 Max GLE required an additional premium of $220 a year. I called up the insurance company and was told the surcharge is due to the fact that the Max is now considered a high performance car. I don't mind the name but the surcharge does not sit very well. When I added the 03 Max to my policy (I also have a 97 and 92 Max), I was never told about the higher premium. Well, I guess one has to pay to play :-)Has anyone gotten their insurance hiked?

habitat1 · March 2003

Sorry to hear your insurance premium hike. What is unfortunate is that it is probably only based on a horsepower threshold. From a previous test drive, my 190 hp SE 5-speed manual was definitely quicker than the 2002/3 255 hp 4-speed automatic. But 250 horsepower may be a magic number for insurance companies. Ask them how they classify the Altima with the same engine rated at 240 horsepower.

If it's any consolation, I got a hike on my S2000 last fall when my insurance company reclassified it from a "roadster" to a "high performance limited production vehicle". It's now in the same insurance category as an M3. The only worse category is "high performance exotic" for cars over $100k. When I pointed out to them that I'm in my 40's, married, kids, no accidents in 15+ years one ticket in 5+ years, they responded that they won't even insure S2000's for drivers that without near spotless records.

monte4 · March 2003

Well habitat your 5spd might feel quicker but is not. as you claim your car is a 6.6(Motor Trend) to 60 that is "professionally" driven and does 15-15.2 sec in the 1/4 non professional probably high 6's to low 7's. Go to Max org most guys run in 02/03 autos run to 60 in 6.5-6.7 consistenly(automatic doesnt require the kill just learning how to launch the 3.5 with all of that torque is key) and does the 1/4 mile in 14.6-14.9 whereas 4th gen manuals run 15.3-15.7. Plus the 02/03 autos are trapping higher than the 4th gen manuals in the 1/4 like 93-95 for the 02/03 autos and 88-90 on "average' for 4th gen manuals. Their are several time slips of these times and some vids of 4th gen manuals getting beat by stock 02/03 autos and threads of 4th gens attempting it. Go check it out at the org. Having had a 4th gen manual earlier it is not as quick and definately doesnt have the low end of the 3.5 at all, its only advantage is highway were most manuals shine. I have a 350Z auto my wife and an 03 auto max and have beaten several 95-99 Maxima manuals and have the vids and timeslips to prove it in both cars.

habitat1 · March 2003

Regarding a 95 Maxiam 5-speed vs. a 03 automatic, you seem to have the facts to back up your claims, so I guess you must be right. I was going mostly by my butt-meter and I admit that I am much more comfortable getting a quick start into traffic with a manual transmission than an automatic (unless it's an AMG C32). Personally, I find the 4-speed automatic to be the weak link in the Maxima. I'd rate the engine about an 8-9 relative to it's competition, but the automatic about a 4-5 compared to the others I've driven.

That said, I find it interesting that you, and apparantly a lot of others, take their automatic FWD Maxima's to a track and run 1/4 miles?? (And to think I've never even "tracked" my S2000.) It also seems odd that someone so interested in performance would have an automatic Maxima AND an automatic 350Z. I am sure you have your reasons.

norbert444 · March 2003

I just got my insurance bills for the 00Max GLE (with many options) and 2003.5 G35 Leather (with no options). I was surprised to see that the first bill (for the 6-week remainder of my 6-month term) had the G35 6-month premium about $200 higher than the Max. The second bill is for the full new 6-month term. Incredulously, the premium for the G35 is about 10% lower than the Max. (Purchase prices were about 25K for the Max 3-years ago, and 28K for the G35 this year.)

I called the insurance company to inquire about this anomaly and was told that I just passed some threshold. Whatever ...

monte4 · March 2003

The reason I have automatics is purely because of my wife who cant drive and manual and doesnt care to learn so therefore the automatics Max/350(I have to please her you know we swap cars). FWD Maximas do well at the track bud whopping up on alot of its RWD competition lots of times, just because they are FWD dosnt mean that they cant compete.The key with a FWD car is learning to launch it properly. Have you driven an 00/01 auto know that is a bad tranny, Nissan beefed it up for 02 and it is definately better than previous years. My wifes 5spd auto 350 is slightly quicker with best times of 14.31 @97.0 mph and my auto Max was 14.69@ 94.1. Her car isnt that much quicker with the 5spd auto more horsepower and torque and hers being more broken in than mine. One reason being is lots of guys have dynoed 02/03 Maximas and there torque ratings ahve been underrated. I really miss my 97 Maxima 5spd although.

drakutismax · March 2003

Is there a problem with the '00/'01 auto trans. or did they beef it up because of the additional horses added to the engine? I don't have a problem with the feel of it on my '01 and I take off fine. Only in an extreme case do I do a hard acceleration, like if someone looks at me wrong in the next lane. And then it goes like a shot at that point. All I can say is if I did have the power of the '03, I wouldn't know how to act.

monte4 · March 2003

Drak yes they beefed it up and made it stronger for the additional Torque and horsepower and it shifts are more crisp, instead of adding a 5spd auto to keep cost down. Their was a problem with the 00/01 tranny and their is TSB out on it, thy had a problem with the 1st to 2nd shift. They are talking about it in th latter psot on the Maxima Problem thread. Yes for an auto the 02/03 are very fun to drive, with the throttle being responsive at pretty much any speed.

habitat1 · March 2003

I think your wife married right - getting an enthusiast like you to give up driving a manual transmission must be true love.

Fortunately, my wife had been driving a manual transmission long before we met and, when pregnant with our first child, made me return the automatic Maxima I had just bought and get the 5 speed SE instead. The guys at the Nissan dealership were pretty amused by that one. Guess I married right too. Especially since two of my favorite cars - the S2000 I own and the M5 I'd like to own - only come in 6-speeds.

vocus · March 2003

Kenny, if your insurance went up, maybe it's time for some insurance shopping. I read an article that said one should shop around at different companies every so often to get the best deal. May be worth a shot, eh?

monte4 · March 2003

Your right habitat, true love because when we got them both I was like 6spds I will teach ya. She said now way, i am a true enthusiast like you are and I enjoy my cars regardless,your a good guy habitat.

kcc455 · March 2003

Edmunds lists Nissan holdback as:
2% + 1% of the Total Invoice (holdback = floorplanning allowance)

What exactly is the 2% & 1% on?
1.) Is it 2% of the total MSRP and 1% of total Invoice?
2.) Is it 2% of total Invoice and 1% of the total Invoice?

I am close to buying a 2003 Maxima SE and need this information.

Thank you.

kestrel02 · March 2003

I know this is sort of stupid, but is there a reason you wouldn't want the Traction Control system turned on? I have it on my '01 Max GLE, and there is a switch to turn it on and off, it just made me start thinking if there are reasons I should turn it off. We're through the winter here in NC, and it helped a good bit with some of the slippy ice/slush we had this year.

drakutismax · March 2003

You know I called Nissan when I got my 01' because a co-worker had just bought an '03 and got a recall notice so I called to see if there were any problems with mine and they said it was all clear and they even told me the previous owner. But I haven't had any problems (thank the lord!) and it runs great. I'm really glad to have this car.

monte4 · March 2003

Maxima's are great cars from generation 3 to 5, 6 we dont know yet, Enjoy that Max!

otoluva · March 2003

Yes, 2 reasons:
1) you need to turn it off if you are stuck in deep snow and need to spin the wheels a bit to get out of the hole!
2) in the event a 17 year old gets a hold of the car to do donuts!!

Nissan Maxima

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