Nissan Maxima

tonytony24 · June 2003

I just got a 03 Maxima SE;
3 Questions, if I may...
1. Can I use a 02 Maxima Oil Filter on a 03 Maxima? I understand the engine is similar if not the same...
2. Is it true I have to have my first oil change on 1000 miles to remove any metal shaving in the engine? Or has the engine been primed already and I can change the oil on 3750 miles?
3. Why is it so dog gone inconvienent to change the oil when compared to other japanese vehicles???

kvsm3 · June 2003

DA763,
I also live in northern VA and replaced my Goodyear RSAs after 50K miles with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. Ihave a 99 SE. Costco had a sale in Jan and I paid $763 including all taxes, mounted and balanced including lifetime tire rotation and balancing.
The tires were great during the Feb snowstorm and I feel it rides very smooth but has a slight "hum" on smooth roads which doesnt bother me. The handling is so much nicer than the RSAs.

p100 · June 2003

They use special break-in oil at the factory in new engines. So do not change your oil until 3000 miles. The 02 and 03 Maxima oil filters should be identical. You can check this in any auto parts stores or call Nissan dealer parts department to make absolutely sure.
I have a 98 SE and always change my own oil. In a way, this vehicle is interesting because you do not need to jack up the car to change the oil. On the 98, I simply turn the wheels sharply to the right, remove the plastic splash shield, and everything is accessible. The only irritating thing is the splash shield plastic retainers which are really not made to be reused many times and on some of these I have to use an extremely stubby Phillips screwdriver because there is no room. Also, Nissan recommends changing the oil pan drain plug metal washer every few oil changes. This is a collapsible washer and costs only $ 1.50 a piece!!!! (from the dealer). What a ripoff!!!!

I had Japanese vehicles (e.g. 92 Mazda Protege), which were far more difficult to change oil filter on than the Maxima. Replacing my 95 Nissan V6 pickup oil filter is also pain in the neck because you can only access the oil filter from above and to remove it, you have to turn the filter to squeeze it between the exhaust manifold and rigid metal A/C tubing, spilling the hot oil from the filter in the process all over the engine skid plate. I always burned my knuckles on the hot manifold, so I never change oil when the engine is hot on this truck anymnore. Mazda Protege was even worse because even if you had to car on a garage high lift, you had to place your entire forearm between hot exhaust pipe and the rear of the engine block to get to the filter. I burned my arm almost every time on the hot exhaust.
In comparison, it is a lot easier to change the oil and filter on the Maxima.

selrhaclj · June 2003

I recently purchased an 02 Glacier Pearl GLE with 6 CD, TCS, spoiler and heated steering wheel. This vehicle had on 97XX miles. Despite a couple of scratches this car is in excellent condition. Purchased from private owner for $20K. I think this was a pretty good deal. What do you guys think?

p100 · June 2003

Sounds like a good deal to me. The MSRP on this car was at least $ 30,000. The mileage is low for a year old car. The car is still covered by the factory warranty for another 26K miles/2 years. If there is no collision or a lemon history on the car, you got a good deal in my opinion. The best price you could get on a new 03 GLE equipped like this would be about $ 25K.

kyleknicks · June 2003

sounds like you got a loaded GLE with no Nav... for $20K, i think it's a good deal.... wish i could find a deal like that for a 2k2 or 2k3 and i'll get rid of my 2000 GLE. just make sure the car wasn't in any accidents or else it won't be that great of a deal anymore...

georged98 · June 2003

I have a 2002 Maxima GLE without the Nav system. Does anyone have any recommendations for aftermarket GPS systems? Garmin and Magellan are two systems that look good but how do they compare to built in systems? The Garmin has a small screen and costs around $800-900. The magellan looks larger but has a price of around $1900. Can a NAV system be installed at the dealer?
Thanks for your help.

perna · June 2003

I've actually spent the last week looking at GPS systems, and I decided on the Garmin GPS V. They're going at Amazon.com for $375, plus a $75 rebate directly from Garmin.

It doesn't have the voice and color like the more expensive ones do, but should work out nicely (I just ordered it yesterday).

If you're going to be using it exclusively for the car and do a ton of interstate driving with multiple stops off in major cities, I would probably still pony up for a more expensive system. The problem with the V is that there is a small amount of non-expandable memory built into the thing. It is ideal if you only take long road trips every so often (you upload specific cities into it from your PC before you go). It does come with a good basemap, i.e. all interstates and major highways are already in it.

The V is really designed to be equally competent in both cars *and* outdoor use. Go into a Best Buy and see what I mean; it's about half the size of the $900 Garmin you were looking at (Streets III or something). You wouldn't want to be lugging THAT bad boy around in the woods, I guarantee it; being color, it also eats batteries like candy (only a few hours, vs. 20+ on the V). But like I said, if it's exclusively for the car, it's irrelevant.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions.

vanbo57 · June 2003

georged98,
I own a Garmin Street Pilot 3 unit. Lucky me - recieved it as a gift. This is a very good NAV system and has voice prompts only when you use the a/c adapter - speaker is integrated into that. I have used it several times, first just testing it out around town and later started really using it in place of maps or directions on longer trips. I can tell you that I now have total faith in this thing for its ability to get me door to door in most situations, as long as you enter the correct address, intersection, point of interest, etc.. I have the 128 mb "card" in it which enables me to load a large area from the "MapSourse" CD on my home computer to the unit itself. As the previous note explained, the unit already has a "built in" map but the areas that you load from home are the deatailed ones with points of interest and addresses.
As far as battery usage - it does eat batteries, less if you dim the screen but if you use the adapter, it does'nt matter as you will only be using batteries when you are programing in routes in the comfort of your home.
There is a sharp learning curve to this but is worth it.

m4d_cow · June 2003

hi there, im currently considering the new '04 Maxima 6-speed. Can anyone tell me about their reliability, since i never owned a Nissan before? And second, does anyone have any bad experience/stories about their Maximas so far?
I'd really appreciate this, thanx

ramped1 · June 2003

The Maxima historically has been one of the most reliable sedans on the market. My '92 SE is still rattle-free after 11 years, although it has had occasional problems with window lifts, power switches and CV boots. Overall an outstanding, fun-to-drive car. Most owners here would probably agree.

The 2004 is an all-new design, based on the 2002 Altima platform. Consumer Reports tested the new Maxima in a five-car near-luxury sedan comparison in the just-released July edition. CR's evaluation was generally favorable and it recommends the Max, along with the Infinity G-35. Strangely enough, the Lincoln LS was best overall in the comparo, but CR won't recommend it because of spotty reliability. Others in the test were the Saab 9-3 and the Caddy CTS.

dinu01 · June 2003

My newly purchsed (last week) 91 Maxi is not a bad car. Drives well, except for a weird tranny issue. Back on topic, to respond to the post about buying a 2004 Maxi.

I would also consider the Mazda6 5spd V6 - not as much brute power, but cornes better, looks better (IMO), is much cheaper and the quality is/should be the same on both. If you value smiles per miles over 0-60, that's the car to get.

Dinu

p100 · June 2003

One concern with the 04 Maxima would be the first year for the new design and also the fact that this car is US made, not Japanese made. I prefer Japanese made car over US made car any day. I have owned both Japanese and US made Mazdas and also Nissans. Without exceptions, Japanes made vehicles had fewer problems, and all American made vehicles came with misaligned wheels from the factory. All Japanese made cars had correct alignment settings, as evidenced by even tire wear, which was not the case with US made vehicles. There is no excuse for this type of lack of attention to detail.

bksward · June 2003

I have a 98 SE and always change my own oil. In a way, this vehicle is interesting because you do not need to jack up the car to change the oil. On the 98, I simply turn the wheels sharply to the right, remove the plastic splash shield, and everything is accessible

Still it doesn't beat the '84 Maxima (1st gen) that I owned 92-98. Reach under the car and remove the drain plug. Open the hood, reach down along the side of the I-6 and unscrew the filter. The hardest part of changing the oil was not dropping the drain plug into the catch pan... :-)

kyleknicks · June 2003

I wanna know since the 04 max came out for about a month, how many that read this website had actually bought one?

p100 · June 2003

Here is a vehicle I own that is really unpleasant to change oil and oil filters on:

1969 2 1/2 ton (deuce and a half) Army truck with a 472 cu in inline 6 cylinder multifuel diesel.

There are two drain plugs on the oil pan. You better use a large tub because the crankcase oil capacity is 22 quarts (5 1/2 gallons). There are two large oil filters canisters side by side, mounted upside down vertically on left side of the engine block. You must loosen the holddown bolt on each canister, remove the canisters, take out the old filter elements, clean the canisters, insert the new filter element in each, pry out two gaskets that are always stuck on the bottom of the canister housing and replace them with new ones. There are also two gaskets under the holddown bolts for the canisters that should be replaced.
To access the canisters you must climb on the truck's left fender and work from there.
And if you own a diesel you know that the oil is always pitch black (within 10 minutes after changing it and running the engine), so if you splash any on your clothes, good luck.

Changing oil on this vehicle is painful even from standpoint of spending $ 40 on oil alone.

buzzard4 · June 2003

I'll apologize up front for the negative tone of this post. I bought a Maxima in large part due to the positive feedback I read on this board and others. Unfortunately, my experience to date has been less than positive.

It's now been 3 weeks since I bought my '03 GLE, and 2 weeks, 5 days since I drove it. I returned the car the day after I bought it because it had a vibration. Now 3 sets of replacement Bridgestone Turanzas later, the car still vibrates. Their last resort is to put on Goodyear GSDs, which is apparently the only other tire available in that size. Expensive tires, but not very good for snow, and with characteristics totally counter to the intended ride of a GLE. But since they told me that's all they're willing to do, I'm going to give it a shot.

To add to the problem, I bought the car in MD, but I live in PA. In order to file a lemon law claim, I first have to register the car in PA. To do that, I need the car.

I think what frosts me the most is Nissan's immediate focus on the tires, and their willingness to string me along for 3 weeks. That either indicates that they know they have a quality problem with their tire supplier and are trying to hide it, or they don't want to accept responsibility for a problem with the car. What really pushed me over the edge is when Nissan told me the vibration is "a characteristic of the car." Funny, I didn't see that on the sticker for their flagship vehicle.

I'll post when/if this comes to a resolution. In the meantime, if you're considering a '03 GLE, balance out the good deal you're likely to get with the fact that you'll have very limited availability of replacement tires, and according to Nissan a characteristic vibration.

alpha01 · June 2003

Why is there limited availability of the Turanza?
~alpha

p100 · June 2003

"Vibration is a characteristic of the car".
This is total nonsense. When I bought a new 98 SE, the car did not show any signs of vibration and does not to this day with 62 K miles as long as the tires are properly balanced.

Mazda told me the same BS when I had a problem with my 626. Turned out the vibration was caused by faulty CV joints/axles.
In your case the problem appears to be just the tires. It seems to me that they cannot even balance the tires properly because chances of three sets of tires being defective are slim, unless they are "recycling" the defective tires taken off from other vehicles.

As I described elsewhere in these forums, I test drove two new 6 speed 03 SEs and both had a vibration around 60 MPH. I did not buy either car because these people no longer deserve my business. I do not need to tell you how disappointed I was since I like Maximas. They (Nissan) are well aware that they have a problem, but they chose not to do anything about it.

monte4 · June 2003

Yeah the ol Bridgestone vib has been complained to Nissan quite a bit since 00 but what have they done nothing. They continued to use that crappy tire for 4 more years on some models. go to Max org so many of us guys have had that prob and complained nothing was done, good ol Nissan service.

beanctr · June 2003

Own an 02 Maxima SE 6SP. Love the power, interior space, and amenities. It has been very reliable up to this point and I expect it to be for miles to come. I have 24K miles on it. Things I don't like include poor paint quality(watch out for the dark colors), odd-sized tires ($$$ to replace), and a sunroof that doesn't fit flush with the roofline (most 02/03's that I have seen don't fit flush, the 04's I have seen seem to fit better).

m4d_cow · June 2003

hmm, thats quite some opinion u guys have there. has anyone actually take a look and test drove the new maxima yet, if yes, can u plz tell me ur experience? Cos i test drove the new maxima last week, but they dun have the '03 left in stock for a test ( i was planning to compare them both). And yeah what i'm also concerned about is the build quality, since this car is built in US ( even though i heard Acura TL is US built and pretty reliable, is it true?). thanx again

perna · June 2003

First, I'm appalled that people think that a US-built car is automatically junkier than a Japan-built car. This is total nonsense.

The vibration *is* probably the tires; I did notice it when I brought my 03 home (although I have Potenzas, not Turanzas). Checked the air pressure, holy cow - they were MASSIVELY overinflated. Took the air out, and now they're fine. They still aren't tires I'd ever buy myself (HORRIBLE in rain and snow), but they'll do.

Buzzard, I'd find a new dealer!

p100 · June 2003

comparison of Japanese vehicles I owned built in Japan vs built in the US:

1992 Mazda Protege LX: built in Japan
Problems in 125 K miles and 7 years:
1. Replaced auxiliary cooling fan at 76K miles which wore out due to constant A/C use in Florida

1999 Mazda ES V6: built in the US
Problems in 67K miles and 4 years:
1. Alignment out of spec from the factory - corrected at 300 miles
2. Right front tire defective and replaced at 3K miles
3. Axles/CV joints defective and replaced at 9K miles
4. left front hub defective and replaced at 15K miles
5. A/C quit working at 30K miles, serviced 3 times under warranty and problem not corrected
6. coolant overflow bottle leaking and replaced at 34K miles. This also fixed the A/C problem because coolant leaked into compressor clutch harness connector
7. all four alloy wheels pitting and replaced at 40K miles
8. keyless entry remote broke and replaced at 49K miles
9. hood shake since the car was new - never corrected under warranty - Mazda service advisor told me there is nothing they can do

1998 Nissan Maxima SE: Made in Japan

No problems to date. 62K miles on the car.

1995 Nissan SE V6 4X4 pickup: Made in the US

Problems in 76K miles/8 years:

1. Wheels misaligned from the factory - corrected under warranty at 5 K miles when the tires started wearing funny.
2. Rear differential replaced under warranty due to loud whine (it started making noise at 3K miles)
3. Speedometer quit and was replaced at 55K miles
4. Fan clutch broke and was replaced at 70K miles
5. Turn signal/light switch broke and was replaced at 72K miles
6. Driveshaft center bearing fell apart at 76K miles and had to be replaced

It does not take a rocket scientist to draw some conclusions from the above data. This is my experience.

habitat1 · June 2003

In addition to p100's personal experience, I offer two other broader data points:

(1) The US built Mercedes ML320/430 was rated second to last out of 100+/- vehicles in initial quality by JD Powers (the only Mercedes made in the US).

(2) The US built Z3 was the most problem plagued BMW model with respect to build quality and fit and finish since 1980. By contrast, the German built 530i has received Consumer Reports highest rating of all cars tested two years running and received the highest scores in the magazines 50 year history.

I do not think US-built cars are "automatically" junkier than their Japanese or German counterparts. However, I do think there are significant cultural, labor relations and other obstacles to overcome to achieve the same level of quality in the US. Few manufacturers have overcome these obstacles, as evidenced by Lexus and Infiniti continuing to build their "premium" brands overseas while their "standard" class vehicles are built in the US.

I wish this wasn't so; but I guess I voted with my own pocketbook when I bought a 1995 Japanese made Maxima over the US built Camry and Accord based upon product quality research I did back in 1994. I subsequently bought a Honda S2000 and found some comfort that it is built next to the NSX in one of the highest rated plants in the world.

Let's hope the 2004 Maxima is a change in the right direction. Even the Japanese built Maxima appears to have declined in quality from 1995 to 2003, so perhaps the bar isn't as high for the 2004 model to clear.

bartalk2 · June 2003

Consumer Reports was critical of the '04 SE they recently tested for its choppy ride, torque steer, and ridiculously wide turning circle (44 feet!). The car feels big and cumbersome. The SL has a less sporty suspension and smaller wheels, so possibly its ride and turning circle are better. Overall, though they rated the car "very good", a discouraging report compared to the top rated sedans tested now and earlier.

m4d_cow · June 2003

And another issue i heard about is about its pricing, so many ppl think its way overpriced. I checked the new Maxima's price, including prefered package, sunroof, and other minors and the MSRP raised up to $32k+??? Is that normal? Cos right now I dont think its worth the money anymore. Too bad, cos I like the styling

ocuihs · June 2003

Hi,
what's the latest status to those cars that got damaged by the hailstorms? Any feedbacks would be greatly appreciated! Is normal operations resume?

Is 3% over the invoice on 2004 Maxima SE automatic a good purchase price with options Journey pkg, VDC, F/R colored splash guards, and F/R/trunk mats?

Are all dealers asking for $500 refundable deposit on purchase orders?

We are willing to wait 2 to 3 months for this car.

Thank you!

boneslv · June 2003

Ocuihs, we just received our ordered car last Friday (6/6).

We ordered it March 25 and went through our Credit Union (here in Las Vegas) who ordered it through a dealer in Phoenix. The Credit Union did not require money down, obviously you are in a different situation, but perhaps you could find something similar. We ordered a red opulence with tan leather interior SE with the sensory package, rear spoiler, floor mats, and 6 sp manual for a little over 29 K.

I must say this is a fun car to drive and does not feel big and cumbersome. This thing has power in every gear and brings a smile to my face. The other day I stepped on the gas (while in 5th gear) to pass a car on the freeway and had plenty of power. In our 98 maxima I would have probably needed to drop to 3rd for the same power.

Everyone (car magazines) keeps talking about torque steer but really is not a factor unless you plan to do a lot of drag racing

. I do not feel it can be any worse than an 03 since the 04 is heavier and horsepower is up 10 and torque 9 from 03. I have not had any issues with torque steer but I have not pushed the car to its limits (and do not plan on it). Good luck all.

jg28 · June 2003

Does anyone know if the 2002-2003 Maxima GXEs have a tighter turning radius than the 40ft the SE and GLE have (because of the 16 inch wheels)? I sure have hated the 40 ft turning radius of my 2002 Maxima. It's like driving around in a sport ute. I've made more 3 point (and sometimes more) turns in this car than I have my whole life. When I read the 2004 Maxima has a 44 foot turning radius I just about fell on the floor!

bartalk2 · June 2003

Measures of turning radius are not standardized, so you have to be careful not to compare apples and tangerines. To minimize the measurement, some auto makers measure from the circle made by the front tires. Unfortunately, the car doesn't end at the front tires but at the front bumpers. A more accurate measure--one that Consumer Reports uses, I believe--measures from the front bumper. Thus, CR reports the '04 SE turning radius at 44 feet, while the auto magazines, taking the figures from the manufacturer, report 40 feet, I believe.

monte4 · June 2003

Turning Radius Specs

4th Gen 15": 34.8'
4th Gen 16": 34.8'
--
5th Gen 15": 35.4'
5th Gen 16": 35.4'
5th Gen 17": 40.0'
--
6th Gen 17": 40.0'
6th Gen 18": 40.0'

Source: www.nissannews.com <~~ no refuting this source

sailoverfuel · June 2003

I recently had the opportunity to go for a long test drive on the new 2004 Maxima SE with leather, sunroof, nav...the works.

It;s pretty obvious that the car is decent and quick. Nevertheless, it is nothing big compared to my 2002 max with the same feautures (less nav). The new design lacks in detail as far as the interior is concerned. The doors do not have leather (as older models do). The material (cheap) runs all the way forward into the dash. The panel is plastic (regardless of what these salespeaple say about it being "aluminum" and it looks cheap.

I was excited at the prospect of getting a new one but the interiors did not live up to the exoectations.

THE CAR IS NOT REALLY FASTER THAT THE PREVOUS MODEL. YES TECHNMICALLY IT HAS 10 MORE HORSEPOWER BUT IT IS ALSO HEAVIER AND IT DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING IN REAL DRIVING EXPERIENCE.

Also, the front PLASTIC grill sucks and will break if rocks smack it at high speeds.

I will go for a TSX, G35 (they go for few hundre over sticker basically) or IS 300 (also go for sticker) before I buy this cheap looking car.

sailoverfuel · June 2003

I forgot to add that the sales experience in most Nissan dealerships leaves nothing to desire.

As I said, I have an 02 Max and before that an X-Terra. So I do like Nissan but the people behind the cars are not great.

After visiting Acura, Honda and Lexus to see the obvious models that compete with the 04 Max I was happy to find superior attitude in most if not all other delaerships.

For the money they ask me to pay for a Max 04 I can get an IS 300 w/ Nav, a G35 with Nv (for 2K more becai=use they sell so close to sticker) or save some money and do a TSX with ALL the works...I may throw in a wood steering weel, bike rack, and a few other toys and still save some bucks. The TSX may not have the HP of the MX but they DO drive nice.

berbel · June 2003

I'm still on this board because I like the Maxima,
at least I DID like the Maxima. On Monday, I'm
taking delivery of an '03 Accord EX-V6 loaded with
the addition of 2300.00 worth of accessories. The
car came in @ $29,000.00 retail.

My '00 Max SE is being traded, reluctantly, on the
Honda. My first choice was a new Max until I saw
the interior with all the "trendy" satin metal that
reminds me of other trends such as nehru collars
and polyester suits. What's worse is Nissan's new
pricing policy regarding their option packages....
i.e., being forced to buy options you don't need or
want in order to get options that you do want. That
is totally absurd. No other company (of which I'm
aware) imposes this "let's gouge the customer so
our bottom line increases" policy on its buyers.

My dealer couldn't find an '03 equipped the way I
wanted it either so I had no choice but to "leave
the flock." I'm already having some degree of buyer
remorse but I choose to think of the EX V-6 as a
Maxima on a somewhat shorter wheelbase.

I've been here since 2000 and I'm going to stick around for the hell of it. This board has a lot of great posters on it and has been a source of good
helpful info, amusement and congeniality. Fact of
the matter is that I'm still a Max driver at heart!

berbel

ramped1 · June 2003

You both are singing a song that Nissan should have expected after its ill-advised decision to move the Maxima "upscale."

This car has regrettably morphed from a powerful, tossable and affordable family sports sedan that was an easy choice for an enthusiast on a budget into a rather ungainly and low-rent entry-luxo wannabe. It is not even close to a bang-for-the-buck value anymore.

I simply don't understand how Nissan expects this car to compete in the low-to-mid $30s price range against Acura, Infiniti, Audi and Lexus. And let's not even bring up BMW or Mercedes, who offer models in the Max's price range. All of those manufactures hold their resale far better than the Maxima will.

It is inevitable that Nissan is going to have to start rebates to move it or risk losing sales to the entry-luxos. Honda generally does a good job of keeping the Accord V-6 EX below the Acura TL price range. Nissan should have kept the Maxima under the Infiniti 35s.

I love my old Max SE (circa 1992), but today the car that most resembles the one I drive is the Mazda 6s, not the Maxima.

ramped1 · June 2003

Sorry about messing up your screen name in the post above. We're moving. I guess I'm thinking too much about carpets

aggiedog · June 2003

For the record, Toyota also forces you to buy options on there hi-end cars/trucks. For instance, to get the rear dvd entertainment package you must also select a sunroof. Most people may want both but what if you don't? They try to make money any way they can.

fredmcmurray · June 2003

sailoverfuel - Around here, the G35 is going for a few hundred over invoice, not sticker. And the IS300 goes for about $800 under invoice.

alpha01 · June 2003

with regards to options, the only company that DOESNT bundle is Honda. Nissan is not unique.

~alpha

p100 · June 2003

In my opinion Nissan went way overboard with the option list on the 04 Maxima. How many people will order an SE with an elite package which retails for over $ 6000? And this does not even include the electric sunroof, which is additional $ 900! A fully loaded SE sticker price will be approaching $ 37K which is way high for a mid size family oriented sport sedan. What will hurt really bad is the resale value. The most logical buy would be a base SE, in my opinion, which retails for around $ 28K. This is still not cheap. Recently I visited my local Mercedes dealership and they offered to sell me a new C 320 coupe for $ 25K!!!! Yes, this was a base car with a 6 speed manual, but with a 3.2 liter V6 engine (same as E320), rear wheel drive and standard MB equipment. I bet the resale on that one will be a lot better than on the base Max SE. And you would have to try hard to buy a new 04 Max for $ 25K.
And as I mentioned before in this forum, I had a chance to buy a new Infiniti M45 for $ 37K. No way I would buy a Maxima for that because these cars cannot be compared. A 340 HP rear wheel drive Japanese large sedan does not fit into the Maxima category.

bksward · June 2003

To minimize the measurement, some auto makers measure from the circle made by the front tires. Unfortunately, the car doesn't end at the front tires but at the front bumpers. A more accurate measure--one that Consumer Reports uses, I believe--measures from the front bumper. Thus, CR reports the '04 SE turning radius at 44 feet, while the auto magazines, taking the figures from the manufacturer, report 40 feet, I believe.

But in many practical cases it is the tires that cause the problem. Most of the time the front bumper will clear the curb, so when making a U-turn its the wheels that matter most of the time.

Now on a lower car with a more pronounced front air dam, that wouldn't be the case...

m4d_cow · June 2003

As far as i see, the Maxima is trying to compete with the class it shouldnt be dealing with. Besides the Maxima i also test drove the Audi A6 3.0 pretty much almost fully loaded (the only option left is the nav). The handling isnt far different from Maxima, in fact i think its still better. The most shocking part is the dealer is willing to sell the car for $40k, which includes WA tax (7.9%) and lisence and other fees, including delivery to my home (which is around 70 miles from dealer)!
When i see this kind of offer im starting to think Nissan is pushing Maxima too far, since an almost fully loaded SE w/o elite package already cost around $34k for retail (incl tax), and to me the only advantages this car have over A6 is its powerful engine and its very cool styling (personal taste of course).
And lets face it, A6 is a far better built car compared to Max, and looking at the price its obvious who the winner is. If the Maximas price is still in the same class as Accord and Camry i would definetely consider buying it, but right now its just not worth the money

m4d_cow · June 2003

One more thing that also bothers me, is the Infiniti G35's aluminum real, or is it just the same as Nissan's ( aka aluminum colored plastic)?

rmurphy197 · June 2003

I've had my '03 Maxima for less than a month, and boy, do I regret my choice of car. I did the research before hand, looking at the reviews but I obviously didn't look far enough. As soon as I owned the car, it seems the police blotter in my local paper is filled with nothing but Maxima Headlight thefts. I now own a car that I can't take anywhere! The local suburban mall reported the theft of 6 pairs of headlights last weekend alone! Is Nissan doing anything about the problem??? The sensors they now have available are a joke; the cars with the sensors are still losing their lights. I should have gone with my second choice, the Accord EX. Is there any hope for my Maxima???

habitat1 · June 2003

I have to agree with the many above who are questioning Nissan's move with the 2004 Maxima.

It appears to me that Nissan took a very competitive $25k+/- FWD sport sedan and turned it into a $30k+ FWD less sporty sedan. At the time I bought my 1995 SE, the Maxima blew away all competitively priced competition from Honda (Accord EX), Toyota (Camry XLE), VW (Passat), etc. It was priced well below the next level of RWD competition - i.e. the 328i/528i.

I think that market segment today is still ripe for the taking. The Honda Accord is pretty ugly and doesn't offer a 6-speed in the sedan, the Camry is as much of a grandmother's car as ever, etc. Unfortunately, it appears that Nissan is counting on the Altima to do that job - which is a big step down in interior quality and ergonomics even from my 1995 Maxima.

At $30k+, the Maxima is not enough of a bargain to keep me from pursuing a 3 or 5 series, both of which offer less "paper" horsepower, but a hell of a lot more in real performance and build quality. And frankly, I'm not sure why anyone would buy a $32k Maxima over a similarly priced RWD Infiniti G35 sedan.

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. The only decent selling new entries in the entire Infiniti and Nissan line-up seem to be the G35 and 350Z, niether of which would get my dollars today.

kennyg5 · June 2003

I purchased my 03 Max about eight months ago and I am happy with it. I paid about $3500 off MSRP and thought it was a decent deal. Since then the 03 has discounted even more (about $4800 off MSRP) to make room for the 04. I guess the leftover 03s that were sold within the last couple months probably did not have much choice as to color and option. Now, the dealers near me no longer have any 03s.

I am not thrilled about the exterior style of the O4. I think Nissan is trying to create a hybrid between the Altima and the Z, but the resulting style is not really for a sporty family sedan. Personally I like the 3rd and 5th generation styles (call me conservative). I also do not like the 04 interior. The aluminum-plastic may look futuristic and high tech, but does not give you a sense of luxury. I prefer the wood trim, even though it is not genuine wood. The dash is also busy looking with too many small buttons. The 03 dash is better designed and user friendly.

I agree that the 04 MSRP is overpriced in that many of the more traditional Max buyers may be priced out. The dealer nearest to me is offering 04s at $500 t0 $800 over invoice, not MSRP.

Theft of HIDs, as I understand, are not unique only to the 02 and 03 Max. I also heard horror stories about the Acura TLs. The TL HIDs fit easily on the less expensive Accords, and many of the TL board members are very unhappy about this.

sgrd0q · June 2003

kennyg5 - you made a good point!

I think Nissan should have designed the front headlights so that they don't fit on any previous model. The demand for the HID lights would have been minimal then, and so would have been the theft rate.

Honda did something similar with the new RSX (the replacement of the Integra). The engine of the RSX now turns in the opposite direction and no longer fits into the Civic. The Integra's theft rate is very high, because there is a demand for the engine from Civic owners.

shaha90 · June 2003

Hi,
I'm looking to purchase a '03 Maxima SE loaded (Titanium, Leather, meridian, subroof, traction control. etc.) It a demo model w/ 6k mile and I've been quotes $24,599. Is this a good price. I have it for 24hrs. to test drive and would value others input as to the price being offered. thanks you for the input

kennyg5 · June 2003

I believe the MSRP of a loaded 03 SE is slightly over 30k. The price quoted for your test car would be great if it is a brand new car with less than 20 miles. (Mine had less than 10 miles on it when I took delivery.) However, since it is a demo (and knowing how demos are usually driven), the quoted price is only "so so" to me. If you can get a brand new 03 Max at $25k (although it may not come in your color), I think paying an extra $500 for a "virgin" would give you much better peace of mind. JMHO.

Nissan Maxima

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