I have a black 91 Maxima SE with only 71K on it. I store it each summer at my Arizona home and only drive it during the winter months. It is in mint condition. Only one tech has worked on the car and he says it has to be the nicest 91 he has seen.
Does anyone out there know anything about the reliability of the automatic transmission on the 91 model? I have complained to my mechanic that when I am doing city driving and going 45 or am on the highway going 70 and have to make a sudden stop for a red light, that the transmission seems to shift down with a noticeable jerk directly into the lowest gear... The tech has test driven the car and has not been able to re-produce this shiftdown. He thinks the transmission is fine. I would appreciate any feed back anyone can give me. Thanks
Well, I just can't believe it! I'm sitting here writing this at 2:10 in the morning. Yesterday at around 6:15 p.m. on my way home, a young college kid ran a stop sign, I mean blew right on through and basically T-boned my Maxima on the right front side. The impact caused me to veer into the oncoming lane and then veer off the road toward a large building.
I ended up running into a set of three four foot concrete poles, causing the grill to buckle into a sharp V inward, the hood to completely buckle up and the entire windshield cracked, and both airbags went off.
I ended up with cuts on four fingers of my right hand (Can't figure out how, except for maybe the airbag), a small cut on top of my left foot and an abrasion on my right foot and now the bruising and the contusions are showing up on my stomach and my right upper thigh. My left hand is swollen in the knuckle area and I have an egg-shaped knot on my left forearm near the elbow. Otherwise, I'm fine.
The Max looked really pitiful. I feel so guilty because I've been antsy for a new car. I wasn't expecting to have to make a new car decision this soon. By the way, the kid that hit me was driving a 1997 Maxima. Ironic, huh? He definitely sustained less damage than I did, but still had to be towed away also.
I was also getting near the end of my lease. I'm not sure how all that's going to work out.
Omigosh, I'm so sorry to hear that!! I know you don't need to hear "it could have been worse", but it sounds like you were quite lucky to walk away. I hope you don't get sorer as time goes on.
Take care of yourself and keep us posted - about you and your car.
Oy!! Very glad you made it through all right! Sounds like the kid also was ok, is that true?
And ouch to the lease situation - hope your insurance covers whatever else you were supposed to pay, plus the residual of the car.
Will your insurance, or the kid's insurance, pay rental costs? Same thing happened to me years ago in a Stanza, someone ran a red light on me and crashed into my car. His fault, and his insurance turned out to be very fair with me, paid 30 days of rental costs while I looked for a new car.
Do take care of yourself. A good massage can work wonders if you feel tight and sore.
And good luck with whatever car you end up buying next!
Thanks, Biancar, and everyone else for your concern. The kid is fine. He was very nice. He didn't have a scratch. I believe he was able to start his car, but he thought his radiator might have been punctured. It turns out he's attending the University of Tampa for college here and he's from another state. He was leaving from his job at Best Buy when the accident occurred. The not-so-good news is, after talking with his insurance company, apparently his insurance was in effect until July 4th and as of that date, his insurance co. had not received a payment. He's supposedly in a grace period right now, so I would assume if a payment isn't received by a certain date, his policy will be cancelled.
Of course, it was suggested that I might want to run everything through my insurance so as not to delay anything. I'm getting a $25 a day rental reimbursement. I'm renting a Hyundai Elantra. No offense, Mr. Hyuandai Elantra, but you ain't no Maxima! I'm mourning my beautiful Majestic Blue Max.
For all I know, the adjuster may end up telling me that it can be repaired. I don't know. I wonder what it's going to be like driving a car that's possibly had over $12,000 in repairs for the next six months?
I am getting more and more sore as the day passes, and, boy, the bruise on the thigh is huge. Although the bruising on the stomach doesn't appear as bad, it's very, very sore. I went ahead to a walk-in clinic today to make sure everything would be okay and got a prescription for a stronger version of Motrin. I'm sure I'm going to be fine. I may end up missing work the rest of this week though.
I guess I'm gonna have to step up my research on some of the new cars I'm interested in!
Finally the nightmare with my Maxima 2005 end this July when I could negotiate my Nissan Maxima 2005 in a Volvo dealer. After 21 months with my SL auto transmissions, certainly not a smooth one, 33,000 miles, 2 times 4 shock absorber changes and a lot of front suspension links changes I have to say my Nissan stay more time in Nissan service parking than my home garage. Sounding like an old car more than a new one, this great motor performance car bring me a lot of headache when I tried to decrease high tire sound in highways, with the 320 watts stereo sound radio. I know a lot of Nissan Maxima fans will not agree with me , but try to get a test drive with other cars brands and you will notice Nissan were taking your money and still making cars they know are not a good ones. Good luck Maxima fans and maybe the new CVT will get you a little more smooth travel.... but remember, front suspension, front disk and front pads will take out your money from your pocket a lot of time before you finally accept you are with the wrong car....
Wow, I hope the kid gets his payment in to the insurance company pretty fast! They might disallow coverage on an accident that happened during the grace period. Hope not. Wishing you luck on getting that part of it straightened out.
If you need $12,000 worth of repairs, that is almost certainly totalled. Assume the car cost around $25,000 when new, worth maybe $15,000 or so now, those repair costs are approaching the net value of the car. I think you're safe in assuming it's totalled.
When it happened to me, my car was 8 years old, still going strong. The damage wasn't even that severe, but they declared it totalled based on ratio of costs of repair to net value of car. It's not hard to total an 8 year old car, considering most appraisers won't value it very highly.
Maximafan, you might want to come by our Questions About Auto Insurance & Accidents discussion and run your situation by the very knowledgeable folks who hang out there. I'm sure they'll have some good advice for you.
Hello, I currently own a 2006 SE purchased in Jan. and have been having issues with the RPM's. It has just started getting hung up around 4k and will not shift unless I come to a stop. I have had it at the Nissan dealer 3x to check it out and of course the computer doesn't pick anything up. Has anyone else run into any type of problem relating to the transmission or engine??? Please let me know. Thanks!
Hey, Biancar. I might be wrong, but I was left with the impression that as long as a payment was made before a certain date, coverage should be made available. I think what they do is if they don't receive your payment by a certain date, they send you a notice such as, "Payment must be received by 12:00 a.m. by such-and-such date or the policy will be cancelled."
On the issue of possibly repairing the car, of course I'm only guessing on what it could possibly cost if they think it's repairable. I went by the towing place today to get the rest of the stuff out of the vehicle and went ahead and took some pictures of the vehicle. Made me a little sick all over again to see it like that. I noticed the battery didn't look damaged and my alarm horn was still working and the auto door locks. But it looks like everything at the front, i.e., the radiator and a small portion of the engine was bent in. The entire front bumper is torn facing outward, but I was surprised that the headlights were still inside the plastic casing with no cracks or anything, but it is disconnected due to the bumper being separated forward. Heck, the Xenon lights alone would be pretty expensive to replace!
I was told an appraiser would come out there to assess the damage today, but as of the time I was there, which was around 2:30 p.m., no one had arrived yet. The rental car is driving me crazy. There's a rattle in the center dash that comes and goes and when I try to play the radio to drown it out, the front right speaker is blown or vibrates. I don't know how I'm going to be able to live with this thing for upwards of a month! Until then, I'm waiting to hear from the adjuster.
P.S., I went on Edmunds Used Car Appraiser, and after inputting the options on my car and mileage and such, it came up with a price of $10,179 for trade-in, $11,567 for Private party sale, and $12,797 for Dealer Retail.
The reason I said I "hope" it's covered during the grace period is that I used to sell life insurance. With life insurance, if the premium is not paid and the covered individual happens to die during the grace period - or maybe it was after the grace period expires - even if the survivors make a payment the company does NOT have to pay. They have to refund any such payment made after the grace period, and that's all.
Anyway, you really better check with the kid and MAKE SURE he sent in the check to the insurance company to bring his policy up to date. If he does not, you definitely won't get anything from his company.
but remember, front suspension, front disk and front pads will take out your money from your pocket a lot of time before you finally accept you are with the wrong car....
That's funny, I have 35k miles on my 3 1/2 year old '03 Maxima, and the dealer told me my brake pads had 75% remaining, and my rotors were perfectly true.
P.S. I drive my Max like it's meant to be driven. I am NOT easy on my brakes.
I drove yours 35K miles,42 months Maxima in 21 months more or less. I am a salesperson so I really use my car. Maybe that's the problem. Maximas are made for people that are not going to use their cars.... Good looking cars but ...don't use it !!! If you will left your car in your home garage this car is for you, otherwise ... could drain your pockets....
PD: 2003 models are one generation old than my 2005 new generation Maximas... That could be another possible answer.
I have to totally disagree with you, Warrior. My 2002 Maxima, up until it was wrecked Monday evening, has been an outstanding car for four years and 60,000 miles. And like the Nissan logo says, the car has been "driven". It has been an exhilarating four years to have driven this car. I loved the power, I loved the "growl" of the V6. To me the car was pretty special; roomy, just really well-built. I am mourning my pretty Max! The most expensive thing I had to pay on the car was for two rear 02 sensors. The rest was just regular oil changes, one set of tires, and one set of front brakes. The 2007 is still at the top of my list for my next car along with the Acura TL, and maybe even the 2006 Altima. Unfortunately, I may not be able to sample the 2007 Altima if my car is totalled out since the 2007 won't be coming out before October. I'm afraid maybe you just got close to a lemon. I really feel that the problems you have encountered are in the minority. I'm sorry that your experience with the Maxima has been less than stellar.
I drove yours 35K miles,42 months Maxima in 21 months more or less. I am a salesperson so I really use my car. Maybe that's the problem. Maximas are made for people that are not going to use their cars...
Time has nothing to do with brake wear, it's the mileage! At the rate I'm going, I will have to replace my brakes when the car has 140,000 miles on it! How long do you think brakes are supposed to last?!
I bought a 2007 Maxima SE a week ago, and am very happy with it. The CVT performs flawlessly. My opinion is that once you get used to the smoothness of a CVT, you won't want to go back to a regular automatic. Keyless ignition and doors are great: I have yet to use my key. The front end redesign is a big improvement, and I like the black cutout on the rear around the exhaust pipes.
Previously, I drove a 2004 Maxima SE, and that car was the best car I have ever owned. No repairs at all. In 53,000 miles of driving, I serviced the auto transmission, flushed the cooling system, replaced the front brakes and bought a new set of tires. Overall gas miles was a little above 23, and on road trips with my wife we averaged between 28 and 29 mpg.
My wife's car was a 2002 Maxima SE, and we had a similar experience with that.
You have to test drive the 2007 Maxima! Like you I was thinking about the 2007 Altima. In looking at pictures, I can tell that it is still a lesser car -- except perhaps for the horsepower which is a little more. What sold me on the 2007 Maxima was the increased refinement between my 2004 Maxima and the 2007. This includes the power train, suspension and handling as well as the interior of the car.
Maximafan, sorry to hear about your accident! I know you must feel awful about your beloved Maxima. Like you, I still like my 03 Max GLE alot, which has 17k miles on the odo to date. Similar to my previous 3rd and 4th gen Maximas, the 03 has been very reliable. I especially like its powerful engine, although I cannot give praise to its rear multi-linked suspension, which jolts strongly when the car hits a pot hole or highway expansion joint.
If I were you, I would start looking at 06 TL as a replacement for your Max. The TL, IMHO, is a better car than the Max and retains its value nicely. I haven't look at the 07 Max, but based on the past history of the 6th gen Max, my expectations are not very high.
Hello. I'm not normally around the Nissan segment of these boards, but would appreciate a little insight. A close friend of mine recently (as of yesterday, actually) bought a 1997 Nissan Maxima. Problem is, nobody knows what trim level it is. I guessed that it was a GXE because it had plastic wheel-covers instead of alloy wheels. Here's all I know, and I hope it helps decide the answer:
It's white with a tan cloth interior It has PW, PL, Cruise, no sunroof, power driver's seat It's an automatic (I don't think that matters, but oh well) It looks like this, except for the fact that it is white
Based on the wheel covers I too assumed GXE, but wanted to make sure before confirming the information from my friend. I'll check out the Edumunds specs too, but more and more I think GXE. In 1997, there was no XE on the Maxima, right?
There was no XE in 97. While the wheels could've been swapped from another car, here are some other things that are dead giveaways.
The SE, and only the SE, will have white gauges AND body-colored door handles. It can be cloth or leather.
Both GXE and GLE will have black gauges and chrome door handles, and GLE will ONLY have leather, while GXE can have either.
SE will always have the spoiler, but GXE and GLE can have it too. In the later case, though, there will either be the 'regular' center high mounted stop light, or the cover that closes the hole where it used to be.
kennyg8, I agree that the TL is a very comparable replacement for the Maxima and should be an even better car all around. In regard to the '02-'03 harsh ride of the Maxima's, I also have to agree with you on that one. This was the main thing that was starting to get on my nerves towards the end there when driving my Maxima. Everything else was great. So is it the twist beam axle that's causing all of the ruckus so to speak? It really did nearly jar my teeth whenever I drove on uneven road surfaces or streets with potholes and railroad tracks. I really started to notice it after driving an Altima 4-cylinder rental for a day while having the car serviced for the rear 02 sensors. The Altima definitely soaked up the bumps and such better than my Max did.
All and all it's been a great car though, even after 60,000 miles. I'm still waiting to hear from the insurance company whether the car will be repairable or totaled out.
I wasn't sure if I was reading right. Does your '03 Max have only 17,000 miles on it? Wow!!! I bet that is one mint-conditioned Maxima.
By the way, I test drove a TL this past Saturday. It drove fine except for some pronounced wind noise coming from the windshield area on the interstate. I'm thinking of seeing if Acura will let me spend a day or overnight with the TL on my own with no other distractions, such as a salesperson, so I can give the car the benefit of the doubt.
I also test drove the Lexus IS250, ES350 and RX350. I ended up liking the RX the best because of the flexibility and it seemed to have the best power of all three.
I test drove the IS250. It was a nice car, but a little underpowered and really too small, and the suspension was pretty stiff, although a quiet car otherwise. I was a little disappointed with the ES350 after reading so many rave reviews from buyers on the Lexus forum. So, yeah, the RX is up there on the list too.
Haha, no, but that is EXTREMELY helpful, and I thank you so much for your time and effort into that post. It has cloth, black gauges w/white numbers, chrome door handles, and no spoiler. Definitely a GXE. Thanks so much for your help again! (and for helping out a Honda guy=me with a Nissan-guy=friend!)
I bought some Turanza LS-Vs to replace the Potenza RE92s on my '03 SE, and it honestly is a whole new car. The handling isn't quite as tight, but it soaks up bumps.
Maximafan, yes it is the rear suspension of the Max that I dislike the most, while everything else is fine to great, and I can live with the not so impressive Bose audio system trumpeted by Nissan.
And yes, my 03 Max GLE only has 17k miles and it is in mint condition, as it is always garaged when not in use and I take good care of it.
However, new car fever is biting me recently. So, I have been looking at the Acura RL ($3k incentive) and the TL ($1k incentive), and even the MDX ($2k incentive). I may sell my Max (I'll probably get about $17.5k for it) and apply the proceeds toward the new ride.
The RX is nice, but expensive, when compared with the MDX, which is being deeply discounted lately.
Perna, I spoke to Tirerack about new tires for my Max GLE, and Turanza LS-V tires do not seem to fit the car, for whatever reason.
The OEM Bridgestone EL-42s are not that bad, although its tracking power in snow could be better ... thank goodness I have traction control on my Max. The ELs still have a lot of tread, so I may not need to replace them yet. If I sell the car, it is not going to be an issue for me anymore.
kennyg8, I didn't realize you had a GLE. I thought you had an SE. I thought the GLE had a softer ride than the SE. I guess not much softer, huh? Mine is the SE, so I know I've got a "crunchy" suspension. I replaced my original Potenzas with the Futura V-rated series at about 46,000 miles. At first, it seemed as though they rode better than the Potenzas, but then, again, it may be that it was just the new tires. But in the last few months, I was beginning to think I might need new struts or something, the ride had become so harsh.
maximafan, you mentioned a struts brand name originally installed on your Maxima. Do you know the brand name installed at the factory on a 2000 GLE? Thanks
I'm sorry, dmaljunk, I don't recall mentioning the brand name on the struts, but I would assume they're probably McPherson's? I know that's what I had on my 1988 Mazda RX-7 back in the eighties. Also, I'm not sure if the struts would be different on the GLE.
I owned an 03 SE Maxima before getting an offer I couldn't pass up to move up to an 06.
I had to have both front tie-rod ends replaced (under warranty) and understand that this was a common occurrence on the 03's. Those that have had problems but have not been replaced will take bumps very harshly and will feel to have bounce in suspension during bumpy road conditions. After the fix, never had another problem.
The turning radius on the SE was horrible due to bigger wheels limiting the steering wheel movement. Understand this wasn't an issue on the smaller-wheeled GLE.
Lack of TCS on high-output front-wheel drive results in tire spin during rapid acceleration, especially if from a stop or facing uphill. Takes some getting used to but managable, particulary if using manual tranny.
Factory (base) sound system is horrible, even a cheap Sony head unit bumps up the quality significantly.
All that aside, I liked the car enough to get another. Many of the issues mentioned above were addressed in the next generation.
Have you looked at the feature on Edmund's called TMV - True Market Value? Look on the home page and click on the "buying a used car" link and fill in the exact details of the car you're looking at. That will give you some guidelines.
Like any used car, look carefully for any signs of accident damage, have an independent mechanic check it out. Just from what you've given, sounds like a good deal. Go for it if you like it.
I've got an '00 Maxima with about 86,000 miles now and love it, hope to have it until it reads 200,000 miles. The engines used in the Maxima are consistently ranked in the top 10, and have been for years and years. They're known for being very reliable and fun to drive cars.
The GLE is, in my opinion, the best choice, too. Has the leather seats and the more luxurious options.
What do you mean, a "GLE/SE?" There is no such beast. The GLE has more luxury appointments, the SE is supposedly "sportier." The SE's have spoilers standard, the GLE's do not, unless someone added it aftermarket.
Also the taillights are a little different.
Anyway, check which it is, because the GLE's are just a bit more expensive than the SE's, so it might make a little difference in the used car price, too.
I just moved to Hawaii and realize that the Navigation doesn't work on my 2005 Maxima SL. Contacted the company that makes the map DVD and told me that they have no plans on ever mapping Hawaii on DVD. So the question: Can you replace the navigation system with an after market Navigation system that works in Hawaii?
Comments
Does anyone out there know anything about the reliability of the automatic transmission on the 91 model? I have complained to my mechanic that when I am doing city driving and going 45 or am on the highway going 70 and have to make a sudden stop for a red light, that the transmission seems to shift down with a noticeable jerk directly into the lowest gear... The tech has test driven the car and has not been able to re-produce this shiftdown. He thinks the transmission is fine. I would appreciate any feed back anyone can give me. Thanks
here writing this at 2:10 in the morning.
Yesterday at around 6:15 p.m. on my way home,
a young college kid ran a stop sign, I mean
blew right on through and basically T-boned
my Maxima on the right front side. The impact
caused me to veer into the oncoming lane and
then veer off the road toward a large building.
I ended up running into a set of three four
foot concrete poles, causing the grill to
buckle into a sharp V inward, the hood to
completely buckle up and the entire windshield
cracked, and both airbags went off.
I ended up with cuts on four fingers of my
right hand (Can't figure out how, except for
maybe the airbag), a small cut on top of my
left foot and an abrasion on my right foot
and now the bruising and the contusions are
showing up on my stomach and my right upper
thigh. My left hand is swollen in the knuckle
area and I have an egg-shaped knot on my
left forearm near the elbow. Otherwise, I'm
fine.
The Max looked really pitiful. I feel so
guilty because I've been antsy for a new car.
I wasn't expecting to have to make a new car
decision this soon. By the way, the kid that
hit me was driving a 1997 Maxima. Ironic,
huh? He definitely sustained less damage than
I did, but still had to be towed away also.
I was also getting near the end of my lease.
I'm not sure how all that's going to work out.
Rest in peace, my pretty Max!!!
Take care of yourself and keep us posted - about you and your car.
And ouch to the lease situation - hope your insurance covers whatever else you were supposed to pay, plus the residual of the car.
Will your insurance, or the kid's insurance, pay rental costs? Same thing happened to me years ago in a Stanza, someone ran a red light on me and crashed into my car. His fault, and his insurance turned out to be very fair with me, paid 30 days of rental costs while I looked for a new car.
Do take care of yourself. A good massage can work wonders if you feel tight and sore.
And good luck with whatever car you end up buying next!
concern. The kid is fine. He was very nice.
He didn't have a scratch. I believe he was able to start his car, but he thought his radiator might have been punctured. It turns out he's attending the University of Tampa for college here and he's from another state. He was leaving from his job at Best Buy when the accident occurred.
The not-so-good news is, after talking with
his insurance company, apparently his insurance
was in effect until July 4th and as of that
date, his insurance co. had not received a
payment. He's supposedly in a grace period
right now, so I would assume if a payment isn't
received by a certain date, his policy will be
cancelled.
Of course, it was suggested that I might want
to run everything through my insurance so as
not to delay anything. I'm getting a $25 a
day rental reimbursement. I'm renting a
Hyundai Elantra. No offense, Mr. Hyuandai
Elantra, but you ain't no Maxima!
I'm mourning my beautiful Majestic Blue Max.
For all I know, the adjuster may end up telling
me that it can be repaired. I don't know.
I wonder what it's going to be like driving
a car that's possibly had over $12,000 in
repairs for the next six months?
I am getting more and more sore as the day
passes, and, boy, the bruise on the thigh
is huge. Although the bruising on the stomach
doesn't appear as bad, it's very, very sore.
I went ahead to a walk-in clinic today to make
sure everything would be okay and got a
prescription for a stronger version of Motrin.
I'm sure I'm going to be fine. I may end up
missing work the rest of this week though.
I guess I'm gonna have to step up my research
on some of the new cars I'm interested in!
If you need $12,000 worth of repairs, that is almost certainly totalled. Assume the car cost around $25,000 when new, worth maybe $15,000 or so now, those repair costs are approaching the net value of the car. I think you're safe in assuming it's totalled.
When it happened to me, my car was 8 years old, still going strong. The damage wasn't even that severe, but they declared it totalled based on ratio of costs of repair to net value of car. It's not hard to total an 8 year old car, considering most appraisers won't value it very highly.
When do you get the word from the adjuster?
And please keep us posted here.
I currently own a 2006 SE purchased in Jan. and have been having issues with the RPM's. It has just started getting hung up around 4k and will not shift unless I come to a stop. I have had it at the Nissan dealer 3x to check it out and of course the computer doesn't pick anything up. Has anyone else run into any type of problem relating to the transmission or engine??? Please let me know. Thanks!
left with the impression that as long as a
payment was made before a certain date, coverage should be made available. I think
what they do is if they don't receive your
payment by a certain date, they send you a notice such as, "Payment must be received by
12:00 a.m. by such-and-such date or the policy
will be cancelled."
On the issue of possibly repairing the car,
of course I'm only guessing on what it could
possibly cost if they think it's repairable.
I went by the towing place today to get the
rest of the stuff out of the vehicle and went
ahead and took some pictures of the vehicle.
Made me a little sick all over again to see
it like that. I noticed the battery didn't
look damaged and my alarm horn was still
working and the auto door locks. But it looks
like everything at the front, i.e., the
radiator and a small portion of the engine was
bent in. The entire front bumper is torn facing outward, but I was surprised that the
headlights were still inside the plastic casing
with no cracks or anything, but it is disconnected due to the bumper being separated
forward. Heck, the Xenon lights alone would
be pretty expensive to replace!
I was told an appraiser would come out there
to assess the damage today, but as of the time
I was there, which was around 2:30 p.m., no
one had arrived yet.
The rental car is driving me crazy. There's a
rattle in the center dash that comes and goes
and when I try to play the radio to drown it
out, the front right speaker is blown or vibrates. I don't know how I'm going to be able to live with this thing for upwards of a
month! Until then, I'm waiting to hear from the adjuster.
P.S., I went on Edmunds Used Car Appraiser, and
after inputting the options on my car and
mileage and such, it came up with a price of
$10,179 for trade-in, $11,567 for Private party
sale, and $12,797 for Dealer Retail.
definitely check that discussion out this
evening.
Anyway, you really better check with the kid and MAKE SURE he sent in the check to the insurance company to bring his policy up to date. If he does not, you definitely won't get anything from his company.
That's funny, I have 35k miles on my 3 1/2 year old '03 Maxima, and the dealer told me my brake pads had 75% remaining, and my rotors were perfectly true.
P.S. I drive my Max like it's meant to be driven. I am NOT easy on my brakes.
PD: 2003 models are one generation old than my 2005 new generation Maximas... That could be another possible answer.
My 2002 Maxima, up until it was wrecked Monday
evening, has been an outstanding car for four
years and 60,000 miles. And like the Nissan
logo says, the car has been "driven". It has
been an exhilarating four years to have driven
this car. I loved the power, I loved the
"growl" of the V6. To me the car was pretty
special; roomy, just really well-built.
I am mourning my pretty Max!
The most expensive thing I had to pay on the
car was for two rear 02 sensors. The rest was
just regular oil changes, one set of tires,
and one set of front brakes.
The 2007 is still at the top of my list for my
next car along with the Acura TL, and maybe
even the 2006 Altima.
Unfortunately, I may not be able to sample the
2007 Altima if my car is totalled out since
the 2007 won't be coming out before October.
I'm afraid maybe you just got close to a lemon.
I really feel that the problems you have
encountered are in the minority.
I'm sorry that your experience with the Maxima
has been less than stellar.
Time has nothing to do with brake wear, it's the mileage! At the rate I'm going, I will have to replace my brakes when the car has 140,000 miles on it! How long do you think brakes are supposed to last?!
Thanks
For August of 2007:
2007 Nissan Maxima SL
24 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
36 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
48 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
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2007 Nissan Maxima SE
24 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
36 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
48 mo/15k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
24 mo/12k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
36 mo/12k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
48 mo/12k mi: Residual Value ??% – .????? Money Factor
Previously, I drove a 2004 Maxima SE, and that car was the best car I have ever owned. No repairs at all. In 53,000 miles of driving, I serviced the auto transmission, flushed the cooling system, replaced the front brakes and bought a new set of tires. Overall gas miles was a little above 23, and on road trips with my wife we averaged between 28 and 29 mpg.
My wife's car was a 2002 Maxima SE, and we had a similar experience with that.
You have to test drive the 2007 Maxima! Like you I was thinking about the 2007 Altima. In looking at pictures, I can tell that it is still a lesser car -- except perhaps for the horsepower which is a little more. What sold me on the 2007 Maxima was the increased refinement between my 2004 Maxima and the 2007. This includes the power train, suspension and handling as well as the interior of the car.
If I were you, I would start looking at 06 TL as a replacement for your Max. The TL, IMHO, is a better car than the Max and retains its value nicely. I haven't look at the 07 Max, but based on the past history of the 6th gen Max, my expectations are not very high.
Good luck!!
It's white with a tan cloth interior
It has PW, PL, Cruise, no sunroof, power driver's seat
It's an automatic (I don't think that matters, but oh well)
It looks like this, except for the fact that it is white
Isn't this a GXE?
Thanks so much guys!
The SE, and only the SE, will have white gauges AND body-colored door handles. It can be cloth or leather.
Both GXE and GLE will have black gauges and chrome door handles, and GLE will ONLY have leather, while GXE can have either.
SE will always have the spoiler, but GXE and GLE can have it too. In the later case, though, there will either be the 'regular' center high mounted stop light, or the cover that closes the hole where it used to be.
Do you want more? :-)
comparable replacement for the Maxima and should be an even better car all around. In
regard to the '02-'03 harsh ride of the Maxima's, I also have to agree with you on that
one. This was the main thing that was starting
to get on my nerves towards the end there when
driving my Maxima. Everything else was great.
So is it the twist beam axle that's causing all
of the ruckus so to speak? It really did
nearly jar my teeth whenever I drove on uneven
road surfaces or streets with potholes and
railroad tracks. I really started to notice
it after driving an Altima 4-cylinder rental
for a day while having the car serviced for the
rear 02 sensors. The Altima definitely soaked
up the bumps and such better than my Max did.
All and all it's been a great car though, even
after 60,000 miles. I'm still waiting to hear
from the insurance company whether the car will
be repairable or totaled out.
I wasn't sure if I was reading right. Does
your '03 Max have only 17,000 miles on it?
Wow!!! I bet that is one mint-conditioned
Maxima.
By the way, I test drove a TL this past Saturday. It drove fine except for some
pronounced wind noise coming from the windshield area on the interstate. I'm thinking of seeing if Acura will let me spend
a day or overnight with the TL on my own with
no other distractions, such as a salesperson, so I can give the car the benefit of the doubt.
I also test drove the Lexus IS250, ES350 and RX350. I ended up liking the RX the best because of the flexibility and it seemed to have the best power of all three.
I test drove the IS250. It was a nice car, but a little underpowered and really too small,
and the suspension was pretty stiff, although
a quiet car otherwise. I was a little disappointed with the ES350 after reading so
many rave reviews from buyers on the Lexus
forum. So, yeah, the RX is up there on the
list too.
Haha, no, but that is EXTREMELY helpful, and I thank you so much for your time and effort into that post. It has cloth, black gauges w/white numbers, chrome door handles, and no spoiler. Definitely a GXE. Thanks so much for your help again! (and for helping out a Honda guy=me with a Nissan-guy=friend!)
Best Wishes
thegrad
And yes, my 03 Max GLE only has 17k miles and it is in mint condition, as it is always garaged when not in use and I take good care of it.
However, new car fever is biting me recently. So, I have been looking at the Acura RL ($3k incentive) and the TL ($1k incentive), and even the MDX ($2k incentive). I may sell my Max (I'll probably get about $17.5k for it) and apply the proceeds toward the new ride.
The RX is nice, but expensive, when compared with the MDX, which is being deeply discounted lately.
The OEM Bridgestone EL-42s are not that bad, although its tracking power in snow could be better ... thank goodness I have traction control on my Max. The ELs still have a lot of tread, so I may not need to replace them yet. If I sell the car, it is not going to be an issue for me anymore.
thought you had an SE. I thought the GLE had
a softer ride than the SE. I guess not much
softer, huh? Mine is the SE, so I know I've
got a "crunchy" suspension. I replaced my
original Potenzas with the Futura V-rated series at about 46,000 miles. At first, it
seemed as though they rode better than the
Potenzas, but then, again, it may be that it was just the new tires. But in the last few
months, I was beginning to think I might need
new struts or something, the ride had become
so harsh.
the brand name on the struts, but I would assume they're probably McPherson's? I know
that's what I had on my 1988 Mazda RX-7 back
in the eighties. Also, I'm not sure if the
struts would be different on the GLE.
?????new owner
I had to have both front tie-rod ends replaced (under warranty) and understand that this was a common occurrence on the 03's. Those that have had problems but have not been replaced will take bumps very harshly and will feel to have bounce in suspension during bumpy road conditions. After the fix, never had another problem.
The turning radius on the SE was horrible due to bigger wheels limiting the steering wheel movement. Understand this wasn't an issue on the smaller-wheeled GLE.
Lack of TCS on high-output front-wheel drive results in tire spin during rapid acceleration, especially if from a stop or facing uphill. Takes some getting used to but managable, particulary if using manual tranny.
Factory (base) sound system is horrible, even a cheap Sony head unit bumps up the quality significantly.
All that aside, I liked the car enough to get another. Many of the issues mentioned above were addressed in the next generation.
Like any used car, look carefully for any signs of accident damage, have an independent mechanic check it out. Just from what you've given, sounds like a good deal. Go for it if you like it.
I've got an '00 Maxima with about 86,000 miles now and love it, hope to have it until it reads 200,000 miles. The engines used in the Maxima are consistently ranked in the top 10, and have been for years and years. They're known for being very reliable and fun to drive cars.
The GLE is, in my opinion, the best choice, too. Has the leather seats and the more luxurious options.
Also the taillights are a little different.
Anyway, check which it is, because the GLE's are just a bit more expensive than the SE's, so it might make a little difference in the used car price, too.
I'm interested using the HP(blue) one. Anybody using the Illumina?
Thanks.