Nissan Maxima 2004 Redesign

tedescm1 · March 2003

looks more like terry cloth...

Ithink the car looks really good but would have looked even better with leather on the doors.

glenng1 · March 2003

I test drove a new 04 Max SE today in South Dakota. I am looking at replacing a 00 GP. Most of my driving is hiway @ 78mph and I drive 45000 plus miles a year. I am wondering what type of mileage the new buyers are getting out of the Max. The car I drove had the leather seats, the Bose audio package and the Sensory package with the 900 dollar moon roof. The sticker was $31050 or something close but there was a $1995 additional dealer markup along with some other markup items which took the final sticker price to over $32XXX. What are the others seeing in their areas?
I need a better feel for the mileage numbers as I put on a lot of miles and the price of the car plus gas plus mileage around 20 mpg will not make the grade. Does anyone have some personal experience with what I should or could expect? Again, most of my driving is 300-400 mile runs on the highway at 78mph (speed limit is 75 mph here in South Dakota.
Thanks for any input.

dklanecky · March 2003

You may want to consider the 2003 Maxima instead of the 2004. The 2003 was made in Japan (the 2004 is made in the USA) and has a excellent overall reputation for excellent long term reliability and very reasonable costs to operate.

Add in the fact that you can still buy a loaded 2003 Maxima now (MSRP of about 30k) for more than $4k of the MSRP, and you get a pretty compelling value story.

Go back and check out the Maxima board for years worth of discussion and history on the 95-03 Maximas.

I am biased as I drive about 30-35k per year on my Maxima(s) (95 GLE and 00 SE) and have had excellent and very low cost (per mile)long term results with both cars.

buffaloes · March 2003

It appears that to even get traction control, I will have to get the vehicle skid control, which also requires the purchase of another package. Am I correct in assuming that the SE auto does not include traction control standard?

bartalk2 · March 2003

11th commandment: don't pay over sticker. If your dealer is puffing up the price because the car is new and scarce, go elsewhere. If he's scamming you when he sells you the car, he will continue to cheat you when you get it serviced. I would never buy a car from a dealer who charges over sticker. It's an immediate sign he's a crook.

If gas mileage is important to you, you might be happier with a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry 4 cylinder that get far better gas mileage (on regular) than the Maxima.

tonval · March 2003

After options the 04Maxima is being offerred for $32-$35k. The 03G35 is "out the door" at $31.5k with Premium Pkg and Sport Suspension. Why buy the Maxima?

maxamillion1 · March 2003

Because I like the interior of the Maxima more for some reason.

jhunterbob · March 2003

They really are 2 different cars.

I think the SL max has some pretty cool features for me. The folding mirrors are great because I have a tight fit in the garage.

The back seat is flatter and wider which will help with getting 3 car seats.

Trunk is larger.

If I didn't have other things to worry about, I would get the 350 Z or G35 coupe. Teh max is more of a ffamily sedan in my opinion. And probably will be 3 to 5 thousand different in price when you compare the acttual sales prices out the door.

beanctr · March 2003

glenng1,

My 02 Max SE w/6sp averages nearly 26MPG on 95% highway driving (avg speed approx 65MPH). While these figures aren't for the 04 Max, I would expect them to be similar

aramus · March 2003

I test drove a 04 Maxima with a 6 sp manual. Was very impressed with the car's performance. Nissan website does not allow VDC with the manual transmission, only the automatic. Other cars such as a G 35, have VDC with the manual. Anyone know why? Is VDC the same as other cars Stability Program, and does it do anything?

p100 · March 2003

I intend to test drive the new 04 Maxima with a 6 speed (if I can find one). I like the looks of the new car. I wonder about the quality though, because it looks like it has been steadily decreasing on Maximas after the 1999 model. I test drove an 03 SE with a 6 speed and was not one bit impressed.

maxamillion1 · March 2003

The first Maxima to hit the showroom at the local Nissan dealership in my area was a 3.5SE Maxima in Red Opulence with Black leather. That thing is nice as heck. I wish I could afford it, but I cannot. I probably could get the Altima but not the Maxima.

That Maxima is still there at the dealer. Actually my cousin and I sat inside of it yesterday (Saturday) and I was impressed by it. The materials, while cheap, were better than the Altima's.

alexxx · March 2003

Right on! - 04Maxima vs 03G35 Pricing by tonval

Some more thoughts on "Why buy the Maxima?"

better then ">"

Infinity > Nissan (that's why Infinity was introduced to the market)

RWD > FWD (there is no FWD cars as you go over 35K, think about it...)

Infinity service > Nissan service (believe me after paying %34K you don't want to be treated as a regular nissan owner, on the other hand I've heard that Infinity service is very good)

and last but not least

Infinity driver image > Nissan driver image (if car is not just a 'motorized vehicle' in your point of view, but at some degree an image statement, you might want to lean towards Infinity)

ps. I'm a Maxima owner and a very happy one. It's just Maxima became so expensive that it is time to move forward -> to G35 (or others $35K cars)

tonval · March 2003

TonVal Writes:

So now I've driven the 04 Maxima 6sp Manual and the 03.5 G35 5sp Automatic.

Both are very powerful vehicles. Compared to my 89Supra Turbo, there is a lot of guts in the normally aspirated Nissan Engine.

The 04Max "pulls" through the entire powerband. The tranny is shifts are short and hit the mark perfectly every time. I'm afraid that my left calf muscle will begin to get smaller switching from the Supra (5sp) to the Maxima.

The 03.5G35 gives the same launch off the line and through the entire powerband but I can feel the "push" rather than the pull of the fwd. I didn't drive the 6sp manual G35 but I wanted to try out the tiptronic tranny. I really like it. It shifts quickly and with guts, but it is forgiving and in stop & go, will deal with forgetting to shift. I do a lot of talking on the phone while driving (hands-free installed of course) and not having to shift may be a plus.

My wife was with me during both drives. She likes the Maxima better, I like the G35. I think it's something to do with the rear-haunches of the body. The G35 looks like it wants to jump forward, while the Maxima sort of wants to slide-out.

Interior of both are nice, altough my teens like the reclining rear seats of the G35. I like the Elite package (rear-bucket seats) of the Maxima but it's a $6500 option.

At this point, it may come down to salesmen since the salesman at the local Nissan dealer is a good friend (not that it will make much of a differnece since it's the GM who authorizes the deal).

On Saturday AutoWay Nissan - Clearwater started the day with 11 04 Maxima's. That night they had only 5 left.

Same day, Lokey Infiniti had like 45 G35's (mix of 03 and 03.5 models...there's a difference). I think they're turning into a museum.

In the end, I have a couple of weeks before I'm going to buy since I'm travelling on business the rest of this week.

p.s. The supra has 125000 miles and a leak in the powersteering. I'm thinking about trading it for a clean 74 260Z...Would you do it?

TonVal

92drexel · April 2003

If I had preteen or teenage kids and/or lived in snowy climates, then the max may be the choice (increased size and FWD).

I love G35s and if I didn't have kids , and lived in a warm climate, then that would be my choice (G35). The G is definately better relative to service, resale value, image (if that's important), etc.

I guess that's how Nissan defines these cars. If you want room, then go for a max...if you want handling, prestige, and service then go for the G.

There are a few cars over 35k that have FWD. Offhand, I think these are FWD: all caddys (except CTS and Escalade), Acura RL?, Saabs? (I think). You can make the case that none of these are 'sport sedans' except for maybe the Saab.

mirth · April 2003

I don't agree that RWD is better than FWD in all cases. It's certainly better for sporty driving, no doubt about it. But if you take a FWD car and a RWD car, and put the same tires on them, I don't care how many traction or stability systems the RWD has, it's going to handle more poorly in wet/snowy/icy conditions (I speak from experience).

If you live somewhere warm like California, I say definitely get a RWD car. If you live somewhere where you get snow from time to time, RWD can become a serious PIA.

talon95 · April 2003

I believe most Volvos, including the $36,000+ S80, are FWD... some have an AWD option.

obiwankenobi1 · April 2003

Yup. You nailed it.

My Dad's 2001 Volvo C70 Conv. was $41K and is front wheel drive. I can't stand it.

Now he wants another $40K+ Audi Convertible (FWD as well). I can't convince him on a CLK or 3 series. :-(

Obi

alexxx · April 2003

I do not dispute some advantages of FWD on slippery surfaces, although AWD will be the ultimate solution for this.

You must remember that FWD was introduced mainly because of cost cuts. Car manufactures can save up to 20% on parts and assembly line, simply because power plant is all-in-one (engine + transmission + differential ) And it was great while this saving reached consumers. (historically FWD cars were cheaper then classic layout cars).

I respect FWD on Volvo, because Volvo is heavier car and it is not build for performance, but for safety.

When it comes to performance, weight distribution is always a problem for FWD cars.
Also, as we got passed 250hp on FWD cars, torque stir became a big problem. Car makes are dealing with this problem by offering some optional equipment witch will reduce it, but guess who will end up paying for it ???

p100 · April 2003

The new Maxima (04) retail price can easily reach mid thirties with all options. If you think Maxima is quick, test drive the new Infinity M 45. Powered by a 4.5 liter 340 horsepower V8, it will leave any Maxima in the dust. And you can buy the base car for as little as $ 37K if you bargain hard (no good deals out there on the 04 Maxima at this point).

alpha01 · April 2003

Too bad its universally accepted that the M45 is about as beautiful as a Crown Victoria. The Max looks far more agressive, and at least has a unique interior. The Max will also likely handle far better, though I cannot attest since I have not driven both.

~alpha

monte4 · April 2003

You might be correct but the M45 isnt selling to well at all, the bland style hasnt grown on the public and it has been out a while now(looks like a slighly revised 95-2000 Q45, not good). Also 37K I havent seen one yet all of the ones I see are in the 40's!

p100 · April 2003

The retail price of the car I test drove was about $ 43K. They were willing to sell it for $ 37K. This is a rear wheel drive car so it is not a fair comparison to the Maxima but the engine and drivetrain is superbly refined and the car literally flies. Leather interior is standard on this vehicle, as is dual automatic climate control, Bose stereo with a CD changer, 5 speed auto transmission with a manual shift mode, electronic traction control, power telescopic steering wheel etc. Sunroof is about $ 1000 extra. There are also other options, such as navigation system and voice recognition system, which can drive the retail price up to almost 49K. If you can live without these fancy and questionable options, you can get the car at a very attractive price.

Note: I test drove two 03 Maxima SE 6 speeds recently. Both had distinct vibration in the steering wheel around 60 MPH, probably due to lousy tires or bad balance. I was very serious about buying an 03 Maxima, but this experience left really bad taste in my mouth. Test driving an M45 was an incomparably more satisfying experience. Finally, I do not share your observations about the M45 bland looks. Some people think that the 04 Maxima is absolutely ugly. Personally I do not.

teenboy13 · April 2003

Saw my first 2004 Maxima 3.5SL this morning. In Majestic Blue with Cafe Latte Leather. The front of the car isn't exactly ok but I could handle with the back of it. The only option it had was the Power Glass Sunroof.

prayerfor · April 2003

$37K for a flying car does seem very reasonable.

prayerfor · April 2003

In fact for that money they ought to be flying off the lots.

dklanecky · April 2003

average selling price has been less than about 27k for the last 8 years.

p100 · April 2003

Thank you for very constructive comments on the M 45. Yes, I personally like the BMW M5 or Mercedes E500 better, but most people do not have money to burn and I was trying to point out that this is one affordable muscle car, pretty close to Nissan Maxima's price. If you want to talk ugly cars, let's talk about Pontiac Aztec or Honda Element.....

prayerfor · April 2003

p100 --

I understand what you were trying to point out about the M45. However what you said in #494 is, "the car literally flies." This caught my attention, as I was unaware that the M45 is capable of taking flight. In spite of the attendant driver training, licensing and traffic control ramifications, this breakthrough would assuredly revolutionize automotive travel; thus I opined that the car ought to sell very well priced at only $37K.

Or, in other words, I'm just joking around...

nowakj66 · April 2003

On a whim I took a Maxima 6 speed Manual for a test drive last night.

This is a fun car with lots of torque and a big interior. It definitely has power to spare. However for a few reasons, I think the automatic is the tranny for that car.

First, the clutch requires some effort. By the end of the test drive, I noticed my leg was not precisely sore, but I could tell I had been using it. The car is such that it will go fast in just about any gear.

The times I did get on it, I could feel the torque steer, it would bite on one side or the other.

I think a Manu-matic is the way to go with the Maxima. It lends itself to a relaxed style of driving and not a banzai mode like a 4 cylinder stick would.

drakutismax · April 2003

I have been reluctant to test drive the '04 Maxima because it might make me love the car even more. I have been seeing them on the street and the more I see it it just keeps getting better and better. I think that Nissan has done an exceptional job with the styling. The center plaque is not out of place. It fits fine.

bartalk2 · April 2003

Tested SE with 6-speed manual. Torque steer overpowering. An ok family cruiser, but no sharp sports sedan.

jhunterbob · April 2003

Just got home about 2 hours ago from the dealer. Got an SL with Driver Preferred package in Onyx and Frost. It was exactly what my wife wanted.

Paid $1,500 over the edmunds invoice price once all of the B%$%#S%$@#$ fees were added in. Overall, I thought it was a pretty good deal considering the newness of the vehicle.

I did everything over the internet via United Nissan in Atlanta and Keith Norwood. The car I wanted was at another dealer(after trading one of their stock vehicles). He went and got it and all I had to do was sign the papers when I got there. It was really easy!

As for the car, My wife loves it. It really is big. We have a 1995 Q45 that we are going to sell and it seems bigger than that. I think it is the shape of the car and use of space that makes it feel larger. My wife says that it is fast as well.

I'll update when I get a chance to spend some time with it... that may be a while as my wife may not let me drive it!!!

04maximalooker · April 2003

and here in Los Angeles one dealer says they have a few to choose from - I almost feel it is a deal-breaker. One dealer wants $795 for a custom grill that still doesn't look quite right - is it worth changing? Anyone got grill feedback? I noticed in the 04 Maxima brochure almost ALL the photos of the front "darken" the grill so it isn't so prominent and visible. What were the designers thinking? Also having trouble wondering what the skyview is all about - not opening at all. A view of the sky - why?

maxamillion1 · April 2003

..idea, but some may actually like it b/c they get a view of the sky without lost headroom. I believe that Nissan should have spent money on improving the interior design and materials instead of adding some hole in the roof. But it's all JMO.

shugga39 · April 2003

I am thinking about purchasing an '04 Maxima SL with Journey package, and I have 2 questions.
First, I'm looking for a decent price. I know, since this car has not been out long, that there are no incentives, reduced interest rates ect.
I've gone to 3 dealers so far, and the best price I've gotten is 30,500, which I was told was $1,000 over invoice.
Is paying $1,000 over invoice fair?
Second, Is there anyone out there that has purchased the 04, and if so, are you happy with it sofar? Any regrets? Any helpful info that you would like to throw out there?
Thank you for any and all info.

jhunterbob · April 2003

My wife is as happy as she can be with our new pourchase of the 2004. I am happy as well, but it is her car...

She really was in the mood for a new/differnt car. we had agreed that the 2004 was the next vehicle. The difference betweem invoice and MSRP is $3000 according to Edmunds. Including about $600 in B#$%S#$% fees, wee paid $1500 over invoice. It is not the best deal, but she did not want to wait 3 to 6 months to buy at invoice. We bought yesterday. She loves it!!!!

The skyview in my opinion will be a great thing for this car.. Having had several cars with sunroofs, they are never opened... and when they are, they are closed quickly!!!!

If you can gte this now at $1000 over invoice... get it!!!

bartalk2 · April 2003

Both Car & Driver and Road & Track recently tested the '04 Max SE and complained that torque steer was dreadful--almost outweighing every other feature of the car's handling. But both test cars had stick shift.

Will people who own or have tested the SE (and SL) with the automatic transmission please indicate whether torque steer is as objectionable there.

collinjeremy · April 2003

I have the '03 Maxima w/auto transmission and I can tell you that torque steer is fairly pronounced in this car. It has the same engine as the '04 and only slightly less power. It will spin the front wheels from a standstill on dry pavement and you better have both hands on the wheel if you try it. I wouldn't want to try this on a wet slippery road.

boneslv · April 2003

Shugga39 I would agree with Jhunterbob that $1000 over invoice is a good deal especially for a the first year of a model redesign. I have been following the posts since December (when I first heard of the redesign) and decided to throw in my two cents (of course all in my humble opinion).

We currently own a '98 maxima (wifes car before we got married)and I love the car. However, I am 6' 5" and my head brushes the top of the roof (we have a sun roof). So I have been looking forward to the '04 to check out head room.

Drove one last month and loved the design and ride, as previously stated grill not as bad in person. I have the same problem with the sun roof in the '04 as our '98. I found a maxima with sky view and I have plenty of head room. Knowing that the '03 would be discounted and hoping to get a good deal I sat in one; however, it felt much tighter. I sat in the rear seat with the drivers seat all the way back in both cars (both had sun roof)the '03 I could not sit up straight and the '04 I brushed the top . However, plenty of head room in rear with sky view. The extra rear legroom in the '04 made a difference (obviously) which is nice because our 18 month old can already kick the back of the front seats. I love sun roofs but head room is an issue so sky view is good alternative for me.

So we order ours through or credit union here in Las Vegas since the model with our exact options was not available (SE, 6 speed manual, red opulence ext., tan int., sensory package, spoiler, mats, sky view). Our credit union guy was surprised that Nissan was willing to deal on car but we were able to get the car for under 30K (about same mark up on invoice as jhunterbob).

I think it was a good idea by Nissan to go a little larger than '03 model because it fits my situation perfectly (headroom and growing family). I love the design inside and out and can not wait until the car arrives. We also looked at the G35 but was too small.

Thanks for listening to my two cents; however reviewing post it looks more like 5 cents

.

thenebean9 · April 2003

i am a huge nissan fan, but i'll have to admit, at first i wasnt too thrilled with the redesigned maxima. however nissan's designs have a way of growing on you, and like many other of their new cars, they look 1000x better in person! if you havent had a chance, check out the maxima and nissan's other vehicles in person. you might like it more than you do now!

i particularly like the skyview roof...i think thats a pretty interesting way of opening up the cabin of a car...i cant stand it when i feel closed in and trapped inside a car because there's no sunroof!

i just think that they should offer an AWD option for all those horses! then the maxima would be a HUGE contender!

kgw707 · April 2003

Just experienced a brief interlude with this car...a silver SL with black leather interior...and all I can say is W-O-W !!!!
It's a rocket ship that corners flat. Period.

blh7068 · April 2003

Ive observed with my 02 SE that under normal driving conditions...torque steer is NOT an issue. If you need to flat foot it from a dead stop or a "street start" then yes it gets squirrely. The max is a good car(an 03 can be great deal)and the torque steer issue is a minor objection to overcome, imo.

mirth · April 2003

I agree that the torque steer was acceptable in the '02/'03 because they just basically added more power to the old design. I accepted it in my '02 because it was a good compromise for getting all that power. But the '04 was a complete redesign - they should have solved it. Acura did with the TL/CL, why can't Nissan?

blh7068 · April 2003

Well said. However, keep in mind that redesign was really only the body....where the engine/drivetrain are essentially the same as the 02/03's(10 more hp?). The only thing I can conclude is that making that improvment would have pushed the price beyond the target market.

mirth · April 2003

I guess, but if Acura can do it in that price range, why not Nissan?

jaquino · April 2003

The Nissan Maxima's price point when loaded with the driver/journey/elite package is in the Acura TL range.

Still, the Nissan Maxima is a great car. But torque steer has always been a problem with Nissan Cars. I remember test driving a 1995 Nissan Sentra SE-R, the thing only had 140 HP, but it was pretty quick. When I romped on the accelerator however the torque steer was so strong that I had to fight with the steering wheel.

Come on Nissan, you can do better than this!

talon95 · April 2003

Unlike the previous generation, the new generation is based on a modified Altima platform.

blh7068 · April 2003

but the powertrain is essentially a carryover from the 02/03 Maximas...with something like a 10 hp boost for 04.

boneslv · April 2003

Keep in mind that the 04' is 200 lbs. heavier and the horse power is only up 10 and the ft/lbs torque only 9; therefore, I would not think that the torque steer would be too much worse than the 03'.

I owned a 91' SE-R (manual) and torque steer was present when you hopped on it but it was a fun car to drive and not too objectionable (torque steer). Personally I would not be too concerned with the torque steer if it is similar to my SE-R because when I did everyday driving and accelerated to pass it was not an issue, imo.

I agree it would have been nice for Nissan to correct this with the 04'. It would have made the car a real killer and put it above the rest, imo. In addition the Motor Trend and Car & Driver tests ( I have not read the Road & Track) were manuals and they test them to their extremes.

Nissan Maxima 2004 Redesign

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles