Everything

Flawless

I think Maxima''s are one of the best cars on the roads of America and for that much even all over the world. They are truly beautifully enginered with one of the best 200 watt BOSE systems in the world. They also have the best quality leather I have seen in a car. I don''t own one but you better believe I have ridden in a superb 20th anniversary (227 horsepower) fast Max!!!!!!!!

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Engine - acceleration and top-end are great. Reliability - only minor problems in almost 100k miles. Comfort - leather seats (with heaters), sunroof, CD player; I love driving it.

A little noisy at high speed (high road and wind noise). Suspension is a little stiff over bumps and road creases, but that's probably from the SE handling package.

I love this car, and will hate giving it up. The engine is fantastic, and overall the car is comfortable, reliable, and roomy (especially the trunk). I thoroughly recommend the Maxima over any others in its class - with the caveat that the Nissan designers must have been drunk when they designed the 2000 model.

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'89 and '91 Honda Accord - the Maxima is MUCH more reliable, and overall far superior. '95 Mazda Millenia - the Maxima is much faster, and more reliable; however, the Millenia is more plush, and quieter. Still choose the Maxima though :-)

* Like everyone else has already mentioned, smoothest revving v6 available
* Great passing power, when needed.
* Decent mileage for a V6 (22)
* Plenty of room for everyone and huge trunk
* Very decent resale value (maybe not as much as an Honda/Toyota though)
* Overall, fantastic driving experience

* Doors and other interiors are quite cheaply made in this 95 GXE
* The car swerves when you take curves at speeds over 50 mph, maybe due
to the rear end weight. It is quite frustrating when you cannot turn at
higher speeds (Any suggestions welcome)
* The paint chips off quite easily, so beware when you hold a jet of
water, too close to the car!

I bought the 95 maxima used and have had the car for a month and a half now. Inspite of the few weaknesses that I mentioned, the engine compensates for everything. An absolute beauty. It deserves the tag "silky smooth". Its a fantastic driving experience and the car encourages you to push on, more and more. Love the sound of the engine when you hit over 4000 rpm. Only regret, is that I wanted a 5 spd SE, but could not find one in good condition and so settled for an Auto GXE, single owner, with 58k miles on it. Since the car was preserved in a garage the paint looks quite new. It did not have leather,the Bose system or a CD player, but the engine compensates again for everything :)

I have received complements for the looks of the car and its power from almost every passenger. I am looking at 17" wheels and rear spoiler, plus few other performance changes. But that will set me back by quite a bit and so I am holding for now.

The dealer will charge quite a bit for the 60k and the 90k services and so, used car buyers, be aware of the expenses you will incur before buying the car. I paid 500$ for the 60k service (for platinum spark plugs etc). Mine had a timing chain and so saved some money on replacing the belt.

The new Maxima(2001) seems to have awesome interiors, but the price goes up drastically with the options. Maybe the only car where the invoice is around $22000 and with options would exceed $30000. But with the awesome 2002 model release, there should be some incentives to buy a 2001 model.


All in all, I think the driving experience will compensate for everything. Just go for the car, used or new and enjoy !!

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* Honda Accord, V6 - Its difficult to believe that the V6 exists !
* Camry V6 - Smooth, but not as powerful and everyone has one. It has
cheaper interiors, I feel, than Maxima
* Camry (4 cyl) - Dont even think about it, absolute lack of power, a
frustrating driving experience, in my opinion.
* Jetta, V6 - This car was pure joy to drive. It handles like a dream. It
does not have a good warranty (2 yr/24k miles) though and there have been quite a few complaints against it after 2 years.
* Mazda Protege ES - THis is not a V6, but a nice sporty car. Fun to
drive, but not enough passing power when you need it.The maxda mp3 which
is due for release, end of july looks absolutely stunning.

elegant styling, fender wells and large front end give it a forward motion look, nice cd/tape stereo, love the white gauges, takes off fast!

on the borderline of bland styling, especially from the side, rattles in sunroof shade with bumps

feels very "sosphisticated", stylish though not trendy exterior, rides well over bumps, powerful engine, auto a bit slow to downshift, comfortable seats, great outward visibility

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99 Mazda 626, 99 Avenger, 2000 Grand am GT1- Maxima much faster than these, only GA GT comes close to take off speed but still less hp, Avenger was so so slow even with a v6 (only 163 hp and a chrysler minivan transmission make even the fastest looking car slooow)

The engine, the leather and styling. Best bang for the buck!

The paint. Countless chips in a years time - needs a bra for road trips.

Amazing power and agility for a car this size. Amenitites which allow me to move the family in luxury, and proper handling and poise when driving myself. When I purchased this vehicle, it was really the only V6 sedan in my price range with a five speed. After a year it's still a pleasure to drive, and still gets looks. A great car, get the five speed.

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VW Passat, decent car but I prefer my Maxima.
Audi A4, another good car but too small - automatic is awful.
Toyota Camry... I don't get it, a boring drive, with boring styling, probably reliable transportation for the non-enthusiast.
Honda Accord... well poised vehicle, no 5-SPD V6, uninspiring.

Great engine........ torque is adequate to tool around the suburbs in just 3rd gear, slowing down for corners without coming to a full, and speed up to whatever is required. Or you can play boy racer, and chew up your tires, zipping around the streets, and learn the names of all your neighborhood police people with real aggressive driving. I was really surprised over how good the gas mileage is. My expectations of high reliability, and driving fun have been met. The ride quality is very acceptable considering the handling capability of the car. I find the front seats very comfortable, with the right amount of support for long drives.

I have to agree with a lot of the comments from other reviewers:
1. I too have chips in my windshield from stones dropped from trucks on a highway.
2. The (black) paint is soft, and chips from the door edges keep coming off from normal "touches" in a parking lot. Ditto for the car hood for all of the highway miles put on the car.
3. The clutch is pretty insensitive during use. I find it very hard to feel it engaging, and I have to turn the radio down quite often, or concentrate on the tach to avoid stalling the car, because the engine revs like crazy with a heavy foot.
4. The first four gears are reasonable in linkage, but fifth gear required a huge throw to get it there. I lived with it, because I wanted a manual fun car to drive, and not a slush box. Improving this should not be impossible. Bimmers and Hondas have good trannies, MAX's should be able to also.
5. Maintenance Costs: $320 seems like a lot for a 30K normal maintenance charge. I haven't had a new car for a while so maybe that's normal. If that's the price of ultra-reliability, maybe I shouldn't mind.
4. Lack of storage space in the front and rear of car. Larger door pockets would have been useful, along with a larger glove compartment, and more conveniently located cup holders. I drive with the seat as far back as possible, and the cupholder position seems ideal for a 6' 2" person with the arm length of an 8 year old. The storage compartment between driver and passenger seems flimsy, and equally impractical. Pockets behind the front seats would have been useful also.

Easily the best car I've owned, (but I keep my cars for long times). The best combination of handling,fun,power, economy, roominess, reliability, and price/trade-in value available. I bought the car new, and have not had one problem of any kind in the 3 years I've owned it. My only problem was a "Check Engine" light that came on because I didn't tighten the gas cap enough! I'm 6'2", and there isn't any other car that gives me as much legroom. Headroom is just adequate because of the sunroof, so I sit with the seat back tilted pretty far back. I've driven it for five straight hours and got out of the car without any backaches or stiffness. Never had such a great long trip car. My wife is a foot shorter than I am, and she can get comfortable when driving, but she probably prefers an automatic. I'm amazed how fast the engine heats up from a cold start, less than two miles, and delivers heat. That's important in upstate New York!
I average 25 mpg in suburban driving, and 28 to 29.5 mpg on long trips averaging 70 to 75 mph. This is using 89 octane gas for in town, and 91 octane for long trips. My dealer said it was OK to not use 91 octane. Using 93 octane gas makes the engine really hum nicely at 75 to 85 mph, though. Back seat occupants comment on how good the ride is. The trunk is roomy, but I wrote Nissan that the 97-99 Camry's trunk is larger and more usable because its height was an inch higher than the MAX's, and you can stand up suitcases in the Camry/Volvo/Buick Regal/Olds Intrigue/etc, that you can't in the MAX. I'm disappointed that the fifth generation MAX's didn't improve on trunk design. I've driven some 2000 and 2001 demos, and they're not that big an improvement over my car to make me get a new one.
The standard audio system doesn't have a Bose nameplate, although I'm told that it is a Bose. Only 4 speakers, but it's a very competent sound from the CD and FM radio. The heating/cooling controls are fine, however I don't think the AC would be up to keeping me comfortable down south, say Dallas or Atlanta. ( I have the black outside, gray cloth interior). I'd probably go for tinting all the windows, and pick other than black exterior. I think the black Maximas look the most sporty, with the rear wing, and light gray wheels. My car didn't come with ABS, and I think they are overrated anyhow. Side air bags were available only with the "luxury" option: 200W Stereo, leather seats, automatic temp control, etc., and I don't like leather seats. Dumb packaging of safety options with luxury options. I bought my car on cash deal, with $4000 off list. I'm very satisfied. I was considering Camry, Honda, Buick Regal, Olds Intrigue, and the Sable/Taurus 200HP version sedans, when I bought my car, but one demo ride convinced me the other cars weren't in the same league, considering all of the factors I listed at the beginning of this section.
I only have 32,000 miles on my car, and still have very good tread left on the original Goodyear Eagle RSA's, but they have gotten real noisy in the last 7000 miles. This web site is real useful for picking up recommendations for improving handling, power, and good shock and tire choices, and other accessories. As a home owner/do-it-your-selfer, I've used the tiny trunk ski/pole opening to good advantage to bring home 10 foot long 2"x4"is, long wood trim, etc.

I didn't expect my car to be a luxury car, or ride like one, but despite some few shortcomings, I could recommend this car to anyone who appreciates a great engine, good handling, driving-made-fun, and low life cycle cost to make the best use of one's money.

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My wife's 97 Camry is a smooth riding car with a big trunks, good mileage, and isn't fun to drive like the Max. I half as comfortable in that car because of lack of legroom. I've driven the Catera's which are feature rich cars, are smooth riding, and have nice engine torque characteristics, but their trunk is small and not well designed. No American car comes close. Honda and Camry V6 cars, Lexus ES300 are competent, smooth, but don't handle as well or have the fun factor.

Acceleration, speed (FAST!), handling (with z-rated tires), appearance, holds up to hit by garbage truck fairly well, Bose speakers are great with right head unit, intereior over all looks great even after much use, easy to customize, tons of room, doesn't blend in totally with the Civics and can wipe the floor with them.

Weird clunking sounds coming from the front when turning sharply, oil filter listed in books is wrong, body bends on jack fairly badly, amp on driver's front speaker died - have to adjust the balance awkwardly, steering wheel looks a little worse for the wear, windows are sluggish to go up and I hear easy to break, cup holders? no, the back seat doesn't fold down, automatic seatbelts are annoying at times, low fuel light has gone out, 4DSC? that sticker had to come off, everyone discontinued the touch up spray paint color for mine (charcoal pearl), windshield looks rather bad.

I got The Max from my step-mother with 98,000 miles on it. Since then I have put 5000 miles on it in 3 months. It has some rust on it from living in New Hampshire for 10 years, but nothing detrimental. It runs like a dream and I have yet to be beaten in a drag race. The power and comfort switch is an excellent option as well as the over drive button on the shifter. But if you plan to replace the shiftknob expect to pay +$100 no matter what. The lumbar support really seems to do nothing. It isn't hard to find parts for it but not like a Honda, and when done right, you actually stand out in a crowd. People look with the slightest modification.

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Out performs 2000 Cavalier Z-24, 96 Ford Probe GT, 98 Honda Civic Hatch, beat 98 Mustang V8, 97 thunderbird V8, 95 Prelude, 98 Camaro z-28, 97 Civic

Strong V6
nice amount of room inside
sleeper look

long shifter
Bose sterio system

I love this car. I have a '91 with a 5speed tranny. I have a cat back exhaust system on it and a Stillen pop charger on it. The interior I had all custom done black in the center of the seats and beige along the sides with maxima stitched into all the tops of the seats even the rear. Me and my friends always drive this car everywhere and it is extremely fast. Since the speedometer only goes to 125 however i have no idea what the top speed I've reached is. With a 2 grand launch off the line I can pull a lot of cars off the line. The only thing is right now I need a new clutch but just the other day I raced a newer Maxima (4th generation) and pulled him off the line. I have beat my fair share of cars with this Maxima and I love when I do that and people are emabarassed that they just got beat by a family car!! Or when some hot shot guy pulls up and in an Integra with his girlfriend then I dust him.

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Like I said I have raced many cars and beat them: 16 valve VW GTI, 16 valve VW Scerraco, '90 240 sx, Dodge stealth, 4th gen. maxima...the list can continue

great engine
exterior and interior finish
corners like it's on rails

front fashcia takes a bit of abuse from rocks and road debris. Bras just scratch your car.

I love, love, love this car. kiss the redline in 2nd gear and you'll know why. 222hp manual with great handling characteristics is always fun. It gets decent mpg for a powerful v-6. Buying the car wasn't painful and i got it for a good price (dealer wanted 24649 and sold it to me for 22400). The accord and the camry were too boring and not as much car for the money. No manual w/the accord v-6? what's up with that? Oh yeah, I live in the land of fat people driving lincoln navigators.

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98 explorer xlt hey it's a truck like comparing apples and f-16's.(hey all you navigator owners, i drive it off-road frequently. You should try it sometime; it's a lot of fun. Oh but then you probably don't have 4wd low.)
91 mercury tracer sucks compared to the max but it was a great car for what it was.
accord and camry see below.

- potent V6
- fairly attractive exterior and interior styling
- outstanding fit-and-finish
- decent fuel economy

- weird tail lamps
- numb steering

The 3.0L V6 provides sufficient power for everyday driving and is kept quiet and vibration-free, although not up to the finesse in the Camry V6. It also delivers decent fuel economy. The interior is well-finished in rich leather and tight fit-and-finish. As for the exterior... the front fascia looks quite attractive but the peculiar looking rear-lamp treatment needs some time to adjust to. Though it looks more attractive to lets say a Camry or an Accord. Overall, this is a lot of car for the money.

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'98 Pontiac Grand Am.
- lack of power
- extremely poor fit-and-finish
- uncomfortable driving experience
- worst car i've ever driven
- unfinished interior plastic molds
Frankly, these domestic junk should be off the market.