-Engine runs great, never a problem.
-Moonroof is key
-Great sound from the factory Bose speakers
-Lot of room for my 6'3" frame
-Looks sporty, yet very functional

-Power windows
-Power Antenna
-Interfacing aftermarket stereo equipment with the Bose factory Equipment

I would recommend this car to anyone, exp. someone who just got their license. I got it a month after I turned 16 and drove it into the ground through the "gotta go fast and quick" phase. I have since outfgrown that phase (at least most of the time). I have driven if for 6 years, to Florida, and back and forth to school tens of times (211 miles one way). Never any problems. The engine runs great after 120k miles and still gets up and goes. I had to have an axle replaced once (casuality of meeting a curb on some ice), but never any problems with the fix. The two front window mechanims have been replaced, but every person who fixes them says that is the downfall of the Maxima. Power Antenna doesn't work and spoiler is starting to rust off of bracket (It is 12 yrs. old, what do you expect). The only other bad thing is the stereo. I had to replace the Bose head unit with a Pioneer CD unit. Kept the 6x9's in the back, but there is some hmmm with the alternator at low volumes. Nothing you can do about it without totally redoing the system. Other than the few little things, this cars engine and body is superb. I am looking forward to buying the new anniversary edition with 227hp when I graduate!!!

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First car, no base of comparison

The powerful V6 engine. It is very comfortable.It's not that much of a target for thieves. Large spaces for your body, feels like home. This car has one of the best A/C I have ever had. The heater and defroster work magic on some Los Angeles chilly mornings and nights. Most of all this baby can burn some rubber, yes I'm 18. The automatic seat bealts,that way the cops have one less reason to stop you! the looks- stylish/sporty

The automatic seat bealts for my dad, since he spilled some coffee all over the driver's seat. It think it's the trunk, for its to small. I also dislike the fact that I have no cup holders.I should have gotten the model with a sun roof.It burns the brakes too fast.

I recommend this car to everyone! for it's durability and stylish/sporty looks. very affordable and its worth every cent you pay !!!!

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well I would guess all my friends care, saturn, honda, corolla, mercedes, mustang, ford f-series.

POWER, good engin, decent fule mileage, front wheel drive, very loud with no muffler. GREAT!

Car is extreamly light weight so I tend to glide over snow, but hell good gas milage, Small rear speakers I got all my speakers replaced but the 4 1/2 inch speakers where so weak I replaced them with 6x9 inch speakers in a cabinet, very nice sounding though.

I recomend them because I drive the hell out of my car and got in a accident last year with no repairs and it still runs like a bunny

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I compair it to my dads car a 1990 Mazda, mine is better (cheaper repairs, better fule milege better acceleration). My Friends 1983 caprice, umm his car sucks because its gigantic and sucks up fule and is hard to drive, but he get more space (ALOT MORE SPACE) for speakers.

Fast, smooth ride. Slick 5-speed transmission. Quiet, unbelievably powerful V-6. Comfortable, roomy interior. Handles like a sports car. Reliability is equal to the best out there.

Only gripe is no fold-down back seat. (Has the ski slot though)

I would recommend this car to ANYONE looking for a sedan. From the basic, comfortable, everything you need GXE, to sporty SE, to luxury GLE model; there is a version of Maxima for everyone. (5-speed trans are avail. in the GXE and SE as well) If you love to drive, this car makes it fun, yet has plenty of room for a few friends or the family. Once you drive the Maxima, most other cars just feel cheap and noisy. There isn't a car in this class (that I have driven) that reaches this level of refinement. Even cars that come close to this level of refinement(Volkswagen Jetta for example) just don't have the same proven reliability or roominess. The japanese sure pay attention to details, and they build cars in a way that no one else has come close to. The problem with other Japanese cars (Accord, Camry, etc.) is that they're just plain vanilla - they're no fun. With Maxima, you get the whole package. It's been 2 years, not a squeak, rattle or problem. I have also seen Maximas with 250,000 miles on them still running great. One last point: Some say Maximas are slightly expensive for their class/what they offer. When you think about all the problems you won't have and the fact that it could last you 250,000-300,000 miles with proper up-keep; IT'S A DEAL!

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Dodge Stratus ES V-6, Volkswagen Jetta VR6, Pontiac Grand-Prix

Excellent power, good room, high-quality materials inside and out, nice sound system, good gas mileage, reeks of quality, engine makes sophisticated sound

Uhhhh... the trunk hinges intrude on the trunk space... but that's about it, really.

The Maxima has been flawless. Our CD player was acting up, skipping every now and then, and dealer replaced it in a flash. That was the only problem. Brakes are great. Handling a bit soft (I drive a '96 Probe GT too) but predictable. The motor totally dominates the experience of the Maxima. In the '80s, when the Maximas came into their own, they were known as very quick, very comfortable small luxury cars. I see what everyone was raving about now and understand the fierce loyalty people have to their Maximas. On a cross-country trip, we cruised routinely at 90+ mph (in Arizona and New Mexico) and the car felt like it was doing 60. My wife didn't say a word. In fact, she fell asleep, the car was so smooth. I didn't think I would like this car that much, but I do. When my wife gets her Volvo, I inherit the Max, and I can't wait to get it for everyday use. I will tighten up the suspension and lower it and put nice wheels on it; otherwise it's fine as is. I also really like how the door "clicks" when you open it and how it thunks home. Best-built car I've had.
I would recommend this car to people who like a little sport with their luxury. It's a very nice, very refined family car with a hint of sportiness in SE guise. I'd probably buy one used, too.
My favorite thing of all is that it uses a timing chain, so no belt to worry about!

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Chrysler Cirrus LXi -- The Maxima walks all over the Chrysler except in styling and its sound system.

silky smooth, powerful (relatively) engine
white display is simple, clear, and unique
reliability is better than average
decent interior room

30000 mile service charges were relativley high ($300+ sans brakes)
ergonomics are pure GARBAGE - no telescoping steering wheel; shifter is too tall and placed too far rearward; interchair console is too tall and interferes with the shifter arm (right); pedals are too high, brake is 2 inches higher than the accelerator, clutch travel is too great (12 inches it seems), clutch engagement point is too high, and none of the pedals is adjustable; seats are thick (reducing interior room), are not especially comfortable, have NO lumbar spine support (my back aches after 20 minutes), and NO lateral support (the car handles well but one can never test its limits due to the horrible seats).

This is a fine sporty, family sedan. I was suitable impressed by the powerplant, but the driver ergonomics are a COMPLETE FAILURE!!!!

It is a remarkable bargain in the stripped SE form - if YOU fit the interior. However, I will return to the BMW 328/M3, for the superior handling, road feel, and power (I hate the BMW image, but am hooked by the performance).

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1990 BMW 325is, 1995 325i, 1990 Olds cutlass, 1991 Maxda Mx-6, 1995 Supra, etc...
The Maxima's handling is good but still cannot compare to the 1990 325is's. It's fuel efficiency is decent (about 27-29 highway). As mentioned above, the car's ergonomics are complete garbage. I am 6'2" and all the other cars listed above as well as my first car, a 1980 Mazda 626 (a subcompact) were more comfortable and better designed - this includes the piece-of-crap olds cutlass!

Car has a lot of pep, handles pretty good, not much maintenance required. Im about to get a tune up though because its already at 98K miles.

When warming up the car, you hear a tapping noise from the engine, the timing chain possibly?... The leather seats are hard, not very comfortable..

I would recomment this car because it is reliable, fun to drive. Its nice to have a 4 door car with as much pickup as it does. I beat a lot of cars on the road when they try to take me. Ive also driven my cousins 2000 SE and its amazing... I dont know how they have improved my car that much. My next car will probably be the 2001 SE anniversary edition.

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Compares to the Accord, Camry, I think that it beats everything in its class.

*Engine - rated as one of the Top 10 best engines in the world.
"rev's like no other this side of a Ferrari"
*Interior - i have an all black interior (except for the white face guages) and it is incredible. Especially after you break-in the seats after a few months of use.
*Handling - Damn good for a Family Sedan

ride height for a sports version of the car is a little high.. could be lowered about 1/2 inch. especially the front end. Tires suck.

This is one fast car. More bang for the buck and look at the performance charts on this baby. Yes, the 2000 model brings in about 32hp more but the 0-60 hasn't changed. 6.7 seconds has been the standing speed on both 5-speeds. I've drivin all those cars i listed above before purchasing this vehicle and almost got the 300zx. But leave the 300zx out of the picture. None of the cars listed above in any way came close to the engine performance and the feel of the road like the maxima. The Lexus and BMW sure had better interior anemities and may have looked better in a way but they neither had more room than the maxima. Their sound systems didn't compare to the 200watt Bose system which is amazing.. almost like having a 300 or even 400 watt sound system though a subwoofer would be nice. The white-face guages remind you of the racing inspired 3.0 engine in front (based on the 300zx mind you... actually a tuned down version). None of the cars i tested were as fast either. For a car this price.. everything is a strong point. Get one...

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99' Honda Accord V6 Coupe, 99' Acura TL and CL , BMW 328, Toyota Camry and Solara, Lexus IS 300, 95 300zx

That sweet and torquey V6
the way it looks as a black on black leather SE
The BOSE cd stereo
Good handling for a family hauler
The 5-speed is a great performance addition to the car, though the actual workings of the shifter isn't great, it's still a lot of fun (I have perfected my smooth rev-matched downshifts and such)

Sometimes I wish for a limited slip differential, though other times I'm glad it doesn't have it, because it would just spin both fronts and plow...
I wish it had ABS. Besides ABS, it is missing the meridian package (heated mirrors and seats) and the BOSE 6-cd changer. That's it.
The clutch is rather weak - and the gearbox mysteriously lost 3rd and 4th gear synchros after doing nothing more than spirited driving (if you must know the details, the hard shift was 1-2, not 2-3 or 3-4).
The replacement clutch seems exactly the same as the old one, and it still vibrates/chatters. I live with it cause I love the rest of the car so much.

I'd like to point out that this Maxima is the fastest car I have ever driven, but not the fastest that I have ever ridden in. That title would go to either the 97 Mustang SVT Cobra convertible or the 95 Firebird Formula V8 convertible that I've ridden in.
Anyway, the deal with replacing the Continental was that it was failing (falling apart, as Continentals of that era did). The final nail in its coffin was when the Lincoln dealer told my family that a headgasket job and the lower engine bearings would need replacement. (remarkably, the car actually drove fine, but they said 2 months to live without repair). So we went looking for replacement luxury cars for a few days (Park Ave, Olds 88 Regency with the excellent 3800, Town Car, etc.), when my dad came home from work explaining that a lady he works with owns a 5-speed Maxima which she really likes. So we checked out a couple cloth maximas in our area, mostly auto, one 5-speed. They were ok. The 5-speed was a GXE, and at the time, I did not know the significance of the SE. I wasn't thrilled with the crappy stereo and decidedly simple, base Japanese interior. After a day of searching, I used Auto-By-Tel to locate all 5-speed Maximas in my area. I found a loaded 5-speed SE, black on black for $15,500, with 54k miles (march of 99). We drove up there and test drove - man was I surprised. It was so fast. Like one guy said below, my eyes went wide the first time I stepped on the gas. The low-end torque is just way more than I expected from a 3.0L DOHC. Having come from a 90 Continental with that crappy Ford 3.8L (215lb-ft @ 2200rpm though), I just didn't expect this much low-end, especially with a peak up at 4000. It'll pull hard from 1600rpm in 2nd, and all the way to about 6000, at which point you should seriously consider shifting. Just amazing. Try punching the gas around the torque peak in 2nd - that really snaps your head back. If you're in the mood for some crazy fun, try it in 1st, but be careful to find a high traction surface...
The BOSE cd is highly recommended - it's got tweeters on the A pillars that really help imaging and clarity. The stereo produces very clean sound, down to what I'd estimate is 40Hz. This is the other "low-end" characteristic of the car that surprised me. The Lincoln had the premium JBL with rear 6x9s and a power amp. It was a bit unrefined though - the idea was quantity, not quality with that stereo. I have come to appreciate the true sonic offerings in newly mastered CDs with this stereo. Some notes just have to be heard to be believed. 4 6 3/4" speakers just shouldn't be able to sound like this!

I have received complements on the car, even the backseat, which I do find to be exceptionally comfortable. From the outside, the front is very good looking IMO. And at night, it looks like a much more expensive car from a distance, due to the foglights (the black paint helps, too). The rear is also, imo, asthetically pleasing. I love the way the spoiler looks and I think the 4th gen does not look right without one. ESPECIALLY the 95-96s. No offense, but something looks missing back there, 95-96 GXE/GLE owners.
Other complements stem from the performance side of the car. It might be from cruising at 100mph when passengers notice and immediately comment on the fact that the indicated speed certainly doesn't match with what they feel. Let it be noted that I have pegged 140 on the dot with this car. And it's not that unsteady. The suspension has its work cut out over bumps (this is where the stiff shocks really help) and it stays in the lane without much work. I have even (accidently) taken a sharp corner on an interstate highway at 130mph, tires squealing. It was scary at first, then I realized I'm still on the road, even still in my lane! Don't try that at home please.
Comments also come from taking high speed corners (usually highway exit ramps) at speeds that first make the passengers nervous, then excited when they don't even hear the tires squeal. This thing is good for double the posted speed in most cases, sometimes less, sometimes way more.
Overall, the black leather interior looks and feels quite a bit more upscale than the price would indicate - the auto climate control and BOSE head help this.
Onto other things: I bought a $180 strut tower brace from Stillen and put it on myself. There is actually a noticable difference in high speed handling. The car had a known yawing problem where it would actually rotate (not in the good way) and twitch around. It was disconcerting during 80mph twisty off ramps. The STB alleviates this. The car does have fairly neutral handling for a front driver. You can basically throttle steer at the limit. Feed on the gas until you start plowing noticably, for maximum speed then let off and the front will tuck in immediately. It's pretty straight forward. You can't really get into trouble, even on slippery surfaces. It will tail-out, off throttle, but just get on the gas and countersteer. Easy as that. This probably has something to do with the front snow tires, and rear all seasons.
As for reliability: The car has been flawless from 54k to 93k except for the gearbox, which was repaired under the extended warranty we got. I'm still not sure what happened. The clutch also has never grabbed quite as aggressively as I would have liked. But I live with these things. I can tone down my shifts because there is still tons of torque waiting in the next gear! Also, the brake rotors are a bit warped, but I think that may be partly because of the previous owner. Who knows - either way, it needs a front brake job (I plan on doing this myself, along with all oil changes). Other than this, the only other thing that has happened is the MIL (check engine light) came on - it was the O2 sensor. This is perfectly normal in a 90k car. O2 sensors are supposed to be replaced every 60k, and most people don't know this.
We put in Mobil 93 octane, and get good mileage with the car. I've never seen a tank under 20mpg. And I drive hard. On the other end of the spectrum, my family drove to Maine (from CT) and on the way back, my dad averaged 33.4mpg, between 65 and 75 (he's a very steady driver, unlike myself). Apparently, you can't pass everyone and still get 33.4 ;) .
I believe my personal best is 25-26 between 80 and 90 (I guess it was fairly steady). Keep that cruise on guys, it'll help immensely.

I thought I'd make a brief comment about tires before I conclude this long review. It came with Goodyear RS-A tires. Let me tell you, these are pretty poor tires. Dry traction leaves everything to be desired (they just squeal non-stop) and wet traction is worse than dry traction. Nearly every surface was slippery with them. So I did some research and decided on Michelin Pilot XGT H4s. I am VERY pleased with these tires. They have more to offer on dry (crazy high speed sweepers where I find it hard to shift into the correct gear because I'm pressed into the drivers door) and wet is definately improved. With a tread rating of 400 you'd expect them to last a while, but not when the Maxima is tempting you to drive hard! They're fairly worn after probably 20k, but it was worth it. They were sticky tires.

I just realized I didn't answer the question! I would recommend this car (loaded SE 5-speed) to those who may have had their heart set on a 528i or a 3-series, or even an A4, but couldn't afford it. I don't think this car will let you down - it's got luxury and performance. It's nice to look at (black is hard to maintain but the results EASILY justify the extra work, and weekly washings), and is fairly bulletproof (I expect this engine to see 200k+ - I put Mobil 1 Synthetic in). Other people who might like it are those who want something different in a family car. Maybe the grocery getter for mom, and the highway cruiser or backwoods road carver for dad. Whatever the reason, you will enjoy it.
People who should NOT get it:
Those who do not appreciate straight line performance.
Those who want a car to drive itself.
Those who MUST have RWD and a European label on their car.

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1990 Lincoln Continental (this car's predecessor), and I've driven probably 22 others in my life (I'm 19 and this is my mom's car)

Power, phenomenal sound system (Bose 7-speaker), performance and cornering (optional 17" rims and wide, wide tires make a difference), internal and external build quality...internal not cheap like GM and Chrysler cars. My dad was so impressed, he bought the GXE version of the 2000 Maxima. While the SE offers a smooth ride, the sports car responsiveness prevents the car from being as smooth as the GXE version, which I highly recommend for someone who wants a cushy ride.

Fuel Mileage. The sticker says 22 - 27 mpg. We have average 20.2 since we've owned it, and that's with 93 octance fuel.

First, I want to correct the description: the current generation Maxima has 225 HP, not 190. Second, I just want to say that the SE model rocks. My car has the bigger alloy wheels and wider tires, the 7-speaker Bose system, leather, sunroof, and other wonderful extras. My daily 26 mile each-way commute in rush hour traffic is actually enjoyable as I dart in & out of lanes and accelerate, while the incredible stereo system is cranked. I owned the previous generation Maxima SE (1996) and thought it couldn't be outdone. I was wrong...the current generation Maxima is so much better in every way...especially in the much more comfortable seating (big prob with previous generation Maxima). Although we thought the Acura 3.2 TL was a better looking car when we were shopping, we discovered that the Maxima SE offers much more in performance and luxuries for the buck. Besides, the Bose system in the 3.2 TL has only 5 speakers.

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This is my third Maxima. I owned two of the previous generation. The latest generation is even better.