Silky V-6, excellent ergonomics, roomy if you like that, and I like the looks, especially the front, there is also less body roll with the SE than a Camry for example, plus you get the excellent 5Sp. Excellent reliablity so far.

Rattles eminating from unknown areas, too big for my tastes, "trick" suspension that Nissan uses in this car does not feel as expensive as others I have driven, nor is the handling as precise as a BMW or a Honda Prelude for example. Seats big enough for 300pounders my girlfriends Sentra SE-Rs are better, and not enougth lateral support, could be a little lower to the ground for improved looks/handling.

I got my 99 right after the 2000s had come out and thus with a rebate that saved 7,000 off the sticker, ended up around 20,000 even which, to this day seems fairly inexpensive for a car of this caliber. In general I really like this car although I would make some changes to make it even better. The engine I would leave alone, I have no complaints. I wish Nissan would shoehorn this engine into an Altima size body therin improving handling and making it feel a tad smaller. Each new redesign of this car gets bigger, which is a shame. I'd also add just a tad more sound deadening materials because while the engine is never loud, road noise, especially with the RS-A tires my SE came with gets kind of noisy at speed. That's about it. I think my ideal car would be a BMW 323/328 type vehicle as they build not to fit soccer moms in the back but rather to make the car the best it can be on the road where it belongs. This Max may well be the best in class for the money, but I must admit it makes me wish I had a bit more money every so often to drive a BMW although I don't like the stigma attached with owning one. The MAX V-6 impresses me more than the 323I engine though, and the interior is more attractive and better laid out. My friends climate control system in the 323I doesn't even have an off switch for example. Merge the best of both for one hell of a vehicle minus the BMWs ugly orange displays. Another reason I bought a MAX was the insurance was cheaper than the Prelude and Integra by far. I love to use this car for long trips where it really shines, high speeds and long trips, much easier to deal with than the buzzy Integra and power well in excess of what I usually use. So in the end I could see myself buying another MAX when the time comes because for the price and cost of ownership things just don't get that much better.

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99 BMW 323I, 98 Sentra SE-R, 99 Honda Prelude, 99 Integra GS-R

Lots of interior room and trunk space; plenty of horsepower, good handling and road feel, good brakes, and contemporary styling. This the car for someone who is looking for firm, European ride and handling.

Automatic transmission does not downshift smoothly, dark red paint on bumpers and rear trunk spoiler faded and clear coat flaked off, fuel injectors became clogged at 45K miles and were replaced under warranty.

Except for the fuel injector problems, this car has rendered unfailing service. At 95K miles the original muffler is still serviceable with no signs if rust. Major complaint is poor quality paint (dark red). Paid $18K in 1990 and sold in 1999 for $6K.

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1985 Honda Accord Sedan SEi

Smooth, quick and responsive handling with exceptional braking. Extremely quite at any speed. Interior is spacious and ergonmomically well thought out.

Not sure what Jerry Hirshberg and his NDI group in San Diego were thinking when they designed the awkward looking rear end but what he and NDI have done to the rest of this car makes this cars strange looking derrier a minor quirk.

I am extremely pleased with this automoble. Test drove a number of cars prior to driving the Max. It was love at first test drive. Cannot say enough good things about this awesome machine. Sticker price on this 2000 Max SE with 17" wheels, sunroof, Bose 200 watt stero and leather interior was $27,500. With trade-in it is difficult to know exact price but it was around $26,000.

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Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, VW Passat, Accura 3.5

Powerful and smooth
Great handling
Bulletproof reliability
Excellent value

Paint could be a little more durable. It is easily chipped on the front bumper and on the front portion of the hood.

Although I originally planned on purchasing a sports car, the birth of my child dictated the need for a 4-door sedan. Prior to purchasing a Maxima I test driven several sedans as listed above. None of them provided a combination of power, handling, space and amenities for the price similar to that of a Maxima.

This car is a smooth and powerful performance sedan. It is the best alternative for a sports car (without any compromises that come with owning a sports car). It provides lots of space and comfort as well as plenty of amenities usually found only on luxury cars (automatic climate control, heated seats, side airbags, "homelink" remote, etc).

Strong reliability of Nissan products is an added bonus. I have owned several Nissans over the years. They have all proven to be very reliable. I am looking forward to many years of driving fun with my Maxima SE.

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Other Nissan products: '77 280Z, '89 Pathfinder, '95 Maxima
Cars test driven prior to buying Maxima: Lexus ES300, BMW 328i, Volvo 850, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord

Smooth and quite acceleration
Roomminess, especially in rear seating
Fuel economy 25 mpg avg in mixed driving

Seating support needs to be better
Rear seat does not fold for additional cargo space
Has higher ground clearance than other cars of same class

Very stable in routine and high speed driving. Has very strong but controlled acceleration. Probably the best Bang for the Buck of sedans. Can be sporty or elegant depending on the wheels used. Despite the average front seats it is still more comfortable than many other cars. My only gripe is the lack luster design of the rear end of this car. But comparing what I was considering, 99 Accord, 99 Grand Prix and a 99 Avalon. This was the best choice at that time for me. I highly recommend this car.
99 Accord - Sounds tiny or hollow on interstate roads
99 Grand Prix - Great exterior, UGLY interior
99 Avalon - Price could not be negotiated

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94 Accord, 97 Grand Prix (hated it) and a 95 Camry

1) This is a really fun car to drive. It's tame enough to be a family sedan yet it has a lot of spunk with the older 190hp V6 (2000 has the 222hp V6). Definitely opt for the SE with an improved suspension and different wheels.
2) I get great gas mileage for a V6(about 23-26 mpg combined driving).
3) For the 4.5 years and 45,000 miles I've owned this car, it has given me no maintenance problems besides the normal oil changes.
4) The white dash dials on the SE are mighty attractive and the on-board climate control systems make the temperature control a cinch.
5,6,&7) The car beeps when you leave your lights on. As a result, I have never had to jump my car because I forgot to turn off the headlights. It also will not let you lock the door if your key is in the ignition. Also, something I like very much is the double-unlock feature if you don't use remote keyless entry. When unlocking the door with the key, you just turn the key twice and all the doors are unlocked. Handy when you take a girl out and you unlock her door first, then your door is unlocked too!
8) The car is very stable at high speeds.
9) I've also noticed that the defrost function on this car is quite efficient. Other cars I've seen get fogged side windows, but my car rarely, if ever, gets that when the full defrost is turned on.
10) I get compliments on how fast the windows scroll up and down. Funny how the simplest detail will surprise people.

Nothing major but a few caveats (a few of which have been addressed in the 2000 model).
1) I get lots of dashboard rattle; something that ruins the effect of the quiet engine.
2) During agressive driving, there's a lot of body roll (solved by adding H&R sport springs...if you want super cornering, this is the add-on to get! However, get ready to scrape front. There's a reason why there's so much space in the wheel well of this car. Also, noise levels increased with the new springs)
3) The fold-down section in the rear seat can fit only stupid skis. This means that you can't carry a ton of stuff or even a large bike in this car. (addressed in the 2000)
4) Someone mentioned that the engine doesn't downshift when you want it to. This is kinda true, but I find that if you REALLY need it to downshift in a pinch...just floor it and it WILL downshift and boy do you get a KICK. It's saved me from accidents more than once.
5) Seats are a little soft for my taste. The 2000 leather seats seem firmer though.

Base model SE: $21,500
Great car that I would DEFINITELY buy again.

This car has all the makings of a practical family car, yet underneath the hood lies all the pent up fustration of working too many hours. Take this car out to some windy open road and have fun. Opt for the sunroof in good weather areas.

Wanna try something even more fun. Drive the minivan around for a week without touching your Maxima. Then come back and drive this sweet car. You will appreciate it even more.

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1988 Nissan Maxima
1994 Nissan Maxima GLE (dad's)
1995 Nissan Maxima GXE (brother's)
We liked the car so much that all of our family has them...

Acceleration, low engine noise, large interior room, awesome handling.

Need more colors to choose from. Need darker blue and true burgandy color offerings. The mahogany pearl is not close enough to burgundy and the blue pearl is great(I bought it), but a darker blue would also appeal to many consumers.

The car has wonderful acceleration and is quiet as can be. Heard this was a problem in past models but looks like it was fixed in 2000 model. Also, the interior space is huge. Plenty big for me. Styling wise, I love it. I know many people don't like the rear end, but I think it makes it unique and it's not ugly at all. Especially in the SE model with the spoiler. Folks, this is a solid, stylish vehicle that I am recommending to everyone I know. Bravo Nissan!

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Accord 2000, Camry 2000, Intrepid 1999.

Lots of power. Very response. Feels like a Z-car, but can seat 5 comfortably.

After 6 years, the clutch is very jerky and is ready to fail. On the 1993 interior style (1991-94), some of the controls are placed poorly.

Big weakness for 1993 model: that &#%@* seatbelt!

I love Max. Max has been my friend for 6 years now. But I'm growing weary of him. The clutch failed me on the Capital Beltway last summer (not a good place to have a failure). It (the clutch) is still limping along into it's 75,000th mile...

I'm just getting really tired of a few of Max's quirks:

1. The seatbelt- One of those annoying fads back in the early 90s was the automated seatbelt that opens and closes involuntarily...I HATE IT!!!!

2. Stereo & Air Con placement- the central control panel, with the stereo and air con is placed JUST outside of arm's reach...so whenever changing something on the control panel, I've got to lean forward 3-5 inches (and I'm not very short...it's definitely the car).

3. Cruise control & rear window defrost button location- These two buttons are located behind the steering wheel in locations where they are very hard to find...They are blocked from view by the steering wheel, so you have to feel your way to them...annoying! [This problem still existed in the 1999 Maxima, but I test drove a 2000 Maxima, and they fixed it...Hurrah!]

4. Power window controls- again...dumb placement. On the driver's door, these controls are placed behind a shaft (to open/close the door) and it is difficult to reach them without contorting your hand.

5. Interior door knobs- Not a single person...NO ONE...who has EVER driven in my car has NOT had difficulty finding the door knobs. On the 1991-94 models, they are located in a face-down position on a horizontal panel on the door. Everyone has trouble finding it!
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Those are my gripes about my wonderful Max. I DO ABSOLUTELY LOVE the power and responsiveness that is bundled in my Maxima SE 5spd. It is a monster.

One time, I was stopped by a cop here in Arlington...The first thing he said when he stopped me was, "Your car has some serious haul-ass potential...Could you try to contain yourself a little?"

What better endorsement could you get than that?

I will probably get a 2K Maxima next year, unless circumstances work in my favor elsewhere...

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I used to park cars at a restaurant downtown, so I've driven them all.

Very well made, super reliable, handles well, secure, stable, strong

Not many at all, Bose stereo sounds great but very finicky, Sony CD player not the best, thats all I can think of.

Have had this baby for over 6 years now and its been the best car I've ever owned. Its got 170k miles on it and still runs like a champ. Evrything still works great!!!! My model is the SE, full power with all the gizmos and it all still works (except the very tempramental Bose stereo)!! My old bimmer needed about a grand worth of work every 10k, that thing was ALWAYS in the shop. The Maxima just runs n runs and runs without any protest or problems. Here is my list of mechanicals in 6 years: one new header pipe.......Yes, thats right, just ONE repair beyond oil changes and timing belt. I challenge anyone with any other car to match that!! I am going to sell her at 200k and buy another one!!! Nissan rules, this is my 3rd Nissan product and I will continue to stick with them............

Engine power and smoothness, Quiet, well built.

None.

I have been driving 2000 max for 6 months now, the engine is like silk, very quick and smooth. The vehicle is also very well built, it's not even in the same class as the Ford and GM products I used to own.