Thank you and goodbye....
06-11-2011, 09:50 AM
#1
Thank you and goodbye....
Don't feel like I contributed nearly as much as I should have over the last 10 years or so, but certainly have appreciated everything I got from the .org. Was always able to get quick technical help and good direction on troubleshooting.
Bought my first Max - a 96 when I was in college
Felt like the Max was the best bang for the buck for someone in my situation....drives a ton for work, wants a decently fun car, and on a budget...I went on to the next one - a 2000 5speed.
Great car, but totaled when she was t boned. Had intended to keep her to 300K, but that plan was cut short.
Bought an 04 6 speed - black on black - the dream car I'd had for years. Found out quickly that black sucks.
She was totaled in the hail about a month ago and since they don't make a manual any more I picked up a G35 yesterday. I guess its not goodbye...its just until next time. I left for a Honda Accord once (sucked) and was back within nine months.
When its time to retire the G there will be a manual Maxima again...and I'll be back.
A few things about my history that I hope can help someone:
Had a ABS light go on once and the speedo went nuts. Had a bad sensor. Got raped by a shop (before a friend of mine opened his own) and replaced it for about $150 included $75 to connect the diagnostic. My guess is I cracked it when I did the brakes....so be careful!
Speaking of brakes....I tried every damn brand of aftermarket rotors and pads there are...saw minimal improvements and was replacing them yearly with my mileage. Went to Autozone stuff with a lifetime warranty - one time purchase.
Struts had no rebound at about 100K. MINIMAL choices out there - Monroe seemed to be the least of evils. Didn't seem to improve the ride much, if anything it made it worse. Felt like the car bounced around a lot and didn't handle great. Always felt like my 00 with Stillen sway bars was better. Also, you may have to replace the bushings (Nissan only part) on the rears.
Replaced all wheel bearings, including the rears about two weeks before it was totaled.
FYI if you have a press don't buy the hub assembly for the fronts - just buy the bearings.
Keep an eye on the motor mounts - if the front one goes bad its Nissan only and don't buy an aftermarket one. Its super expensive, but it connects to the ECU and can short it out if you buy a ****ty one.
Tires - always used Michelins because I always got lucky and got them on sale. Did uprade to the high dollar Goodyears when my OEM ones were recalled. Decent performance I guess, but probably not worth the dollar.
Performance - did a Berk intake. Helped a little, no MPG increase that I noticed.
Annoying rattling noise - heat shields on the exhaust. If you think you've gotten all of them removed, you are wrong. There are more, keep looking. They rust over time.
Squealing during start up - the idler pully is suspect on this car, and a replacement is hard to find. DON'T buy the Autozone one, it made my belts continue to squeal until I "modified it".
MPGs - low 20s mixed highway/city, could get as much as 27 on slower long highway trips. Two lane roads that only allowed about 65 MPH.
Clutch pedal squeaked - sprayed WD40 or lithium grease on the housing about once a quarter.
Clutch slave went out. Got the dead clutch feel that others reported...sometimes it would get better if I pumped it...mainly when it was super hot out. Couldn't find anything bad, but replaced the slave and it was fine for years afterwards. Same thing happened on my 00, and from what I'm reading it will happen on my G.
Changed all fluids with syn pretty religiously.
Fan on the radiator went bad. Gave a stupid squealing noise when I shut the car off. Thought it was a belt, but when I turned the fan by hand I heard the bad bearings. Bought an eBAY knockoff with a lifetime warranty (I'm sure the company is long gone) for $80 and actually had no problems with it.
There ya go....hope I finally contributed something of some value to this place.
Best of luck to all of you....and enjoy the ride. (TM)
Bought my first Max - a 96 when I was in college
Felt like the Max was the best bang for the buck for someone in my situation....drives a ton for work, wants a decently fun car, and on a budget...I went on to the next one - a 2000 5speed.
Great car, but totaled when she was t boned. Had intended to keep her to 300K, but that plan was cut short.
Bought an 04 6 speed - black on black - the dream car I'd had for years. Found out quickly that black sucks.
She was totaled in the hail about a month ago and since they don't make a manual any more I picked up a G35 yesterday. I guess its not goodbye...its just until next time. I left for a Honda Accord once (sucked) and was back within nine months.
When its time to retire the G there will be a manual Maxima again...and I'll be back.
A few things about my history that I hope can help someone:
Had a ABS light go on once and the speedo went nuts. Had a bad sensor. Got raped by a shop (before a friend of mine opened his own) and replaced it for about $150 included $75 to connect the diagnostic. My guess is I cracked it when I did the brakes....so be careful!
Speaking of brakes....I tried every damn brand of aftermarket rotors and pads there are...saw minimal improvements and was replacing them yearly with my mileage. Went to Autozone stuff with a lifetime warranty - one time purchase.
Struts had no rebound at about 100K. MINIMAL choices out there - Monroe seemed to be the least of evils. Didn't seem to improve the ride much, if anything it made it worse. Felt like the car bounced around a lot and didn't handle great. Always felt like my 00 with Stillen sway bars was better. Also, you may have to replace the bushings (Nissan only part) on the rears.
Replaced all wheel bearings, including the rears about two weeks before it was totaled.
FYI if you have a press don't buy the hub assembly for the fronts - just buy the bearings.Keep an eye on the motor mounts - if the front one goes bad its Nissan only and don't buy an aftermarket one. Its super expensive, but it connects to the ECU and can short it out if you buy a ****ty one.
Tires - always used Michelins because I always got lucky and got them on sale. Did uprade to the high dollar Goodyears when my OEM ones were recalled. Decent performance I guess, but probably not worth the dollar.
Performance - did a Berk intake. Helped a little, no MPG increase that I noticed.
Annoying rattling noise - heat shields on the exhaust. If you think you've gotten all of them removed, you are wrong. There are more, keep looking. They rust over time.
Squealing during start up - the idler pully is suspect on this car, and a replacement is hard to find. DON'T buy the Autozone one, it made my belts continue to squeal until I "modified it".
MPGs - low 20s mixed highway/city, could get as much as 27 on slower long highway trips. Two lane roads that only allowed about 65 MPH.
Clutch pedal squeaked - sprayed WD40 or lithium grease on the housing about once a quarter.
Clutch slave went out. Got the dead clutch feel that others reported...sometimes it would get better if I pumped it...mainly when it was super hot out. Couldn't find anything bad, but replaced the slave and it was fine for years afterwards. Same thing happened on my 00, and from what I'm reading it will happen on my G.
Changed all fluids with syn pretty religiously.
Fan on the radiator went bad. Gave a stupid squealing noise when I shut the car off. Thought it was a belt, but when I turned the fan by hand I heard the bad bearings. Bought an eBAY knockoff with a lifetime warranty (I'm sure the company is long gone) for $80 and actually had no problems with it.
There ya go....hope I finally contributed something of some value to this place.
Best of luck to all of you....and enjoy the ride. (TM)
06-11-2011, 01:00 PM
#2
Bye Rich! Take care, thank you for the useful advice and good luck with your G! I myself had an 02 GLE that was totaled by an 80 year old man who we suspect fell asleep at the wheel around midnight just 3 weeks before Xmas 2003...He needed a cane to walk and was driving an old invalid home back from a party and we suspect he'd been drinking wine. His car was doing around 80kms/hr or about 50 mph and was accelerating when he went straight through the red light at the intersection and T boned me. It was a small car too....Acura EL...which is sold only in Canada...it's basically a luxed up Civic: he bounced off me and hit the side of a building...My 03 was replaced by a 2004 which was a lemon and was bought back from the dealer and Nissan and replaced with a 2005 SE second production run. It's been better but it also had some problems...the Transmission was replaced at 60K miles...it now as 100K so far so good. I'm much more careful not to push her though this time. She is in mint condition inside and out. I just purchase two new chrome trim strips that run along from the sides of the front windshield to the rear chrome strips. They were in very bad shape and look terrible with cracks, bubbles etc. Just finished polishing and detailing for summer up here in Montreal. This is the big week where all the gearheads want their cars looking cool for Grand Prix F1 week-end. I gave a lift to a colleague on Thursday and he thought the car was just purchased recently! LOL! I laughed when he freaked after I told him that it was 6.5 years old! Seriously looks nice. Anyway I will post pictures again soon. List of Mods that I did on this car is long, However I have yet to find another 4 door sedan that matches in size, sportiness, uniqueness, sound and speed without going out and spending another small fortune. The new G is obviously nice...but my next car will be either a G coupe or an Audi S5. Won't touch anything Audi or VW with the 2 liter turbo. A lot of people don't know about the Audi A4's 2.0 Turbo problems....Engine eats oil which clogs then entire exhaust system!
Last edited by xorbitman; 06-11-2011 at 01:03 PM.
06-11-2011, 01:53 PM
#3
Bye Rich! Take care, thank you for the useful advice and good luck with your G! I myself had an 02 GLE that was totaled by an 80 year old man who we suspect fell asleep at the wheel around midnight just 3 weeks before Xmas 2003...He needed a cane to walk and was driving an old invalid home back from a party and we suspect he'd been drinking wine. His car was doing around 80kms/hr or about 50 mph and was accelerating when he went straight through the red light at the intersection and T boned me. It was a small car too....Acura EL...which is sold only in Canada...it's basically a luxed up Civic: he bounced off me and hit the side of a building...My 03 was replaced by a 2004 which was a lemon and was bought back from the dealer and Nissan and replaced with a 2005 SE second production run. It's been better but it also had some problems...the Transmission was replaced at 60K miles...it now as 100K so far so good. I'm much more careful not to push her though this time. She is in mint condition inside and out. I just purchase two new chrome trim strips that run along from the sides of the front windshield to the rear chrome strips. They were in very bad shape and look terrible with cracks, bubbles etc. Just finished polishing and detailing for summer up here in Montreal. This is the big week where all the gearheads want their cars looking cool for Grand Prix F1 week-end. I gave a lift to a colleague on Thursday and he thought the car was just purchased recently! LOL! I laughed when he freaked after I told him that it was 6.5 years old! Seriously looks nice. Anyway I will post pictures again soon. List of Mods that I did on this car is long, However I have yet to find another 4 door sedan that matches in size, sportiness, uniqueness, sound and speed without going out and spending another small fortune. The new G is obviously nice...but my next car will be either a G coupe or an Audi S5. Won't touch anything Audi or VW with the 2 liter turbo. A lot of people don't know about the Audi A4's 2.0 Turbo problems....Engine eats oil which clogs then entire exhaust system!
Replaced them a few years ago the first time I got hail damange - was only about 3K worth at that time.
Not sure how long they lasted, but they are as bad as the originals now.
Ahhh the 2.0. My girlfriend has one, and yes it eats oil. Did a consumption test, but it was within spec.
My neighbor is a Porsche/VW/Audi mechanic and said that Porsche also gives that same spec...but it doesn't seem right. They actually have gone away from the 0W40 oil in the OLDER cars due to the motors they've had replace.
I wanted an A4 bad....but even my neighbor said HE wouldn't own ANY Audi out of warranty...and he can fix them himself. Considered an A4 CPO as I love driving my gf's VW....but I drive 5K a month and it would be past the 100K within a few years.
06-11-2011, 03:44 PM
#4
I have a 1995 maxima and when this goes
id be looking for an automatic 2010 maxima sport or a 09 g37, and ik you only have the g35 (still a great car) but if you've driven the newer maxima, how does it stack up to the g, only bc when i would get either the max or g i'd be between 19-22. and i'd wanna know which was better, and g37 would be x model bc i live in NY
06-11-2011, 04:12 PM
#6
One thing that I find odd....no heated steering wheel??!! The Max had it, why not the G?
To be quite honest my 04 was ok...only ok. I liked it, but I LOVED ole trusty - my 00. Just felt like it rode better and had a few less problems.
Last edited by Rich96; 06-11-2011 at 04:14 PM.
06-11-2011, 04:22 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
Its a little more refined than the Max, but obviously a lot of what you are paying for is the flair and the name.
One thing that I find odd....no heated steering wheel??!! The Max had it, why not the G?
To be quite honest my 04 was ok...only ok. I liked it, but I LOVED ole trusty - my 00. Just felt like it rode better and had a few less problems.
One thing that I find odd....no heated steering wheel??!! The Max had it, why not the G?
To be quite honest my 04 was ok...only ok. I liked it, but I LOVED ole trusty - my 00. Just felt like it rode better and had a few less problems.
Anyways, I can't say to much about the heated steering wheel since I don't have one neither but it is kind of odd since Infiniti is supposed to be the luxury line. I would think that most of them would at least come features such as the heated steering wheel. But, how is it more refined than the max? Don't really know since I never driven a g before.
06-11-2011, 04:38 PM
#8
Could be the fact that its an 08 vs my Max being an 04 as well. Newer cars always have newer stuff. My 00 vs the 96 didn't seem to have improved much, but my 04 vs the 00 had many more features.
I always thought the only thing you got with an Infiniti vs a Nissan was a cool looking clock.
06-11-2011, 05:17 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
Eh everything just is slightly more upgraded....all the controls, etc seem to be higher quality.
Could be the fact that its an 08 vs my Max being an 04 as well. Newer cars always have newer stuff. My 00 vs the 96 didn't seem to have improved much, but my 04 vs the 00 had many more features.
I always thought the only thing you got with an Infiniti vs a Nissan was a cool looking clock.
Could be the fact that its an 08 vs my Max being an 04 as well. Newer cars always have newer stuff. My 00 vs the 96 didn't seem to have improved much, but my 04 vs the 00 had many more features.
I always thought the only thing you got with an Infiniti vs a Nissan was a cool looking clock.
That's true, every year there's something better than the last. Looking forward to seeing what the 2012 max. Wonder if they will change the body style and what nots. But, how's the performance on the g?
06-11-2011, 05:36 PM
#10
Handling is night and day better. Haven't gotten on it a ton yet (not sure why, need to do it tomorrow) but it actually feels slower. Odd, cause its got more performance according to the tests.
Anxious to see how I like the performance of RWD.
Anxious to see how I like the performance of RWD.
06-11-2011, 06:11 PM
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 84
Its funny that you just let go of your 04 max 6speed and I JUST got an 04 max 6speed. I'm definitely going to do some of the things you did to yours. Do you still have the totaled max? Are there any parts that I could/should buy from you before you never see it again? Congrats on the new car.
06-11-2011, 08:35 PM
#13
Its funny that you just let go of your 04 max 6speed and I JUST got an 04 max 6speed. I'm definitely going to do some of the things you did to yours. Do you still have the totaled max? Are there any parts that I could/should buy from you before you never see it again? Congrats on the new car.
Nope, let her go on Thursday. Buy back was $3500, which I thought was a little high. I was going to try and buy it back for a little less, but then decided to pass altogether.
All I have left is a Berk intake w/ AEM filter....$250 new I'm selling for $100 shipped. You are about 48 hours too late as I was trying to give away my K and N drop in filter that went with the car.
It is the end of an era.....perhaps I'll be back some day when they bring back a manual. Shocked that they did away with it altogether....realize that its not that popular, but with limited options I'd think they'd sell a fair amount.
06-11-2011, 08:54 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: inside my own mind
Posts: 1,506
Anyways, I'm sure your going to be loving RWD since it's what most performance based vehicles have.
06-14-2011, 08:33 PM
#17
06-18-2011, 04:55 AM
#18
Stang-seeking Max Missile
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: CT
Posts: 203
Thanks for the great advice from your experience, Rich. I will bookmark this thread as a jic. Best of luck with your G. You made a good choice and I hope it serves you well. I'm thinking about getting one myself. Take care!
06-18-2011, 06:16 AM
#19
No problem! Drop me a line if I can ever be any help.
04-16-2015, 01:26 AM
#22
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Miami
Posts: 238
Welcome back and great pick up (minus the cvt), what went wrong with the g?
I have an 04 6spd as well, picked up a month after you totaled yours. At 130000 miles now and have had some of the issues you did. I do remember smoking a g35 last year and loved my car even more since then. I can def see more problems coming in the future but i plan to have a family friendly suv by then and keep the max for "fun".
I have an 04 6spd as well, picked up a month after you totaled yours. At 130000 miles now and have had some of the issues you did. I do remember smoking a g35 last year and loved my car even more since then. I can def see more problems coming in the future but i plan to have a family friendly suv by then and keep the max for "fun".
04-16-2015, 12:39 PM
#26
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Williamsburg Virginia
Posts: 1
Glad to see you back...
I am a new member but I like the idea of past members moving on and then returning. Seems what they may have considered better was obviously not. On my first Maxima even though I have owned an Altima before. Looking forward to seeing your comments on the G when you get around to it.
04-18-2015, 09:22 PM
#27
Loved the G. Really going to miss it. Super fast, tons of luxury amenities, and a blast to drive. Only complaint is that OEM parts cost more and the seats. Sport seats are great, but these are tough on the thighs with hard metal bolsters. I'd say its just me, but if you google it - and google is never wrong - others complain. Oddly enough I'm hating my new Maxima right now because the lower part of the seat that you can extend is slightly firmer and really digs into my hamstrings.
I just realized that I can't have "one" car. I drive a jillion miles for work and want a sports sedan that I can have fun in. Really an Audi or BMW is the ticket, but with the miles I drive I'd be eating out of a dumpster trying to maintain one of those.
So I figured I'd get a "beater" work car and a true sports car - probably a 370.
Looked at 5 - 10K cars. Doesn't buy you much these days. Almost got a SE-R Altima, but the deal fell through.
Looked at 10 - 15K cars. Came down to an Altima. Man they are kinda cheap. For a "few" bucks more I could have a Maxima. A "few" bucks kept growing.
Ended up with this car and will eventually get a suitable stable mate.
Thoughts on the G? Loved every second of driving it, less the seats. OEM parts were really expensive, and aftermarket options were rarely available. You pay to play though, as with most things in life.
I just realized that I can't have "one" car. I drive a jillion miles for work and want a sports sedan that I can have fun in. Really an Audi or BMW is the ticket, but with the miles I drive I'd be eating out of a dumpster trying to maintain one of those.
So I figured I'd get a "beater" work car and a true sports car - probably a 370.
Looked at 5 - 10K cars. Doesn't buy you much these days. Almost got a SE-R Altima, but the deal fell through.
Looked at 10 - 15K cars. Came down to an Altima. Man they are kinda cheap. For a "few" bucks more I could have a Maxima. A "few" bucks kept growing.
Ended up with this car and will eventually get a suitable stable mate.
Thoughts on the G? Loved every second of driving it, less the seats. OEM parts were really expensive, and aftermarket options were rarely available. You pay to play though, as with most things in life.