speedracer3

There are a lot of people that talk junk about the Maxima, but those that seem to be the most pesky are those Passat owners. Help me put those owners of poorly made German junk in their place...

Go to http://www.edmunds.com 's town hall (Sedans section) and look for Maxima vs. Passat Part Deux.

greggmax

you'd better watch it Speed or Rickrover will hunt you down I also frequent Edmunds often and have been watching your spat with the kraut I don't know who threw the 1st punch, but if somebody called my $24k car a piece of ****, I'd probably attack them also. I agree with what you said though, and have posted the same (minus the insults) several times on that thread. The Passat is actually a pretty neat car and very fun to drive. I almost bought one, but was concerned over the long term reliability and backed out. IMO, the Max is the perfect blend of sportiness, reliability, utility, and fun. If you are not so concerned with reliability, you would be more likely to buy a Passat.

speedracer3

Gregg,

I also had the Passat in my shopping list. But the poor reliability history along with the short warranty also kept me away. As you eloquently mentioned the Maxima had it all in one package...boy I love my Max, and won't let these bozos like Rickrover tell me different.

Speed

max2001se

Speed,

Just read some of those posts - man that rickrover dude is real @$$hole. The passat was on my list as well but in the end the maxima won for many of the reason you talk about in your posts. Plus I thought the engine was anemic.

Those passat guys must just be fed up on being smoked by us maxima owners and not being able to catch up to us.

Raj

Guest

I was reading through all those Maxima post at Edmunds. This "Enigma" guy really hates Maxima's and will bash the car like nothing. I was reading a post about the 300m VS Maxima. The guy is saying the 300M is far sportier, has better realiablity, and has a better rear end styling. Hmmm.... 2 of which aren't true. The styling point, its ones own opinion. Seems like the person who bashes the Maxima's styling is the same person under different nicknames because they are typing basically the same thing.

Proud Maxima owner

madmax2k

Its funny you post this! Ive got a race coming up with a chipped Passat this Saturday at the track. Mad Max is gonna totally smoke his buttocks. The last time we raced it wasnt even close. Mad Max won by about 1.5 seconds. I am friends with the Passat owner, so it will be a friendly spanking yet again this Saturday.

My name on the below board is 4SFED 4.

Passat Vs. Maxima

Guest

I was also looking at the Passat, Accord (Former Honda owner), and the BMW 328. While looking at the Passat, believe it or not, the Jetta caught my eye and I took one for a ride - the VR6. The Jetta with the VR6 is VERY nice, faster than the Passat but slightly slower than the Max.
If you ask me the people that buy the Passat missed the boat, unless they need the space, the Jetta is the way to go.
As far as the Accord goes, well, forget it...too bland. The 328? Don't waste your money! BMW = B ring M ore W allet. The Jetta -per Edmunds- has nearly the EXACT interior dimensions, HP, and suspension as the 3 but costs about $8000 less. If I had to go buy another car to replace my Max today (besides another Max) it would be a Jetta VR6.

dave

almost bought a jetta vr6 myself, but space was an issue. my wife has a '99 passat, which is nice, but i prefer my maxima.

speedracer3

I would rather have a German made Passat than a Mexican made Jetta. I have heard reliability HORROR stories about Jettas. Frankly I would stay away from all VW products while they have those poor 2 year b2b warranties. I would consider Audi, which has better warranties and are better built. Audi A6 2.7T or 4.2 if I had over 40Gs to blow.

For the price the Maxima wins, hands down...no competition baby!

Speed <--- Driven!

miKALsof

I own a 2K Maxima SE and 1998 Passat GLX and I like both of them very much. The stock Maxima SE has better grip and looks good on the paper, but the stock Passat has a smoother ride and still less body roll. In conclusion, the VW feels more nimble and agile.

HANDLING WINNER: my Maxima SE w/ lots of mods
my Passat w/ 17" Audi S4 wheels

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Inside, the VW has better interior styling and quality, and the Max has better ergonomics. The VW is hands down quieter and more comfortable, while the Max has a sporty wind noise. The seats are both good; I prefer the VWs front seats and the Max's rear seats. Overall, both vehicles have great interiors, and it's just a matter of taste.

INTERIOR WINNER: Maxima and Passat

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Outside, the styling is also a matter of taste. The VW has a pleasant Euro look and the Max has an aggressive, boy-racer stance.

EXTERIOR WINNER: Maxima and Passat

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The Maxima has an obviously more powerful engine. It has 32 more horsepower and lots of torque. On the other hand, the Passat feels like it has been stolen from a 328i and feels BMWish. Finally, I am a little biased and still prefer the Maxima's engine.

ENGINE WINNER: Maxima

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The VW sounds German from the solid "thunk" of the moonroof cover to the "plunk" of the door handles. The engine sounds eager and willing (even with less power.) These great sounds can never be duplicated, YET!

ACOUSTICS WINNER: Passat

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The Maxima is the hands-down reliability winner. I didn't have problems with these two, but the Maxima is easier to fix and has a longer warranty. The Passat has free maintainance, though.

RELIABILITY WINNER: Maxima

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In conclusion, both are fine vehicles. The Maxima is great to modify and race, while the VW is great to drive and enjoy. Still, I am a bit biased, and prefer the Maxima over the Passat.

Guest

I agree, for the money, the Maxima is a winner. The Jetta with a V6 moderately optioned is about $23,000. The Passat w/v6 is about $29,000, and then there's the Max SE at about $27,000. I am a little dissapointed in the build quality of my Max, this is my second one (had a 96') and the 2000 has issues such as misaligned body panels, rattly interior -though not as bad as an American car, tranny issues, and motor mount issues. I hope they get the Max straightened out, it's just starting to gain some respect from the general public - the people that buy the Camry's, Accords, and American sedans - hate to see Nissan blow it, they can't afford it.
I wanted this 2K really bad when I bought it but after putting 37,000 on it in 15 months, I'm not so sure I would run out and buy another so quick next time - I miss my 96'.

Guest

Your right, the Maxima doesn't sound really nice when you close or even slam the door. Sounds like a Metal "CRUNCH" instead of a "THUNK" that I like in my moms 96 Camry.