As some of you know, I just got the 2003 Max SE, 6 speed, loaded up. Picked it up today, and here are my first few impressions:

1. The clutch has a lot of travel, so it's going to take some time to learn how to launch it smoothly. The shifter seems fine, and not notchy. I hope it stays this way. Also, in your 2002/3, where does it seem to catch the engine? Mine seems about a 1/4 way up from fully depressed. Is that the point that most of you get?

2. I'm coming from a 95 Accord LX V6 Auto, and the suspension seems to be pretty much of the same stiffness as the Accord, so no complains there.

3. The HID's are INSANE!!!! Gotta love 'em!

4. Everything inside looks very refined, and w/out knowing what kind of car you're in, you'd think it's a bimmer.

5. The BOSE is very nice, unlike some people's complaints, it doesn't seem to rattle at high bass and volume. This may be cause the car is still fresh, but I sure hope it stays this way.

That's pretty much it at this point. I'm just very scared of messing up the paint. I've read plenty of posts here about the chipping, so I'm a little worried if that will be the case. I got the Sheer Silver color, so perhaps Nissan fixed their paint for the 2003 year.

Also, this is my first full-time manual car, so I'm a little rusty right now with the take offs, and have stalled it a few times already. However, by the time I got home, I was getting better and smoother. Hopefully the learning curve will not be too steep. Anyhow, I'd like to know some other 2003 owners' opinions of their cars thus far. Any tips for caring for it? Maintenance? Break-in procedures? I'd love to hear from anyone with useful advice. I love the car though!!!

Vito

 

Some advice on the paint. Don't bet on Nissan fixing the paint. Get the 3M clear film for the hood as soon as possible. My car suffered from numerous chips on the hood before the film. The chips rust if they are not touched up and touchup paint looks like crap! After I installed the film on the hood, I have no more new rusting chips on the hood. The car's bumper is more flexible than the metal hood so I did not put the film on the bumper.

You will sleep better at night also.

 

Hey jkratzer,
Where did you buy the film? I checked www.xpel.com, but they don't seem to have any kits for the Maximas. Also, did you put it on yourself? How much did you pay for the installation if you had it done professionally? Are you having any discoloration with it?

Thanks for the help bro.

 

Hey vito,

Yep, I bought it from XPel. Their 2000-2002 Maxima hood and mirror kit part number is P0414 and runs about $100. I put this on myself and it was not too bad. Xpel offers a free video tape on request which helps alot. The pros were asking anywhere from $400 to $700 for a complete installation including hood, mirrors, front bumper. I just installed the hood piece but if you want everything than I would pay the professional price. I've had the stuff on for 9 months and I have had no discoloration or peeling. Well worth the money and it looks great as it is hardly noticable.

Enjoy your car!

 

Yeah, I going to order my next week
Did you get the navigation system???
Is it worth the 2 grand???

 

1) My clutch seems to catch 1/4 the way from it not being pressed (at the top). It seemed the same on all the other Nissan's I owned.

2) Suspension is a nice middle ground for a car. Not too soft, not too hard. However, it seems that the bumps hit a little harder lately (although that could be the pavement getting worse).

3) I will not buy a car without the HIDs again! I'm actually looking into the HID kit for the fog lights.

4) Yea, very nice interior.

5) Good luck with the Bose .

As far as the paint, I was very scared when I read all the posts about it chipping off so easily. I noticed that I one on my hood already and was ready to run out and get the Xpel stuff. Since I was already doing a bunch of other stuff that was taking up about $400 every week I held off. Then I noticed that that was pretty much it.

I had read another post saying the same thing how since he has had the car a while his chips seem to have subsided which he attributed to the "curing" process. I of course had a good coat of wax on the car, but the problem doesn't seem to be as terrible as others say. Granted I've only got about 1500 miles and I do tend to drive in lanes with no one in front of me, but I've had the occasion where I'll ride someone's a^ss who is blocking me...hard not to do when you've got this kind of horsepower!

 

i tell ya, its tough to tell. i went from an audi a4 2.8Q, with a low travel clutch and easy as heck shifting. the nissan just seems to unecessarily long travel ... and i really feel the clutch kicks closer to the end of travel than the beginning. sometimes, whowever, its tough to read if you really gas it.

i have rattling in mine. the problem is that the base is just pre-set to high. it just sounds ghetto to hear things rattling on a $31K car. ill do some investigating when i swap out some speakers and such.

all ive ever driven is sticks ... jeep wrangler, audi a4, and now the max. the only thing i can say is stay smooth during the first 10K. it will set the tempo for the rest of your car's life. the harder you are the harder it will stay. im already starting to feel that the gear shifts are a bit easier (noticeably less notchy). u picked a forgiving car for your first stick, but it is NOT an easy clutch to learn on.

good luck!

 

Hey tarpoon,
I passed up on the Navigation System. I honestly just didn't want it, it's not even about the 2 grand. I think it just looks "cool", but it's really meant for people with no sense of direction. I also didn't want the screen taking up my entire dash, and having the CD changer in the trunk would have been a pain (compared to having it straight in the dash). I think if you're ok with navigating around yourself, then there's no need for the Nav (especially for 2 grand).

Also, out of curiousity, how big is the subwoofer that comes with the Titanium Edition package? And where the heck is it? Behind the back seat?

As far as the HIDs are concerned, I don't think I'll ever buy a car without them as well. They just light up the road so MUCH better than regular halogen bulbs. And they look cool as hell too!

How do you put HIDs in the fogs? Do you put the same bulbs as are in the headlights? Wouldn't that put a lot of pressure on the electrical system with so much electrical demand?

I plan on keeping the car 99% stock, since I don't want to void my warranty, and it seems that some people's troubles with the car could be attributed with mods. Anyone have any opinion on that correlation (mods and problems)?

Bottom Line: This is the best bang for the buck (as has been stated a gazillion times) I got a really good deal for the car, and I don't think I would have even been able to afford a fully-loaded Passat for this money, which isn't as loaded as the Max anyways. The Max was the ONLY car that I was shopping. I hope it's gonna be as good to me as I will be to IT!

 

The Bose rattling will come sooner or later. It's extremely hard to get rid of from everything I've read. I'll be embarking on the no rattling quest soon, but the sound deadening is expensive.

 

Hey,
do you guys think Nissan has done any improvements from the 2002 model year to 2003? I know that most people on this board have 2002's as opposed to 2003's, and some of them are having problems with different things. Do you think Nissan fixed those issues in the 2003? That would be interesting to know. For example, Nissan must have heard bad things about the 6 speed tranny being notchy before they produced the 2003's, so could they have fixed it (or at least attempted to)? Has anyone had major issues with a 2003?

Thanks

 

Hey, how much trouble did the hood give you? I have the 3m right now and have to take it off because I took a clod of mud and rocks that hit my hood and bounced off and shattered on my windshield, which cracked it by the way.

BUT the good news is that the 3M just tore a bit but NO CHIPS. I have a good dent, but NO CHIPS. I can have the dent rolled out but want to replace the 3M part.

Looking for hiccups or complications. Hints on application would be nice also. I imagine its like putting on window tint, just a tad thicker and a little more pliable.

Colonel

 

HIDs actually take LESS power than standard lights because they are more efficient. They won't stress your electrical system if you get true HIDs - not colored bulbs like most of the HID crap you see on Ebay.

 

I wouldn't count on it. It is the same car as a 2002 with an available Titanium Edition Package for 2003. Production of the 2003's probably started sometime in late February because they started to hit the lots in late May early June. When I was looking for my MAX in March, I was getting ready to order one because I could not find one that I wanted. I was told by several dealers that if I ordered one, it will come in as a 2003 model because the production of the 2002 was complete. The last thing that I wanted was to have a 2003 car in May 2002. So I took the Max that I have now without the HLSD that I wanted.

 

What's wrong with having a 2003 in May 2002? You would've been one of the first to have it! Were you worried about production issues?

Also, a lot of people are saying that this or that is not acceptable on a $30K car (I'm talking more specifically about the BOSE). But, I don't think anyone of us paid anywhere close to the $30K price (unless you paid when they first came out). I, for one, paid almost $5000 less, so for that money, I think it's fine. I hope these words don't come back to haunt me though!

 

My 2003 SE will hit 3000 miles on Thanksgiving. In the two months I have owned it, I have noticed these pro's and con's:

Pro's: HID headlights. 3.5L V-6. 17" alloy wheels. Home-Link remote in visor. Auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Con's: Halogen high-beams. Single line exhaust. Bus-tuned suspension. Brittle paint. Cheap seats.

 

The only rattling i have was from the rear deck. I put in a Basslink, removed that so-called sub from the rear deck and I have not been happier. Have you seen the stock sub? what a joke

 

Hey olincoles,
It's good to hear that you like the car (or so it seems like from your post). I don't think the halogen high-beams are a true "con" because they are hardly ever put on (at least in my case). Also, I believe most HID equipped cars have high beams with reg. halogen bulbs. I agree about he single line exhaust, but I still like the twin tube single exhaust too. I got the leather seats, and the quality on them is superb, so I'm not sure if you're referring to cloth seats not being that great. That's what I heard during my research of the car, and that's why I opted for the Leather package. The paint is def a sore spot of the Max (hey, any car has its achille's heel), but I'm planning on putting on the 3M clear bra ASAP.

 

Don't count on the plastic bumper being more flexible and therefore more resistant to chips. The plastic bumper of my 2000 SE resembled the surface of Mars when I sold it last month after 42k miles. This was due to BUGS - not rocks. That plastic is very soft and fragile. Protect it at all costs.

Get a bra, the 3M plastic, or better yet, strap a snowplow on the front of that car if you hope to keep it looking good.

 

No I was not worrying about production issues. They were not offering any type of incentives like the one that I got on my 2002. The sticker on mine was $30,401.00 and I picked it up for $26,200.00. Back in March, that was a hell of a deal. I didn't want to take a chance of paying more for a 2003 (which I would have at that time because it was the beginning of that model year). Now it is a different story. I can get a better deal on a 2003 now than I got on my 2002. Oh well, I'm not going to beat myself over the head about it.

As for all of the things that are being talked about, specifically Bose, I have a new head unit on order. If the second one still does not work properly, I'll just replace it with an aftermarket HU, probably an Alpine. I'm not going to complain about it. Instead, I'll do something about it.

 

Yeh, I see what you're saying. Let us/me know how the new head unit turns out. If all I have to replace is the head unit in order for the BOSE to sound well, then I'll do that too.

 

If they still can get your Bose to work right you should have them cut you a check for the cost of that upgrade. That will go a long way towards an aftermarket HU.

 

I was wondering what is the going rate for the 03 SE loaded....what are you guys paying suggested is 30 can I expect to to see 26 or even better 25????

And can someone please tell me what does HID stand for ?????

 

remember, that alcohol stuff you use for the 3m film (while aligning) will dull your HID lens, so be careful.

 

you are right, most of us didnt ... however check-box for check-box, it can compete w/ any $31K car out there. all i am saying is that a simple thing like the radio should be taken care @ the plant w/ better adhesive or fixing the trunk lock. there are plenty of other cars w/ the bose system (like my old audi) where the car didnt rattle.

 

mine listed @ $30.5K (every option except navi and splash guards). it included the helical and meridian as well as TE and leather. i pretty much got the car for a total of $11K under sticker ($19.5K) including trade-in allowance ($7500). it was the managers car w/ 2K miles on it.

 

I got mine for $25,885 (sticker is $30,572). That's everything except Navi system. I also got wheel locks with this (dealer installed).

HID stands for "High Intensity Discharge". It's the Xenon gas bulbs that operate at high intensity, and produce a very bright (blue) discharge.

 

The "Service Engine Soon" light is constantly at a very low glow. Apparently this is a known issue, which I can have repaired under warrenty. I just don't think a problem that started on the 2002's should still be around on 2003's. I also don't think the problem should exist at all, since dealers should have repaired it prior to selling the car.

 

I was just glancing over the Owner's Manual last night, and it seemed to me that the SES light can come one for all sorts of things (even not sealing the gas cap tight enough or being low on gas). Since you have mods on the car, I'm sure it's lighting up because of something not tight enough or some exhaust issue (a small one). They apparently made the SES light "multifunctional", but the drawback is that it detects "stupid" stuff as well. I'm not absolutely sure about this, but that would be my guess. I'm planning on keeping my car stock, so I wonder if the SES light will just randomly come on.

 

Congratulations on a great purchase. I'm confident that you will be very happy with your Max. As for Bose not being up to par for a $30K car, if sound matters that much to you then you'll upgrade it anyhow. I know that if I were buying from a dealer, I would just get one without the Bose and upgrade instead of Bi^^hing all the time about how bad the system is. Just my $0.02.

 

Yeah thanx for the info .....Yeah, I hoping that I won't have to haggle too much with the dealership.....they have to find the car I want probably in Charoltte NC, or Atlanta.....they said that they would have someone drive it up...but, can I have'm just bring it up on a truck???? I kinda don't want some delivery boy driving it

 

Yep, the main reason I didn't want the Bose is that I would rather take the time to put what I want in my car. Much like why I won't ever buy a pre-built computer.

 

Hey Colonel,

Sorry to hear about your car. That 3M stuff really is strong.

The hood piece can be done by yourself. You will need two spray bottles, one for the slip mixture(baby shampoo & distilled water) and one with the wash mixture(distilled water and alcohol) to wash off the slip mixture. Be sure to use distilled water so that there are no water spots. The kit comes with a squeegee and lint free towels.

Spray the slip mixture on the entire piece which allows you to move the piece into place and line it up. Then wash out the slip mixture at the center of the piece and squeegee the center of the piece to hold it into place. Once you apply the wash mixture the adhesive begins to dry fast so work quickly. If you need to reposition the piece you must spray the slip mixture back on and begin again.

Wash one side of the piece and squeegee from the center of the hood out. Then do the other side. If you get bubbles and you can't sqeegee them out, peel the film up and sqeegee again. Don't force the bubble out because the film will stretch out of shape or develop a crease.

It's all on the free video which they will send to you if you ask. The mirror pieces were a real b*tch due to the curvature and I gave up on them. It's alright though because I don't have any chips on the mirrors. I did not order the bumper piece and I don't really need it.

Good luck.

 

Congrats! Nice color choice.

 

With the 3.5 Altima and Maxima on my short list, I'm begining to have second thoughts reading all these constant complaints about quality (paint, wind, rattles, etc...) and dealers on both this site and altimas.

I find my strongest interest in the vehicles is the presure of the seat applied to my back when I press the gas.

If Nissan only had some 180-200HP (or tq) 3.0L that couldn't blow by an Accord, would you people still tollerate this?

I've had a '91 Sentra that has likely recieved over $2000 worth of warrented and non-warrented work over 12 years. I used to think that was just an aboration of a first year overhaul product. (OR is that the 245+ HP making me excuse it).

Comments?

 

i think its fair to say that what you will find on this forum is a bunch of guys who could go on for days about how great their cars really are! but its much easier to write about a few minor gripes here and there rather than that extremely long list of cheers.

the maxima is a fantastic car. every owner i know has had NOTHING to say but awsome things about it. in fact, its why i bought one. i was tired of maintenance, and tired of worrying. no i dont, nor do i expect to for the next 3 years.

cheers -
jer

 

I completely agree with jerdubois. I just got mine on Monday, and have no signs of problems right now (the 6 speed shifter is silky smooth, no grinding, etc). I think, without a doubt, this is the best car for the money. EVERY car has its problems, and the Max (or Altima for that matter) is no different. You just have to weigh in the pluses and the minuses, and the Max has way more pluses than minuses.

Also, don't forget that this board has a mix of people who tend to be, on average, extremely knowledgeable and demanding of their cars. Therefore, what an "ordinary" person would not even think twice about, someone on this board will gripe about it--it just comes with the territory. My suggestion would be to give the Max a chance.

 

I paid $24.5k for mine, with everything except the Bose (or NAV!).


HID stands for High Intensity Discharge - i.e. the xenon headlights.

 

Without BOSE meaning you didn't get the Titanium package? Or are you talking about a 2002 where, I believe, the BOSE was a separate option?

Anyhow, the 24.5 is an excellent price. I just picked mine up with all options except the Navi for $25,885 (got dealer installed wheel locks on it too).

The key to getting a good price is dedicating time for the bargaining process and not rushing into anything. Go to www.nissanusa.com, and find all the dealerships within X miles of your address, and then just contact them all and start a price war between them. You are guaranteed to get the best price that you can get in YOUR area.

 

vito, you are right ... TE includes BOSE.
the base SE, however, does not.

interested to see what maxima2 got, cuz that's a great price!