bsk181

2k3 accord v6 lx

2k3 mazda 6

only auto

so many probs with max, and i have had 1 max 99se, and 2 i30t's(96/98)

any opinions

dmplus

I would never buy a hondie (honda)for many reasons, but especially since everyone's grandma and aunt have one. And a 626 isnt nearly nice enough. Not that you will get many replies other than "get the maxima"

RF951

I just drove these cars last month trying to make the same decision.

I bought a used 2k2 6 speed because of the following:

No to 2k3 Maxima - to risky in the depreciation department as the 04 is almost out.

No to Honda - Very smooth and nice car but the looks were a problem for me. Also, knowing that I would be parked next to one everywhere I went was a negative.

No to Mazda - Best handling and looking of the bunch but power only equal to 2k1 and 2k2 Max. Also, they are new which means no room to negotiate, questionable resale and potential first year problems.

If I had bought a new car I would have bought the Mazda.

bsk181

you say no to all 3 yet you would buy the mazda 6?

RF951

IF I had bought new.

koostermax

Since this is a maxima site.... the choice should be obvious... but i'll give you some things to think about...

First off, on the accord... I assume it is the sedan... IMHO, it is butt fugly.... I haven't actually gotten inside one yet but it sure does look nice from the pics i've seen... as for test driving it i still have yet to try it, but I highly doubt it will pull as hard as the max's 3.5vq motor... But that's from a performance standpoint... as for handling I most undoubtly expect it to roll too much in s-curves and or long sweeping high speed turns...heck what can you expect from a comfy family oriented sedan...it's not a sports car... overall it'll depend mostly on your driving style and whether or not you plan to keep the car long.

As for the mazda6, there are 2 trims to choose from. The 6i and the 6s.... have you been to the mazda website? I did test drive the 6s model with the sport package (an option with a lot of stuff that should have been standard). It looks like it can do something serious.... much more than the accord.... anyway the one I did test drive (i think i started a thread about testing the mazda6 last week)had the infamous clutchless sportshifting manu-matic that is in most cars these days... it felt unatural to say the least since I'm a standard 5/6 spd driver. It couldn't keep up with my inputs... plus I kept having to check which gear I was in so as keep it in the optimum gear...

Yeah I know, you said automatic.... I did try the automatic and it was slow as a turd... The 2.5s Altima (auto) I once test drove felt quicker and changed gears quicker... passing power with it's 220 hp v6 was miserable compared to the max... I guess once you get hooked on or used to higher power vehicles, anything less makes the drive feel much inferior... It must be the obvious lack of torque....
oh about the options, i think every dealer manufacturer or should i say dealer is beginning the pull the crappy "if you want this $100 option you have to get the $1500 package that you don't care to have but are stuck with because that is the only choice...) oh, about the sun roof, it is only as big as a civics... i think it's too small for a car that size. If you like red acura rsx style altezza's then that's the what you'll get cause the 6s comes with all red tails while the 6i has the clear with red brake lens...

Seats weren't as plush as maximas.... if you like the red glow of sports car gauges and dash, the mazda6 has it... The red or amber glow usually makes me sleepy while driving at night... the maxima is a whole different story... one reason I disliked the altima so much.... especially the tunnel style gauges... no hid's offered or available. Only aftermarket can help....

the msrp for the fully loaded mazda 6s I test drove was $29,500... that was in fresno california... it was the only one of two on the lot at the time with silver and sport package...the other was the 6i with 4-banger....

Long story short, go test drive all of them and evaluate your needs and plans for the car and don't let them salesman think they know what you need or like... go through every nook and cranny and play with everything the car has to offer as standard or as options....also evaluate each dealer's services' cause the majority of nissan dealer's services suck..... good luck and happy hunting... and let the .org know what you have decided so they can flame you.... j/k...

rubman

Do yourself a favor. We here love the Max and worship it. However, as far as a 2K or 2K3, do a search. You will find numerous, and I do mean numerous problems with these cars. If after reading about all of those problems you are still interested. Come back and ask about a fair price. Many on this site have 2K and 2K3 Maxes. It does have a great engine but correcting all of the manufacturer defects can get costly. Accelerator problems, Bose stereo problems(I just changed out my Hu for an AIWA), trashy tires, trashy brakes(rotors), bad paint, poor quality problems, zhitty Nissan service,that is just to start. As much as many of us love our cars and feel that they are a great bang for the buck, I for one will never buy Nissan again, many of us feel that way. You might want to go to a Honda website and ask about manufacturer defects on the Accord, I guarantee you they also have them. And then find a Mazda website. Happy hunting.

bsk181

thanks all

especially rubman for what i said in the beginning, with all the probs

i also have an acura cl-s and am on my 3rd tranny, lol

so i am looking for is what might be a little trouble free if possible

i have tested max and honda, not the 6 yet

i will get back with my final decision

just looking for a nomex suit b4 flames snuff me out

vqman

my wife is pregnant, which will finally make my mom a grandma...she drives a 2k2 SE Maxima...

vqman

if you want an automatic FWD V-6 with performance...the Acura TL-S is the best out there...bar NONE.

-vq

MaximaDisciple

I've had my 2k2 SE for over a year now(with no problems), but maybe out of boredom or lost of that "new car feel" I went and test drove the Mazda 6 V6 to see what all of the hype was about.

The one I test drove was Lapis Blue with the sports package, leather interior, Bose stereo 6 disc in-dash, sunroof, 17" wheels. All for a dealer's asking price of $24,850 which isn't too bad, but of course I'm in the northern California Bay Area and with the slow economy you can probably get a good deal.

The first thing I notice about the car was it is very quiet, at idle it didn't even sound like the engine was on. On the road the 218 horses had decent "pick-up" and got up to 80mph on the interstate in no time. But definitely not on par with the VQ.

Handling was also decent and definitely better than the Max And like many sedans today(namely the Max) the power steering is overboosted, I guess they're trying to appeal to the older buyer. They need to take ques from the Lexus IS300 which has a perfectly weighted steering for a "sports sedan". All in all the car corners pretty flat and feels pretty smooth.

The interior has the Altima feel, but not so extreme. The amber display is impossible to read when the sunlight hits it. There's no auto up for the driver's side and no auto up or down for the passenger. The leather seats are fine. The best feature of the interior is that the angle of the hood and dash makes for a totally unobstructed view of the road. You can't see the hood at all which is kinda nice.

The fit and finish of the exterior is subpar which is understandable since it is manufactured in the US. Some body parts don't line up. No fog lights are offered.

Sorry, guess I've been reading too many auto magazines. Anyways, to sum it up, it looks like I'll be keeping my Max(especially when they only offer 17k for trade in)for a while.

Good Luck, hope this helps.

VMaximus02

iTrader: (1)

The Audi A4 (3.0L) will give the Acura TL-S the run for the money. Edmunds.com did a comparison test on sporty luxury cars and both the Acura and the Audi tied for 2nd place. And yes, there is a FWD version on the A4 model.

karguy

I'd be leary of the Mazda 6 with the V6. The V6 is a Ford Duratec engine putting out 220HP which isn't known for being durable. I'd stay with Nissan or Honda.

mightima

TLs is nice, but the tranny problem is still unsolved, bad tranny also happens to those 03'. It costs thousands $$ more than Max?? don't kidding me like that.
Accord sedan is way to fugly, also it's flooding on the road. If you don't care about it, it certainly is a good value buy.
If you don't care about the cabin room and pay MSRP+, get the 6'. If you do, get 02~03 max + RSB.

WildmanAL

iTrader: (4)

Get a Maxima. I haven't had one problem with mine yet. Come on now....a mazda. What ever mazda you get it's going to be cheap. Hondas are nice, but too many people have them. Plus they make you just one more step closer to being rice. No car will be perfect, but atleast you can choose the best of the three.

Newman

iTrader: (3)

just for the record, the problems i have had with my car are so few and so small that they have had no affect on my love for the car whatsoever. and i have not so much as spent a single penny fixing any "manufacturer defects"

rubman

One of the lucky few, and I do mean few that have not had to fork out hard earned $$$$$ to cover Nissan N.A.'s mistakes. It always gives the rest of us hope to hear about this ytpe of success stories. I'm sure that even those of us that have spent $$$$$ on problems still love our cars, that's the reason that we are on this site.

PIONEER

iTrader: (1)

Understand this. The opinions of this Forum are about 5% of total maxima sales in the United States. In the Real world, Companies are allowed 8-10% defect in the overall product. Its called the discovery phase, They use consumers as their real testbed. No one can give better feedback then the consumer. Everyone does it. If companies spent their time trying to make their product 100% defect free, they would never get it out the door. Supply and Demand my friends, and Quality suffers at times.

I for myself, have had 4 Maximas in the past, Defect Free, and Have purchased about 9 Other Maximas for My Family members within the last 3 years, DEFECT Free. I did Have warped rotors, but Nissan took care of that for me.

Y2KMaxGXE-R

iTrader: (4)

too dangerous to get a Mazda 6-brand new car with unknown problems. If it has Ford engine in it, it is bound for problems. Typically, Mazda resale is the worst of the bunch. Accord may be a good choice, it is a good car overall, but you dont like that too many of them are out on the road. Now is the best time of the year to get a 2k3 Max, before the 2k4 hits the showrooms in March. You may get a brand new Max for only a couple grand less than a used 2k2, depending on your area. Despite of what ppl say, Max is still a good car to own. Get an extended wtty and you won't go wrong.

I would seriously consider a good used 2k2 or a brand new 2k3, given that you want a mid-size vehicle with v6 and the price range of low-, mid-20's. If you had more $, then you are comparing BMW/Acura/Infinity/Lexus.

Linh

at around $30K i'd start looking at the new audi A4. Best looking compact sedan IMO

doublea

iTrader: (7)

I think I have to go with you on this, all this but for 10-12G more...Canadian dough.

AA

doublea

iTrader: (7)

Hey, I own a 2K1SE and previously own a 98SE, I never had any of all thoses 2k2-2k3 problems oftenly mention on the forum. My max now show a little over 50 000Km, and so far so good. I think you can buy a used 2k or 2K1, for much less $$ than a 2k3-2k3 and throw some extra cash for the mods and I'm shure at the end you'll have a unique kick bott car. Ask Kevin how he felt when he was hanging with some very fast Porsche.

Merry christmas to all.

AA

madmax2k1

I went shopping for a car for my wife last week-end and test drove the following:

- Honda Accord EX V6
The styling is really odd, borderline ugly, it looks pretty bulky from certain angles. The interior is nice looking, except for the huge speedometer; but the quality of the interior is superior to the Maxima, Altima, and Mazda, the leather looks rich and the cabin is pretty spacious, there are 8 airbags, and dual climate controls. The ride is very smooth, a bit on the german side, but the handling is a little bit soft. The V6 is very smooth and it really moves the car, and the 5speed auto transmission is incredible, you can't feel the shifts.

- Mazda6 S
The styling without the sports package is a bit plain, and with the sports package it's little bit overdone, but overall it's an attractive car, but I think the Altima looks a little bit better.
The interior looks interesting, the gauges have red lettering and black background, and the center console has a silver finish that looks a bit cheezy. The seats are thinly padded but have good support and are much less comfy the Accord. The back seat is pretty small, and the leather looks like vinyl. The engine is adequate in power, but in the upper range it becomes raspy. The Auto transmission is average but less refined than the Accord's. The steering and handling are top notch for a FWD car, there's a lot of feedback and the suspension achieves a good balance between ride and handling.

Initially, I really wanted the 6 because it's new and handles well, but the 2 Mazda dealers I visited were total *******s, they would not go under MSRP, and one of them wanted to sell me a 6 with over 100 miles on it. The dumbass sales manager was telling me that he won't markup the price if I buy today, and I was like, it's a freaking Mazda with a Ford engine, WTF are you smoking??

The Honda dealers were more curteous, they were willing to negotiate and after 3 hours of haggling I was able to buy a fully loaded EX V6 (minus navigation) for $23,450, you really cannot beat this price.

TheOzzfather

I love people that do not know what they are talking about. The 2k2 ans 2k3 are going to have the same resale value dood. Their is virtually no difference it has nothing to do about resalve value. Ugh morons.

RF951

I buy a new 2k3 for $25-28k or

I buy a 2k2 used for $18k

See? somebody else paid for the $8-$10,000 depreciation.

It was a simple thought, not complicated at all.

VMaximus02

iTrader: (1)

The Honda dealers were more curteous, they were willing to negotiate and after 3 hours of haggling I was able to buy a fully loaded EX V6 (minus navigation) for $23,450, you really cannot beat this price. [/B][/QUOTE]

Is that the "out of the door" price? And does the EX V6 come standard w/leather?

madmax2k1

Is that the "out of the door" price? And does the EX V6 come standard w/leather? [/B][/QUOTE]

That's the price minus tax and license, the OTD price was $25,500 and I live in OC California. The EX V6 comes standard with leather, in-dash 6CD changer, and Traction Control.