with rattles and ailments that don't appear in other Max's?

Seems like way to much of a disparity....also seems like if you got a bad Max...man you have a bad one and vica versa..

Maybe I'm cynical but I think that rattles will always plauge this car no matter what the dealer does....I have a bud who has a 98 Max SE that he has pieces of foam all over in a bid to quiet the car down....

Are some cars just cursed to always have rattles???


I think my semi pos is

 

Considering its been from texas to NY twice and to disney world once. I have a few rattles but its nothing that bugs me (it helps to have a nice radio or exhaust). Mostly rattles occur when either the foam or weather striping breaks. Or when the clips/fasteners break or get loose.

 

You check your glovebox? That is one area that many don't consider lookng at. If there is any metal bouncing around in there its going to create what sounds like a rattle from the A pillar or the passenger door.

 

My 2 month old SE is rattling everywhere, sunroof, radio, A pillar, rear deck and one window, countless rattles. This is my first Nissan and I'm really disappointed by the quality of Nissan. And with almost nonexistence service, fun of driving a new car just vanished.
When I had Integra I thought the service of Acura was not good enough but now I realized that their service was hundreds times better than Nissan's.
Am I too harsh? I don't know. Maybe my expectation was too high (it actually is my dealer's saying, those bastards).
One nice thing: Maxima is better than Integra, hehe..

 

didn't you guys do your homework before you bought you max.. I mean...damn... I know it's not nice to hear rattles in your new ride... but if you wanted to drive a rattle free car.. you should have saved to buy a lexus or a Benz... I knew exactly what I was buying when I went into the dealer... I have had Hondas most of my driving life... and they are fun... but damn.. Honda does not make a powerful V6 with a 5sp.. (can't afford NSX)..Toyota great ..not powerful enough and too plain... So I decided to buy my Pearl Max... a powerful V6 with a Rubbery 5sp, a less than stellar build quality.. seats that suck...and looks that could use improvement... and handling ... Oooooohh... it's now M3 (yummy).. not even a civic... but Hey!! I knew exactly that this Max was and is... a great value for the money.. and fast sedan that can be transformed with the right type of upgrades...uhmmmmm... stillen SC.........

There is light at the end of the tunnel.... It's called After-Market... and it's full of possibilities.. so after better wheels and tires..18"... and a recaro seat... custom leather uphostery... awsome stereo sys... that will blow anybody's factory sys. away... a short shifter... and ****.. springs... F & RSB... sway bar... body kit.... dash kit ...and well I am almost done... NAHHH!! who am I kidding.. there is ton of stuff left to upgrade...or FIX for those of you who think that your max is supposed to be flawless...... trust me you'll be happier if you just accept your car for what it is ... Rattles go get dynomat... brakes... go get some brembos...

I hope I did not upset anyone... if I did.... this is for you......

 

and the car I test drove didnt rattle. however, I can say that most of the rattles can be addressed without too much trouble. My honda had rattles that couldnt be found in 2 years of occasional dealer visits.

 

Less than stellar build quality????
Then first place in new car reliablity means nothing to you(consumer reports).
I don't know about any of these problems, like that tranny thing i've heard about, not in my car. The only rattle in my max is when the radio is turned up. (poor insulation?)
I have not heard a single engine noise that seams bad. What the heck are you talkin about? The seats are awesome. Maybe for short rides. They say that they are not good for long trips though. I have not been on a trip yet. My car has been good to me, forutunatly. And if you are having problems, i feel sorry for you. By the way, I have had the max for a year and a month.

 

my car this weekend and I've got the warm fuzzys for it again

Belive me Cool...you don't know the half of what my car has gone through...if it was just rattles I could sort of deal with it...I know exactly where dlee is coming from as it sounds like he got a "Friday" afternoon build also. I also don't have the time or desire to sink all that effort and money into a car. Nice car, great engine and I think it has pretty distinctive looks....does stand out over Camrys and Accords.

Max- Believe me, the TCM replacement is really noticable to me at least....a positive firm shift into second that I really like...a former co-worker of mine has an SE that is also rattle free.....lucky guy.

I believe my car is the exception not the rule........but like dlee said, it does take a lot of the new car euphoria out of the sails when a car in this price range tends to have quite a few issues. You guys are lucky....I wish I was you

 

I suppose that some cars have more problems than others.. I just get irritated by people who expect to own a car with no problems what so ever... I had a 94 honda accord for 5 years... never visited the dealer... never... my wife bought a 2000 V6 EX... so far a bad transmition... window actuator... seals on windshield bad... paint defects... a/c making noise... but hey you know what... it's still a lot better than most other cars... I know I hear about Fords, chevy's and Dodge... even my brothers' BMW 528i... and to say that the maxx is perfect I would be lying and to say it's one of the worse.. well I would have not bought one... It took a lot to convince me to switch from a honda to Nissan... and so far I don't regret it.

 

my paint seems to look worse every time I go out there (scratches under the clear). I was offered a $400 repaint of the front end. I'm thinking I should have taken it. at the time, I didnt want to lose resale with a repainted car.

 

What color is your Maxima? Same with my paint-it's the grey lustre & has been handled with ultra care.

 

I am having the following done as I type this:

1. Trunk Scratches the Bumper - put clips in

2. Rotors are being looked at for defects in the event of warpage. (vibrations on braking at 45+mph)

3. Scratch on Bumper from Jerk Off who scraped my bumper with their car...(getting estimate to fill it with paint and buff it out..it is pretty big..about 5 inches long and 3/4 of an inch wide-OUCH)...damn bastard

4. Rear subwoofer being replaced because it makes a vibrating sound (almost a blown speaker noise - but it isn't)

5. Transmission slippage from 1st to 2nd...gave them copy of TSB...so TCM is going to be replaced

There is a bit of interior vibration noise but it hasn't been loud enough for me to be overly concerned...I play the radio loud anyway. I guess these things are kind of typical when a first year comes out...By the second or third year they work out all of the bugs and make the car perfect...then the bastards change the car design and it starts all over again...I guess its our fault as consumers for wanting "new" things, huh....

 

there are scratches under the clear on every panel, except for the doors. They theorize the robots hose may have been dragged around the car when painting. Its hard to see 3 ft away. I only notice when cleaning the car. still tho.. pretty shoddy work.

 

OUCH!

 

I didn't expect it to be perfect trouble-free car. There can be a problem but the service I got is crappy. That's what I'm angry at. Even with $100 purchase you have a right to exchange/refund/service. I spent over 20 grands for this car, one of my major investment, and I got sloppy service.
When my car was pulling to the right I went to a dealer, tehnician test-drove, and he said that he didn't notice it. They refused to do anything. I had to keep fighting almost an hour. Their major point was that if technician didn't notice it it's completely normal. Is he some kind of god? When they finally agreed to do an alignment they used word "courtesy". It's my right! I just lost my word after that. They once said that rattle on a rough road is normal. I think it's enough.

Is there any nice dealer in chicago area?

 

I made a big stink when I first got my Maxima about the impossibilty of getting service appointments and the fact that I have to bring my car in twice whenever I need to get warranty coverage. (once to diagnose problem and order part, then bring it in again to get them to replace it) After they performed the service I sent them a letter praising them for "meeting my requests" with such "good" service. Now everytime I need something they know exactly who I am, will order the parts without me having to bring the car in (or they keep my car order part and give me a rental to use for however long) And often they have taken "my" word for it instead of a technicians when replacing something. Like the TCM...of course it didn't "slip" when the technician drove it but they are replacing it anyway.
Actually here is exactly what I sent them:

"I just wanted to commend the service you guys provide. This is my first Nissan Maxima SE (2000) and out of all of the cars I have owned I have to say that I truly think it is a great car. Furthermore, as with many new generation (5th gen.) productions, problems will always arise. It is the quality of service you guys have given to addressing those problems that is truly appreciated. I must say that I am truly impressed with the attention your service guys give to their clients. *** on the Brown team has been very helpful and patient with all of my “requests” and extremely helpful at remedying my concerns. I definitely can see myself buying another Maxima and perhaps a Pathfinder as well and definitely taking it to ********** Nissan for service. If you guys ever need a reference for clients have them e-mail me at ***************. Thanks again."

Yes its a little kiss ***...but you know what it works. Try it...what do you have to lose.

[Edited by Mabfnar on 10-24-2000 at 12:53 PM]

 

Actually I bought my Maxima at this other dealership but I take it to service at another because of exactly what you described...that "yeah, ok" syndrome. That why I went to another dealership. After I had a problem with the new dealership I quickly sent them the note...so that it was freshin their memory...Now I get good attention and good service. Sometimes something simple can go a long way...I lookat it this way: I'm only 28 and have several years of buying dozens of cars left in me(provided I don't kill my self on the highway [j/k]), getting the service department or any mechanic to "care" about your needs is just as important as looking for someone you would trust with your car. Many dealerships deal with many J/O's who come in expect all of the work to be done all the time for free under warranty. They get a lot of flack quite often(personally I think they shouldn't rip consumers off). But then again it can be very advantageous to get the service guys on your side. And if I can do that by sending them some praise every once and a while or sending them a pizza for lunch when they do a good job, then it can only benefit me in the long run. Or at least I hope and pray it will.

Late

 

Only rattle I have in my 2000 Max is the glove box. My 1985 Max did the same thing!!! Nothing in there is rattling, its just the glove box that rattles. Love my car, but ya think they would have fixed that problem in 15 years...

 

Hi All,

I've also had that common window/pillar rattle (plastic crackle after a bumb or vibration) - and I'm getting my dealer to look at it tommorrow.

I'll let everyone know how it goes. It's the only thing I'm dis-satisfied about by 2K Max GXE.

timmyl