While I'm not sure I agree with her decision, my Mom has decided on a 2004 Maxima 6 speed in silver. A beauty of a car, but she could have had more. She was looking into G35's, Volvo's, Audi's etc. She doesn't want to be "flashy" as she puts it, but could certainly have afforded the new S4 for example.

Anyway, I'm going to drive one tonight after work as she really talked it up. I've seen one and sat in one, but never drove one. I'm planning on the G35 coupe, but who knows, maybe this car will truly "WOW" me. Can't decide on one car without driving them all - that's my motto.

On a side note, she had a 1995 Maxima SE 5 speed brand new in 1995 (after getting rid of the 1989 SHO) and my Bro has a 98 5 speed and my Sis has a 99 SE-L loaded Auto. It also looks like my wife will inherit my Maxima when I get the G35 (or whatever car I ultimately decide on). Maxima family - gotta love it.

 

Dam, i guess it looks like a maxima meet when your all at one place hehe

 

They say Maxima owners are the most loyal customers. Once you go Max you never go back

 

Well, that could be true. I went to drive the 2004 last night after my mom was singing the praises and I have to say, I was SEVERLY impressed. It handles better (out of the box) than any other Maxima I have driven from the 4th gen, the 2000 when it came out, the 2002 when it came out and now this one.

Aside from that tho, I drove a black one that was fully loaded (aside from HLSD) and had the 4 passenger seating (can you say PIMP?)and it was just as fast if not a touch faster than the 2003's.

Power is available whenever you want it and chirping into 3rd gear is so easy it's scary. It has lots of torque at 40 mph in 4th gear as well which is nice for city driving.

My main complaint is that I HATE the uneven wheel gap - about 5 fingers up front and 2 fingers in the back ... it just looks wierd. The only other complaint I have is the radio. The radio controls are a little out of the way, and I'm not yet sure how you would put an aftermarket radio in it if you wanted to. I didn't examine the dashboard with a magnifying glass, but it looks to me that if you want to do aftermarket you will need to do some serious customization to the dash. I'm pretty sure that applies to the G35 coupe as well as they seem to have similar dash layouts.

I'd love to hear what others think about putting an aftermarket radio in as I would love to have a reason to buy one. The G35 coupe is an amazing car, but I can't decide if I'm ready for that small of a car or if I want another 4 door. Additionally, you can talk Nissan down on the Maxima (I probably could have gotten the one I drove for $29k-$30k) while you have NO PRAYER on talking those Infiniti guys down on the Coupe.

 

You go, mom!

 

I am the same way as your mom is in not wanting a flashy car.

I would buy a 2004 Maxima not really for what it is, but rather for what it isn't.

 

I definitely understand that POV as my father is and always has been the same way, but I think I just love cars too much. I don't think of it as being flashy, I think of it as getting the car that you REALLY want foryour reasons. I wouldn't buy it because it's flashy, I would buy it (say an Audi S4 for example) because I drove it and I liked it's handling/speed/comfort the best of any car I've driven, ya know? I say this because I know my mom is a car buff. She's not as picky as I am, but let me just say that she still has her 1967 Impala Convertable that she bought when she was 18, so you know she's a car person.


Whatever makes her happy tho ... and I can see how the Max would make her happy

 

I just wanted to put my 2 cents in. I saw the 2004 at the dealer when I went in for my service. This is a very different looking car, meaning right now there's nothing else that comes close to it.
But I would not buy one for multiple reasons:

1 - Nissan service is still s**t
2 - Just like any new Maxima, it's great now but when the smoke clears you still got a Maxima.
3 - It's not a head turner (if that's what you are looking for).
4 - its still FWD
5 - Still have that gross looking wheel gap in the front.
6 - I give it 6-12 months before it ain't worth s**t
7 - Outside of the org 90% of the people I see driving it is old .
8 - although Nissan labels it as a sport sedan it's very, very, very far from a sport sedan.
9 - Looks like an altima
10 - It's not a G35 coupe.

Man don't be an a** get the coupe.
If you get the Max you will have some, "might not be alot " but you will have some sort of regret.
I drove the coupe and it's a great car in every aspect.

- Power is there for the taking
- Nice and stiff ride
- RWD
- Very refine fit and finish
- Sounds great at all RPMs
- Very, Very PIMP

Plus you Mom has one; get something different. I'm such if you get the coupe she will not mind trading every once in a while

Whichever way you decide to go I just want to say good luck

 

Mom lives in NJ, I live in FL. We COULD trade, but it would be a long drive to pick the car up

 

I agree about the Service, but why do you continue to buy Maximas it seems as if you have nothing but negativity towards them?

 

Just FYI - my mom just told me she is paying $800 over invoice which seems to be about the average on the board.

 

i kinda disagree, i like fwd, i live in the northeast, and power is power, without the rwd you might not be a Hog off the line, but you'll be able to stay with any car off a roll (for the most part), this rwd **** is getting old, if your so ****ed about the fwd, sell your car, our cars already have problems in snow and some rain, imagine if it was rwd, how bad it'd be.........

 

i couldnt agree more

 

You haven't driven the G35 coupe. I can't say how it handles in snow - but here in Tampa it rains an awful lot. The day I was able to drive a Coupe 6MT, it had been raining all day long. It wasn't heavy rain, but the roads were wet and had been wet for hours. I really wanted to see what the car could do so I was being very generous with it - both off the line and through turns. Not once did I feel the car get away from me. With VDC, ABS, LSD, and some other acronyms (VDC is defeatable if you'd like to do some donuts), RWD cars have come a LONG way from my father's 93 RWD Infiniti J30 and his clumsy Lincoln Mark VII.

Saying that RWD is "getting old" is the biggest line of BS I have ever heard. I hope you're just saying that on the defensive since you seem to think I'm knocking the Maxima. When you can tune a Maxima to 390HP (some are) and be able to keep that power on the road, you let me know. I stuck the throttle to the floor on the 2004 and I was spinning like crazy. Around turns, the Maxima plows through them with understeer while the G35 is better able to handle the twisties because it's not using its driving wheels as its turning wheels.

Believe me, I'm not knocking the Max - I love my Max to death and if I was looking for a big car still, I don't think there would be any competition for it. However, I won't have any other chance to drive a coupe for quite sometime. You can only keep the wife off of kids for so long ...

 

when i said that i meant that the statement that people keep saying rwd is so much better than fwd is sooo "BS"....ask anyone you know with a rwd car, when it snows do they ever take it out??????????Face it i'm right your wrong, sell your max and buy a camaro...slater