Just purchased an 04 Maxima SE - Spirited Bronze. WOW is this drivetrain addictive!!
I feel guilty calling this a *Family* car.

Thanks to all on this forum for quickly getting me up to speed on issues regarding the Maxima.

As I was washing the car for the first time, I noticed that the rear wheel wells are lined with what appears to be cardboard-backed trunk carpet. Did they forget to put the plastic liner around the wheel wells

Surely Nissan's engineers are not this brain dead - It appears that I have to wash and vacuum the rear wheel wells to clean them. How long will this look attractive once mud and road grime starts building up.

Please tell me that they forgot to put these parts on and that its NOT a trademark of Maximas.

I can't get to a dealer anytime soon to check out the others.

 

that stuff is soundproofing for the car, its meant to be there

 

I can understand the soundproofing - but why is this fabric material exposed to the elements - especially around the rear wheels - !!!
I have a feeling after a few thousand miles of road grime that this material will look very bad (even with routine cleaning). Certainly a poor design decision.

 

is it actual carpet?

 

I test drove a Mazda 6 before a Maxima, and they happen to have the same 'carpet' in the wheel wells as the Maximas. I pointed that out, and the salesman said it was normal.. I certainly dont think so.

 

Calm down, take a breath. Spray it off at the car wash just like before, it will look fine. How did you know it was there? I can't see it, (without bending over,)but I stuck my hand in there and felt around. It is kind of fuzzy textured. I think they covered the wheel wells with the same stuff that is on the doors. I guess you could ScotchGuard the wheel wells if you are worried about it.

 

Hey Fellows, this material is on the rear of the '04 to reduce water "spray" from out of the wheel well. I just hit 4,000 miles last nite, only had 'er up to 120 mph so far. Wow! what a strong pull the car has on the Interstate. My buddy's '02 Altima 3.5 just get's left behind at around 105 mph. WHAT A CAR the'04 is!!

 

I knew it was there after I gave my car a thorough washing and found grass, debris, and stuff still lingering around the rear wheels. It looks like it needs to be vacuumed. To bad I will have to take the wheels off to do it. There's no room for a wand between the tire and carpet

 

My GF's Ford Focus also has the same carpety stuff in the rear wheel wells. So it looks like quite a few vehicles will have this factory installed.

CM.

 

I bet this stuff is better at sound dampening, if not also cheaper than the normal plastic stuff they used to put in. I wouldn't doubt that its already scotchguarded, however i dont like it personally :/