OK, with all the hype about the new 04 Max, I had to go drive one. Instead of going to the dealer, I went to my local Enterprise rental place. I rented one for the weekend. First let me say that the outside has grown on me a LITTLE. I just can't get past that grill. Since I have an 03, I think I can make a fair assesment. The interior, IMO, is awful. The gauges are orange and the big hunk of silver plastic they call a dash is horrific. The 3 spoke wheel is ugly and has what looks like buttons from a 1980 Datsun for steering wheel controls. I drove the car on the highway and didn't feel the shimmying that alot of people complain about. The car drives really nice. No better than my 03 however. The lights seem better. But that should be expected with projectors. Seats are fine. Bose sound system sounds better than my 03, but that's not too had to do. Overall, I am glad I got the 03. I can say this though, if I didn't have an 03 to compare it to, I would buy an 04. I still think it is alot of car for the money.

 

I agree, the 04's exterior looks have grown on me
(grill can be changed- trenz looks hot on that car)
but I for instance dont lease cars- so when I purchase my cars its for the long run-

I too drove an '04 6speed back in April and the only improvement I noticed on the road was the independent rear made the car feel a bit better than my '02 on lane changes

But the real disappointment was the quality of the interior- I felt more comfortable w/ the interior of the Alty when I test drove it- The buttons are weird
and not user friendly and the center console controls seem out of place/sync
The car also did not improve in solidity (it takes bumps/inconsistencies on the road just as harsh as my SE-
I still believe its a great bang for the buck(VQ35) for $27K
but other than that Nissan missed on many improvements and refinement cues- too many for me to consider owning one over my 5th gen

 

i havent driven one, just looked at them alot at the dealership. i think they failed. came up with a completely redesigned car but actually took steps backs. very few improvements considering all the things they "thought" they were improving. what makes it worse was all the hype they created about it.

 

what hype?

The 04 has only gotten a lukewarm response even from the majority of members from this forum. Most are sticking with their 3.5L 5th gens or are going to go for the G35 or other cars. It's nothing like the bandwagon effect when the 2000's came out, or in 2002 when it was updated with the VQ35.

 

all the hype nissan created!!! all the new commercials, etc. granted commercials were cool, but set the bar higher then they were able to reach

 

The '04 Maxima is still one of the best cars for the money. It's just that now there are so many cars out there that truly define the "4 door sports car", and unfortunately, the Maxima is no longer that car...

 

I love the 04...Personally the previous Max-s where very boring in thelooks department..I had a budget of up to 40 grand for a new car, drove most of them, and am very happy with the 04 Max

 

Ditto

I drove the 04 many times before I bought, among other cars including the G35. I was coming from a AE which had all the options, everytime I got back in my car after the 04 test drive I was very impressed with the ride, drivers' seating position, layout, even the feel of the dash and silver trim.

The orange guages took a while!!! but that is so minor that it's a joke. People that have riden with me before and now ride with me really see and feel the difference. My wife said to me after a test drive, that didn't feel like a Maxima, it's like a lux sedan. She has been on many test drives with me over the past few years and she drives a 1999 SE Limited Loaded.

Not to flame anyone, but recently it seems that many are quick to slam the new Max even if they have to use another company.

 

There hasn't been all that much hype about the '04 beyond the commercials that have been airing on TV, magazine print ads, and usual billboards you see from time to time on the freeways. As always, the Maxima continues to get okay reviews...some love it, some don't, but most are neutral.

I haven't personally test driven an '04 yet, but the exterior has grown on me, and I think it looks pretty decent. As for the interior, Nissan is going for a signature look that is European styled. The Altima, Murano, Maxima, and 350Z, Xterra, and Frontier all have that gauge pod look, and some of higher-end cars have the silver/aluminum accented dash and console along with the 'T' steering wheel that seem to be inspired from Infiniti and European designs.

Lots of car makers nowadays are shooting for a similar look across a lot of their models, so that when you look at it from the outside or sit inside, you can tell what make it is. Love it or hate it, signature styling is popular today.

The Maxima has always been, and still is a good value for the money, even in its 6th generation form. It's gone upscale a bit, but that's not a bad thing. If Toyota can have its Avalon and Mitsubishi its Diamante, Nissan can certainly attempt to make the Maxima a better near-luxury car than the competition. And when end-of-model-year rolls around and if Nissan dealers continues their usual sales technique of almost giving their cars away to reduce inventories, then the 6th gens would be even better bangs-for-bucks.

Peace.

 

It will be an even bigger bang when those rental agencies start unloading them once they have 23 to 26 grand on the odometer. The death nell for those that paid MSRP or Even invoice on these vehicles. Nissan indicated that they wouldn't offer them to rental agencies......then did. I'll be buying one from my local Hertz dealer. I expect to pay in the low 20's.

 

nissan lost me with this new styling direction. way too soft for my taste. it started with the altima profile, and what's up with the new nissan grilles????? unless i go with infiniti, my 5th gen should be my last nissan product after 15 years of loyalty.

 

Must admit the grill is horrible and the interior is a rattle box. Other than that, in my opinion it offers a great ride. Anyone know how they compare overall with a Cadillac CTS?

 

This 6th Generation forum seems to have turned into nothing but 5th generation owners telling everyone reasons why they will not be getting a 6th gen. How can anyone say that the 5th gen drives the same as the 6th???

As a previous 5th gen owner, I can say that the new Max is MUCH improved in the following areas: solidity, ride, handling, NVH, room, luxury features, BRAKES!, and in my opinion, styling. The day I drove my new Max home I felt like I was driving my father-in-laws Lexus GS300. In my opinion, Nissan did a great job with refinement. I thought my 5th gen car was nice, but that beam axle in back was a huge detriment to ride and handling.

Not to say that all is perfect, however. I agree that they could have put a few more bucks into the interior (I wish the cloth trim on the dash and door panels looked more like suede instead of terry cloth). And there IS a lot of torque steer like everyone says, but it doesn't bother me as much as some people.

So, sorry to go against the tide, but here is one former 5th gen owner who couldn't be happier with his 6th gen!

 

I too traded a loaded AE for my 2k4. I ususlly stay out of this conversation...
The 2k4 has better ride, handling, brakes, looks, features, comfort and chicks dig it. Other than for those few items, the 5th gen was a better car.

 

Pretty comparable. Their resale prices are dropping like rocks...

 

First, let me say that I did not intend for my original post to sound harsh. I do not "hate" the 04s. I simply said that I would not get rid of my 03 for one. If I were to get another car, I would go way upscale and get a new E500. And, yes I know, I can't compare an E500 to a Max. I have been driving Maxes since 1989 when the first 4DSC came out. My car was an actual 4DSC(it was a package on the SE). I loved that car. Never let me down. That was why I got the 03. Like I said before, I still agree that the Max is a great deal for the money.

 

ah, well that figures. I've barely turned on a TV in the past 6 months so I've missed all of it.

 

the 2004 is a hell of alot nicer then the 2003

 

Richk, can you tell me the address of the Enterprise store. I have been wanting to rent an 04 for a day myself.

 

I had three SE's. A 97 a a 99 and a 2001 AE. I liked them ALL. I now have the 2k4 SL. Its not perfect, as no car is, but it seems better than either of them to me. I thought I had the ultimate Max when I got my AE, but it pales by comparison to my 6th gen SL. Its apples and oranges here. Some guys are gonna be haters and not like anything for whatever reason, and some just like their particular rides, but ALL are entitled to their opinions whether we like them or not.

 

If you have an '03, why would you want a new car the next year? It just doesn't make sense. If you hare happy with your '03, props to you.

 

Let's face it. The last "WOW" maxima was the '94 SE. After that, Nissan lost control of a very good thing they had going. Their share prices fell dramatically after '95 as a result of this and other lines. It seems that they are trying to find their "WOW" grove again, but haven't quite fallen into it. They still make one of the best 4-door sedans in the world in my opinion, it's just not WOW like it was '92 thru '94, its just more typical.

I bet they will get it again.

 

my roommate loves the looks of the new max, her sister kept telling her to tell me my car looks nice, all ive got is compliments on it and how it looks so much better than the previous years....but i like the 5th gens too

 

I just expected Nissan to 'knock our socks off' with the 6G Maxima and IMO they fell short on impact (a la Honda's TSX and TL).

IMO, nothing in Nissan's showroom (exc. Z and SE-R) is appealing. But, I can't say the same for Infiniti, of which there isnt one car in their showroom I don't like; from the Q45 down to the I35 I like them all.

Does anyone know if Nissan plans to change the I35 to be like the 6G Maxima, from the current A33/Cefiro style? If so, I hope they execute better.

 

So you think highly of the Infiniti I35 and you don't like the 6th gen Maxima? Hmmmm.

While there is an open debate going on as to whether Nissan could have done a better job with the new Max, there is no question, however, that the 6th gen is greatly improved over the 5th gen Max (which is also the I35) in almost every way (structural rigidity, handling, ride, luxury features, braking, NVH, etc).

 

I agree the grille is a little weird, but I can say that MY interior isn't a rattle box.

As for the CTS, we took one on GM's 24-hour test drive last weekend, since my wife loves it. I drove it a lot, and it's a nice car. Compared to the Max, I'd say it is smoother-riding, it has a kind of twitchy highway manner, it isn't nearly as peppy (in spite of the new 255hp engine), and has tighter inside space. The engine noise is louder and harsher when pressed.

And if you think the Maxima's dash is strange, how about the waffle-iron decor of the CTS's dash, with that bulging tumor of a center stack? And talk about a confusion of flavors in terms of lighting colors ... the speedo cluster is blue-white, while the center stack displays are all a lurid orange. The other lighted controls - on the doors and above the rearview mirror, for example, are varying colors of orange, too. Whew.

For about the same list price, you get more content in the Max. A CTS with leather and some of the goodies found in the SE w/Driver's Pkg (like zenons, heated seats, mirror compass, etc.), you will pay about 38k v. 33k for the Max.

Mike

 

So that explains the availability of and demand for the 6G Maxima in Japan (www.nissan.co.jp, Germany http://www.nissan.de and Australia http://www.nissan.com.au/maxima/.

 

Impossible. It may LOOK like your dad's GS 300 though...

 

I give up. You seem to refuse to believe that the 6th gen is a vast improvement on the 5th gen. So now you're even looking for proof in Japan, Germany, and Australia that the Maxima is a failure.

This is your right not to like the new Max, but this IS a 6th gen forum, and I'm sure you're going to continue reading that a lot of 6th gen owners are very happy with their cars.

 

Hold on.... why are you getting mad when he is only giving an opion? You yourself are complaining about the 5th gens....and that is your opion... I like the front look of the 5th gens (2002 2003) better than the 6th gens... and that is my opinion... everyone has their own likes... and you like your 6th gen better..... and as far as refinement... it is to be expected as the maxima gets popular...

hey, btw, do you still have a soft spot for the 5th gen?? just want to know.

and if you arent getting mad..... i really apologize... and dont flame me....

 

 

all i know is the new maxima in au is ugly compared to the 6th gens...

 

Mad? Who's getting mad?

I started with a 4th gen Max and liked it a lot (except for bland styling IMO), then I got a 5th gen and appreciated the imrprovements over the 4th gen. I now have a 6th gen, and IMO it is by far my best Maxima (except for the factory grille).

I'm not saying it's perfect...the interior does fall short in some areas, and I wish they could have controlled the torque steer a little better.

Therefore, as a previous Maxima owner, it is hard for me not to respond to very negative comments about the 6th gen from current 5th gen owners. Of course everyone has their own opinions on subjective topics such as styling, interior layout, etc...I have no problem with that. However, on pure driving dynamics which can mostly be measured (braking, acceleration, handling, ride, quietness), how can one argue with the vast improvements of the 6th gen?

Bottom line is I love Maximas (every generation has its virtues), which is why I'm a proud Maxima.org member!

 

My 2004 max is the best one yet, this is my 5th.. 84, 93,96,00. I too did not care for the grille, but a $190 investmnet in a Stillen grille solved that...

 

The best Maxima to date indeed. None of the naysayers can admit to the improved engineering of the car because none own a sixth gen Maxima. I love the styling except for the grille, which fortunately for me doesn't look as bad on the silver colored cars. If Nissan improves the grille next year I will replace the grille because none of the aftermarkets satisfy the improvement I seek. There is no way a particular styling is going to suit everyone. With every change in styling you are going to find that the target market that was satisfied with prior styling may well be the market that is now unhappy. It's just not possible for everyone to like a particular style. I don't understand why the bashing though. I don't see the bashers all running out to buy whatever they are comparing the sixth gen to that they claim is better.

Keep an eye out, come back and read this thread a year from now and you will find all the bashers driving a used version of the very car they bashed this year. Won't be mine though as I'm keeping mine just to keep it out of the hands of the bashers, then they'll say the car has grown on them.

 

2004 Nissan Maxima
3.5 SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
View All Styles | Compare Styles | 2003 Style
Consumer Rating 9.2 188 Reviews


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Edmunds.com Review

Summary


What Edmunds.com Says
Although it's now more upscale than ever before, the Maxima remains one of the best combinations of performance, luxury and value in the midsize sedan segment.

Pros
Roomy interior, lots of upscale options, sweet V6, available with a manual transmission.

Cons
Some small, oddly arranged controls.

What's New for 2004
The Maxima has been fully redesigned for 2004. It now rides on the same underpinnings as the well-received Nissan Altima. This year's Maxima is longer, wider and more powerful than the previous version.

 

EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE MISSED THE SMALL ADD FOR THE ALL NEW MAXIMA AT THE NISSAN AUSTRALIA WEBSITE. IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR MAXIMA, IT MIGHT END UP BEING THE NEW INFINITI I35.

 

I didn't miss the ad. I thought the car to be bland and without character. The grille appeared to be a slight improvement over the primary teeth of our US version.

 

Ahhh...thank you! I couldn't have said it better myself!!

 

These topics are so lame, everyone with an 02/03 most likely will care for it better and people with 04 wil do the same. Its amatter of personal taste so I dont know why people get offended when someone says that they dont like a paticular gen. I still have not seen a car that appeals to everyone and never will Maxima included. BTW every Mfg claims their car is improved with each new gen. but in the real world sometimes it proves otherwise!