new to the Maxima!
05-18-2004, 03:19 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 22
new to the Maxima!
My wife and I are planning to get our very first new car -- a 2004 Maxima SE (Liquid Silver with Frost Leather interior). I've done my homework and found the average invoice cost for the one we're interested (Driver Preferred package - no sunroof). Really excited about it, but have a few questions...
A few threads on the grille peeling have caused me some concern -- is it really a widespread issue?
What are some specific 'care and feeding' tips I should know that may not be covered in the Driver's Manual?
Given that it's only a few more days til I pull the trigger, is there anything I should know about the Maxima before I plunk down my hard earned $$$?
On a technical note, does the Maxima have a tire sensor to relay tire pressure info into the driver's cockpit? Something like this would be extremely helpful to maintain the proper tire pressure at all times.
Thanks in advance - and really excited to be a part of the Maxima family!
kms007
A few threads on the grille peeling have caused me some concern -- is it really a widespread issue?
What are some specific 'care and feeding' tips I should know that may not be covered in the Driver's Manual?
Given that it's only a few more days til I pull the trigger, is there anything I should know about the Maxima before I plunk down my hard earned $$$?
On a technical note, does the Maxima have a tire sensor to relay tire pressure info into the driver's cockpit? Something like this would be extremely helpful to maintain the proper tire pressure at all times.
Thanks in advance - and really excited to be a part of the Maxima family!
kms007
05-18-2004, 03:31 AM
#2
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 840
Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the club. I love the excitement of getting a new car. I wish i could do it every 6 months 
I know of a few Max owners that have driven the Max throguh very harsh winter conditions up here in Canada (snow, slteet, ice, with very heavy use of salt on the roads) and have had no peeling problems with their grills.
So who knows ? Worse case scenario is that you get it exchanged under warranty or buy an aftermarket grill.
Enjoy your purchase.
Bob
I know of a few Max owners that have driven the Max throguh very harsh winter conditions up here in Canada (snow, slteet, ice, with very heavy use of salt on the roads) and have had no peeling problems with their grills.
So who knows ? Worse case scenario is that you get it exchanged under warranty or buy an aftermarket grill.
Enjoy your purchase.
Bob
05-18-2004, 09:54 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
kms007 - Living down in Savannah, you are very very wise to get the silver with frost interior. Dark exteriors and interiors make for great discomfort in miserably hot deep south weather.
Be aware you cannot add tranny fluid to the Nissan 5 speed auto; it requires a special fluid from Nissan. Manual covers this, though.
I never heard the grille peeling mentioned until this spring. It is covered by warranty for three years, and has no operational effect, so I wouldn't worry much.
If there is a tire presure sensor on the '04, I haven't noticed it. I don't think there is. I check my tire pressure regularly, as I carry 36 front and 33 rear (and the dealer just as regularly drops it back to 32/32).
I would test-drive the car on a smooth freeway/open highway at speeds from 45MPH to 70 MPH and pay very close attention to the steering wheel. Hold it loosely by the fingertips. Does it seem to twitch or shimmy?
That shimmy has been the most discussed problem with the '04, and, although several things can cause it, the most insidious shimmy seems to be caused by steering rack tension, which is discussed in another thread.
Do a few serious stops. Do you hear any strange noises? Drive slowly through some culverts or other places where there will be a twisting effect on the chassis. Do you hears strange sounds from any of the four corners?
There are lots of less-important little things like misaligned glove box door, misaligned tailpipes, rattles from the rear shelf, etc. But overall, most folks love their '04 Maxima.
Happy driving!
Be aware you cannot add tranny fluid to the Nissan 5 speed auto; it requires a special fluid from Nissan. Manual covers this, though.
I never heard the grille peeling mentioned until this spring. It is covered by warranty for three years, and has no operational effect, so I wouldn't worry much.
If there is a tire presure sensor on the '04, I haven't noticed it. I don't think there is. I check my tire pressure regularly, as I carry 36 front and 33 rear (and the dealer just as regularly drops it back to 32/32).
I would test-drive the car on a smooth freeway/open highway at speeds from 45MPH to 70 MPH and pay very close attention to the steering wheel. Hold it loosely by the fingertips. Does it seem to twitch or shimmy?
That shimmy has been the most discussed problem with the '04, and, although several things can cause it, the most insidious shimmy seems to be caused by steering rack tension, which is discussed in another thread.
Do a few serious stops. Do you hear any strange noises? Drive slowly through some culverts or other places where there will be a twisting effect on the chassis. Do you hears strange sounds from any of the four corners?
There are lots of less-important little things like misaligned glove box door, misaligned tailpipes, rattles from the rear shelf, etc. But overall, most folks love their '04 Maxima.
Happy driving!
05-19-2004, 03:47 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 22
Many Thanks, lightonthehill!
Yes, having a relatively reflective exterior and interior will make driving the new '04 a lot more bearable.
Thanks for the heads-up on the special trany fluid - I was not aware of that.
I'll also perform the tests you've suggested (Thanks for those, btw -- now I know what to look out for). We're still going back and forth with the price on the car - so it's been a bit frustrating.
On another note, what type of discount should Nissan employees expect to get? I've been told by word-of-mouth that the discount is typically 1% under invoice. Any truth to that?
Thanks!
kms007
Yes, having a relatively reflective exterior and interior will make driving the new '04 a lot more bearable.
Thanks for the heads-up on the special trany fluid - I was not aware of that.
I'll also perform the tests you've suggested (Thanks for those, btw -- now I know what to look out for). We're still going back and forth with the price on the car - so it's been a bit frustrating.
On another note, what type of discount should Nissan employees expect to get? I've been told by word-of-mouth that the discount is typically 1% under invoice. Any truth to that?
Thanks!
kms007
Originally Posted by lightonthehill
kms007 - Living down in Savannah, you are very very wise to get the silver with frost interior. Dark exteriors and interiors make for great discomfort in miserably hot deep south weather.
Be aware you cannot add tranny fluid to the Nissan 5 speed auto; it requires a special fluid from Nissan. Manual covers this, though.
I never heard the grille peeling mentioned until this spring. It is covered by warranty for three years, and has no operational effect, so I wouldn't worry much.
If there is a tire presure sensor on the '04, I haven't noticed it. I don't think there is. I check my tire pressure regularly, as I carry 36 front and 33 rear (and the dealer just as regularly drops it back to 32/32).
I would test-drive the car on a smooth freeway/open highway at speeds from 45MPH to 70 MPH and pay very close attention to the steering wheel. Hold it loosely by the fingertips. Does it seem to twitch or shimmy?
That shimmy has been the most discussed problem with the '04, and, although several things can cause it, the most insidious shimmy seems to be caused by steering rack tension, which is discussed in another thread.
Do a few serious stops. Do you hear any strange noises? Drive slowly through some culverts or other places where there will be a twisting effect on the chassis. Do you hears strange sounds from any of the four corners?
There are lots of less-important little things like misaligned glove box door, misaligned tailpipes, rattles from the rear shelf, etc. But overall, most folks love their '04 Maxima.
Happy driving!
Be aware you cannot add tranny fluid to the Nissan 5 speed auto; it requires a special fluid from Nissan. Manual covers this, though.
I never heard the grille peeling mentioned until this spring. It is covered by warranty for three years, and has no operational effect, so I wouldn't worry much.
If there is a tire presure sensor on the '04, I haven't noticed it. I don't think there is. I check my tire pressure regularly, as I carry 36 front and 33 rear (and the dealer just as regularly drops it back to 32/32).
I would test-drive the car on a smooth freeway/open highway at speeds from 45MPH to 70 MPH and pay very close attention to the steering wheel. Hold it loosely by the fingertips. Does it seem to twitch or shimmy?
That shimmy has been the most discussed problem with the '04, and, although several things can cause it, the most insidious shimmy seems to be caused by steering rack tension, which is discussed in another thread.
Do a few serious stops. Do you hear any strange noises? Drive slowly through some culverts or other places where there will be a twisting effect on the chassis. Do you hears strange sounds from any of the four corners?
There are lots of less-important little things like misaligned glove box door, misaligned tailpipes, rattles from the rear shelf, etc. But overall, most folks love their '04 Maxima.
Happy driving!
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