cpa4u

Does anyone have the VDC option? Is it worth the $900? I have a dealer that has located the color and options that I want (giving a good deal too, I think), but the car has VDC. THat wasn't an option that I had really thought about. Is it worth the extra money or should I have him keep looking?

Thanks

Edify11

Personally, I don't have it, but from what I hear, it's a good option. Take a look at the VIN# and if it's an old one, try to get a good deal on it. If it's been on the dealer lot for awhile, you might be able to get it for free (the VDC not the car)!

us024077

It wasn't one of the options I wanted either, but it was on the car I picked out. I'm glad I got it. It comes in real nice in heavy rain. Sort of like ABS, you didn't know you needed it until it kicked it.

originalstarlit

If it were on any car at my dealership, it would have swayed me it that direction. The manager told me he saw a demo of that type of system on a MB running a foam track. The driver could not throw the car out of control.

95Max

I agree...I wanted it. glad I got it....Trac contol is great...

cpa4u

Thanks for all the replys. I'm going in on Saturday to see what kind of final deal the guy can give. He sent me 2 VINS, one was 865xxx and the other was 904xxx. What are the latest VINS out there? How old are these do you think?

MAXSE-RIOUS

Don't forget... along with VDC, you also get a full sized spare tire and matching alloy wheel. IMO, worth it.

95Max

ah yes...good point forgot about that...you know...out of site out of mind...hope I don't have to see my spare any time soon....flats suck

bigcozz

I have it and i noticed a great deal of traction on wet roads. The car hold the road very well even in really bad rain. I think that its worth the money because i really dont notice the torque problems many people have. I would get it if i were you.

Edify11

Lightonthehill, maybe you should answer this one... you're pretty familiar with VINs. The VIN that starts with 865 is old. Get a good deal on that one.

95Max

My car has a VIN of 908 and it left the factory on 4/14.

licnyc

cpa4u yes it is worth the dealers invioce price. I have the vdc option and like the full size spare that comes with this option. so far the only thing I didnt like with vdc was I had a hard time gaining tracting in in medium snow fall. Im also interested how other vdc owners rotate tires. I would like to rotate the spare into all tires. such a waste leaving that tire in the trunk... any opions???

lobewiper

What I might do (and I have the full-size spare) is to wait until two tires need replacing on the same axle, and then, buy one new tire, put the spare on the other side of the axle, and use the other worn down tire/wheel as my spare.

2004 Smoke

I got the VDC and now wouldn't do without it. It works really well.

My car was born April 4, 2004, and it has 907XXX serial number.

lightonthehill

cpa4u - As an indication of my feelings regarding Vehicle Directional Control, I approached my dealer in March of 2003 and told him I wanted the first silver SL with driver preferred package, power sunroof and the VDC/TCS system that reached his lot.

That did not happen for over a year, but it finally did, and my patience was rewarded with a 5speed auto. Had the car arrived the first eleven months after I submitted my request, it would have been a four speed.

VDC is an amazing technological development. It can apply and release brake pressure in increments as small as a thousandth of a second on individual wheels independently of what the driver is doing. In several crisis situations during the last fifty-five years, I was able to avoid catastrophic collisions by adroit maneuvering, only to end up in a virtually uncontrollable fishtail. You will not be able to fishtail a vehicle with VDC.

The VDC package also includes TCS (traction control), which is a totally seperate function, and can be a blessing on slippery surfaces. Throw in the full-size spare on matching alloy wheel, and this is the bargain of the century. The alloy wheel alone would probably cost six or seven hundred at the dealer.

I have always carried a full-size spare, and rotate the way lobewiper does: buy one (if replacing two tires) or three (if replacing four tires), throw the spare in the mix, and save the best of the old tires as the spare.

As to the VIN #s, thanks for vote of confidence, Edify11.

The 865 VIN was around the 65,000th Maxima assembled. Over 123,000 have now been assembled, so that car was produced around August-September, and you should get a very very good deal with it.

The 904 VIN is almost surely a mid-March 2004 product. Having been on the lot three months, you should also get a decent deal on this one.

This is becoming wordy, and it could have been expressed as simply as:

Do not buy an '04 Maxima without VDC.

cpa4u

I have been on Nissan's website and found only 2 cars with about a 4 hour drive of here in the color (silver w/black) that I want with the DPP, sunroof and VDC. Anyway, the dealer is offering it for about $4,100 off sticker. Compared to a car w/o the VDC it is only about $700 more. So, I am going with it if they can get to the right place on my trade. Thanks for all the great replys.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

You better buy it! I wanted VDC, but I was fortunate enough to find the one I wanted with everything else. It arrived 2 days before I HAD to look. Old car failed insp. with 1 week to go.
There just aren't any Onyx/black available in my area. Someone tried to by my car as it waited for me to pick it up. I even haggled the price down and nowhere near the deal you're receiving.
Is it SE or SL, AT or MT?
Oh yeah, you may spend a bit more on the newer one, but you may also avoid a lot if not all the TSBs.

cpa4u

Maxima80, it is an SE, auto. I couldn't find any with just traction control system either. Man, why doesn't Nissan make more with VDC or traction?

cpa4u

Just got another email from dealer. The only one in silver w/VDC that he can get on trade with other dealer is the one with VIN 865xxx. Would everyone rather have VDC and an older VIN or a new vin 922xxx w/o VDC? I know there have been several TSB for the '04s so far.

2004 Smoke

We are really getting close to rebate season, as sales slow down in the summer and Smyrna gears up on the 2005s.

Even if they don't make many changes for the 2005s, I suspect Nissan will be making changes on those parts that have had quality issues in the 2004 first and second series. Such as struts, rotors, glove box assemblies, etc.

If you can hang off, wait for the 2005 model. Even an early one.

If you can't wait until September, wait for the July/August rebates to start kicking in.

If you can wait until then, buy a late serial number 2004, built in May or later.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

Now that's a sleeper. I love mine as is and not losing any sleep or having second guesses from missing the VDC. about 57,000 makes inbetween the 2...
look at some other features too, like if any mileage, go and look at both, exact same other packages/features right? Thoroughly look on here and the TSB complaints: ask some what their VIN #'s are to get an idea of when the TSB's started disappearing, (according to Lightonthehill, if the TSB appear up to Sept, it may have some) or even call Nissan you may get lucky and someone may actually tell you when fixes were made, that would be interesting for all of us and very benefical to you.

If you go with the newer one, try to get it a lot cheaper to justify the missing VDC, although you'd be trying to avoid TSB's. I'm sure this really sucks because if you wait too long, they may be gone. I wouldn't wait for the 05's though. You'll pay 6-7k more for maybe a couple more features (only down for a couple months to change over the production lines).
Best wishes in making your decision.

check this thread and ask some with close VINS:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=320196

lightonthehill

Although assembly lines usually close down for a month or more for major changes (such as a new generation), I have a sneaky suspicion the changes for the '05 Maxima may be of the type that will not have the line down for more than a week; two at the very most.

I have seen two posters on various threads on this board say the '05s are already arriving. Although that may be possible, I see no '05s listed anywhere on Nissan's master dealer inventory lists. I was of the understanding the assembly lines would convert during early August. I would guess we might not see the '05s for at least two more months.

But who knows for sure? Although Nissan has been an unmitigated blabbermouth about every other model, mum has really been the word on the '05 Maxima.

Either there is nothing big to announce, or there is a big surprise, or (most likely), there are a few small changes, but the internal working of a huge corporation sometimes don't bother to disseminate info unless there is a really catchy change that lends itself to attention-getting advertising.

Whatever, everybody will know fairly soon.