All I keep reading about are problems with everyone's Maximas. I have a 2004 Smoke SE that I purchased in mid-March with a vin of 895...

The car is just wonderful. The only problem seem to have is the glove box and it is not off by much.

This is my first Nissan ever and I can only give high praise to Nissan.

Just wondering.

 

I havent really had much wrong with mine either. Im just extremely picky about my s*it. The way I see it, if Nissans gonna replace something free, why not let them. For example, im coming up on 17,000 miles and the front brakes were starting to feel funny. I tend to really DRIVE this car pretty hard..... They replaced the front pads and rotors and even gave me a free rental. Why not??

 

Just the stupid plastic information screen, which scratchs if you simply
look at it cross-eyed. What a POS. I am heading over to the dealership to check out the latest Maxima inventory which is supposed to have
a different screen. If so, time to gripe.

 

I'm with Isher. I have a Smoke SL serial no 895 also. I've had no problems other than the glovebox and some minor trim items not installed correctly. Other than that everything's perfect.

Maybe it's just the SMOKE cars that are good ones...

 

I've had a few issues with mine that were fixed quickly and to my satisfaction within a couple of trips to the dealer.

I've bought a lot of new cars in my life. I've never had one that didn't at least require a trip or 2 to the dealer at some point to get something fixed or adjusted.

For the record, i love my Max !

Bob

 

So far so good. Extremely satisfied. I am so happy with this piece of art, it makes the high payments worth it.

 

Another trouble free smoke here! Vin 900

 

I got a Smoke SE five weeks ago. No problem at all. Well, except the idiot who preped the car for delivery tried to peel off the protective plastic wraps on the 2 chrome strips. He did a few inches before realizing that stuffs were permanent. I think it must be some tiny peel-offs that caught his eyes. Anyway I asked the manager to write me a raincheck. I had the 2 chrome strips replaced 3 weeks later.
I also have some minor issues which I don't really care (1/8" glovebox mis-alignment, 1/4" trunklid mis-alignment, 1/4" frontpassenger door mis-alignment...) All cosmetic issues.

 

Ditto what Maxfan just said, except mine is a silver SL, and the preppers did not try to peel the protective cover from my chrome strips.

I have been driving for fifty-four years, the last twenty in Maximas. This '04 SL easily has the best combination of ride, control, performance, room, options, enhancements, safety features and looks of any vehicle I have ever driven.

 

Well, as I've posted before, my '04 SE is the next best thing to issue-free. I will take it in one of these days for the cold-shifting and info screen TSB's, but neither is a biggie. All in all, this has been what I'd call a trouble-free car, and after 18,000 miles I'm still really enjoying it.

Mike

ps. Keep in mind you don't hear much from the vast majority of owners who have no problems at all. It's like news ... buildings not burning isn't news, but a building on fire is news.

 

My sentiments exactly. Well said

Lightonthehill - Well said to you too !

Bob

 

Problems .... am having my share

here are a few..

met three women (due to the max), -- all wanted to drive it ( managed to say no to two!)

my manger (at work) wants to take it for a spin (have kept him away as well .. if I can say no to a woman ... whats a manager?)

every other max 04 owner will stare at you (almost begging you to acknowledge them)

staying up at 1:00 AM and reading a nissan forum AND replying ...... (never did that with any previous car!)

 

That'd make you nearly 70...wtf!?!

 

Arnold - You have my permission to drop the 'nearly'.

But being a septuagenarian has no effect on my love of the Maxima, and very little impact on the way I drive it. My wife will attest to the fact I edged over 80 MPH on an open stretch of non-interstate road yesterday afternoon, managing to pass several vehicles in short passing zones.

This brought back memories of pre-interstate days, when passing was a constant endeavor on any trip. The Maxima is a great 'passing' car.

I do have annual physicals and eye exams, and actually still play basketball (though not nearly at the level I played as a youngster).

I drive fast, but do not take reckless chances. If I can't see far enough to complete a pass, I don't pass. When the road is wet, I turn on my headlights and slow down. At night, and when drowsy (often happens on long trips), I almost always have my wife take the wheel.

My wife is younger than I, and very healthy. She is my guardian angel. When she feels it is time to let her do all the driving, I will have no problem handing her the keys to whatever Maxima we have at that time. I will simply consider that I have just won a free chauffeur for life. That gives me more time to listen to CDs (I love music) or read maps (Ihave a road map collection going back to the 1930s) or enjoy the scenery or just relax. Life is good.

My wish is that every poster on this board live to a ripe old age, and have the health to enjoy their senior years. In a Maxima.

 

Wow Light, too funny how i aspire to see myself exactly how you're living. Just goes to show how great this car really is. How many out there have a "fan" base of such a large age span like the Max?

I wonder if this resource (org) was so well used when the other Gen's debuted, how many complaints would be listed? For a car to be totally redesigned and production to travel around the world, I think the 04 has done really well. The only safety recall has been the Skyview. Most hassles have come from poorly run dealers. I see many posts where issues are handles above par for the auto industry.

Great post, we can't allow our beloved car to have a bad rep among its ancestors.

 

I've got an 2004 SE in Majestic Blue (sn 920xxx) and the only issue I've had is a headlight stuck on high.

Well, that and the gas peddle keeps calling my name.

 

I have an 04 SE 6-speed (Onyx). I have owned 2 Maximas prior to this ('93 and 2000) and I have to say that each of those had more problems than my '04. Especially in cold weather.

The problems I have had with my '04 are largely cosmetic (glove box misalignment, scratched info screen). I had warped rotors at 11k miles, but the dealer took care of that w/o issue.

IMHO, the best looking and best running Max yet.

 

I am responding to this post to move it to the top where it belongs - I have owned 9 Nissans in my life and I have to say that although I have had a few more issues with my 04Elite than with other Nissans, but the issues have been resolved by the dealer and my mechanic on the first visit on all things. The only problem left to deal with is the shimmy but in most cases it is so slight that it's not worth messing with.

Cars are like people. Every one that I have owned has had it's own personality, and with that it's own set of quirks. These are great cars, and right now this is about the only thread on this forum that has anything positive to read - it's a breath of fresh air in forum that is currently full of threads about the woes of owning an 04Max - come on all - sometimes you have to accept a few minor inconveniences for the pleasure of driving one of the greatest cars I have ever owned regardless of the minor cosmetic and sometimes mechanical issues that we all are dealing with.

 

Amen...04SEelite.

jimr

 

LOVE my MAX - no real issues.

 

I'm with you on that one !

Bob

 

Do you or anyone elso on this forum with the 6-speed transmission have had issues with the 2nd or 3rd grinding gears? If so, how did you get it fix?

 

I gotta say, although this is the first Nissan I have owned, THIS CAR IS AWESOME!!! I have had my share of problems with the 04 SE, and with the TSB on the shimmy finally out I am relieved. I think the most important aspect of this car that needs to be appreciated/realized is the feeling that you get when you are on the road and depress the gas pedal just enough to make a tight lane change, all the time knowing that the engine had so much more to give...... if you needed it. All the other minor things, (Ex: glove box misaligned, scratched screen etc.) should take a back seat because when I am passing / out handling 95 % of the cars on the road during my morning commute, I could give a Sh*t less about my misaligned glove box. My Final words of wisdom are: Do not lessen the all around greatness of this car by harping on the petty BS that is minimal at best.

 

Thanks to all who posted. It is wonderful to know that I am not the only owner with a virtually perfect car.

I had a Camry before and my new Maxima is such a better car all around. The power is scary.

 

My 04 has been pretty good for 29k miles -- I've had some things happen which disappointed me, but that's the chance you take on a first model year car. I bought an 00 when it first came out and didn't have a single problem with it for the 3 years I owned it. Oh well...
This is the kind of stuff that ****es me off....and it should **** you off too. Yet another example of our society's tendancy to ignore something called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. It is not Nissan's responsibility to replace the brakes you wore out prematurely because you It's because of you that the rest of us pay higher prices. Next time, be accountable for your own actions and replace your own brakes.

 

love my max

 

Its about time someone started to write about the positive things this car gives you for your buck instead of the BS petty things.

 

My only problem with my 04SL has been the leaky sky view which was replaced under warranty. Other than than, tip top. The Maxima is my wife's car and she absolutely loves it. Hell, I never get to drive it. That's fine, it's her toy and we couldn't have gotten a better family car.