I just purchased an 04 Maxima SE and am totally in love with it. I couldn't have chosen a better ride for the $$. However, i'm having difficulties looking through my back window. It is a lot smaller than my 96 Maxima. Has anyone ever tried to install the rear parking assist sensors or anyone have any suggestions to improve the viewing? Thanks.

 

not much you can do physically to the car to improve viewing. it's built the way it's built... backseat sits high and the curvature of the window makes it a bit blurry in some spots... if you wanted to drop some dough, you could install a rearview camera in your trunk and convert your info screen into a monitor for it.

 

can you make the nav monitor work with a trunk camera? whats some good sites to look at these setups?

 

Have you heard anything about the rear motion sensors that install underneath the rear bumper? This way, similar to the M3, I can hear if anything is behind me? What is your take?

 

My take is that after you have driven it for a couple of weeks you will forget all about it.

If you find some good links on motion sensors please post them.

 

I got the "Reverse Guard" License Plate motion sensor from

http://www.americanroadproducts.com/

and it works great on the '04 Maxima!

It seems to be every bit as good as the bumper mounted sensors I had in an '02 STS.

Contact Allan Brooks and he will answer any questions.

 

Hey. That sounds like a good solution. Thanks.

 

I have finally adjusted to everything about the rear window, EXCEPT one thing:

All my (long) life, I have had a habit of keeping an eye on things between a half mile and a mile or so (shorter distance in urban areas) behind me. Many time I have seen things that changed the way/lane/speed I drove the next mile or so.

This goes deeper than watching for smokies or emergency vehicles. For instance, if a car is clearly closing on me, I try to adjust my speed so he will catch me at a good passing place. If a big truck is closing, and I know there is a one-lane steep climb ahead, I speed up and stay well ahead, so as not to end up creeping behind him up the mountain at 20 MPH.

There are many other situations I watch for, but the point here is that I cannot see more than a hundred yards or so out the back window of my '04 unless cresting a hill. If in a dip, the distance drops to a hundred feet or so. I constantly find myself squnching down in my seat, trying to see just a little further back.

The side mirrors are for covering the blind areas on the rear flanks, and that is exactly what I use them for. But sometimes I am tempted to ease the driver side one back where I can see behind me . . .

But this design flaw does not keep me from being totally in love with my '04 Maxima.

 

Elimackman - as far as I can tell, the Maxima bumper sensors are not an option on US/Canadian Maximas, but they are listed as an option on the Australian Maximas. It is called Rear Park Assist. Here is the link.


http://nissan.com.au/maxima/accessories.asp