Any problems wiht the 6 th gen?
12-06-2004, 07:19 PM
#3
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,336
She'll have such a big grin on her face when she comes home after driving it that your father may think she's cheating on him. 
Warn him in advance that this sort of uncontrolable joy is normal with such a fine car.
Warn him in advance that this sort of uncontrolable joy is normal with such a fine car.
12-06-2004, 11:30 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
Unless your Mom will be racing the car, I would strongly recommend the SL. The SE will beat your insides up on long trips.
Also, drive the car between 40 and 65 mph and be sure it is not one of those with a vibration in the steering wheel at some particular mph.
Once these criteria are met, say goodby to your Mom; she will spend the rest of her life zipping down the highway with a silly grin on her face.
Also, drive the car between 40 and 65 mph and be sure it is not one of those with a vibration in the steering wheel at some particular mph.
Once these criteria are met, say goodby to your Mom; she will spend the rest of her life zipping down the highway with a silly grin on her face.
12-07-2004, 12:07 AM
#7
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 2,761
[QUOTE=lightonthehill]Unless your Mom will be racing the car, I would strongly recommend the SL. The SE will beat your insides up on long trips.QUOTE]
How long do you consider long? I just came back from a 90mi trip, had no issues at all with the ride.
I think the SL ride is slightly better than the SE ride. I was originally looking at the Altimas, started with the SE (bad ride)
. Then I drove the Altima SL (much nicer ride) but when I test drove the Maxima SE, I though it was a huge step up in comfort over the Altima SE and SL. I didn't get that same feeling between the Maxima SE and SL.
12-07-2004, 06:07 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 140
Tell your Mom from one Mom to another that I absolutely love, love, love my Max. I have never had so much fun driving a car before. You know you really enjoy your car when you're disappointed that you're pulling in your driveway. 
12-07-2004, 07:13 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 880
[QUOTE=Apollos2]
Aw, light, you're usually right, but not on this one. The SE's firmer ride really shines on the highway ... it just takes a plant and cruises flat, with no up-and-down or side-to-side motion to make you seasick. I've taken two long road trips in mine (4,000 miles and 2,500 miles) and it is a treat on the open road. My other car is a 2003 BMW 540i (not the Sport suspension), and I think the highway rides are very comparable.
Now, on choppy city streets, I'm sure the SL is smoother, since that's where the firmer suspension of the SE will telegraph bumps and pavement irregularities to a greater degree. But on the highway, the more controlled ride of the SE is a distinct advantage.
Mike
Originally Posted by lightonthehill
Unless your Mom will be racing the car, I would strongly recommend the SL. The SE will beat your insides up on long trips.
QUOTE]
How long do you consider long? I just came back from a 90mi trip, had no issues at all with the ride.
QUOTE]
How long do you consider long? I just came back from a 90mi trip, had no issues at all with the ride.
Now, on choppy city streets, I'm sure the SL is smoother, since that's where the firmer suspension of the SE will telegraph bumps and pavement irregularities to a greater degree. But on the highway, the more controlled ride of the SE is a distinct advantage.
Mike
12-07-2004, 11:20 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 888
Originally Posted by Mike_TX
Aw, light, you're usually right, but not on this one. The SE's firmer ride really shines on the highway ... it just takes a plant and cruises flat, with no up-and-down or side-to-side motion to make you seasick. I've taken two long road trips in mine (4,000 miles and 2,500 miles) and it is a treat on the open road. My other car is a 2003 BMW 540i (not the Sport suspension), and I think the highway rides are very comparable.
Now, on choppy city streets, I'm sure the SL is smoother, since that's where the firmer suspension of the SE will telegraph bumps and pavement irregularities to a greater degree. But on the highway, the more controlled ride of the SE is a distinct advantage.
Mike
Now, on choppy city streets, I'm sure the SL is smoother, since that's where the firmer suspension of the SE will telegraph bumps and pavement irregularities to a greater degree. But on the highway, the more controlled ride of the SE is a distinct advantage.
Mike
12-07-2004, 12:13 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 600
Aw, light, you're usually right, but not on this one. The SE's firmer ride really shines on the highway ... it just takes a plant and cruises flat, with no up-and-down or side-to-side motion to make you seasick. I've taken two long road trips in mine (4,000 miles and 2,500 miles) and it is a treat on the open road. My other car is a 2003 BMW 540i (not the Sport suspension), and I think the highway rides are very comparable.
, so we welcome a much more smoother ride that the SL provides.
12-07-2004, 11:34 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
I didn't mean to create dissention here.
When I was younger, the SE ride was the only ride I wanted. Firm ride, great feel of the road (I could detect every flaw in the pavement surface), turn on a dime, outmaneuver a rabbit, put lesser cars in my wake should I choose to do so, and the SE had that touch of panache; the elan I coveted.
But years pass, and things (particularly inside our bodies) change.
My criterion (singular of criteria) is simple: while driving my '04 SL, I can generally go around two hours between 'pit stops'. When driving my gen 5 SE (which I dearly love), the maximum between pit stops is never more than an hour. On bad road surfaces, it drops to around half an hour. When driving from Arizona to Montana, this differentation becomes paramount. I disdain using a cacti as a dog would a fireplug.
I accept the social stigma of moving from the SE to the SL, but tend to back in when I park so as not to advertise that demeaning and disappointing reduction in status. But that is the price of septuagenarianism.
I realize this is very subjective, and possibly somewhat psychological, but we tend to find what we expect, whether it is really there or not.
Oh, and the first two '04s I test drove (March of 2003) were SEs.
When I was younger, the SE ride was the only ride I wanted. Firm ride, great feel of the road (I could detect every flaw in the pavement surface), turn on a dime, outmaneuver a rabbit, put lesser cars in my wake should I choose to do so, and the SE had that touch of panache; the elan I coveted.
But years pass, and things (particularly inside our bodies) change.
My criterion (singular of criteria) is simple: while driving my '04 SL, I can generally go around two hours between 'pit stops'. When driving my gen 5 SE (which I dearly love), the maximum between pit stops is never more than an hour. On bad road surfaces, it drops to around half an hour. When driving from Arizona to Montana, this differentation becomes paramount. I disdain using a cacti as a dog would a fireplug.
I accept the social stigma of moving from the SE to the SL, but tend to back in when I park so as not to advertise that demeaning and disappointing reduction in status. But that is the price of septuagenarianism.
I realize this is very subjective, and possibly somewhat psychological, but we tend to find what we expect, whether it is really there or not.
Oh, and the first two '04s I test drove (March of 2003) were SEs.
12-08-2004, 06:36 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 888
Originally Posted by jaydabee
The only thing thatI still complain about is the heated seats in the 04 in winter. The 05's got an upgraded wire harness that fixed the problem. Other than than, great ride. Mom will be well pleased.
12-08-2004, 08:43 PM
#21
Only problem is she will suffer harassment from wannabe ricers revving at her.
Light, I don't see want you mean by the "harsh" SE ride. It is so much smoother than my buick and just about every car I've been in. I may hear bumps, but I hardly feel them. Guess I should ride in an SL to see the difference. But I'm very impressed with my SE suspension.
my seats heat up great, less than 2 min. and often have to set them to low b/c they get HOT.
Light, I don't see want you mean by the "harsh" SE ride. It is so much smoother than my buick and just about every car I've been in. I may hear bumps, but I hardly feel them. Guess I should ride in an SL to see the difference. But I'm very impressed with my SE suspension.
my seats heat up great, less than 2 min. and often have to set them to low b/c they get HOT.
12-08-2004, 10:09 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: a meadow south of Atlanta
Posts: 8,143
NismoMax80 - As I tried to explain in post # 16 of this thread, I only meant to say that the SE ride is clearly firmer than the SL. What may seem smooth to a thirty or forty year old (not to mention the teens and twenties) does not seem nearly as smooth to an old codger with old codger problems.
When I test-drove the SEs on the usual (bad) roads around this area, they rode very firmly; about as firmly as my 5th gen SE. I knew I needed to pander to my inner problems by going with something with a somewhat softer ride. The SL did the trick for me.
The SE would not seem harsh to someone in fine health. But I 'firmly' believe it would seem firm to anyone but a stagecoach driver. In fact, several consumer rating publications I saw (including another I was perusing today at Barnes & Noble) downgraded the '04 Maxima due to the ride of the test car (SE) being uncomfortably firm. Their words, not mine.
When I test-drove the SEs on the usual (bad) roads around this area, they rode very firmly; about as firmly as my 5th gen SE. I knew I needed to pander to my inner problems by going with something with a somewhat softer ride. The SL did the trick for me.
The SE would not seem harsh to someone in fine health. But I 'firmly' believe it would seem firm to anyone but a stagecoach driver. In fact, several consumer rating publications I saw (including another I was perusing today at Barnes & Noble) downgraded the '04 Maxima due to the ride of the test car (SE) being uncomfortably firm. Their words, not mine.
12-09-2004, 10:17 AM
#23
lightonthehill, I understand. sorry, I skipped post 16 before posting. maybe you could debadge the SL so you won't have to hide it. (of course fellow enthusiasts will see your wheels)
I'm considering the adjustable shocks and struts recently available for our Max. But only if I ever find the extra money with no other use. Figure I will have best of both worlds. Firm for short and or joy rides, soft for long trips.
I'm considering the adjustable shocks and struts recently available for our Max. But only if I ever find the extra money with no other use. Figure I will have best of both worlds. Firm for short and or joy rides, soft for long trips.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lakersallday24
6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008)
13
03-20-2024 11:22 AM
Finkle
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
13
09-27-2015 09:53 PM