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Are the 04-05 Max's really as bad as the reviews I'm reading?
The life of my 01 was ripped from me Monday by a driver in a Honda Odyssey :'(
I'm reading some terrible things about 04-05. I'm not sure what to do a of these are all true. I don't want to spend more than 5500 cash... I could go to an 03, but I wanted a newer body style
Just be sure to get one with a fixed transmission. I really like the 6th gen. I feel there are many improvements on from the 5th gen, but the transmission seems to be the only big source of negative feedback.
Just be sure to get one with a fixed transmission. I really like the 6th gen. I feel there are many improvements on from the 5th gen, but the transmission seems to be the only big source of negative feedback.
Would I be able to tell by driving/visually? I loved my 5th gen, LOVED it. I can't get any other model of car. Probably ever
As person that's has/had both I cannot think of one thing the 04/05 was better at than the 5.5 gen not 5th except for it was more spacious (5th seemed to have slightly better build quality than 5.5). The interior quality and style went way down, handled more like a boat, way more issues. When they moved to the production to TN, the QA department was seriously lacking and still is looking at 7th gen and now 8th gen build quality issues. I see so many 6th gens with failed clear coat making them look bad bad. When our 6th gen was totaled I asked my wife did she want another she said no way (we had many quality/mechanical issues with it), so she wanted another 5.5 gen or G35. We went G35 at that time. 5th gen styling is aging a lot better to me, lots of current cars have many styling cues and general shape from the 5th/5.5th gen, crescent taillights, dual headlight design (5.5) etc etc.
Last edited by MONTE 01&97 SE; Aug 1, 2015 at 03:00 PM.
Like any other 10+ year old car, it really depends on how well it was taken care of.
Our 2005 has been pretty good to us. Currently at 166,000 miles and going strong. But we have owned it since new, have taken good care of it and know it's entire history of use, maintenance and repair. We did have the transmission valve body solenoids replaced at 94,000 miles.
It has had the the typical peeling on the roof trim and grill, but otherwise still looks pretty good to me considering its age and use:
The two biggest, and most expensive, weak points are the automatic transmission valve body solenoids and the timing chain. Both directly related to maintenance practices, in my opinion. At this point, due to the relative fragility of those two components and the expensive nature of fixing them when they fail, I would be reluctant to recommend the car unless the buyer has some mechanical inclination and the price is good enough to allow for those potential repairs or the buyer has a detailed history of the car. That would probably mean buying it from a family member or close acquaintance who has owned it since new or nearly new and taken good care of it.
Oh yessss!!!!! ask anybody around here don't make me explain my story it will take two days and cost me 9000 in 5 years. We had two of them both treated like babies and they were terrible. The funny part about it was everything went on the SL by 90,000 miles and everything except the transmission on our SE at 155,000 miles.
Last edited by Chris Alexander; Aug 2, 2015 at 01:18 PM.
just bought my '03. last year built in the land of the rising sun.. Last car was a 4th gen and thats the true peach. 99 se. would never go to a 6th gen even if i was forced... in my opinion 5.5 gen is the pinnacle and the last of the true 4DSC's. 6th gens look and act like pigs in my opinion. my merlot 5.5 gen gets looks everywhere even in stock trim, while i barely notice a 6th gen even with mods. u.g.l.y. maybe if u can find a 6spd youll redeem yourself.
but im back after 4 year hiatus so take that with a grain of salt..
a car is worth what you think it is worth and styling is all in the eye of the beholder
*timing chain guides $$$
*transmission valve body / tranny rebuild if not done in time $$$$$$
*negative cable breaking-burning coil packs-burning ecu-sometime burning engine wiring harness
*floor panels rot out driver and passenger front side
not to mention the typical parts that need replacing after 100k i.e. alternator, starter, a/c compressor, battery, tires, control arms, shocks, etc.
6th gen is my least favorite car of all maximas by far.
if you really like the body style and don't mind the cvt transmission, go with the 6.5 gen, some of the problems were fixed.
if you can find a low mileage 5.5 gen, that is the best option, other wise go with the 03-05 g35. I actually sold my 05 g35 with 113k miles for $5500, so they are in your price range. They look better too, IMO.
nsnrider I agree^^ the 6.5s my grandmother has an 08 SE I think other than an alternator and a few dents we haven't had to do any work too it. A few of my neighbors in the area have had most of their 6.5s since brand new day one while the rest of us around here with 2004-2006 have gotten rid of them within 3 years of ownership.
but the main problem with all of them is those roofs fading away! and these cars having rusting floorboards. Who wants to die Fred Flinestone style.
Last edited by Chris Alexander; Aug 3, 2015 at 08:44 PM.
again in my ******* opinion 5.5 gens still look current. but im a lil bit old school lol
That is purely subjective, and obviously biased.
In my opinion the 5.5 and earlier Gens look about as current as a 10 year old Hyundai Sonata. In other words, very dated. And they only look older with every passing year.
I might agree that they could have a certain retro feel/appeal to them among a certain group, but they DEFINITELY do not look current.
PhalC1 In december 2014 my Cat Converter was going bad, soon after I got the parking brake light/battery symbol so the Alternator was bad and then was going on its second transmission the first had been replaced in december 2010 in those final months I kept feeling a hard jolt from 2nd to 1st gear when coming to a stop. So when it was towed off there was a puddle of oil underneath the car. Not telling you what to do but think twice about it..........
I have an 04 with around 138K, 5sp auto. I am pretty sure the timing chain guide is going. Transmission is usually good expect in slow stop n go traffic.
I like the look personally, just my taste.
I have the rust issue on passenger side.
Currently dealing with a suspension issue (rides like ****) and my front driver brakes keeps going bad every 3 months.
Recently the driver's window binds up and wont go up.
If the car didn't have all the extra stupid issues and just had to deal with the transmission slipping and adding oil every month, I would be happy with it (didn't pay much and just a temp car till closing on the house). Right now, I am not too happy with it.
Perhaps apart from the valve body and timing chain issues, there's nothing typical about all the sundry (minor) problems associated with the 6th Gen.(A family friend of mine goes through hell with her 5.5th Gen with all manner of irritating problems on a constant basis.) There is so much info on the valve body issue nowadays to constitute little worry. Hitherto it was believed that you had to go through the cycle of tranny change. But it's now well known that all you need do is replace the valve body, or even just the three pressure solenoids inside it. As for the timing chain, mine began to whine at 96k miles, but I got rid of it (the whine) by discarding the use of synthetic oil for normal mineral oil of high viscosity---20W50. I think anything short of 10W40 is bad for the car. Nissan introduced no fundamental changes to the 6.5 Gen except replacing the conventional transmission with CVT.
Costee lol more like 300,000 my 6th gen needed a new transmission at 60K.
A new valve body if only you knew back then. But don't get me wrong; the vb was without a doubt a design flaw of the 6th Gen 5speed. The 4speed has generally been without complaints.
I looked into the Infiniti M due to the Maxima being totalled but the cost of parts is very high which makes me second guess not buying a Lexus or Acura (more upfront but cheaper parts)...
I traded the Maxima with 99000 miles on it that fell apart for an Infiniti M even though it gets only 19mpg overall I do not regret it one bit!
I do have a 2006 Infiniti M45 (96k miles), but I'm still holding on to my 2006 Max (120k+ miles) because I still consider it a beauty. Yes I can attest to the fuel-guzzling capabilities of the M.
george__ Parts on the M? they're not high at all hell you know I had it since January but that thing doesn't cost nearly as much as the 6th to maintain. So far only a belt for 18 dollars.
like Costee said the M's MPG will make you wanna jump off a cliff. No No No I couldn't hold on to that 6th no more much as I wanted too leaking stuff every month we kept both maintained like babies . By 2014 I was 9000 in repairs George knows the story.
Last edited by Chris Alexander; Aug 7, 2015 at 02:49 PM.
[QUOTE=Chris Alexander;9065027]Parts on the M? they're not high at all hell you know I had it since January but that thing doesn't cost nearly as much as the 6th to maintain. So far only a serpentine belt for 18 dollars[/QUOTE
Are you kidding me! I got oem of that for $57 way back March 2014. Maybe you meant the power steering belt, which I got for $23.
Costee you're right it was the power steering belt because it was squealing i'm doing this on my I phone so it automatically fills in the blanks/words
A month before I got rid of the Maxima it wouldn't barely start Cam sensors replaced and all, starter replaced
[URL]http://vid30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/thatboichris/100_2476_zpsw90tkl2h.mp4[URL]
The day I brought the M home the dog was confused [IMG]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/maxima.org-vbulletin/640x640/80-untitled_zps2171973f_c1c7119fbbb694c345909203dced1 93c9b68908f.jpg[MG]
I'm either caught in a joke or too drunk for this, but I'm pretty sure that car just started
