I agree that this comparison between the G8 and the 09 Maxima is not a fair one. I have been very interested in this new model Max and therefore have been reading up on it as much as I can. I recently noticed that Lincoln is updating its MKS model, and couldn't help but to notice that they have been paying attention to the new Max's style. Check out this link and tell me what you guys think. http://www.lincoln.com/reachhigher/?searchid=426441|23381565|171490984

 

I may have missed this but when do they find their way into showrooms? I really wanted to take of of these for a test drive...

 

In thinking sort of along the lines of BluFlame, I would have loved to see the Sport version of the '09 Maxima with summer performance tires tested against the V6 version of the Pontiac. Since the only things being tested were accelleration, handling and braking, at least that would have been sporty V6 against sporty V6, and such a test would have some meaning.


Edit - Sal - June 26 is the day they go on sale.

 

IMO, the exterior looks somewhat like a Hyundai Genesis, especially from the sides, rear and top. The interior is not bad but the styling is certainly not as eye catching as the 08 Cadillac CTS. While the MKS seems to have more features (for e.g. heated and cooled both front seats, heated rear seats, available AWD) than the Maxima, its fuel economy of 17/24 will not be a great feature.

Its funny how all auto manufacturers now-a-days tend to create very aggressive looking front but fail miserably (including the 09 Maxima). IMO, the only two auto makers to really pull the aggressive look off with some elegance are BMW and Audi.

 

I agree with you on that, but this car is more comparable to the new Maxima. They even threw in a dual panel moonroof. The price is probably going to be a few g's more than the Maxima though. (Since Nissan has not disclosed pricing on the 09) I will probably check this Lincoln out and then test drive the 09 Max to do some some cross shopping between two FWD luxury yet sporty sedans. They put in a 3.7 litre and all they could get was 270 something HP, this is going to be a fun comparison. (I hope the Max doesn't disapoint)

 

......... idk, i read somewhere 14.7 stock n: but other than performance, the looks is not so great to me, like someone stated before, the audi's and the new bmw 3 series is where its at, but of coarse a bmw and a max is a mismatch...

 

The 7th gen offers cooled front seats as well....

 

Cars.com Review

http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research....ection=reviews

 

Cooled front seat. Only the drivers is cooled. At least according to the "brochure" that I got in the mail.

 

Yes, that is what I knew.

 

That's correct, only the drivers seat is cooled. Based on these reviews and the initial press release from Nissan, I'm confused . Am I wrong or didn't Nissan originally say that the rear disk brakes would be vented? Nowhere in all of the magazine reviews that I have read have they made mention of that. Now this last review from Cars.com says that the SV with the Sport package will not be offered with the dual panel moonroof. That sucks, one of the main draws for me was the dual panel moonroof, but of course I have to have the Sport package, which won't be available in that trim. I mean I can get the SV with the Dual Panel Moonroof and just throw some after market 19's or 20's on it, but I'm not going to be getting the same driving experience as someone with the Sport Package. That sucks !! I don't know, all of a sudden that Lincoln MKS is starting to look a little better and better. Damn It Nissan!!!!!!!! Oh and another thing, I previously saw pics of the gauges and noticed that the RPM and MPH gauges had a red light that followed the RPM and MPH needle as it rose but have yet t o see that again in review mag pics, whats up with that? Has anybody else seen that?

 

MKS starts at $38K+.

Not for me.

 

Oops my bad! At least there's one...

 

The dual-panel roof is heavy, and we don't want extra weight up high on the sports-equipped version. Kelsey Mays (the reviewer in the referenced article) made it rather clear the Sports option is a more proficient performer than the base or premium versions if you are pushing things. Which again illustrates just how very weird it was for the really stupid Motor Trend reviewer to test a lesser non-sport version of the Maxima against the rough SIX LITRE V8 G8 rocket.

I saw another review of the G8 yesterday (a 'standalone' test - not against another vehicle), and the reviewer got 15 MPG overall in the G8 while he had it. I am not surprised. The MPG estimate for the G8 sounds suspicious for a SIX litre engine.

Kelsey Mays also said the Altima is no longer a car to compare against the Maxima, as the Maxima now has an upscale 'luxury' interior and a better performing and riding chassi. He said the new Maxima chassi was 'significantly more refined' than Maxima's competitors. He said the Altima had a 'choppy' ride. I smiled when he said the TL Type 'S' had a 'brittle' ride.

 

Contradictory statements yet again. So which is it few, or none?

 

MAXIMAK99 - At the time of the first referenced presentation, the implication given by the Nissan presenter was not specific, but gave the impression Nissan had decided the double panel roof was not a good thing to have on a sports version of the Maxima. Since he did not pin this down specifically, I couldn't say specifically that 'NO' dual-panel roofs would be on the 'Sports' version of the '09 Maxima. In Kelsey May's article, however, he says the double-panel roof will not be used on the sports version, period.

The statements are not as contradictory as they are nebulously incongruent. On balance, I think that when we finally receive the official brochure in a week or two, we will find the double-panel roof is not available on the 'Sports' version. I certainly understand Nissan's thinking with this. The extra weight up high would clearly detract from any lateral handling performance test.

 

When the new Altima came out in 2007, these people had every bad thing to say about the 2007 Maxima. It was true that the Maxima had less hp/torque than the Altima, the Altima had an updated platform and almost all features as the Maxima and even some more (like rearview monitor, side mirror turn signals, etc.) The Altima was eventually rated as Consumer Reports top ranked midpriced sedan.

Now that the 2009 Maxima has come out with a refined interior, a little more hp/torque than the Altima V6, and a few more features, these people have started publishing how the Altima is inferior to the Maxima. There should not be any doubt that the new Altima or even the midcycle refresh will come with almost all features as the 09 Maxima. In other words, there is absolutely nothing in this Maxima that the Altima cannot inherit.

Like the Altima, will this Maxima become Consumer Reports (or similar) top ranked sedan in its price range? That is the true test for the 09 Maxima, not what some people say.

 

bb700092 - Like you, I will be very interested in what Consumer Reports has to say about the '09 Maxima. One little hitch here is that CU has the same problem many on this board, as well as the public at large, has: It is not easy to determine exactly which vehicles the Maxima is competing against. Now that the Altima is paired against the Accord/Camry class, the near-luxury Maxima is probably going to be paired against the G35, TL, Avalon, Lucerne, CTS, etc, although around where I live, the Maxima costs nearer the price of the Altima when these cars are all comparably equipped.

At any rate, I predict that testers testing the '09 Maxima with 'Sports' package and optional summer performance tires will rave about the new Maxima, while those testing the entry or SV or 'Premium' package equipped versions will say very nice things, but not rave.

 

Lightonthehill...do you work for Nissan, or something?

 

NYPD-Arnold - No, I don't work for Nissan. I am retired from 35 years in Information Technology, and spend my time landscaping my property and trying to do a little farming. I also do some writing, do occasional research projects, have owned nothing but Maximas since '84, and Datsuns (predecessor to Nissan) for years before that. I do spend time on nissanusa, and like to visit the asembly line at the Smyrna factory, especially as a new generation is arriving. Yes, you should keep in mind that I am very prejudiced in favor of the Maxima. I can't seem to help that.

 

I've just been sitting back reading and digesting all what's being typed and I see the good in both rifs on who's who and what's what.

Just my 2cents:
I think the Pontiac G8 will be a hit, the reviews about it are positive and those who are shopping for it are looking for what it provides. Nissan has led us to believe that the New Maxima will be a "4DSC" again but for many "4DSC" doesn't mean the same thing. I believe the Maxima will be a hit but will it be a "4DSC" that's up to debate. I think most of us were expecting alot more from Nissan. Nissan is in this to make money not to please a few enthusiast who's purchasing dollars haven't been too beneficial for Nissan. The 350Z is a sports car. The GT-R is a sports car. The Maxima is a legend in its own mind, amongst the faithful. But its not a sports car. I like the styling of the car and the interior is definitely an upgrade from previous generation. However, the debate really isn't whether it's a nice car for the money, it's is it a "4DSC" and the answer is no...not in its present form. Ladies and Gents don't waste your time bickering back and forth about something we don't control. It is what it is... The G8 is a beast and the Maxima just happens to look beautiful next to it.. Enjoy them for what they really are... and if money isn't an object, then buy both.

I owned a current generation Maxima, white with winter frost interior.. that car was nice.. I always felt like new money when I drove it. I never once considered it a sports car... but it was fast... got it up to 135 mph and then eased up... It drove well had plenty of room and didn't cost me a arm and a leg. The new Maxima will be better than my old Maxima in terms of interior refinements and more power but other than a few people, who the heck is going to drive their Maxima like a sports car-in America. Actually when I see these Maximas on this site that are lowered and tuned out I just shake my head and think, why spend extra money and try to make something more than it is rather than just buy what you really want in the first place. Just save your money and then you can get a real "4DSC" later on. I understand being an enthusiast but if you can't afford what you really want and then bash what's available then I think you have the problem. This is the reason why we're in a recession and paying a bunch on gas, we as a society feel like we have to spend spend spend, why the heck do we need to buy a new car every 3-5 years if the one we're in works fine? We all know the answer to that...therefore we continually feed the big machine and thus have created our own suffering. These are just cars..transportation and for the most part if you try to use them for what they're capable of you'll get a fine, put in jail, cause harm to others, or end up dead. Yet we continually whine about gas prices but yet we won't buy a practical sensible car that will serve you and your family's well. Then we sit here and argue back and forth about trivial things. Young men and women are dying defending this way of life, my Service Men and Women, get a grip people and check yourselves. We as society need to get back to the basics and stop living high up on the hog.

In other words we don't need 200+ horsepower to drive to and from. The more we spend on this vise, the more homes are being foreclosed, the more expensive food and other items become...all because of our greed/need for a way to show our affluence with a car that does more than what we need and cost more than most people need to spend.

Okay I'm done... for now.

Call me Sgt Klutch from now on, proudly serving my country and the USAF.

 

I've just been sitting back reading and digesting all what's being typed and I see the good in both rifs on who's who and what's what.

Just my 2cents:
I think the Pontiac G8 will be a hit, the reviews about it are positive and those who are shopping for it are looking for what it provides. Nissan has led us to believe that the New Maxima will be a "4DSC" again but for many "4DSC" doesn't mean the same thing. I believe the Maxima will be a hit but will it be a "4DSC" that's up to debate. I think most of us were expecting alot more from Nissan. Nissan is in this to make money not to please a few enthusiast who's purchasing dollars haven't been too beneficial for Nissan. The 350Z is a sports car. The GT-R is a sports car. The Maxima is a legend in its own mind, amongst the faithful. But its not a sports car. I like the styling of the car and the interior is definitely an upgrade from previous generation. However, the debate really isn't whether it's a nice car for the money, it's is it a "4DSC" and the answer is no...not in its present form. Ladies and Gents don't waste your time bickering back and forth about something we don't control. It is what it is... The G8 is a beast and the Maxima just happens to look beautiful next to it.. Enjoy them for what they really are... and if money isn't an object, then buy both.

I owned a current generation Maxima, white with winter frost interior.. that car was nice.. I always felt like new money when I drove it. I never once considered it a sports car... but it was fast... got it up to 135 mph and then eased up... It drove well had plenty of room and didn't cost me a arm and a leg. The new Maxima will be better than my old Maxima in terms of interior refinements and more power but other than a few people, who the heck is going to drive their Maxima like a sports car-in America. Actually when I see these Maximas on this site that are lowered and tuned out I just shake my head and think, why spend extra money and try to make something more than it is rather than just buy what you really want in the first place. Just save your money and then you can get a real "4DSC" later on. I understand being an enthusiast but if you can't afford what you really want and then bash what's available then I think you have the problem. This is the reason why we're in a recession and paying a bunch on gas, we as a society feel like we have to spend spend spend, why the heck do we need to buy a new car every 3-5 years if the one we're in works fine? We all know the answer to that...therefore we continually feed the big machine and thus have created our own suffering. These are just cars..transportation and for the most part if you try to use them for what they're capable of you'll get a fine, put in jail, cause harm to others, or end up dead. Yet we continually whine about gas prices but yet we won't buy a practical sensible car that will serve you and your family's well. Then we sit here and argue back and forth about trivial things. Young men and women are dying defending this way of life, my Service Men and Women, get a grip people and check yourselves. We as society need to get back to the basics and stop living high up on the hog.

In other words we don't need 200+ horsepower to drive to and from. The more we spend on this vise, the more homes are being foreclosed, the more expensive food and other items become...all because of our greed/need for a way to show our affluence with a car that does more than what we need and cost more than most people need to spend.

Okay I'm done... for now.

Call me Sgt Klutch from now on, proudly serving my country and the USAF for over 15 years.

 

Sgt Klutch,

While you made some good points, you have to realize certain things:

1. Economy of a country/society thrives by the rotation of money. If people stop buying a car every 3-5 years and wait until the current car fails to move (which will happen for most Japanese cars after 300k miles/20 yrs or even more), then the auto makers have nothing much to manufacture, hence nothing much to sell, as a result almost no profit leading to end of business. This is true for everything including cars. So for a company to survive, the process of buying and selling has to go on very actively. So, that Americans tend to buy a new car every 3-5 years is not such a bad thing after all, at least from an economical perspective.

2. The people who are arguing over things in this forum (or any forum for that matter), for e.g. the 4DSC, are actually friends with a common interest -- the Maxima. People learn from other people's views and opinions which is a very efficient way of learning while having fun. No one visits a forum because he has to, one does only because he loves to. Even though everyone knows nothing is going to change by their opinion, no one is wasting their time here because everyone is having fun.

3. When you buy a house, don't you desire to decorate it according to your liking? Or, do you just leave it the way it was the day you bought it? When you see Maximas on this site that are lowered and tuned, that is because of the same reason why some people love to decorate their houses.

You have made a very good point in that we should stop desiring for gas-guzzling high hp/torque vehicles. Unfortunately, most people think -- I have enough money to afford $10/gal gas; so why wouldn't I drive a vehicle that has 700 hp/700 lb-ft tq and a mpg rating of 8/12? What they need to realize is that the total oil wealth of the world is finite. If someone is using it faster, the price of oil goes up faster and everyone is having to pay higher price, even the one who is driving a Prius (he spent additional money to use gas slower). Thus, the person who thinks of himself as rich (and of course, smart) enough to be able to afford $10/gal gas is actually hurting others severely which should not be allowed to happen in a civilized society. Needless to say, he is an idiot and doesn't realize that at all. I do not feel very proud to say that in USA, unfortunately, there are a lot of such idiots with a lot of money in their pockets.

 

BB,

I understand where you're coming from and it seems as though you know where I'm coming from. I understand about being an enthusiast or wanting to make what you have better. I'm for that but with restraint. I got the house I could afford, for example, however, I have yet to try to make it look like the house that I always dreamed of. Meanwhile, the improvements that I made or decorating that I chose to do will not put me in the poor house. The point I'm trying to make overall is simple, we need to police ourselves and put pressure on the manufacturers to make a better product that we all can live with. I don't want to be made to feel that I have made a purchase that is detrimental to my financial well being, in the case of working just to be able to afford to get to work. I'm not rich but I am good to go financially. I'm at this point, through the grace of God, with patience and restraint. I can buy quite a few things but just because I can doesn't mean I should. My thing is when I see people spending all this money on a car and not to use the car as it was intended makes no sense. That's why I fell back and looked at the Altima S instead of the Maxima or Altima SE. I haven't logged on to this site in awhile but I read it everyday (because I like the Maxima). I know/want people to enjoy their lives and if that means having a nice premium car that will drastically drain them financially then that's on them. But as our society continues to spend excess amounts of money like we have it like that then the power that be can dictate to us as they so choose and drive up costs of living. Case in point, when the demand for oil goes up prices go up... we need to keep in mind that China is on the brink of a car buying bonanza in the next few years. I visited Beijing in April and lets just say VW was the predominant car I saw. This is about to change, I saw alot of GM products and more companies are pouring in now that China is allowing this to happen. China has a whole lot of "enthusiasts" waiting to use what little precious oil there is left. Trust me, gas prices now aren't nothing compared to what they will be and most of us will not see a good enough pay raise to compensate for it. Just food for thought. If you're buying a new Maxima make sure you're ready for the cost of ownership, especially if you plan on driving it for the next 5 years.

Sgt Klutch

 

To be fair, I do have a project car that I have fixed up. Once again it didn't put me in the poor house, I don't have a car payment, and it takes regular or premium. I've decided that this car is noy just a project car but it will be my daily driver. I ordered a new transmission with overdrive so I can get better hwy mileage. I'm going to heed my own advice and make the changes myself. I wanted a new Vette or Camaro but I don't think those are now in the cards. A storm is coming and I'm hunkering down for the long haul... But I will continue to read this site and check out those of you who will buy the New Maxima as you rant and rave about them. Like I said, I like the Maxima and I'm an enthusiast... just on a new budget....

 

Am I the only one who thinks buying a maxima is pointless now, 2 more thousand, and you have your self a g35..Sure you may not have all the options, but you have the leather and the styling, and for some thats more then enough..plus, g35 has such a better aftermarket then us, and its RWD..I just don't understand the pricing of the maxima and g35..atleast make the maxima look worthwhile to buy..i still regret my maxima..ah well.

 

blackmax07 - What you say about the G35 will be true for some folks. But it is not completely fair to compare a base G35 with a loaded Maxima. I could drive a Sentra if I didn't want the extra room, comfort, and amenities of the Maxima, including heated steering wheel (an absolute must for my old hands) and air conditioned driver's seat (my fanny has roasted long enough). I also have a very strong preference for FWD. The local dealer wanted approximately $3,200 more for the G35 equipped the way I wanted than I paid for my Maxima, and the driver's seat and back seat did not feel as roomy.

Granted, the used G35 retains value well. But I have dealt with the same Nissan dealer for almost 15 years, know everybody there, and they have paid me very well for my used Maximas every time I trade one in. I think this is because I have all service done there, and they know any Maxima I bring in will be in perfect mechinacal condition, totally spotless and ding-free. They also know I am willing to talk to any prospective buyer who may be curious as to the history of a car I have traded in. I try to make their job easy.

So, for me, the Maxima is clearly a better deal. For others, especially those who may prefer RWD and/or the more upscale image of the Infiniti brand, the G35 would clearly be the better choice.

 

blackmax07 -- Within a few days, either we will have most people thinking like you (i.e. buying the 09 Max is pointless) or you will change your mind. It all depends on the price tag on the 09 Max. This is the most crucial decision Nissan can make to launch this car.

BTW, what is it about your 07 Max that you regret so much?

 

G35 back seats are too small(for me). Everything else I love about the car.

 

Looking at the interior photos of the new Max, I don't see the parking brake.Is there a electronic parking brake?

 

Foot brake....no so 4DSC if you ask me!!

Bottom left:

 

Just one more little step in the move from 'upper middle' class to 'near luxury' class. Many luxury cars have the foot-operated parking brake, as this helps clean up the console area, as well as opening up a tad more easily accessed storage area there.

I kinda like the foot-operated parking brake, because I drive my wife's trucks, and they have the same arrangement.

 

Are you a midget? My 2004 without sunroof has barely sufficient headroom and I am only 1.8 m (5'11") tall. If they lower the roof line anymore, the car will be completely undrivable.

 

Auto page review. I think this guy kind of likes the new maxima.


http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...16/090119.html

 

groston - I have an '04 (just like you), am 5' 11" (just like you) and have a power sunroof (just like you). If I put the driver's seat at its highest setting, then the roof can come too close to my head. But I usually have the driver's seat at its lowest setting, and I can easily pass my hand between my head and the cabin ceiling.

The front passenger seat has no vertical adjustment, and I noticed that my 6' 1" son's head was less than one inch from the cabin ceiling while he was in the passenger seat today. That was the first time I had thought about headroom in my '04.

--------------

maxger - To say that Heilig loved the new Maxima would be an understatement. He stated that he was not of that fixated school of thought that required a manual tranny in a 4DSC. As a result, he loved everything about this car, especially playing with the new CVT, the handling, the interior, the power and the dramatic styling.

We have had at least half a dozen reviews now. So far, the worst was Motor Trend's faux (and utterly stupid) 'test' of the base Maxima against the G8 designed for no other purpose than to say 'I told you a FWD CVT has no chance against a V8 powerhouse muscle car with RWD and manual.' Most of the others ranged from rather positive to very positive. But this latest one you referenced (by Heilig) is about as complimentary as any I have ever read about any car.

I am really looking forward to my '09 Maxima!

 

The New Maxima is not a 4DSC. Because Maxima used to outperform every sedan in its price range and even above its range threfore it deserved to be called a 4DSC. This one doesnt! And if you look at all the reviews done on all previous gens of the maxima, most of them review the manual version than the automatic version. Manual = more fun, automatic = less fun. They should have concentrated more on performance rather than luxury if they were aiming to reclaim the 4DSC title. The acceleration times could have been better. My friends 07 Camry V6 does 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. Cmon a camry? Even my friends 02 max does 0-60 in 6 seconds. But there are rumors going on that the G 35 sedan will be upgraded with the 3.7L engine and be called the G 37. If that happens what would happen to the current 3.5 in the G 35? Hope it goes to the rumored SR version of the Maxima! Then it will be a different story! Then again Who knows! I really like the new looks of the Maxima though! I am not as much as a maxima enthusiast as people who have posted above. But I still Iam a maxima enthusiast. Most of my friends and relatives own maxima's. Half of them own it cause of my recommendation. But the current Gas prices are forcing my friends to trade in thier Maximas to get a better MPG car. Even though it offers decent mileage its not good enough for them or me! But we are forcing ourselfs to grab on.

 

I think most people know the G8 is powerful and will do well. The problem is that some want to bring the Maxima back down to that level for a speed comparison. Chicks know the difference between a Nice Car and a Go Cart. Being a grown man now I have to consider what the ladys like and what I like too,most chicks like luxury.

Now if the G8 had Buick features and interior design than it would be more of a Maxima comparison. If the G8 had last years Caddillac features than the Maxima would have a problem.

We are the ones trying to drag race our Maxima's not Nissan.

 

LOL. Where do you live where chicks still look at what you drive?
Last time I pulled a chick with my car was 4 years ago.

 

Who said going quick was about chiks? its a littile but that stuff doesnt work anymore! Chiks now doesnt care what u drive! may be some of em! Maxima was all about performance and luxury thats why it was a hit. If it was just luxury the avalon has a better ride than the Maxima. Maxima is more on the performance side, it always has been. So 0-60 matters a lot to be called a 4DSC. 6.1 is quick enough for me but its not quick enough to beat the competetions like G8 or the Type-S! So if you want 40% Performance and 60% luxury Maxima is the car for you. Maximas used to be 60% performace and 40% Luxury. All around its a great car and has always been and hope it always will be. The New Maxima does offer some awsome gadgets and I applaud the guys who where in charge of that department. Great Work & Idea. Even though most of it is a copy from the infiniti.

 

Not if you get stuck in traffic on a daily basis.