NismoMax80 - You are correct; the '09 with 'Sport' package has both front and rear stabilizer bars.

DeusExMaxima - The base 'S' comes in cloth, but Nissan does not expect to sell as many 'S' versions as 'SV' or 'SV' with sport or premium package. You were driving the 'SV', which is available only with leather. The rear spoiler is standard with the 'sport' package, but could probably be added to any level '09 by ordering from your dealer's parts department. The turning circle for the '09 is a full four feet tighter than for the 6th gen; That is a very impressive improvement.

 

<----You can even hear the exhaust note change if you open the window passed 80mph. It just doesnt seem that the CVT was not designed with performance in mind. Which is fine for most, but at least give us the OPTION.

 

RacerX1320 - Please do not judge the '09 CVT by the old ones in the '08 Maxima and Altima. This '09 has a redesigned tranny, and those who are test-driving it have so far said the gasping that used to show up at around 70 MPH is GONE, and they sailed right on to 85 MPH without the slightest whimper.

We need to understand that, even though many of us know the manual is more fun, the CVT is the tranny of the future, because, as it is gradually improved, it will outperform ALL shifting trannies in both accelleration and fuel economy, and those are two very important stats.

 

Really enjoyed reading everyone's impressions. Need to go drive one myself now...

I've driven the Altima with the CVT, thought it worked quite well, and certainly better than earlier CVTs.

It'll be interesting to see if JATCO decided they took the wrong path, and eventually drop the CVT, or if they continue to develop it.

 

Seems cloth was more readily available on the 6th Gen, no? The turning circle was impressive. I wonder why our cars turn so poorly?

I do want to add to my critique that, stylistically, the rear is pretty nice. The LED tails give it more of an updated look, and they are more stylish. The front doesnt do much for me. The rims look like milder Altima SE-R rims. I love the steering wheel. It is thicker and smaller than 6th Gen st. wheel and givesit a sporty feel. I would have liked to try the paddle shifting but they didnt allow anyone to drive it unless you bought it first. Good ole stealerships . . .

 

I did a test drive today and here is my experience:

I had been going back and forth via email with the internet manager and decided on 12:30PM today for a test drive. So me and a buddy who is also interested in the Maxima arrived between 12:15 and 12:20 and the internet manager was not there. The sales manager said "If he made the appointment with you he'll be here, but I'll call him anyway". Long story short, dude never showed! That's a great first impression!!

The test drive:

They had two silver Maxima's one was an SV Sport and the other was an S. When the associate took us to the S, I asked if we could test drive the SV and he said that someone has the key and they are not there right now and then asked if we had a couple of hours to wait. I said let's test the S and get this going along.

The cabin is really nice and pleasant. It feels tight but not in an uncomfortable way, it was like everything was in reach and I LOVED the shift lever being so close. It was a nature feeling position. The wheel was excellent feeling in my hands and it felt like I had been driving it forever. It was weird using the push button start, but I liked it!!

The look out front is deceiving because you can't see the front corners, but it was also very open with no obstructions. The catamaran hood added a sports car feel when you looked out and over. NICE. There was good visibility all around too!

This is my first time driving a car with CVT, but I found no difference in the way it felt compared to my XTERRA when I was driving home. The same "drone" that others talked about, I heard on my Xterra and I keep it in tip top shape. There was no torque steer! NONE! I was at a light and when it changed, I took off and the car went in a straight line and this was starting to go up a hill!! EXCELLENT Nissan!!

The acceleration was great and the handling was great. The ride was smooth and quiet with the exception of the really HARD bumps, but even those were kind of muted. The sales guy sat in the back and he was way taller than myself. I had the seat moved all the way back and the back cushion in a comfortable position for me and he still had plenty of knee room and to confirm, my buddy got in the back when we got back to the dealership and he had plenty of legroom also and he is a tall guy too! He gave it a "thumbs up".

The passenger side had a lot of leg and foot room and that seat was all the was back also.

I REALLY want to drive the SV Sport package next!!

As far as the dealer is concerned, I won't be getting one from them, because if the Internet manager can't keep an appointment, I'm taking that as a red flag!!

And as usual I knew more about the car than the sales guy who rode with us! Dude asked me how I heard of the car, and I politely said that I had been following the car since it was announced and even drove to NY to see it at the auto show! He was shocked to say the least.

This was DARCARS Nissan in College Park, MD! Yes I'm putting them out there!!

Sorry for the long post!!

 

Oh, I really liked the rear seats- very snug and comfortable. Double sunroof was very awkward looking.

 

drakutis - I realize the failure of the Internet Manager to show was not cool. But instead of using this as a 'writeoff', I would attempt to use it as a tad of leverage and continue dealing with them (as well as with other dealers). Make them feel you were wronged, and that they need to do something to make this up to you.

Your test report was very impressive when we consider you were driving the rock-bottom 'S'. Thanks for taking the time to fill us in.

 

Light,

That is a good thought! I'm pretty sure I could make them feel bad if I bring up that the sales manager was too busy fussing at the rep who rode with us before they even acknowledged that we were there! And then continued to fuss at the guy afterwards, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I really felt sorry for the rep because he was an older guy and he seemed so lost to me, like he was being forced to make a sale. (imagine that!)

 

I just drove an 09 Maxima on Saturday. Beaverton Nissan had just received it (it was the only one they had) on Wednesday or Thursday. It was a black (best color) Maxima S with no paddle shifters or Navigation (pretty much base model). The MSRP was just over 33K with a $1900 dealer addition.
I know that many of you don't care for the styling, but I like it a lot and I must say that it looked even better in person. The interior is very nice but the back seat seemed a little smaller that my 01, but not too bad (good headroom). The interior was black leather and the sticker did not say anything about a leather option. I'm guessing that leather is standard. The seats are very comfortable and supportive. The thigh adjustment gives long legged drivers (I'm 6' 4") good support and the front has a little more rear travel than my Max (easy to get comfortable).
I really liked the push button starter and it had a nice throaty exhaust sound. I was very impressed driving it. That engine really responds. I did not notice any torque steer, but I didn't really stand on it. The CVT in manual mode (6 speeds) is truly amazing. The upshifts and downshifts are immediate and seamless (absolutely no slipping like on a standard AT). The ride is comfortable but firm and it is very quiet and solid. This is without the sport package.
I gotta tell you that I was very impressed and eventually I will probably upgrade. Even tho it doesn't come with a 6MT, this car is fun to drive in manual mode and nice in auto mode for traffic (no annoying downshifts and upshifts in traffic). In manual mode, you just tap the shifter forward for upshifts and touch it back for down shifts. It automatically goes to 1st when you stop, so you can't start in 2nd. The paddle shifters would have been more fun. I understand the desire for a 6MT, but this CVT ain't that bad and the shifts are immediate (kind of like a close ratio MT, but without the clutch.
As you can tell, I was very impressed. Regardless of how you feel about styling, this is a very nice car. BTW the hood didn't bother me at all. I thought it was kinda cool.

 

2k1seae - The baes 'S' comes with cloth, with no option for leather. The 'SV' comes with leather, with no option for cloth. Are you sure you weren't in an 'SV'? The SV has leather, but no paddles, etc.

By the way, I loved your report! Great work.

 

Lightonthehill - The sales manager said it was a base model. I'll have to go back and check the sticker, but given the price, it seemed like a base model and I didn't notice any packages, and I assumed it was the S model. Regardless, I really liked this car. I will definitely consider 'upgrading', possibly when the 2010 comes out. Hey, maybe they will have a 30th Anniversary Edition.

Edit:
I just went to nissanusa and built a Maxima. You are right about the leather seats (but you already knew that). The model I tested was a base SV.

 

2k1seae - There was another reason I felt sure you were testing an SV; the price. You were talking MSRP around $33K (with dealer addition). That is 'SV' territory. A base 'S' has an MSRP of $29,290.

------

Rambling a little, the invoice on the base 'S' is $26,832. If we add the $660 destination charge, we get $27,492. With current economic conditions, by January (maybe even by Thanksgiving), I would expect even a so-so negotiator to be able to drive a base 'S' 2009 Maxima off almost any dealer's lot for under $28,000 plus tag, title and taxes.

The invoice on the 'SV' is $29301. With destination of $660, that is $29,961. An 'SV' Maxima should be readily obtainable at any dealer by this winter (maybe sooner) for under $30,500 plus tag, title and taxes. That would be a fine car for the money.

The invoice on an 'SV' with Sport package would be $29,301 plus $1995, which is $31,296. By January (by fall at some dealers), even this very desirable combo should be available for around $31,800 plus tag, title and taxes. That would be a heck of a lot of car for the money.

The invoice on an 'SV' with Premium package would be $29,301 plus $2993,which is $32,294. This should be readily had for around $32,800 on any dark, cold weekday evening this coming winter. Much sooner at some dealers.

Of course those of us who are very astute negotiators will beat even the prices I suggested above, especially if we hit a dealership or salesperson trying to meet a sales quoto, which usually happens late every month. By the time the 2010 Maxima arrives late next summer, all '09s should be available below invoice with almost no negotiation.

 

Phew, haven't been on here in ages. I left the org about a year and a half ago when I got a BMW 325i, but I still work at the same Nissan dealership that I worked at back when I had my 4G.

So we got the new Maxima 2 weeks ago, but it honestly didn't look that impressive to me. But I drove it today and I thought for old time's sake, I'd review the fully loaded one I drove here.

First Impressions:
The new styling isn't neither offensive nor breathtaking. It's not especially beautiful, but it's not ugly either. The 6th generation Maxima looked gangster and baller but the new one seems to try too hard to blend sportiness with luxury and ends up with a bit of a mishmash.

Whatever, it looks fine.

Getting in the car, you notice that the Maxima has a very similar dashboard layout to the Murano, which is no bad thing. The seats are very very comfortable and even the backseats have "buckets" that you sink into and hug your body. The steering wheel looks a little goofy, but it's the perfect size and has a nice feel to it, the paddles fit perfectly behind your fingers as well.

My only complaint is that the dash materials don't feel very high quality. The whole dash panel and the center console was made of the same material you get in a $21,945 Altima. Not very nice when you're spending 38k.

Enough with the boring stuff, let's get on with the drive. And this is the kind of test drive that only salesmen get

The push button start is the same as on a bunch of new Nissans now, but upon starting the engine, you aren't really rewarded with a cool sound. You just get the sound of an engine. Nothing special. No burbles, no wailing, nothing.

The steering feels artificially light like the Altima, but not as bad. It does tighten up a bit at higher speeds, but it's still missing a lot of road feel. The CVT ramps up power very smoothly, but you really don't get that feeling of torque and power that you got with 5AT Maximas. The VDC is a bit intrustive as it cut power while I was turning and accelerating over rough pavement.

I immediately drove to the backroad near my dealership and gave it all it had. It got up to 100 with no problem, but didn't exactly SHOVE me into the back of the seat. CVT is smooth and all, but it just doesn't plaster a smile on your face. I neared the side road (which is like an offramp) leading back to my dealership going about 100 with the VDC off when I turned in and braked and to my surprise, this FWD car with ABS actually went sideways on me for a moment. There was a LOT of tire squeal and a bit of panic for me, but it wasn't too terribly hard to correct. Just very surprising since the only car that I had experienced this in was a non-ABS Nissan Versa on a very wet onramp. I didn't expect it in a new top of the line Maxima (even though the VDC was turned off).

So, pulled back in with the scent of burning rubber coming through the vents and reflected.

If it were my 38k, I'd look elsewhere. CVT takes away the fun. The interior really doesn't feel 38k special. The improvements over the 7G just don't really justify buying one when there are better alternatives out there.

However. If you still want one, I'll sell you one for cheap at Colonial Nissan in Medford, MA.

 

Impressive review very interesting.

 

at least we got feedback from a nissan employee.

 

What did you want? Nissan's flagship family sedan to growl/show some muscle???

 

Considering the monstrous looking dual exhaust tailpipes on the Maxima, one would expect a LITTLE bit of noise. Even half a G35 would have been nice, but nothing.

 

nosispower - Thanks for the report. We appreciate any feedback we can get here.

I realize you work at a Nissan dealer, but you don't seem to have been reading all the material that came out this past year regarding the '09 Maxima. This '09 is NOT the Maxima of the past. Those days are still available in the 3.5 Altima with manual, but are truly over for the Maxima. The Maxima is now a flagship sports-luxury passenger sedan, not a true sports car.

The '09 has much better insulation and other forms of sound deadening than its predecessors. In fact, the first test versions were so completrely soundproofed there was no sound of the engine reaching the passenger compartment. Nissan fixed this by transmitting some sound from the engine intake area into the passenger compartment. Nissan said the sound you (and Maxima fans of bygone days) were looking for would be inappropriate in a sporty near-luxury family sedan. I agree with Nissan on this. The exhaust sound heard outside the car has also been 'tuned' to have a richer warble than previous Maximas.

Your report on accelleration mentioned that the new Maxima did not SHOVE you back into your seat, and didn't have the feeling of torque or power the 5AT had. Actually, I have seen in two places that the '09 Maxima is posting better elapsed times than predecessors with 5AT. The 'SHOVE' you remember was more from the jerk of a shifting tranny (especially a manual tranny) than it was pure power. The CVT just does things more smoothly, with less lost time and energy because there is no shift-point lapse. Most here who have actually driven the new CVT have enjoyed playing with the paddles, and had nice things to say about it.

Of course you mentioned the 'fun of the manual'. Yes, the manual has been great fun for almost a century, but is currently being bypassed by the CVT in both fuel efficiency and accelleration. The manual will soon be an anacronism still available in limited numbers in some vehicles for those who are not ready to move to the more efficient CVT.

Nissan addressed the ongoing complaint that the Maxima dash was plain old plastic by using a new soft-feel material that most folks on the ORG seem to appreciate. I thought it felt very nice, yet functional. I certainly felt it was clearly above the quality of the Altima dash. Most reviewers both here and in the auto mags say the interior of the '09 is much improved. Of course there will be a few who don't like it.

As for the 'sideways' bit, this car was designed to be operated with the VDC ON. There may be times and situations where we may want it off, but I can't imagine why one would EVER have it off at speeds above 50 MPH, and it is begging for trouble to drive with it off at 95 MPH. I have not had mine off in over four years. The VDC has far quicker and more accurate reactions than a human has. It would not have let you go sideways.

You may not be enthralled by the '09 styling, but many certainly are, especially once they see it in person. I didn't see you mention the new athletic 'figure eight' shape. Did you notice it? Styling is, after all, subjective, and what may be beautiful to most folks will always be so-so to a few. Some folks don't like the Mona Lisa. Such is life.

As for 'better alternatives out there', I have found NOTHING better than the Maxima for the price. Every time I think I may be onto something, either the driveout is well above the Maxima's, or the reliability of the other car is poor, or the other car just doesn't have all the goodies the Maxima has.

But then there will always be a few folks who either have to have a shifting tranny, or feel the BMW or Lexus or Caddy image does more for them. Those who need that reinforcement should not be looking at anything as practical as the Maxima. But we still need to hear their impressions after driving it. Every opinion counts.

 

Light,

Very well said. I always look for posts from you because you never fail to keep it interesting!!

Keep it up!!

 

drakutis - Thanks for your kind remarks. I may have been a little over the top with my comments, but when I saw the dreaded 'still have my BMW' comment preceeding the road test of a Maxima, I guess I overreacted.

Nosispower is a good guy who is simply telling it like he saw it. Nothing wrong with that. He did have some good things to say about the '09 also. He was probably as fair as a BMW driver could ever be. We do need to know how every driver feels about our '09 Maxima.

 

light,

I wish there were more people like you around back when I left the org. Last I remember, the 4G forums were getting filled with a different "crowd" of people. Your reply was very mature and understanding (which is more than I can say about some of the posts on E46fanatics).

I know the Maxima has moved to a different class of vehicle than what it used to be before 2004. However, the problem is that it doesn't quite suceed at being a luxury car. It's not quite special enough and it lacks that "ooo" factor in the luxury department.

That said, the handling is much better than its main rival i.e. the Avalon but the Avalon smokes it in the interior department.

However, my main disagreement is still with your comments about the CVT. It's not just so much the jerk from a downshift that makes the older Maximas feel faster. It's the throttle response. CVTs are sorely lacking in this. I know the car is fast, I honestly do. But little things like throttle response, engine noise, and that "downshift" jerk are what used to convince me that I was truly going fast. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

That said, the paddle shifters are a joy to use and are very responsive. Even if the gear ratios aren't real.

 

nosispower - Thanks for the kind thoughts, although I don't deserve them.

You are far from the only person who has had a little difficulty figuring out exactly where the Maxima fits into the grand scheme of cars. Consumer Reports continues to move it from category to category. Even Nissan had a serious meeting of the minds just over a year ago trying to decide 'where do we take the Maxima?'

Sometimes I feel the 6th and 7th gen Maximas are not exactly in a category with previous Maximas; maybe not even with any other car. For that matter, they almost don't compete with each other; the 7th gen seems headed away from the 6th gen in many ways.

Your report on test-driving the '09 Maxima was probably fairer than a report I might have written after testing a BMW or other car. Most drivers tend to like a lot of things about the car they have chosen to drive. Although I argued against some points of your post, I absolutely read and thought about every detail you posted, because there will be many who see the same things you do with this new Maxima. It is actually good to get reports from a few drivers who have not 'drunk the Nissan/Maxima Kool Aid.'

 

nosispower--- Please tell us the other options to purchase... and why! Thanks for your review. I have never driven a car as fast as you took the new Max so for me the braking and "fishtailing" shouldn't be an issue!

 

Hmmm . . . for 42k I think I'll go find that 04 E55 AMG I was looking at for 40.

469hp/516tq.

 

Just wanted to chime in.

Short intro. I've been waiting for the 7th gen since it was still on the rumor mill, anxiously anticipating the upgrades in handling/performance/refinement the entire time. I also held off on getting a new car, hoping the 7th gen would replace my 5.5. When the first batch of photos and specs came out, i grew even more curious and was relieved to know that the wait was worth it.

Fast forward to the present.

I visited a couple of local dealerships to check them out. This time around, i didn't feel much towards the 7th gen anymore. I'm likely one of the very few who thinks the pictures made the car look better than in real life. I mean, the 7th gen is definitely a looker, and i can see where the quality has noticeably moved up... however, after spending some time with them, it just didn't "hit" me like the 4th and 5th gens did. It didn't talk to me.

It's a nice car with decent performance and all, but it just didn't feel like a Maxima. I can't put my finger on it just yet. I've been thinking about it this whole week but decided to post away for now while i give it some more thought.

To those who bought their Maxima's based on "emotion" and how the car talked to them will likely know what i'm talking about.

 

You're comparing an 09 Maxima with a Benz from 5-6 years ago?

 

lightonthehill posted some invoice prices that, with some negotiation, you should be able to get a decent price, especially if you wait a while. I don't know where the 42K came from.
I'll just add this ... One of the reasons I bought my 91 Maxima is because it was more unique. In other words, not everyone had one, like Honda, Camrey and some others. This was the same for my AE. Another reason was the amount of car for the money. I have to say that from my view this new Maxima offers that value. And if all the people that are dissing the new Max, buy something else, then it will retain some of that uniqueness, which is fine with me. Everyone's entitled to their opinion and this is mine. I'll probably upgrade when the time is right. IMO this Max offers good bang for the buck and the competition is pretty bland or more expensive.

 

Soundmike, I know exactly how you feel. I to anxiously waited for the unveiling of this new Max, and read everything I could bring up online on this car. When it finally debuted I liked it so much, I even went to the Dallas Auto Show to see it in person. After seeing it there I liked it even more. But now that it has arrived at the dealers and I have been able to get in it and go through the whole car, I don't feel as impressed as I once was. Don't get me wrong I still think it's a great looking car and all but it does seem like something is off and not quite there. I don't know why but the car looks better being driven then standing still. I have seen two on the road, one on a city street and one on the freeway, and boy did they look awesome being driven. The one on the freeway had the sport package (which is the one I will probably get) and it brought back that excitement that I thought was missing. Driving behind it, the new Max looked like a sporty coupe, must be that bottle shape figure Light keeps bringing up. Anyway the new Max is still on top of my list for the best bang for your buck even though like nosispower said the interior still leaves a lot to be desired.

 

I test drove a 2009 Max yesterday and have some pics, but I can't start a new thread because I don't have enough replies yet! I'll get it posted soon, somehow.

 

What are your impressions? What version, S or SV? Premium or Sport!

DO TELL!!!

 

Anxious to hear about your test ride!

 

Alright, don't want to "steal" the thread as they say sometimes, but since I can't post a new thread yet I'll chime in. Saturday morning I went to one of the local dealers to check out the 2009 Maxima for the first time and to drive one. The very first one I noticed was a Dark Slate...oh man, that thing looks beautiful...better in person as most have said. It was the exact colors I was interested in...Dark Slate w/ Charcoal leather, but that one had the premium package, technology package...all the goodies. I don't need all that and don't want to spent that much so I figured no use getting comfortable in it!

Next to it was a basic SV Precision Gray/Frost leather w/ Bluetooth. The MSRP was $33,130. Although not the colors I was into, it was closer to the options I figured I'd want so I decided just to drive that one.

Interior - I thought the seats were very comfortable. Not just the softness of the leather but the structure of the seat..some cars you just don't feel like you fit right. This was comfortable to me and I had plenty head room which was one thing I was worried about. I'm 6'1" and my head was not grazing the top or anything and I didn't feel like I was close either. I also sat in the back seat and I had nice head room back there too. When I had the front seat positioned to where I would normally drive and sat in the back it was a bit cramped. I think there was a bit more room in the 2008 but I drove that back in the fall so I don't quite remember. However, there was enough room. I don't have backseat passengers very often anyway. Other things...the steering wheel was so small!! The text on the dash where the navigation system would be was pretty nice...didn't feel like there was a bad "empty space" or anything without the nav. I liked the more traditional gauges like the speedometer, etc much better than the 2008 Maxima. Those were the main things on the interior I can think of.

Exterior - The car looks great in person! That's all I can say. There was no sport package equiped car on the lot so they all had the same wheels. Like I said earlier, I immediately noticed the Dark Slate sitting there...oh man, that thing looked so dangerous!

Drive - You need to know, the car I have now is a 1996 Maxima SE so you can imagine the difference that I felt. It was absolutely mind boggling. The pure power and along with the smoothness of the CVT. When you press the gas that thing goes. That car should be a joy to pass cars on the highway. When you're cruising along and then suddenly push down further on the gas it responds right away.
I really liked the CVT...I had driven a 2008 before so I knew what it was like. I did feel that the 2009 felt lighter on its feet with better handling than the previous generation Maxima. It turns pretty sharp...I guess that's the shorter wheel base. Definately felt like the turn radius is improved. I didn't notice any torque steer. Of course I really didn't push it that hard and we didn't go on a route with many curves at all. The dealership had just moved to a new spot out on the highway so that's pretty much where we stayed. The guy kept telling me to step on it and would then say "aw man, you didn't press it hard enough" ...guess I was a little nervous lol. Overall it was an awesome car to drive.

The one negative was that the steering wheel was very slick. Instead of a softer leather wrapping, the leather is more of a hard, slick surface and it's very slippery. I didn't really like that. But if and when I'd be ready to buy a car that wouldn't cause me to step away from this Maxima.

Overall, this car is flat out awesome. And for all the "normal drivers" out there (I'm not really a car enthusiast like many here), don't get too caught up in all the stats (Was the zero to 60 time 5.8 sec or was it 6.2, etc, etc). The bottom line for me is this car rolls.

I'll post some pics I got of some cars at another local dealer this morning. I wanted to go check out one with the sports package so I went while they were closed.

 

Very nice report, Huricane434.

You are correct that the turning circle of the '09 is better than the '08. Better by a significant four feet, to be exact. You are the first tester to report the steering wheel as slick. Maybe other testers here noticed that, but forgot to mention it. Other testers do love the smaller steering wheel (the size of the one in the 350Z).

Just some friendly advice: don't brag too much on the CVT here on the ORG. Even though you know and I know it is a really improved version, and can be fun to drive if we accept its limitations and appreciate its virtues, there are just too many folks here who will never admit the CVT is now a better tranny than the manual or automatic. They don't want to hear that, so we must try to not antagonize them.

 

never

maybe great for a kei car but not a "sports sedan" the cvt or any automatic just doesnt give the driver confidence when pushed, the maxima drives so great and the chassis and suspension are great but the cvt really does take away from its precision. only if those 'shift times' could have been reduced

 

Thanks, carnal c30; I was afraid my carefully crafted saddleburr was going to be ignored by our manual fans. I expect criticism, but being ignored really hurts.

 

Haha I caught it =o

I was thinking of things Nissan could do and I'm wondering why they didn't, I was driving an 06 murano maybe 07 last year and it had a sport mode on the cvt that kept the revs cookin, something that I missed with the Maxima

I mean I'm still the #1 fan of a manual or a dsg style trans, there's nothing that beats the performance or feel or confidence of being in control but atleast a sport mode cvt and faster 'shifts' could be possible

The 7th gen would be a great car to push a bit harder, just needs a harder edged tranny

Overall its a compliment, the 7th gen is enough of a drivers car that it begs for even more the chassis is great

 

light,

I did see one review somewhere that complained about the slick steering wheel. Might have been at Freshalloy.com. Anyway, guess what? I just bought a Maxima!! Made a deal this evening for a Dark Slate/Charcoal Leather SV w/ Sports Package. They don't have the car yet. It is supposed to arrive on 7/25. I can't wait! I really needed to replace my car.

MSRP was $35,315. Dealer gave me $2,500 for my 1996 maxima and I got them to give another $1,100 for a total of $3,600. I actually was able to use their aggressive salesmanship against them a bit I guess you could say. When I test drove Saturday, they were of course wanting me to buy right there. The manager came over and said he would pay my first monthly payment if I bought it then. So today, I told them hey, you were gonna pay my first payment the other day, so you should be able to take another $500 off. Hehe.

Here are some pics from this weekend. (if I do this right)

 

i dont think this car deserves the 4DSC sticker, nice choice though.

 

Hurricane434 - Way to go! I can'r believe you bit the bullet this quickly. But when you find a dealer that is somewhat ready to deal this early in the game on a new generation Maxima, the temptation can be too great to resist. Considering how new this gen 7 is, your deal sounds rather good.

July 25th, huh? Just ten days! I have ordered a few trucks for my wife in past years, and I remember the excitement we felt as we tracked them from the factory, onto TTX auto racks, and followed the train movements as they moved from Minneapolis to Atlanta. You will probably be checking your dealer's inventory on nissanusa.com from around July 22 on, watching for your Maxima to show up. That will be fun!

Don't be too surprised or disappointed if there is a day or two delay. Sometimes things don't go exactly as planned. One of our trucks was unloaded off the train in Atlanta and sat there seven days until we called the dealer, told them where the truck was, and said it had better be on their lot by the next day. It was.

The dark slate/charcoal combo is most tasteful, and would look right at home in the CEO parking slot in the company parking lot. You will be very happy with this classy and safe choice. Living where things stay way too hot for much of the year, I will be going with either winter frost (white) or radiant silver (a very light shade of silver). Also, being utterly ancient, senile and decrepid, I am going for the Premium package.

I hope you will be able to easily sever emotional ties with your '96. I have trouble saying goodbye to my departing Maximas. I give each one a name soon after I get it, and feel close to them. I even know where my very first Maxima ('85) is, and it is still being driven.

Your first photo shows the fenders standing out from the body as well as any photo I have seen so far. This is what I have been ranting about when I talk about the athletic 'figure-8' or 'Coke bottle' shape. Quite a nice pic!

Congrats on making the move on a very nice car!