A BMW 5 series would be grand... they are also offering good incentives now and I guess, more to come

 

what is your current car, what modifcations have you made, and what modifications should owners of a 2009 consider making in the future?

Dean

 

My long winded response got lost, so to cut right to the chase, I'm 28 and have driven friends 96 4th gen and 00 5th gen. I drove around 9 different cars in 06 including a maxima,altima,murrano,lincoln zeprhyr,caddy cts,camry,avalon,charger,300. I liked the max the best but was not blown away like the 2 previous gens, so I waited till this new 7th gen came out.
I have drove 2 in the last 2 days and a lincoln mks, the maxima's were a sport/tech sv and a premium sv, I thought I wanted the sport for the last 2 years but after driving the premium today I think I've changed my mind. I'm 6'4" and with the seat all the way back IDK how anyone could sit behind me, not an issue now as I usually am by myself.
Just a couple gripes, the cheap plastic interior door handles,the hard rubberized dash(this may grow on me), and the segmented feel of the dash as a whole between the cluster,nav system and passenger side.
Now a couple of questions/concerns. I'm a little hesitant to buy a car in the first model year before kinks/recalls are ironed out and I can't find a navy blue one to see in person, internet pics make it look dark and brochure make it look more like royal blue, don't want it so dark you can't tell if it's black or blue or as light as the brochure pics are, just a nice navy blue.
BTW I have drove a 94 V-6 base camaro for the last 12 years.

 

JPS79 - The '09 in colors Navy Blue, Tuscan Sun (red) and Mystic Jade (sort of slate with a slight greenish touch) were not sent to dealers until just a week or two ago, but should be at most dealers within the next week or so. My two nearest dealers each have one blue. I think you will like it, as it is clearly blue, yet not that loud electric blue.

Do NOT trust photos of colors if there is any question in your mind. The actual car invariably looks somewhat different, unless the color is white or black. Just use nissanusa.com to keep checking the inventory of dealers around you, and there should be a blue one very soon, if not already.

As for the 'first year trauma', it is too early to have a clear picture of how that will go with the '09. More and more ORG members are buying the '09, so we should soon know. I would guess that, although many changes have been made in the '09, many were 'evolvement' type changes, which usually cause less trouble than a major engineering overhaul such as was done with the '04. The chassi has many improvements, but the base components are from the well-tested Altima chassi with M45 parts added. The engine has been reworked, but is still essentially the same VQ. The one thing I would be especially watchful with on the '09 is the double panel roof. Things like that often cause troubles the first year they are on a particular vehicle.

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

eddiesalsa - I think your smiley face meant you were kidding about the BMW 5 series. The range of prices on the 5 series is from $44,300 to $82,900, and Consumer Reports recorded 22 MPG during their testing of a 5. I would expect that, on an open freeway trip, both the 5 and the '09 Maxima would get between 28 and 30 MPG. You can get good deals on the 5 right now, and as soon as the initial 'newness' fades, you should also be able to get very good deals on the '09 Maxima . . . for clearly less money than a 5.

From my viewpoint, the difference between a 5 and an '09 Maxima would be for those who look past the Maxima's better reliability and feel the BMW gives them the image boost they are looking for. That would work in many places, but where I live, the BMWs are everywhere. They are so numerous one doesn't even 'see' them any more. Except that they are often driven simply as a 'status symbol' by (almost always female) drivers that are incredibly inept and rude. Definitely not my cup of tea.

Yes, BMWs have a negative image around my area. Not from any shortcoming on the part of the car, but from very serious shortcomings on the part of unskilled drivers desperate to be seen in a status symbol. I would MUCH rather be seen in a Ford Taurus than in a BMW where I live.

But every place is different.

 

I test drove the non sport model today and I would say the ride is pretty much the same as my 04 SE.

Engine noise is pretty quiet during low rpms, however it gets pretty loud if you step on it. Not sure about wind noise since I had the windows opened the whole time. Turning radius is deffinetly better and the steering is not as heavy as the 6th gen.

To be honest with you I wasn't too impressed. IMO the car is only marginally better then a 6th gen and not worth dropping 30 g's on. I was not blown away by it by any means. I test drove a Acura TL type S a couple of weeks ago and IMO its a far superior car for the same money.

I got a 6spd right now and its a much better driving experience then the CVT in the new max.

I'll be looking to upgrade next year for a car for around 30 thousand, and I deffinetly will not be considering the maxima.

 

Excellent deal, take it!

Dean

 

M&M - Where did you find a TL Type 'S' for $30K? Where I live, the Type 'S' is much nearer $40K. By the time the 'newness' is wearing off the '09 Maxima, I will be able to drive a well-equipped new one off the lot for many thousands less than a Type 'S'.

You like the way the Type 'S' rides? I wonder why the mag testers don't feel that way? They like the ride of the TL, but not the Type 'S'. I have seen very unflattering terms such as 'very harsh' and even 'brittle' used by mag testers to describe the Type 'S' ride.



brio_max - Wind noise in the '09 is definitely less than in the 6th gen. Testers here (who had their windows up) commented on this early on.

Testers here generally agree with the mag testers who say the '09 Maxima chassi is clearly superior to the 6th gen chassi. There is now virtually no body lean in corners. The shorter, wider wheelbase really helps handling. Several here who have driven the '09 have said the '09 non-sport rides about as softly as a 6th gen SL, while the '09 Sport rides about as firmly as a 6th gen SE. I would be sure and check the tire air pressure before making any judgement on ride. My '04 rode stiffly when I first drove it, and I checked and found the PSI varied from as low as 38 to as high as 46. Nissan recommends 32 for the 6th gen SE and 33 for the 6th gen SL.

Of course the steering 'feel' of the '09 is different because the new smaller steering wheel is the size of 350Z wheel, and the ratio is much quicker than in any previous Maxima.

As to the turning radius of the '09, Nissan said it has a four foot smaller radius. One tester measured the difference between his '06 and the '09 as just over four feet. That is a quantum leap, moving the Maxima's turning radius from one of the worst to one of the best.

If you would settle for a TL Type 'S', my son will sell you his cheap. His has been a disappointment, and he felt Honda's national headquarters would not help him with his Type 'S' problems. Let me know if you want it.

 

Light, I'm glad you brought up the difference in suspension feel. I have yet to test drive this new gen Max, but have seriously considered the SV Sport. This past weekend I visited my local Nissan dealer and though I am leaning towards the sport version, the luxury models I saw are starting to catch my attention. Primarily because the dealer has added spoilers, and splash guards to them. But my biggest question is how much of a difference is there in how the car rides. (SV Sport vs SV Luxury) I know that the sport version is stiffer, but is there really that much difference in feel. Looking at what the SV luxury offers over the SV sport, and for only about a thousand more than the sport model, I am really considering the luxury model now. I guess if any members have test driven both models they can offer some insight. Another thing I would have to take into consideration is if I do end up getting the SV luxury model I would have to get bigger rims. 18" rims on a car that size to me does not look good. I would have to go up an inch or two.

 

I'm happy to hear that. I mostly drive my Max on longer trips with a small kid, so this is a good news for me Thx

I forgot to ask one more thing. Does anyone know if the 09' Maxima has the E/M (English/metric) button just like the 6th Gen? Thanks


i would like to know that too

 

Hey, I was also leaning towards the sport model but after driving both back to back I'm getting the luxary model with the spoiler/splash guards. I drove them both down a stretch of highway and could not tell a difference in how they drove. I like the wood grain and the fact that the leather stitching in the premium is the same color as the leather and not off-set like in the sport.

 

I a 09 today right next to me and I'd have to say I really don't like the look. The rims just don't do it for me and the front wheel gap has gotten worst.....Maybe i need to see one with the 19" wheels cause the car looks to big for the 18".

 

Today I test drove a 09 Maxima SV with premium package, sticker priced at around $38k. I also test drove a 08 Altima 4cyl. base, sticker priced at around $23k. While these two cars are not comparable, I wanted to feel the difference in performance, fuel efficiency, luxury, and whether I can justify the $15k price difference.

I have owned a 07 Maxima SL for a little less then a year and driven almost 10k miles on it, so I am not new to the CVT. The 09 Maxima had 18" wheels, the Altima had 16" while my 07 Maxima SL has 17". I never used the paddle shifters in the 09 Maxima and let the CVT do its job. I test drove about 20 miles in each of the two cars, so not enough to comment on the fuel efficiency. But here are some of my observations. The 09 Maxima returned an rpm just below 2000 when I was driving at 60mph. This wasn't on cruise though but I observed it for a few minutes. My 07 Maxima returns about 2100rpm at that speed. When driving at 50mph, both the 09 Maxima and the 08 Altima were running at 1500rpm. My 07 Maxima returns 1500rpm when I drive at 40mph. At 45mph, it is clearly above 1500rpm. Also, I noticed both the 09 Maxima's and 08 Altima's CVT were faster from dead stop than my 07 Maxima's. I did not test drive a 08 Maxima, so can't comment. I think the difference in the CVT operation is due to programming. At the end of the 20 mile drive through the city, the Maxima returned an average mpg of 19.6 while the Altima returned with 23.4mpg. I floored the Altima's gas pedal a couple of times more than the Maxima's just to see the difference in power between a 4 and 6 cyl. Both the CVT's were extremely smooth and made me a fan of Nissan's CVT even more.

The steering wheel in the 09 Max is clearly smaller than the 08 Altima and my 07 Max. When sitting in the driver's seat or when looking to the right at the front passenger's seat, the 09 did not seem/feel smaller than my 07. However, when I looked back or sat in the back seats, the car seemed clearly smaller than my 07. The Altima seemed to have similar interior room as the 09 Max.

The interior quality in the 09 Max did not seem any better than my 07 SL (fully loaded except navi). I do not know if that 09 had premium leather but probably it did given the price tag. I hate the design of the dash. Nissan did this to the Altima first and then to the 09 Maxima. Why does the dash need to fall out like that? Why can't it be smooth flowing like in a Infiniti G (http://www.infiniti.com/g_sedan/phot...or_photos.html) or Infiniti M (http://www.infiniti.com/m/photos/interior_photos.html)? My 07 dash design (w/o navi) is wayyy better than the 09 dash design. The seats in the 09 Max felt harder than my 07 Max. The seats in the 08 Altima felt quite soft, maybe due to cloth. I did not like the color of the wooden accents in the 09 Maxima. I like it much more in my 07 Max, but that is just personal preference. I do not know why but I could not adjust the steering wheel position and my seating position in the 09 Max and found myself in a not-so-comfortable position. Such a problem did not happen with the Altima. And in the 07 Max, I felt at home. I have to mention that I am in love with one feature of the 09 Max -- the dual moonroof. The automatic sunshade (this feature wasn't present in the 07-08 Max) is just awesome. With the press of a button, the front sunshade moves backwards while the rear sunshade moves forward until they "vanish" completely exposing the dual moonroofs. Cool!

The 09 Maxima drives like a small car. While my 07 Max drives like a large car, the Altima's handling is pretty good and difficult to distinguish from the 09 Max. When I accelerated in the 09 Max or the 08 Altima, I felt I was speeding but when I accelerate in my 07 Max, I do not feel the speed until the time I have to brake and notice that I am travelling at 55mph in a 45mph speed limit zone! No doubt that the turning radius has been reduced noticably in the 09 from the 07 Max. The Altima's turning radius is at par with the 09 Max. In my short test drive, the accelerations of the 09 Max and 08 Altima were impressive and almost indistinguishable (I only went upto 60mph), except that the Altima made more sound which I do not like. The CVT's braking action while coasting was less in the 09 Max and 08 Altima than in my 07 Max. As a result, both the cars coasted faster and longer than my 07 Max. The braking distance in the Altima seemed noticably better than that in the 09 Max; the brakes felt much stronger.

IMO, the exterior of the 09 Max looks sporty due to its 8-shape but not too classy. It seems a bit overdone to me just like the new Accord. It is missing the smoothness of a classy sedan that is typical of a Lexus. Overall, not too sure about this car, especially given its high price and not so good fuel efficiency. Of course, when it comes to interior luxury, the 08 Altima blows away in front of the 09 or 07 Max. But is that worth a $15k difference in price? Considering the current economy and increasing gas prices, the Altima 4cyl. remains a very good buy.

Some of what I felt from my test drives is very similar to that in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7kfw...eature=related

 

I the new max, and i like my cars loaded but 42k is crazy....

would never pay that for it

 

Nissan is getting crazy. Why would anyone pay over $35K for a FWD Nissan?

 

Maybe because many folks (like me) prefer the safety and practicality of FWD and the long-term reliability of a Nissan?

And I won't be paying over $35K for my '09 SV with Premium package when I buy it this fall.

 

Maybe because it's not 1995

 

well I was out test driving the 09 max again this past weekend along with other makes and models... I could not believe but I was actually getting a better deal on a Infiniti G35 than the 09 Max with my corporate discount (OEM Partner)...don't get me wrong, I was getting the 09 Max at 35.5K which is sweet, but the offer on the table for a G35 fully loaded is being offered at 33K and they are willing to give me more for my 07 Max... The offer is tempting so I'm thinking about it and have till this weekend to make a final decision...

lightonthehill - I agree with you on the status quo of the BMW's; after looking at them this past weekend I dont' care for them anymore....

I also checked out the Benz (C-Class of course) but it was just too small in the back...

So far the Infiniti is the best offer and their finiancing offer is great at 1.9%; the 09 Max doesn't even have that yet

feedback anyone?

 

That is only because the '08 G35 needs to get off dealers lots, to be replaced this September by the G37. (Among other things, it will have the 3.7 from the coupe--about 330hp, a 7spd auto, and the 14"/13" Akebono brake set-up for the sport package-equipped sedans).

 

ahhhh...theres always a catch.... I thought the G37 was the coupe...not the sedan.... is there any pictures of this new G37?

 

For this year, yes, the coupe is the only 37. For the 2009 model year they're both 37's and the M35 will finally rid of the DE and get the 3.5HR, outputting +/-310hp and also getting the 7spd.

The '09 G sedan will look pretty similar to the '07-'08 with just a few barely noticeable body changes as well as the introduction of a couple new body colors.

 

Has the price been identify for the new 09 G-Sedan? I take it that the G35 naming will no longer be continued...

Now to decide which to go for.... 09 Max or 08 G35....decisions, decisions....

Soundmike...thanks for all your feedback...

 

You're very welcome

The price is one thing i'm not completely sure of, but as far as i can tell it's right around the same price as the G in its current iteration. If there is going to be a price increase, it's going to be a couple hundred at most, although i don't think that's going to happen since Infiniti just raised prices across the board about 2 months ago or so.

It'll be a G37 sedan for sure.

I was waiting and anticipating the 09 Max to replace my 2k2, but after test driving it several times and going back/forth between it and the G, i eventually went with the G - it was just more bang for the buck and at least to me felt like the quality and dealership experience was worth the price paid.

 

eddie - Keep in mind that the '09 G37 will be priced well above both the current selling price of the '09 Maxima and the price you have been quoted on the '08 G35. The offer you have on the '08 G35 is well below what that car was selling for when I last checked this past March, and is a very good deal, especially if the styling on the '09 is somewhat similar (keeps your '08 style from becoming outdated).

Timing is important here. Within a few months, the clearout will have left few '08 G35s to choose from, and the '09 Maxima will then be selling for around what you have been quoted on the '08 G35. If you have to buy within the next month or two, the '08 G35 deal will be hard to beat. After that, the '09 Maxima selling price will have come down quite a bit, will be competetive with your G35 deal, and both will be way below the price of an '09 G37.

I don't think you can go very wrong with either of these two fine choices.

 

Decisions decisions, the G35 deals are tempting but I will regret jumping the gun when the G37 comes out, if I want to go that route

 

This car is very disappointing. I like everything about it with exception of FWD and the price. Why would anyone pay the same price for the Maxima when you can get a G35 for the same price or less and get the awesome service experience of an Infiniti dealership? They priced the new Maxima too high. I finally saw one on the road today and it looks so much better in person than in the pics. Nissan service is horrible in the NOVA area.

 

Virus- I'm trying to figure out the disappointing and the I like everything about... part.

It's really amazing to me how just because this car is FWD, it's not a worthy vehicle?

Did anyone read the review of the base G8? Edmunds ripped it apart and that's RWD.

Motor Trend in it's car buyers guide, gave the Maxima 3 stars and the new Mazda6 3 1/2 stars. Why? Because the Max has a CVT and the Mazda comes with a manual.

That's BS as far as I'm concerned.

The reasons for myself that I wouldn't get a G35 (and don't get me wrong, I like the way they look) it's too small on the inside.

The Max to me has more room.

And the most important reason:

IT'S A MAXIMA!!! For some reason for me, it has a SOUL!!

 

Virus - You are mixing apples and oranges again. Think this through, and you will understand why your argument is meaningless:

The price for the '09 Maxima is very much in keeping with the prices of competing vehicles. The G35 you are talking about is an '08 in FINAL CLEARANCE to make way for its replacement - the '09 G37, while the '09 Maxima is a very new complete redesign, which the dealers will sell for a lower price within a few months. The G37 WILL COST MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN THE '09 MAXIMA. In fact, the cheapest G37 will probably cost between $5,000 and $10,000 more than the cheapest Maxima. The '09 Maxima is much more affordable than its ONLY TRUE Infiniti equivalent - the G37.

As for service, I have had exemplary service from my Nissan dealer for thirteen years. I know everybody there, and they always go the extra mile in helping me in any way they can. By contrast, my Infiniti dealer (right across the street from my Nissan dealer) won't even try to reach a deal with me whenever I have tried to talk price with him over the years.

Which is just as well, as the G35 felt cramped to me, and I have a strong preference for the safer and more practical FWD. Which brings us to your FWD lament; do you not realize that FWD is a Maxima trademark, and has been since my first '85 Maxima arrived in October of 1984? That was 24 years ago. Where have you been? Nissan builds the Infiniti G35 for those who need RWD in order to participate in burnouts and drift competition, and who place those needs above having a safe, roomy passenger sedan with a sporting touch.

The G37 will be a wonderful car, except for the price and the RWD.

 

I guess what he meant to say was that he liked the Maxima, but the non-availability of RWD was a deal breaker for him. Technically, to him, it's not worth it. We are all posting our own opinions of the vehicle, so it may not make sense to some, but it does to others. The '09 Maxima feels smaller than my 2k2, and since i always thought my 2k2 was a tad bit too big, i actually prefer the "smaller" car.

You have a point, although there's more to it than meets the eye. The base G, compared to a base Maxima is only about $3k apart. A loaded G Sport, compared to a similarly equipped SV Sport is about $1k apart. These are MSRP #'s. The invoice numbers have about $200 more in the spread.

And, to add flame to the fire For those who purchase the vehicles for the performance aspect alone, that $3k added to a Maxima in the way of mods won't get you the same performance as the G. (I know, just had to start it didn't i? LOL)

 

G35 / Maxima
Front Head Room 40.5 in. / 38.5 in.
Front Shoulder Room 55.6 in. / 56.3 in.
Front Leg Room 43.9 in. / 43.8 in.
Front Hip Room 55.1 in. / 53.9 in.
Rear Head Room 37.7 in. / 36.4 in.
Rear Hip Room 53.7 in. / 53.9 in.
Rear Leg Room 34.7 in /34.6 in.

"Which is just as well, as the G35 felt cramped to me, and I have a strong preference for the safer and more practical FWD. Which brings us to your FWD lament; do you not realize that FWD is a Maxima trademark, and has been since my first '85 Maxima arrived in October of 1984? That was 24 years ago. Where have you been? Nissan builds the Infiniti G35 for those who need RWD in order to participate in burnouts and drift competition, and who place those needs above having a safe, roomy passenger sedan with a sporting touch."

As you can see from the above interior measurement numbers the 2009 Maxima has less interior room than the current G35. I do realize that Maxima's are and have been FWD vehicles. I myself owned a 2k2 Maxima and put thousands of dollars in modifications and wrench time. I loved it and it will always be one of my most beloved vehicles. I really take issue with your last comment though. Do you honestly think Nissan builds the G35 for people that wish to participate in burnouts and drift competitions? RWD cars are in some circumstances safer than FWD vehicles because of it's superior handling characteristics. FWD's only value is in the snow. FWD vehicles are less efficient at putting hp/tq to the ground. You are also insinuating that the 2009 Maxima is safer than the 2008 G35. Where is your data backing this up? Lastly, I am specifically comparing the 2009 Maxima to the 2008 G35 because they are the only "known" factors. As far as I'm aware nobody has released the hard factual numbers on the upcoming G37. I don't think they are going to raise prices as much as you stated. The price of the G35 is what gives Infiniti the edge over the BMW 335i.

"The G35 you are talking about is an '08 in FINAL CLEARANCE to make way for its replacement - the '09 G37"

I paid $34,500 out the door for my G35 Sport. The only packages missing are tech package and GPS.

 

Soundmike, you read my thoughts perfectly. For me, the deal breaker would have indeed been the FWD, the fact that it's Nissan branded and lastly and most importantly the price/performance ratio in direct comparison to the G35 and the Acura TL. I say Nissan branded because I have 4 Nissan dealerships near me and every single one of them has been a displeasure to work with. Most recently I took my Nissan Quest which has just over 11,000 miles on the odometer to Browns Nissan Fairfax because the front tires are at 4/32's. The PAX tires have a tread life rating of 35,000 miles. No Nissan dealerships in the NOVA area are equipped to work on the PAX tire system that they market and sell. Honda is the only authorized repair facility. Anyway, they claimed that it was my fault because I hadn't rotated the tires. This is true, I did not rotate the tires at the 7,500 mile interval. So I guess I am to believe had I rotated my tires just 3,500 miles prior everything would have been good? I argued and it went nowhere quick. Sheehy Nissan in Manassas: They told me that since I installed a PNP Sirius kit in the vehicle that I have voided my electrical portion of my warranty. The Sirius unit was plugged into the cig lighter of my Titan and the Aux input on the front of the radio. Sheehy Manassas: Told me that since I had used a non Nissan branded oil filter on my car that I had voided my entire vehicle warranty. The list goes on and on with my local Nissan service experience and I'm sure some Nissan dealerships are great.

 

I forgot about this, i've always thought of the Maxima as being the Nissan equivalent of the M-series Infiniti, up until 2009 they were of similar size, and for the '09, the Max has equipment that's only offered on the M.

 

+1

Considering interior room, the 09 Maxima is smaller than the current Altima and very similar in size as the current G35 sedan. I think the G35 is superior to the 09 Max in every way, especially now that the prices are very close, except one -- the gas mileage. I am hoping that the new G37 with the 7-speed tranny will make up for that but surely, G37 will be more expensive than the outgoing G35.

As I noted in my test drive review, if someone is looking for a V6 FWD sedan with reasonably good fuel efficiency, the Altima V6 (mpg: 19/27 manual, 19/26 CVT) is the best choice in the Nissan lineup given its price. If the criteria is good fuel efficiency w/o loosing too much power, the best choice is Altima 4cyl (mpg: 23/32 manual, 23/31 CVT). If the criteria is the best handling and powerful sporty sedan, the choice is G35, especially with its clearance deals.

For a few months now, until Nissan starts offering good deals on the 09 Maxima and the G37 appears in the market with a much higher price tag than the 09 Maxima, I do not see any reason why potential buyers should even look at the 09 Maxima. Even when Nissan starts offering deals on the 09 Maxima, I am not sure whether it is worth the extra money as compared to the Altima V6, especially since the 09 Altima might inherit some of the upgrades from the new Maxima.

The year 2010 will be very interesting because it might see the introduction of many fuel efficient vehicles, including the diesel Maxima. Also the Altima is due for a midcycle refresh and Nissan will do anything to up its fuel efficiency since it is the bread and butter car for Nissan and has to compete with Camry/Accord/Malibu.

 

Great reasoning bb700092! The Maxima is in a very difficult position. If Nissan prices it too close to the Altima, then the Altima would suffer tremendously. If it's close to the price of the G37, why would anyone consider the Maxima. I love the looks of the new Maxima inside and out. I would say the 09 Maxima's only true competitor os the Acura TL. The Acura is larger, slightly faster and has better service.

 

I've been doing some research on the Infinty G37 sedan. According to the articles that I have found, the G37 sedan is only slated to debut in Europe sometime in Feb. 09. The body styling remains the same based on press released photos that I have seen. Interior styling is also the same with the exception that I think they now will be offered with paddle shifters. (dont know if that was an option on the G35) If I were in the market for a new car right now I would probably go for a G35 sedan S. I believe pricing on one in that trim is only a couple G'$ difference than an 09 Max. However I know that probably within the 09 year the 2010 G37 sedan maybe making its way to the US and I'm not sure if we will get a refresh model like the one being introduced in Europe or if we will be offered a redesigned model. If that's the case and you dont want to wait a year or so to see which G37 sedan we will be offered and when, I would go with the 09 Max. Like lightonthehill said, you will probably be able to get an 09 model Max late in the year for very close to invoice price, if not the actual invoice price. I personally don't want to wait till mid 2009 to see what Nissan/Infinty is going to offer in terms of G37 sedan styling. I will see if I can get an 09 Max sport or 09 Max luxury by the end of the year for invoice price. I know that the styling on that Max wont change anytime soon, and I will be getting things offered on both an Infinty G and M. Either way it goes 09 Maxima, 08 Infinty G35, or 20?? Infinty G37 sedan, they are all Nissan's and they are all great cars. Now my biggest dilemma is 09 sport edition Max or 09 luxury edition Max, that is the question.

 

Buying at invoice is still overpaying for the car. Invoice is not even close to the dealers actual cost in most instances.

 

It has been confirmed that the G37 will be here within the next 2-3 months.

Per Infiniti

"In regards to your email, the tentative release date for the 2009 Infiniti G37 Sedan is September 19,2008. There is no information about the specifications or when they will be released, there is not a waiting list for the 2009 Infiniti G37 brochure either at this time. For updates visit www.nissannews.com."

 

Virus - I have sat in the G35 many times (this car has been around awhile), and spent considerable time earlier this week sitting in the '09 Maxima. Regardless of the measurements above, the Maxima felt roomier, especially in the back seat. I'm not sure those measurements take into account such things as the sculpted out area in the back of the front seats on the Maxima - that really made a difference for me when I sat in the back seat - eight inches between knees and the back of the front seat. I found the back seat room on the G35 not as roomy, and I need the room for my grown children and three grandchildren.

There are other factors beyond measurements - the G35 design is getting 'long in the teeth', while the Maxima is a completely new redesign. Another point: At my age (I'm a child of the great depression), a heated steering wheel is an absolute must, otherwise, my wife has to drive from November until April But the Infiniti dealer told me they didn't have that feature on the G35 at the time I looked at it.

Having said all that, if I had had the experiences you have had with dealership service, I would be choosing between the G35 and the M35 (I know - different price range, but I love that car).

Having read what soundmike said about your RWD comment, as well as your explanation, I now understand you were not surprised by the '09 Maxima FWD, but were simply stating your preference for RWD. After 35 years of driving only RWD cars, and now 24 years of driving nothing but FWD cars, I have found the extra weight over the drive wheels of FWD cars is better in many situations, such as on rainy roads, where the extra weight on the front wheels gives better grip, and the absence of torque on the rear wheels reduces their tendency to skid. Or muddy roads in the many rural areas where my wife and I go exploring. Or when driving on grassy slopes. And when it comes to snow and ice, FWD goes, RWD doesn't. Period. But I also understand there are situations in which RWD has the edge, and there are driving styles and situations where RWD is preferable.

I still feel the Maxima is very fairly priced, and is a lot of car for the money. Although it may be meaningful to compare the price on a newly redesigned '09 Maxima to the price on an older design '08 G35 for buying purposes, that is a totally unfair basis on which the pass judgement on the pricing of the '09 Maxima. I feel certain the true '09 Maxima equivalent - the '09 G37 - will be priced above the G35 and well above the Maxima. But of course that remains to be seen.

I do know that if I went on the Infiniti site and complained that the '09 G37 was priced higher than the 2008 Maxima, I would expect some spirited discussion. (a little 'winkkie' face here)

 

Very good post. It's obvious that the new '09 Maxima is more Infiniti than Nissan. It's fit and finish are a notable improvement. My wife and I found out we were having our 3rd child a month after purchasing the G35 and the rear seat room isn't very big for an rear facing car seats. After someone totaled my 2k2 Maxima I thought I would do the right thing and I purchased a Civic for the great gas mileage. After 12 months of ownership, I couldn't get past the lack of power and torque. Luckily I only took $1000 hit when trading it in. I almost pulled the trigger on the V6 Altima, but premium gas was at an all time high so I decided to get a fully loaded Camry SE. I even put TRD springs on it which improved handling tremendously. I was getting 34mpg on the highway with a V6 that had some very good pull. Despite wanting to love this car I found myself hating it. I had wanted a G35 for years and decided to get the car I wanted. I do love my G35 Sedan. It's road feel is phenomenal. Had I purchased the Altima instead of the Camry, I'm certain it would still be in my driveway. One thing is for certain, Nissan's have soul and the driving experience is heads and shoulders above the rest.

 

Virus - Here I am, fingers poised above the keyboard, prepared to counter everything in your post, then finding nothing with which I disagree.

I certainly can't argue that the G35 isn't a fine car. I made several trips to my Infiniti dealer the first three or four months after the current design first came out. I felt the styling was exceptionally attractive. The driving position felt close, and the rear seat felt small, but I could have overlooked those two points because of the many positive aspects of the car.

BUT:

I seemed to get nowhere in trying to negotiate price with the dealer (that dealership had just opened up, and I'm not sure they even knew how to negotiate).

They were not excited when I mentioned paying cash up front; they must have thought they could make money financing the car?

I had offered the cash because they were offering me less for my immaculate, loaded cream puff 2000SE than the Nissan dealer across the street.

I had a very good relationship with my Nissan dealer (twice they even fixed things that were out of warranty and charged me nothing).

I have owned nothing but Maximas since buying my beautiful '85. I put 206,000 wonderful miles on that car.

I guess we could say I am very partial to Maximas, and that obviously entered into my dropping my pursuit of the G35. But Infinity is Nissan's premium product, and if I moved to where I lived nearer to an Infiniti dealer than a Nissan dealer, who knows?

 

A bit off topic here. I am constantly amazed at how, even in the heat of the subject, you remain very level-headed and poised.