I bought a 09 Max SV with Premium Tech package in Precision Gray and charcoal interior. One of my complaints is that I could not get the car without the sunroof. Let me explain: I love sunroofs! I really love the dual sunroofs. Since I'm 6'7" ( YES I said six ft seven inches), I can always use an inch or two more headroom.

Another one that several people have mentioned already is that you can only use certain features of the NAV system when you're stopped. If it can tell that you have someone is sitting int he passnger seat, why can't the passenger use the NAV system?

 

It's all because of stupid people and lawyers....

 

We bought our 2009 Maxima about 2 months ago…Satin White over black interior with Premium and Navigation packages. Our other car is a 2000 Maxima SE. We only have about 3000 km on the new car so far; but here are my initial impressions:

Likes…

• Styling – very much a personal, subjective issue – however, my wife and I love the looks. It has a presence that we don’t often see in other cars.
• Features – we did decide to shoot the puck down the ice and go for a loaded version of the Max, and I’m very glad we did. Dual moon roofs, memory seats, heated and cooled driver’s seat, heated steering wheel, power adjustable steering wheel, HID low beams, rear seat remote controls for sound and HVAC, rear window sun screen, Bluetooth/IPOD/Sat Radio/Music Box, rear view camera, no-key entry and start…while it certainly isn’t the only car in the world with these features, it puts them all together at a fairly reasonable price.
• Engine and Handling – love the power and the “feel”. An excellent road trip car.
• Fuel Economy – this is a surprise. We are getting better mileage than we ever expected. While very early to draw a firm conclusion, we are getting around 35 mpg (Imperial) or 29 mpg (US) on the highway and, more surprisingly, 28 mpg (Imperial) or 23 mpg (US) around our suburban neighbourhood.

They Could Have Done Betters…

• Driver’s seat heat and cool control, rear window shade control and passenger’s seat heat ***** are more difficult to reach and see than they need to be.
• Interior plastic, at least in black, seems too easy to scuff and mark.
• The Bose sound system isn’t bad…but the Bose system in our 2000 is better.

Not Sure Yets…

• The dreaded CVT subject: I love the concept – always capable of the perfect gear ratio for the given conditions. (Or at least what the software engineers consider perfect.) And I love the way it feels above 60 km/h (37 mph). However, in easy driving around town at lower speeds, the transmission is programmed to minimize engine speed a little too quickly to my tastes. The result is the feeling that you are in too high a gear for the conditions. (On the other hand, it provides the excellent city fuel economy mentioned above.) As the title says, I’m not sure yet…

Biggest Mystery…

• I have never seen a car which looks so ordinary in pictures, yet looks so good in the flesh.

Outright Dislikes…

• The Nanny controls on the navigation system. Terrible – just terrible. My wife can’t use it while underway – ridiculous. Even the phone book: you can’t page down the phonebook while underway. So you dig out your cell phone and use its (tiny) buttons instead. All in the name of safety.

To bring an end to these ramblings…why did we buy it? No other vehicle had the looks, features, power, and comfort at the price.

 

+1 on the necks remark. I actually had the dealer remove "maxima" off the back of the car. the first hour i drove off the lot i had 2 girls (very hot) pull up next to me at a light and ask me what kind of car it was? i laughed and told them lambo, of course they didnt know and i dusted them when the light changed. also a guy asked me at the local wawa if it was the new "sports car" nissan put out. i smiled and just said "nope, just a little ol maxima". he loved it. this car is really amazing. im referring to it as the PD09. "Panty Dropper 2009"

 

Bought my 09 Maxima SV with Sport & Tech packages in early May. I now have 1300 miles and some fairly decent driving time in. Time for some remarks.

Overall a great car, with a few disappointments. I'll give NISSAN the benefit of the doubt, however, since it's the first year of the new model, and as always they have their kinks.

Pros:

• First and foremost, the looks. This car is a beauty.
• If you get the sport package, the 19" rims are mint. Not too sure why they left the same cheezy looking 18s as the base model on the premium package. (this was a part of my decision to get the sport package).
• The interior is really sweet.
• Navigation is great.
• Back-up Camera is clutch.
• Never been the driver or passenger in a smoother car at high speeds (50+ MPH).
• Handling is super-responsive. Makes you feel a bit safer knowing the car reacts so well.
• CVT. (period). took about a week or so to get used to it, but not feeling a tranny switch gears is priceless. It also helps you slow down when you let go of the gas (acts similar to downshifting).

Cons:

• Drivers seat rocks back and forth (as many owners now know). This started to occur around 100 miles or so. Still no fix that I know of to date, and it's starting to get annoying.
• Passenger seat vibrates at basically all speeds. I noticed it when i had a plastic bag on the seat, and i heard a serious vibration like someone was shaking the bag. (getting this fixed next week).
• The POS (+) paddle shifter makes a rattling noise when i go over bumps?? don't think anyone else has metioned this yet.
• Sport tuned suspension is a little too tight. Really makes for a bumpy ride in my pot-hole ridden town.
• Can't make phone calls using the bluetooth while the car is moving.
• Can't enter a destination while the car is moving.
• Interior lighting: They could have done a better job with this. LED's anyone? a friend of mine has a chrysler minivan with LED interior lights.
• No power mirrors? annoying.

If i could go back and car-shop all over again, i'd still pick the Maxima. The pros definitely outweigh the cons, but it is annoying to have to get certain BASIC things (seat rocking & the such) fixed after the price paid for this vehicle.

I think the 2011 model will be the one to get if they actually pay attention to anything people say in these forums.

 

Bought mine in late May (SV Premium + Tech) and it now has about 1400 miles on it.

At first, I thought the complaints about the "rocking' driver's seat were exagerated... that is until mine started doing the same thing 100 miles ago. It's weird in that the seat doesn't seem to actually rock but rather the cushions seem to "slide". Has anyone else experienced this sensation?

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with my Max and would only tell Nissan that the lack of electroluminescent guages detracts from an otherwise fine interior. My wife's '08 has them and heck, even the '09 Altima does also.

 

i got mine last year and have had no prob yet. im actually very happy with it.

 

No complaints here so far (fingers crossing)

Willie
www.djwillie.com

 

I have 2 months and 1500 miles on my 09 max and am happy with it. It's nice not to see too many on the road. I have noticed the rocking seat issue. It started almost from day one. I may not waist my time with the dealer until I see some posts about a positive repair. I am a having an issue with a slight wander at highway speeds. You have to pay attention to keep your lane. Anyone have a similar problem with tracking?

 

Nope, no wander. in fact, it's very stable and steady.

For the obvious. Check the tire pressure, and of course alignment.

 

Yup. And if that doesn't solve it, you may have one bad tire somewhere. I suffered with bad handling for months with a 1985 Maxima before finally finding that a belt had broken on my right rear Pirelli.

 

Am picking up a 09 Max SV Premium this week.

Almost bought a VW CC. It too was black but what caught my eye was the black/tan interior was SHARP!

Stopped by a Nissan dealer and said I'd be interested if black came with a tan interior.

The rest was cherry on my ice cream.

Great looking car.

Hate the quasi engine and CVT oil requirements.

 

My dealer uses plain old Shell 5W-30 dino oil in hot weather and plain old Shell 5W-30 dino oil in cold weather. Any name brand oil of the proper weight and proper API Service rating will work fine, and meet all warranty requirements. If I were changing the oil myself, I would go with Castrol GTX 10W-30 in hot weather and Castrol GTX 5W-30 in cold weather.

After the first few changes, it is absolutely fine to switch to any quality synthetic oil of the proper viscosity (such as 5W-30).

As to the CVT, that oil does not have to be changed often enough to be problematic.

 

I just bought a 2009 Nissan Maxima S in Tuscan Sun (what a strange name for a color?!?!), trading in my 2006 Nissan Titan SE5.6 that had 27,000 miles on it. Loved my truck, except for the gas mileage. The Maxima is amazing! The power delivery is so progressive, not anything like my Titan or Corvette. You need to watch the speedometer, or suddenly you are doing 80-85mph, quiet as a mouse!

 

Have my max about two months now love the car but i still want more performance. maybe a cold air intake any thought ?

 

I love 'Tuscan Sun' as a name for a color. Nissan uses Roman/Italian/Latin derived names for most of their cars. Sentra, Armada, Murano, Altima, Xterra, Titan, Versa, Maxima; even the old Stanza (Latin word for 'room') are all from early Latin. It makes sense that Nissan would use a few colors with ties to Italy.

The color Nissan calls 'Tuscan Sun' is not the classic Tuscan Red. Brick common to the Tuscany area of Italy has a tinge of brown, and it is this brownish red that has traditionally been known as 'Tuscan Red.' By using the term 'Tuscan Sun', Nissan has managed to evoke thoughts of beautiful Tuscany, with its warm sun and Mediterranean views.

Tuscany is a major province of Italy, on the west coast north of Rome, and the historic and cultured city of Florence serves as its centerpiece. Some folks even use the word 'Tuscan' to refer to the Italian language.

I really like the Tuscan Sun color on this Maxima.

 

Hey all,
Just got mine a week ago. Traded in my Honda civic si and wow what a difference. I really love the car... has a great look, lots of room, good power for my taste, and nice ride around town. Got myself a black 09 maxima S for 25,500 otd from 31,000. but my credit sucks so its up there. I’m new to Nissan and loving it... should've bought one long time ago. Here’s a couple of pics.

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...a9f5e5cf91.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...f289983c06.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...acc4878dc6.jpg

 

ted83nj - Nice pics of a classically black sports sedan. Black is always impressive. Here's wishing you many happy days in that nice set of wheels. Welcome to the ORG. Let us know how thing go with your new baby.

 

That looks awesome! Welcome you'll enjoy your Maxima!

 

Black is the most respectable and formal color. That is why all presidential cars in nearly all countries are black. And all FBI and CIA SUVs, all black.

Great color men! I kinda wish I had an 08, but bought my 08 brand new last year and its treating me like a king. So, willhave to keep it and just admire the 09s.

Great ride. Enjoy it.

 

thanks all. yea i was really like how the black looked. just flows well with tints. and turns heads around town... people think theres someone famous inside. haha especially when its clean and shiny. just hope some off those cops get off my back. but its all good.

PetitFrereMaxima- nice sig pic you got there. i like it.

 

Hey, I gave up my 350Z lease in June and just traded my Titan in for a new Maxima SV sport with every option...Just had it two days, but what an awesome car!

 

Welcome aboard! I'm sure there are those here interested in your interior/exterior colors, what mods you may be considering, etc. You should be able to find answers here for any questions you may have.

 

Same issue here and come to find out my struts were defective. They had to change all four out. Guess they were bad when I bought the car a month ago. It drives perfect.

 

I just picked mine up a few weeks ago Navy blue on black with sports. I love it. i am still breaking it in so being careful but already had some fun with it and it is a great car. I am from NY and every one has the white and black so i went with the Navy blue and it looks awesome, not a lot of people have the navy blue, i don"t know why i think it is a very nice color for this car.

 

The Navy Blue is definitely nice. Had I lived up north (where summer is usually shorter than nine months), I could have been tempted by the Navy, especially with the Sports package. Many of those opting for the Premium probably wanted a more striking contrast between the body color and the black double-panel roof, so avoided the dark colors.

Anyway, welcome to the ORG! Wil be interested to hear how your new baby does.

 

Thank you, cant wait i am at 500 miles cant wait to reach 1,000 so i cant let it go a little and feel the power.

 

Has any one bought an after market navigation for the 09 maxima? I don"t know what navigation system to get, any suggestions? And has any one installed it so you don"t have to keep plugging it in to charge it. I need to get one for work asap.

 

Hey All, just picked up my new max about a week ago, and all I can say is wow.
Traded my 06 Murano (leased) for the 09 Max (also leased) and got a great deal.
I couldn't be happier with the car, and the performance is something to behold... It's funny to watch guys in Mustangs and other American Muscle cars second guess thier ride when a sedan leaves em in the dust from a stand still...
I was pulling out of one of the casinos (I live in Vegas) the other day with a friend, and almost every person who walked by the front of the car did a double take. Stunning design, great power, handles like its glued down... Soooooo glad I got this car.
If I could have done something different, I would have added the tech package so I had nav, as I hate the damn orange text only POS display thats in the car now, but the stereo sounds great, and the driving experience is so great, that one oversight on nissans part is something I can live with i suppose.
Viva la Maxima!!!

 

I'm sure you are following Nissan's breakin warnings not to exceed 4K RPMs the first 1200 miles? It would be a shame to have the intense pleasure of driving your wonderful new '09 Maxima last only a thousand miles or so before needing a new engine.

Anyway, welcome to the ORG, and when it comes to your new Maxima, don't let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas.

 

ive had my 09 maxima for about 9 months now and loving it after i put the stillen full cat back exhaust and stillen hi-flo intake it sounds and runs so much better i have 6000miles on it now ...but i heard there comin gout for 2010 a diesel engine and in 2011 an awd so maybe by 2011 ill switch up....but i still dont see alot of 7thgens with alot of mods on it i might have the most on my car which is a good thing

 

Yeah thanks for the insight... Its hard to resist putting your foot in it sometimes, but after spending some time on the ORG, I have realised alot of folks are mentioning the break-in... Seems strange to me, I don't recall having to break in any of my other new vehicles, and from what i remember of such talk when I was younger, one was supposed to break in the car the way your drive it...
Anyway, I have backed off and have just been babying it for the last few days and only have another 700 miles or so to go... Its just so hard with those paddle SHIFT_ers staring me in the face


Thanks for the warm welcome, LOVE the site!

 

Glad you have backed off a tad; we want your Maxima to last, so we will always have a Vegas contact here on the ORG.

I was even told by the dealer to go easy the first thousand miles on my new black Studebaker 4 door sedan. But that was back in 1949. I have owned nothing but Maximas for 25 years as of month after next, and the Owner's Manual of each one had the usual breakin warning. Sort of makes sense. It isn't requiring us to drive like we are on eggshells. I finished the breakin period almost 5K miles ago, but have still had my baby over 4K RPMs less than half a dozen times. And, although I never race, I am a fairly aggressive driver.

Glad you are aboard!

 

And congrats on your Maxima Silver Anniversary - you should Write Nissan - Maybe they'll make you a custom Max

 

Maybe at one time. But these days, I doubt they would even float me an ice cream cone with one scoop of vanilla. Times are really tight. I would settle for power folding outside mirrors and a way to display the psi of each tire plus the spare. If I had those, I would know I had died and gone to Maxima heaven.

 

Got mine on 6/13/09 after about 4 months of hard research on everything out there in my price range. Stickered out at around $39,200 and I got out the door for $33,600 after some pretty hard negotiating (this was before any of the cash for clunkers came to town). No regrets really...I think you will love the car. I'm kind of a tech guy and the only thing I can think of I'm not wild about is the Music Box with hard drive thing. You have to let an entire CD play all the way through just to get the songs on the hard drive and no way to transfer MP3's you put on the Compact Flash card to the hard drive. So the HD is pretty much useless to me. Much easier to just throw MP3's on the CF card and use that. I'm also luke warm about the CVT tranny. Love the concept and increased mileage that will hopefully come once I get it broken in good...just feels kinda sluggish for my tastes tooling around town unless you get your foot in it. In other words, just feels like it slips into a very high gear too soon instead of holding at least a decent RPM. If I could snap my fingers and have a nice, snappy 5 or 6-speed Auto in there in place of the CVT, I might just do it. Maybe it will grow on me.

 

Not exactly. The transfer of the CD to the Hard Drive is not congruent with the audio you are hearing. It takes from seven to ten minutes for albums with up to seventy minutes of music. There is a little counter on the left side of the screen showing you which song is being moved (reads something like '7 of 12' if it is moving the seventh song of a CD with twelve songs) And you can turn the volume completely down and not even hear anything as this takes place, if you don't want to hear the music at that time.

I was one who was unsure about the CVT, but have quickly grown to love it. I have found I can do most normal driving without the RPMs exceeding 2K. In fact, I am usually driving along at between 1100 and 1700 RPMs. Boys and girls, can you say 'gas sipping?' I recall that my 1978 Datsun 200SX turned 3600 RPMs at 70 MPH until I replaced the 13" wheels with 14" wheels, which brought that 3600 down to 3200 RPMs. Yet, if I stomp this '09 Maxima pedal, I literally fly. I am now a huge CVT fan.

 

How big are the basic rims on the 09? Is the premium package worth it? Any technological issues?

 

All versions of the '09 Maxima from basic ('S') through the top end ('SV' with Premium Package and Navi) have the same 18" X 8.0 aluminum alloy wheels . . .

EXCEPT the SV with Sport package, which has 19 X 8.0 aluminum alloy wheels.

I never considered anything but the Premium package. I had to have the heated steering wheel, air conditioned driver's seat, double moonroof, rear window power sunshade, one touch auto up/down rear door windows, rear seat air conditioning and audio controls, great rear view camera, etc, etc.

My '09 has been absolutely perfect. Some drivers have had seats that 'rock', and Nissan has only been able to fix some of those seats. I can't think of any other problem that has been mentioned by more than a very few folks. As for the technological issues, I will let some of the geeks here answer that. I am a simple person who is completely satisfied with the Maxima's new Music Box hard drive that holds the music of up to 500 CDs. No more trying to store CDs in the car.

 

I picked up my 09 in May and it is sweet, so far. The only place I can find engine mods is from stillen so far. There are replacement grills and strut tower bars, but not much for it yet. I bought mine in Missouri and because of the economy they did lower the price after a few hours of negotiation and discounts from Nissan.