You weren't by any chance in SW Missouri in 1956?????

 

The way a car drives and performs can really make you overlook the design, was never crazy about the G35 sedan, but after driving a G37x sedan, I could easily get passed the things I don't like

1000 dollars refundable, or like they are charging for a test drive, I could see them doing that to avoid people who just want to take it for a free ride, it's hard enough to sell high end cars, guess they are trying to avoid excess mileage, go test drive a used one, it's freakin *****in.

The 2010 SRT8GC is pretty pricey, unless you have 50k burning up your bank account, I would look into pre-owned/used, don't know where you live but you can find many low mileage SRT8GC sitting on dealer lots, you can easily negotiate more off a used one, the 08 have the updated interior/mygig radio/nav.

Keep in mind the SRT8 will probably double or even triple your current gas bill, and plan on keeping it, currently anything labeled as a gas hog is not really selling and Im sure the dealer would love to offer you half of what you bought it for

Im not gonna start an internet debate, but I do know you are correct on CR rating on the Grand Cherokee, they only rate the V6 & V8 no separate section for SRT8 models , but it's been know for years that Chrysler generally builds 2 types of vehicles, the V8's have always had a higher level of quality then the V6 models, their are exception.

and even with a problem free SRT8, I would still highly recommend an extended warranty.

I've done plenty of my own research, and it's quite possible their are more Pathfinder and Armada owners with more warranty repairs then SRT8GC

Can't disagree, but it's always interesting when I bring my car in for an oil change to hear some of the things going wrong with Nissans

What part of Florida is that, I'm from NY and most of the shops here make money off imports, and where I live in GA a friend of mine does all his business on BMW & Mini, it's all relative, times are a changing

 

Great points. I got some pretty solid offers on NEW SRT8s once I let the dealers know I had a new Maxima and I'm not anxious or in need of a car today. There are also very very few on the lots, I don't think dealers order many cars with 11 MPG stickers in 2010. I'm getting that V8 itch back but the SRT is great because its got a load of tech and comfort (I sat in it on Monday, very solid seats/interior controls etc). I think the 1000 deposit was just to show real interest...I'm pretty sure I'd get it back without buying the car...any other way wouldn't sound legal. Either way a dealer 6 miles away is getting one in and will let me test drive it no problem. Depends on the dealer I guess. However, I have to be crazy enough to give up this 20+ MPG smooth riding Maxima...so we will see!

 

Srt8 is crazy fast!!

 

Until you try to corner...

 

same can be said for the fake sports package on the Maxima

 

 

I am in the panhandle, close to Destin.
It's not like we don't get foreign cars in. Those cars break too and people seem to abuse anything they drive no matter how expensive or well built. However, the majority of cars and trucks that run through are domestic vehicles. All cars seem to have their trade mark issues, but the nissan VQ30 has beed described as bulletproof. I only hope the VQ35 proves it self to be just as good.

 

apologies if this is a thread jack .. but i believe its sort of related

my 2010 is a lease witht the option to buy , after 39 months the estimated value will be $20,988.80..

the sticker price was about 37,480.00 .. according to nissan that is almost half loss in value..
my real question is , is that $20.988.80 negotiable? .. i have every intention of keeping this car .. unless things start going wrong , i'm not typically a lease guy , but it just worked out that way ..

so is that number typically negatiable ? or is it pay or retturn... period!!?

 

I'm not sure its negotiable, I've never leased. Can you start a new thread and ask that question?

 

i wanted to but i dont have enough posts to start my own threads so i found the most recent that is somwhaat related

 

It's not negotiable, been their done that

 

Certainly not after everything is signed!

 

This is the problem with leasing, most if not all people don't realize what the financial difference is between leasing and financing and the dealers know that, 1st off ppl lease cause of the monthly payment worst thing you can ever do

I leased cause I was young and my father only ever leased so I knew no better, you lease a car and do not realize that the monthly payments your making have nothing to do with paying off the car, it's all a matter of how popular the car is, and how new it is, hence why ppl can have lease payments for the same car and be paying a difference of 100 bucks a month, more or less.

So then you have the residual value, that is essentially what the car will sell for on the used car market when returned, so in the simplest way, you lease a 35k car and after 3 years you pay off 18000 (500 x 36), leaving 17000 that should be left to pay, but the lease is now over, and Nissan wants you to restart with a new car and the same payments, or you can buy it as a used car and they give you a fabulous interest rate of like 8 or 9 percent.

So here I am making payments on a 09, when I could have owned my 06 in another year

One more thing, Leasing has everything to do with the economy and ppl jobs, you have a good job you can make a payment thats all it is

 

I was on the fence between leasing and buying but I will defiantly buy now. Thanks for the great posts.

My first post but I am huge maxima fan and loved my 2000...looking to get an 09 once the right deal comes along.

 

Thanks for the response..

i Never was a person to lease.. i was in the market for a car and (finance) at the same time someone i knew (family) put very little thought into a lease ... a month later wants to give it back but then found out the consequences .. so i looked into her lease and saw that there was an option to buy.. so all i had to do was take over the remaining 38 payments and so i did .. i dont regret it at all , just that i wasnt there at the table when the deal went down so theres alot about leasing that i dont konw,i have so many questions, and tried talking to the guys at the dealership .. but i get an attidtude like i'm bothering them, guess now that the deal is already done and theres no further money to be made theres no interest in explaining things a second time

but anyways this is my very first Nissan.. and assuming it proves to be reliable for the duration of the lease i will be taking that option to buy .. atleast i'll know the histroy of the car

so i guess depreciation will always (according to them atleast) be in there favor .. for the poster of this thread , value of car probably should be higher... and for me it proly should be leass

thanks again

 

I wouldn't sweat it, financing you just lose money as you drive off the lot. Bottom line is get the car you want, and the Max is a SWEET car...and enjoy it every month without worrying about it!

 

Depends how you look at it, you will always have more money in your bank account if you finance a car, leasing the banks make out.

I leased several cars before I realized what I was actually doing, if you lease and your comfortable with leasing then stay with it

 

It is a better financial option to be leasing only when:

Sale price + p% apr for m months on the sale price > Total lease payments over n months + Buyout Price + p% apr for m-n months on the buyout price

That is, for the lease to be a better financial option, the total you spend on the car to buy should be greater than the total you spend to first lease it and then buy it out. But that almost never happens.

But then, people do not lease because it is a better financial option...

 

Ok I have a question--

If you generally buy a car every 2-3 years and aren't concerned with the mileage limits--what is "bad" about leasing?

from what I know--your out of pocket is minimal (upfront) & you don't have to deal with depreciation for a trade...

What am I missing in regards to the "negatives"...as far as I see it..you can get a new car every 2-3 years & walk away from it "easily"...

I mean if oyu never truly pay a car off --are always trading it in...and generally upside down...I would think leasing is a win for you...

 

Have them work out a deal without the trade because they will screw you if they know you are going to trade it in. After you come to an agreement on the 370, then say you thought about it and don't want to keep the max so let's trade. They probably won't want to do it or will say your car is worth less because you are screwing them now

 

Of course, there's a third, better option nobody is mentioning - saving for the car and paying cash...

 

Thats a great idea...but then again with the economy the way it is people are holding onto cash.

 

i dont no if this counts 2006 dodge caravan tranny blew @ 23k miles brakes needed to be changed every 6k miles.......and when i had to change rotors and pads it cost me about 250 for the items (weren't even mopar)...lolol pretty stupid to own American trash if u ask me....
oh yeah forgot to mention my engine started to miss fire @ 11k which was due to a spark plug? and one of my lug nut screws stripped.....i only took the wheel off 4 times.....

as far as srt-8 doesnt that car do 13's on the 1/4 mile? and the 09 max does what 14s? lolol

 

Take a look at some numbers...

People have reported buying a Maxima SV + Premium/Sport + Tech within $35k OTD @ 0% apr for 60 months, i.e. about $584/month.

People have also reported leasing the same Maxima for about $450/month with $0 down for 39 months. The buyout is around $21k (i.e. about $22-23k OTD if one buys it out). So total spent on the car is:

$450 x 39 + $22-23k = $40k (approx)

That is, buying the car after leasing it will cost someone $5k more than buying it right away. So from a financial point of view, it does not make sense to buy a car after leasing it.

If you change cars every 2-3 years, it might make more sense leasing it. However, I do not agree that leasing is "easy" in any way. First, there are many constraints -- can't drive more than certain number of miles (otherwise pay extra), need to have certain minimum insurance, limits on wear and tear, etc. Second, if you want to get rid of the car before the lease is over, it is a real pain because you have to first pay the buyout to own the car and then sell it and the buyout is almost always greater than its market value.

If someone changes a car every 2-3 years, I think the best option is to work on a self-imposed lease. That is, buy a car that holds its value well at the best price you can, and then trade it in after a few years. I think Light does something like that, though not as frequently as 2-3 years, but about 5 years or so. Light, please chime in if you wish. In that way, you are not bound by the constraints of a lease but can change cars frequently.

 

09 I see where you are coming from BUT IMO as the owner of an 09 Max (and even with my preious car) I've never owned the "minimum" insurance requirements--below are my coverages. But the bottom line is that I am NOT referring to someone that leases & then decides to KEEP the car...I'm talking trade in every 24 months. In regards to the other limits IMO no matter how good of a price you get on the car you are going to be upside down 24 mos into it--UNLESS you put a LARGE sum of $$ down, when you add excessive miles on to that it happens ever faster. Again my point is that if you drive in a normal manner it seems like it might be a good option-especially if you plan purchase additional miles up front to cover any potential overages

Coverages
Bodily Injury Liability Bodily Injury (BI) Liability coverage pays damages for other people's injuries or death resulting from an at-fault accident involving an insured vehicle or driver. This may include medical treatment, lost wages and compensation for pain and suffering. In the event of a serious accident, these costs can become substantial. If you do not carry a sufficient limit of insurance, your personal assets and earnings could be at risk. You should choose a coverage limit that will adequately protect your assets. BI coverage also includes payment for certain legal fees, bail bonds, and court costs that you might incur.

BI provides two limits of coverage. The first figure is the maximum amount we will pay for injury or death to any one person. The second figure is the maximum we will pay (regardless of the number of people involved) for injury or death stemming from a single occurrence. Please see your contract for state specific coverage details.


Bodily Injury Liability </SPAN>
Property Damage Liability Property Damage (PD) Liability Coverage pays for damage to other people's property (such as vehicles, shrubs, signs, or buildings) resulting from an at-fault accident involving an insured vehicle or driver. In the event of a serious or multiple vehicle accident, property damage costs can become substantial. If you do not carry sufficient coverage, your personal assets and earnings could be at risk. You should choose a coverage limit that will adequately protect your assets. Additional liability protection is available through the GEICO Personal Umbrella Policy. Please see your contract for state specific coverage details.

Property Damage Liability </SPAN>
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) pays you, your household relatives and passengers in your insured motor vehicle for damages resulting from bodily injury or death arising out of accidents caused by uninsured motorists and, in most states, by hit-and-run motorists. In some states it may also cover damages arising out of accidents caused by motorists whose liability limits are not sufficient to cover your claim.

UMBI provides two limits of coverage. The first is the maximum amount we will pay for injury or death to any one person. The second figure is the maximum we will pay (regardless of the number of people involved) for injury or death stemming from a single occurrence. To choose an appropriate limit, you may want to consider your ability to meet your medical expenses and other financial obligations if you were injured in an automobile accident.

Applicability of UMBI coverage varies from state to state; see your policy contract for details.





Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury </SPAN>
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Uninsured Motorist Property Damage pays damages you are legally entitled to recover because of damage to your insured vehicle caused by uninsured or hit-and-run motorists. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage does not cover the first 250.00 of damage to your vehicle as the result of any one accident. In choosing a limit, you will want to consider the value of your vehicle and the cost of the coverage. Collision coverage will apply in most cases involving damage to your vehicle caused by an uninsured motorist. If you carry Collision coverage, it may not be necessary to carry UMPD.


Uninsured Motorist Property Damage </SPAN>
Comprehensive (Other Than Collision) Other Than Collision coverage pays for loss or damage to your vehicle caused by fire, theft, vandalism, hail, windstorm, riot, falling objects, flood, and other events as stated in your policy contract.

Other Than Collision is an optional coverage. In deciding whether you wish to carry Other Than Collision, you may want to consider the present value of your vehicle and the cost of the coverage. If you finance or lease your vehicle you will probably need to carry this coverage as part of your lease or financing agreement. Refer to your lease/finance agreement for details.

When selecting a deductible, you should choose a deductible that meets your financial needs. The deductible is the amount you will pay out-of-pocket should a loss occur. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium charged for this coverage.





Comprehensive (Other Than Collision) </SPAN>
Collision Collision coverage pays for accidental damage to your insured vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or stationary object. Collision does not pay for incidents covered under Comprehensive (such as theft, fire, or collision with an animal). Collision pays for reasonable repair, towing, and storage costs. If repairing your vehicle is not reasonable, this coverage pays you the actual cash value of the vehicle.

Each collision claim is subject to a deductible (the amount you will pay out of pocket). You should choose a deductible that meets your financial needs; the higher the deductible, the lower the premium charged for this coverage. Please see your contract for state specific coverage details.

Collision is an optional coverage. You may want to consider whether the present value of your vehicle justifies the cost of this coverage. If you finance or lease your vehicle, your lease or financing agreement may require you to have this coverage. Refer to your lease or financing agreement for details.

Collision </SPAN>
Emergency Road Service Emergency Road Service (ERS) coverage pays for:

• Towing of a disabled vehicle to the nearest repair facility
• Up to one hour of mechanical labor at the place of breakdown
• Lockout service up to $100 per lockout

ERS does not pay for parts or subsequent repairs and there is a limit of one reimbursement per disablement. These services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, anywhere in the United States and Canada. </SPAN>Emergency Road Service
Rental Reimbursement Rental Reimbursement coverage provides benefits toward your rental vehicle costs when your vehicle is disabled longer than 24 hours as the result of covered damage. Rental Reimbursement is an optional coverage. If you can't be without transportation you will want to consider carrying this coverage.

Rental Reimbursement coverage is subject to both a daily and per accident limit. For example, if you have $25 per day/$750 per accident Rental Reimbursement limits, GEICO will pay up to $25 per day up to a maximum of $750 per accident for your rental vehicle.

In most states, you can rent a vehicle comparable to your own vehicle. However, you should always consider your Rental Reimbursement limits when choosing a rental vehicle. Please see your contract for state specific coverage details.
Rental Reimbursement </SPAN>
Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Mechanical Breakdown Insurance is similar to a dealer's warranty but it is usually much more affordable than a car dealership's extended warranty and in some instances covers much more. A $250 deductible applies each covered loss. It also provides daily coverage for expenses incurred due to rental of a substitute vehicle (up to $120 per mechanical breakdown or failure) and up to $40 for towing expenses incurred because of the mechanical breakdown or failure. It can only be added when the vehicle is a new vehicle, is fewer than 15 months old, the odometer reads fewer than 15,000 miles, and you are the first titleholder of the vehicle. Once purchased, MBI can be renewed for up to 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). This material is intended for general information only. It does not expand coverage beyond the policy contract. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.
Mechanical Breakdown Insurance </SPAN>

 

I see my name mentioned in recent posts here. I am probably not in a situation that would add much to this discussion. I always pay full purchase price in cash up front. I have never leased a vehicle, and have not had car payments since the 1960s.

I buy the first year of each new Maxima generation, sometimes waiting until the middle of the model year in order for early bugs to be addressed, and in order to pay around invoice instead of near MSRP as some dealers try to demand with a new model.

I take exceptional care to keep the car perfect, and make sure the dealer's records show I am doing all required maintenance. When I bring my car in to trade, my sales person knows it is perfect, because she has dealt with me many times, and my trade-in has always been rated as 'certified', which means they give me more for it, and can ask more for it when they sell it, and usually give a better warranty to the buyer.

There was one factor I did not see mentioned in the discussions regarding leasing. Modifications can be an issue with a leased vehicle, and I always make modifications. I have made functional extensions for the OEM splash guards (which were worthless), installed 1 inch wide hard black rubber molding around the edges of the wheel well openings (to prevent dings), installed rain guards over the windows (so I can leave the windows cracked a few inches when parked in very hot weather), made and installed wind baffles in front of the outside mirror base in order to stop the wind noise created by the rain guards, etc, etc. I would hesitate to make modifications to a leased vehicle, as they might be an issue under the leasing aggrement, and also their value would not be factored into the price at trade-in/turn-in time, and I would not be leasing to buy.

As to the economics of leasing, I studied that about thirty years ago, and found it would not be beneficial for me. But it might work for those in situations different than mine.

 

Think about it, if you are leasing it, you are leasing it from someone who owns it. What are the chances that they are leasing it to you for less than it costs them to own it??

 

Dealers will always low ball you no matter what. Your better off selling privately if you can.

 

lightonthehill you have a lot of insight into these Maximas.

Jeep is now offering 1000 bonus cash and 0% for 60 on the Jeeps including the SRT8s. I've been back and forth on this car because the Maxima is such a sweet ride...I did get to see one at the dealer and have been given very fair price quotes. Basically I would be trading off the same payment for the SRT if I get blue book value for the Maxima since I only have 8500 miles on it.

I'm also kicking around trading my 09 SV + Sport for a '10 Premium + Tech/Nav with the 0% offer for 60. I like the sport package, but since Nav can't be added, I've been looking at a trade for the premium package with all the goodies. If I got bluebook value at the same dealer I'm sure they would make a decent deal for me to upgrade. Thoughts?

 

If you haven't done so already, be sure to test drive the Premium to see if you like it. It's not exactly the same as the Sport.

 

Funny enough I drove the Premium on the test drive and bought the Sport. Seemed similar to me, just the larger wheels stood out appearance wise. The Premium/Techs all have the spoiler...so it's essentially the same without the 19's and the suspension (which after driving a Corvette C6 is not much in terms of "sport suspension").

What price have people been getting on the loaded '10s?

Ideally I'd like to see if they will do bluebook on my 8500 miles 09 Max (27,750) or even 27k.

Get the Premium/Tech MSRP (39,000) for 35k + TTL at 0% for 48 or 60.

Anyone ever trade a year and a half old car? Tell your story!

 

Was looking to dump my 2009 SV Premium/Tech with 12,500 miles. I am 12 months into a 39 month lease and I have had so many little issues with it that I cannot stand driving it. Rocking seat, creak from rear suspension, creak from sunroof. About 7 trips to three different dealers in less than a year, and it is the same POS that it has been all along. I just want it out of my sight. Sadly, by my calculations, it will take about $6-7K of my cash just to get rid of it. I hope it gets stolen.

 

Unfortunately, I am not the person that can give you an unbiased opinion here.

I have been down on Jeeps for years, due not only to their traditionally below average quality control and reliability record, but their propensity to flip and roll during any abrupt high speed maneuver. If we look past reliability, and I absolutely HAD to have a Jeep, the SRT8 does fare better than all other Jeeps in Consumer Reports testing, is not flip-prone (longer wheelbase) and could get around 12 MPG in city and 18 on open freeways. The Maxima might get around half again as high an MPG in either city or highway driving. Of course, if you are going to be going off-road, the jeep is the only choice here.

As for the Maxima with premium package, it is too bad your SV with Sport did not have the tech/navi package option. I absolutely love my navi, music box and rear view camera. No more unfolded maps spread out over the steering wheel as I tool down the road. No more carrying/inserting CDs as I drive. And seeing behind the 7th gen Maxima (especially with my creaky old neck) is difficult without the rear view camera.

The Premium package has all the goodies of the Sport package except the 19" wheels/tires and the spoiler (easy to add). It also includes the heated steering wheel (I will never again own a car without this feature), dual panel moonroof (which I enjoy), rear window power sunshade (I use this half the year), auto up/down for rear door windows (I use this), rear seat audio and AC controls (seldom use), premium mood lighting (helps at night), eucalyptus wood trim (I like it), as well as several other technical things I do not use.

As to the financial aspects, there are others here who are far more knowledgable than I am about what you are considering. I always negotiate for the best price possible, then pay the full price of the car in cash up front. I have done this with every car purchase for decades. I refuse to pay anyone a penny in interest, and detest time payments. You also should be very familiar with your financial situation and job security before taking on or adding to car payments.

Having said all this, a person only lives once, and I think back to my dear hardworking father, who always had a particular car in mind that he liked, but never quite reached a financial situation where he could afford a new car of any type. At the time he eventually passed away, he had never owned anything but hand-me-down clunkers. That is sad. Sometimes, we have to grab what happiness we can.

 

If I could do it again I'd get the tech package. I got this car when it first came out, so there wasn't much to choose from. The car before this one was a factory order, exactly as I wanted it. I should have stuck with it! It's not a problem to swap the cars, it's a matter of whether I will go with the more high performance SRT8 or the more luxury premium maxima. Good advice.

 

And the suspension...

The Sport has the heated steering wheel as well - clearly one of the best features of this car.

 

Ok though this is my first post, I have been using this forum as reference for quite awhile now. My observations have noticed more than a few owners of the previous generations making snide comments and sniping at the 7th generation Maxima. It's getting old already. If you love your previous generation Maxima so much then by all means utilize the appropriate sub forum on this site. But by coming in here making disparaging comments whenever the opportunity presents itself really just makes it seem like you guys are feeling "some type of way" that a newer model is out.

Maxima is a very distinguished model line and almost without fail every generation becomes more refined adds more the name. The division/jealousy/disdain displayed only tarnishes a great brand. Enough already guys, honestly.

 

Here is my story: http://forums.maxima.org/7362220-post28.html

 

I used to wish exactly the same though for a completely different reason.

Here is my story: http://forums.maxima.org/7362220-post28.html

 

Well I don't think we have to worry too much about depreciation on the 7th Gen Maxima anymore. Just saw today that the Maxima won the ALG residual value award for both the US and Canada for 2010 in the full-size category!!

Go Us!!!