I find that nissan may have really screwed up by offering soooo many new tech features in the altima and the styling is way too close to the max for comfort. What are 5 reasons you would still keep your max> I for one am thinking of downgrading

 

Because the Altima is the poor mans Maxima....

 

With the new Altima having more tech opitions, that just means when the Maxima comes out its gonna be even better.

 

Altima is a different class of car. People need to get over it. Technology moves way to fast. The maxima is a bigger car, in 2 years or less it will be replaced and then the Altima will look outdated.

Poor mans maxima? That would be an Impala or Tarus.

 

for me this isnt a smartphone that im going to try to upgrade every 2 years. i love my car and unless the 8th gen comes out and blows my mind i see myself running this thing into the ground

 

I like how u think Dan.

 

And Survey Says "Because I am a Man, and not a Chick" 100 Points! DING DING DING

 

You said it Bro, I'm with you on that. If all one is going for is a better looking car or a car with more tech goodies then you're shopping for cars for all the wrong reasons.

Both cars are highly reliable, the Max has a totally different mission than the Alti and it is further up the scale to boot. Even though the Max I have will soon become my work car only I still won't trade it for an Altima, Infiniti offers me 23K for my 09 Max and if it is my intent to trade then I will trade up, not down.

 

I like how the Max is less common than the Alt. Which is why I'd never own one.

 

^^^^^^^ Yup. Production ratio for Altima to Maxima is 5:1 (Idk if I said that right)

 

For me, the Max will always be > the Altima. Nissan will never do more for the Altima. The Max is the top o' the line and the little brother will always be the little brother. The only way I'll get a newer Max is if Nissan pumps up the ponies to 330+. Otherwise, I'm completely satisfied with Blaxima.

 

Altimas are chick cars

 

Going to an Altima would basically be a demotion from a Maxima. Also the only Altima I even like is the fully loaded SER version

 

I don't feel like the Altima would be a "demotion". This latest gen Altima is truly a great car inside and out. Hell, I almost bought a fully loaded 4-door Altima SR back in 2010.

Will I trade my 2011 Sport for a 2013 Altima? Nope. Then again, just bought the thing 5 months ago

 

I think my biggest point here is that nissan is going to have a hard *** time selling the max for the next 2 years. think about it and be honest with yourself the maxima just doesnt cut it as far as refinement for a 40k car. Tech is average. the max doesnt get a whole lot more horsepower than the v6 altima. minus the pano sunroof heated steering wheel the altima has just about everything and more for about 8k less. Dont get me wrong i love my max. i got it because i could afford it and loves the style but nissan will have to make the maxima loaded with tech and refinement to justify the 40k pricetag

 

I agree with you 100% on everything you said above. It's no wonder there are so many more V6 Altima's on the road instead of Maximas in my area. A fully loaded SR only runs maybe 28-29K on average out the door. Way cheaper than a similarly equipped Max.

 

You guys are really taking this 2013 Altima thing to heart.

You need to remember how horribly similar the styling of the 5th/5.5 Max was to the Sentra in the early 2000's. I don't remember anybody getting bent over that.

As far as the Altimas are chick cars argument. At least the "chick car" comes with an operational 6MT.

 

Sigh... this is one thing I'm going to hound Nissan about at ZdayZ next month. Put a f*cking 6MT in the Max for crying out loud

 

Technology changes so rapidly and advances so quick today that I guarantee the Maxima when they redo it will be even more technologically advanced then this "new" Altima. If it isnt the fully loaded version sorry not driving one ever. Anyways if when I get a "new" car if it isnt another Maxima I'd move up into something better not go to something basically in a lower class and all that.

 

This is true in two years who knows where technology will be. But they need to seperate the max from the rest of the bunch but it will be an interesting thing to see. Two things nissan has to keep in mind. They are creeping up on infiniti pricing with the maxima. I dont see them bumping the horsepower nor do i see them adding a 6mt if you want that get an infiniti (nissans thinking) I think the key changes the maxima needs is a definate look at upping cabin materials. better tech, refinement, better tires/handling sportier profile and feinately gas mielage.

 

would i really give up my max for an altima? no. but if the new maxima doesn't fix quality issues i just wont buy another nissan lol

 

Lol at the 6mt comment. One thing Nissan did right with the altima.

Even though I sort of like the styling of the current Maxima, I just see it as direct competition for the Toyota Avalon.

 

I agree.

On one hand it is a good thing for the Nissan brand and the Altima to have more upscale look and feel. I get that. On the other hand, those of us that purchased a Max did so for a reason. I wanted the flagship of the sedans and to slightly stand out. The new Altima screams a35 and I personally do not like that. I do not want the two vehicles to be so closely related, if nothing else from looks alone.

sigh...
This news along with other grievances has me seriously contemplating getting out of the Max while their re-sale value is still fairly high and I am very well right side up on the loan.

 

I highly disagree with that, in fact Nissan has been sending out numerous requests for those with 09-11 to trade up and they're offering amounts higher than the resale even with mileage, so is Infiniti.

Apparently they're taking these vehicles in trade to not only sell one of their newer cars to you but they must also know that they're going to be able to sell them especially if they're taking them in trade and given the owners more than what they worth even with high mileage.

 

exactly, nissan had this problem in 07 where the max and altima where almost identical in looks. the 09 max separated the two. now they are back relatively close. when i see those videos of the 13 altima certain angles scream maxima

 

I wouldnt trade an 09-11 max for a 12 max as there are only cosmetic differences if at this point nissan offered me good trade on my 12 i would honestly grab a low payment on a altima v6 and just ride it out until the redesign of the max and hope for the best thats the only way i would downgrade. but for ppl who are not "maxima enthusiast" and just want a nice affordable car with tech goodie many will opt for the altima. if you didnt own a max now and had the choice of a 2012 max for 40 or a 2013 altima for 30-32 which would you seriously choose?

 

I wouldn't trade up for either car and I have an 09 but Infiniti is offering sweet deals on the trade in for 09 Maximas (23K plus) even with high mileage to jump into a G or anything else. That isn't a bad deal IMO, I might do it after I get my retirement ride.

 

Because i ride Socal max and this thing still looks butt ugly from the front. The Max's front looks mean, i see a lot of similarities but oh well. Might see even less 7ths around now

 

if I wanted to get a fast manual transmission Nissan I would definitely have not gotten an Altima, I'd have gone straight for a Z. for a fun to drive sport sedan (that has a transmission that most people hate but I've grown to like) the Max fits perfectly. whoever said going from Max to Altima wasnt a downgrade is wrong, that's literally the definition of a downgrade. may not be by much but Nissan has them tiered out Sentra > Altima > Maxima and always has... we're just used to the Altimas looking way more like the Sentras

 

To the OP that posted they think Nissan screwed up with too much tech, Nissan's bread and butter is this segment of the industry in the USA. Of course they're going to do a refresh and add all the bells and whistles every other car manufacturer has. Common business sense. The max will get refreshed and have it's all new goodies to which folks will NOT like as well and will end up looking different from the Altima again. Same argument was brought up in the 6th gen area when the last gen Altima came out.

Sentra and Altima are their big money cars so they cater to what the customers want. The max is more their upscale model for those not willing to switch to Infinity.

Car designers are people too. They steal ideas from each other and what looks good. You should feel good that they thought enough of the changes to the 7th gen to swipe some of the design features. Every other car company does this too. Why should this surprise any of you, you're all auto enthusiasts and can look around and see this plainly.

Think Elantra-Sonata. If you can't see the same hands in the design pot there, you've gotta be blind. Same for Altima-Maxima. Look at the designs of the Focus-Fusion-Taurus this year. You'll see similar progression.

Nissan knows it's time for a Maxima refresh and if you watched their release of the new Altima live (all you car enthusiasts did of course, right?), you saw they hinted at the refresh of 5 vehicles in the next few years. 3 of the covered vehicles were CARS. Not trucks, not SUV's. So thinking through this, Sentra, Max and Alti.

You'll be getting your "new" model soon enough, just have some patience.

 

Last time I bought a Max, it was 1995, and there was a clear distinction between the three models - Sentra, Alt, Max - in pricing, power, and features. After the Max got smashed by an idiot in a truck, I moved on to a few German cars, but yet still kept a casual eye on the Nissan lineup. I did notice the Alt started to creep up in power to the point where it was almost the same as the Max, and I was thinking that they had basically undercut their own flagship sedan.
Now, the deltas are more pronounced again, but the Max pricing is creeping up to Infinity G level for an SV with goodies. But Nissan cannot juice up the Max power without totally stepping on top of the G series, else they will poach sales with any customer emphasizing price versus performance. (unless the next gen Infinity goes from 330hp to closer to 400, for example)

So here we have the Alt putting pressure on the Max from one direction, and then the Infinity ceiling in the other direction, if that makes sense.

What I would like to have seen, but it is too late now for me (for at least a few years), is to do a better job of body differentiation between Alt and Max. Frankly, there are so many Altimas in my area, the Max gets lost in the crowd, style-wise. I personally have to look twice to tell the difference unless up close. Nissan should increase the fender flares to emphasize the sportier look, or something along those lines. The way it is now, the casual observer can't be faulted for asking how you like your Altima. It looks much too close to each other, not to mention the Optima and Accords now even have become near clones.

 

I agree with you completely and you have valid points. I know for a fact with nissans history they will not do whole lot to the 13/14 maxima. I do expectfor 15 for a complete remodel that they will not do a ton of things to the body/lines but they will up the tech and refinement. I think tech is not the biggest problem. but if your not going to make the maxima out of better quality and fit and finish then the altima then thats a huge problem

 

2015 model year would fall within their next few years plans. Right now, they're going to milk the new Altima cash cow. With this economy, cheaper, fuel efficient but nice is all the craze. From what I've seen of that car, it qualifies on all 3.

 

I couldn't of said it better!.. I've had my 09 going on almost 3 years and till this day every time I get home from work, I always look back at her and tell myself.... Yep.. SHE'S ALL MINE!

 

Yup exactly and also for me I guess its a bit sentimental being this is the first car that I bought my own money and all that. I love it still sometimes just go and check it out haha

 

The other two cars are the Sentra and a Versa hatchback according to this:

http://blog.caranddriver.com/nissan-...ch/#more-80401

And by looking at the shape of the other two cars (middle one is the Altima) they definitely aren't the Maxima. As others have said it will probably be a couple of years before the 8th generation.

 

Yes, it the Sentra and the Versa HB. Its on the nissan site somewhere.

 

While I have not yet driven a 2013 Altima, when I was shopping for a car last fall, I found the different between the Altima and Maxima far greater than I anticipated. My original intent was to buy a V6 Altima, mainly based on price. The salesman pulled a great trick, and had me try a Maxima first, mostly I think because I expressed interest in a V6.

I enjoyed the ride in the Maxima, as did my wife, but we eagerly anticipated trying out the V6 Altima. It was just shocking how different the ride was. The Maxima rode like a much heavier car, absorbed shocks, and adjusted its body tilt on turns much differently than the Altima. The Altima had sharp cornering and was quick, but felt much lighter on the road. My wife found the ride far less comfortable than the Max, and I had to agree that the Max is a much more refined car.

The new Altima has a cool look, and nice features, but at its core, I doubt the manufacturer would make it ride as nicely as a Maxima.

 

Crap, forgot about the Versa, but, the Max is still scheduled for a refresh and we should start seeing pics early 2014 for release in Aug of that year as a 2015.

No matter what tho, the Max is our car and I won't be going to the Altima. Now if the wife starts looking for a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle to drive back and forth to work with, I might point her in that direction.

Personally, in this economy, I'm wishing all the luck in the world to Nissan with any new/redesigned product. I can't see car purchases as a high priority for most folks.

 

The altima is def the big money maker for Nissan. Since the coupe was released I see them EVERYWHERE! Its the poor mans G35 coupe, all the girls like them, rental car companies are getting shipments of them in every day. I live in golf country so i see a ton a altima rental car out here. But u don't see enough maximas. Tons of infinitis out here too but people out here don't know what they are actually buying, they just think Infiniti is high end. When i show them my Max they are amazed at the features and said they would consider a Max when their LEASE is up. Lol