Ok folks, what made you pony up the big bucks to be driving one of these babies? Was it the looks, the performance, prestige of the badge, all of the above?

 

for me the best jack of all trades. best "bang for the buck" you can say. nice luxuries, nice sport look and handling, nice power. not a sports car, not a luxury vehicle, but a nice mix of the two in a fantastic daily driver.

 

What Ghozt said. The CVT is def a big learning curve for me.

 

The coke bottle shape and the curves. Nothing like it on the road.

 

This answer doesn't count. It's a given that we all think it's a sexy car.

 

So when I about to purchase my 2010 Max, I let my wife pick the color (Tuscan Red). Just before I signed up I saw the slate color, and I could not resist the classy looks of the car. She did get to pick the color on the next one!

 

I've been a long time Maxima owner & always felt it was a solid car. From my 1992 Max to this one. For me, it has always been a fun car.

The 7th gen has very nice lines. As stated before, it's a good mix of sporty & luxury. I think it is a well rounded vehicle.

 

1) i had a '97 SE that ran 200,000 mi before I wrecked it ... so, good previous experience.

2) Nissan's interior ergonomic model fits my body style (6ft-1in, 275 lb) to a T. Controls are where they should be, gas/brake pedals are where they should be, and the steering wheel is where it should. It just fits.

3) It makes my smile every time I walk up to it!

Live long, and prosper
Jerry L. Gubka

 

as stated before, I got more bang for my buck. the sexiness was an added bonus.

 

pretty much sums up my 06 and my current 09

I just love the reactions of luxury car owners, they get in my car and are disappointed in their over priced based model

 

I like it how I can play video from my USB and display it on the factory Nav screen.

 

I fell in love at first glance and still love looking at her, but since that isn't an OK answer, I'd say I love how smooth the CVT is. I had it in for some paint work and had a Sonata for 5 days, which reminded my just how spoiled I am with the CVT.

 

Prior comments explain this car quite well.
I don't know if it's just in this area but there isn't a lot of 7th gens roaming the streets, let alone seeing one that is modded.
Seems like everyone's driving BMW's, Audi's, Acura's, etc..
With that being said many people are not sure what they are seeing when looking at my (de-badged) car.
Having a car that not everyone else is driving is nice.

 

For me it was the VQ35 engine... I love the sound. Nothing else like it, specially for a family car.

 

When I 1st test drove a 7th Gen, early in the 09 model year, the only thing I noticed about the CVT was the different sound from the engine, long and continuous verse dropping and picking back up, but I think it drives a lot like the 7speed auto Infiniti offers, driving both normally you can't tell the difference between the 2, and that makes me feel even better about my Maxima

 

Sort of a tie between the styling and the heated steering wheel.

I absolutely loved the 7th gen styling when I first saw it at the Nissan factory in February of 2008 (4 months before it went on sale). This styling was a little ahead of its time, and lots of folks were critical during those first few years. But now most folks seem to like it.

I cannot even consider vehicles without a heated steering wheel, as my hands gradually lost circulation back around the time I was going through age 70 to age 75, and I have never been able to restore that circulation. No, gloves do not help at all. I either have to have a heated steering wheel, or my wife has to drive the cooler half of the year. Talk about complete emasculation . . .

 

All the above are correct. However, I find the following qualities to be drivers that influenced my decision to buy the Maxima
1. Very comfortable seats with good overall support.
2. Quite on the highway which provides a serene driving experience.
3. Precise steering
4. Great braking
5. Adequate power
6. Rebates large enough to make the price attractive.
7. Good reliability

 

I have to say that I do like the heated steering wheel as well. At first I was dismissive of this option as I thought it was an unnecessary luxury. Having gone through some cold weather with this car, I now see the benefits .

 

Don't feel emasculated. You drive a Maxima and you're man enough to have a wife that's willing to chauffeur you around if need be. You my friend are a man's man!

 

Lots of great replies. I agree with them all. I also like the roominess of the Max. Much more room than any mid sized car. I also think that Maxima owners show a certain level of intelligence by buying a car based on what it has to offer versus just selling out for a luxury badge and getting less car for more money. I like that you don't see very many on the road.

 

What I like most about this car, besides all what others have said, is the fact that there are only 4 of them in the my entire town.

 

Personally, I love the styling. Nissan hit a home run with this Maxima and it's arguably the 'sexiest' looking Maxima they've ever come out with.

The other thing I really like is that when the 7th Gen came out there were no other cars that looked like it. You couldn't mistake it for anything else. (not true now that the new Altima's are around, which is a testament to the looks of the 7th Gen)

Finally, if you look at the cars that are in the Maxima's segment ... there's nothing else that can touch them in terms of power, performance, styling, luxury. Avalon ... nope. Accord (V6) ... nope. Taurus ... hahaha. TL ... comes close, but this is a grey area.

Rare breed indeed

I wish there were only 4 of them in my area. I see them all over the place, which is why i decided to modify mine ... gotta stay different.

 

I like the versatility. I can step out in a suit and tie and look like a million bucks and the Max fits right in. Or, I can chill in some sweats and sneaks and the Max is just as comfortable. It has expensive looks but not the price tag of a Benz/Bimmer/Jag.

And, as everyone else has already stated... the looks are one-of-a-kind. Well, they WERE until the Altima/Sentra designers decided to copy the look.

But THIS is what got me on the 7th gen...

 

I have had 6 Honda Accords in a row the latest being a 2009 that had a cavernous back seat compared to my 2012 Maxima SV. I was shopping for a 2013 Accord Touring when my dad saw an ad for a brand new 2012 Maxima SV with all the packages, list 41.5 for 34.5K. So the prices, Honda to Nissan, were close. The Maxima has a lot less road noise, much better leather and a cool dash. The Honda had LED running lights, larger interior and a lot better gas mileage. Drove both extensively. For 34.5k the Maxima was the best car for me. No way is the Maxima worth any where near the $41.5K sticker. In my area of NW PA Maxima's just don't sell and I had a choice 7 different 2012 Maxima's at 34.5K or 33.5k without the tech package. So far it's been a great car. There's always tradeoffs to be made between brands but no buyers remorse here! I also have a Chevy Avalanche and both of my vehicles are something you don't see a lot of on the road up here but they have unique styling.

Greg

 

Having traded in a Benz (albeit older), my MB friends give me a ton of guff over the decision to lease a Max (Sh*tty Datsun, as they call it).

And then I step on the gas and leave them behind.

Granted, my friend's 2013 Cl65 will blow my doors off, but not that much for $130,000 more.

 

the fact that its about to be paid off after 5 years!!

 

Where did you get that grill ? I want the same one in silver


Thanks

 

I wanted to buy another Infiniti but I don't have a dealer within 75 miles. For about $10K less I'm glad I got the Max as it's much roomier than the G37. I would have liked the AWD though


The only thing I dislike is how much the Altima resembles the MAX

 

The climate controlled driver's seat sealed the deal for me. That, and no timing belt!!!

 

Max still looks way more athletic especially from the rear and front where its hips are way more pronounced......In a couple months get ready for another family member that has a look similiar to the 7th gen, the Infiniti Q50 (G37 replacement). It has the Maxima hips and very similiar curvy hood.

 

prior to this car i had a toyota avalon 2008 that i hated. so for me first and foremost was the the performance of the max followed by the styling, sexyest car i've ever owned. since owning this car i can't imagine living without a heated steering wheel.

 

I don't mind the more expensive car looking the same but the avergae Joe is not picking up the slight difference between the Max and Altima from 20 feet away. I sometimes confuse them myself and when I was on the lot looking at cars the first "Maxima" I looked at was actually an Altima, didn't notice unttil I saw the badge, lol

While I don't like how similiar they are it's not a big deal as I'm not out to impress anyone

 

While I love my 2010 and think it is my favorite of my four, the 3rd gen was absolutely classic styling that still looks good, 20 years later.

 

Good engine for a family car feels safe and strong
Btw cool video we gonna have a baby haha

 

3rd Gen (mother of pearl, 1990) ... one of the first cars I ever drove.

Still remember the day my dad picked it up from the dealership. Accidentally chirped the tires on the way out of the lot. Smiles all around

Definitely a nice looking car, IIRC it was one of the first cars to come with Bose.

 

Indeed, had two of them. 89 GXE loaded to the gills and had the H.U.D all digital and a 92 SE, as you said to this day they still look good especially in that pearl white color that they charged extra for back then.

 

Yuup and I think its Bose sounded better than the ones in the later Gens.

 

The 2012 has all the features my GF was looking for....NAV, XM radio, heated steering wheel, Bluetooth, leather, moonroof, etc. She had a 2007 Maxima that ran 91,000 miles with no major problems so the choice of the 2012 was easy.
The 2012 has 30,000 no-problem miles so far and we intend to run it for 100,000.

 

I like that its a QUALITY car with GOOD resale value. Last two cars I owned were muscle cars, and the value just drops like a ROCK vs a car like the Max. Looking foward to drving it for a long time AND getting something on a trade when time comes.

 

I agree!