I'm going to look at a Maxima tomorrow, and may go for it. I have a few questions on some unknowns, and would like to know before I decide to purchase. I'm looking at getting a 2014 SV with the value package.

Is the Bose stereo really that good? I'm not going to upgrade it, but I'd rather have a nice factory unit. How many watts is it? Can it get loud without distorting?

Where is the subwoofer located?

Can video be played through the non NAV display through the aux jacks in the center console?

Can I stream music from my Android phone via Bluetooth to the stereo?

Is premium fuel a must in the Maxima?


I've never had a CVT car before, and it does make me kind of nervous hearing about the problems some newer Altmias have had with them. I know the new Altima has a different CVT though. How many of you all have over 100K miles on your 7th gen Maximas, did you have any CVT issues?

Would it be a good idea to get a 100K warranty on this car? I have no prblem working on cars, but just wondering if I should just for the CVT.

This wil be the first brand new car I have ever bought. So I want to make sure I will be really happy with it.

 

Welcome to the forum!! The Bose system is pretty good. It's clear with good base compared to most factory systems. You cannot play video on the non nav display as its not color. The 2014 maxima cvt is pretty solid with minimal issues this far. The older 7th gen maximas had a few cvt issues but the cvt was changed in 2012. The car is pretty solid compared to other cars in the class. As far as the warranty I'd say its always a good idea. It's an expensive car with a lot of gadgets so its always nice to have some added protection.

 

The Bose sounds nice even if you crank it. I would suggest you get in a Maxima with and without the Bose to decide for yourself. I'm not sure but the Bose has at least two subs in the trunk.

Premium fuel is recommended, it is not required. I use mid grade.

Depends how much extra the 100K will cost you. I was aware of the CVT issues but did not even consider the extended warranty for my 2014.

Good luck with your car shopping, I know it is hard not to get excited but I would not rush a large purchase like this. There is a wealth of information about these cars on this site. Use the advanced search feature so you can narrow your searches to the 7th gen discussion forum.

 

I am a 2012 SV owner and currently at 43k, mostly driven in sport or manual mode and drive it like its a race car somewhat often and so far she runs beautifully. I will recommend changing the factory RSA tires though.. road noise was annoying for me, horrible wet traction even without speeding really, but on the hills it will almost always slip for me barely pressing on the throttle. Other than that thats all I can say and maybe some better rotors and pads because they get pretty rusty and made the rims get a rusty sheen onto it.

 

Lol CVT was changed in 2012? Where'd you get that information? Wikipedia?

CVT is the same in all years of the 7th gen Maxima.

 

Sorry Ross but ThinBlue is correct.

There was a least one modification that I know of with the CVT that changed with the 2012 model year and that was the valve body.
I had an issue with sluggish acceleration which was a well known talking point on this forum that mainly affected 09-10 models.
This was confirmed by the Nissan tech upon a test drive and the TSB repair instruction for this I was told and shown was to replace the 2010 VB with a newer 2012 VB which resolved this issue.
There may have been other internal changes made to the CVT after 2010 as the only 09-10's have the 10year/120K extended CVT warranty.

 

Hey guy, we all do our best to keep the forum as respectful and friendly as possible. Your "lol" and Wikipedia remarks were not necessary. I'll leave it at that.

OP-my CVT failed on my 2009 Max with 56k on it and was replaced with the updated 2012+ cvt which has been solid. Good luck with the car buying process!!

 

Do you notice a MPG drop using midgrade? Once I noticed inside the fuel door about premium, it was kind of a downer.

I am definitely not excited about car shopping, it's been stressful really. I'm mixed about what to do. Part of me feels that I deserve a brand new car since I've never bought new, and the other says get used. Used Maximas with 20K miles are 5-6K cheaper, but I'm worried that I might get something that could have been resprayed or had previous damage. Then with a new car I'll be always worrying about getting dents or scratches on it. This is just some of what has been running through my mind.

 

I have a '14 SV Sport and LOVE it. The CVT runs like a dream and I was a bit worried about it too having never even heard of it. I agree about the tires they are only average, but I have only 4k on the dial. The BOSE is worth it in my opinion. I stream bluetooth from my iPhone and it is just ok. I have an old ipod that I keep wired up in the center console. It is all hidden in the there so you see now wires. At least in my model, not sure if it is standard. I use 89 octane and am getting 24.6 MPG (on dash readout) with mostly highway driving, but I also like to hammer it down every now and then.

I compared Honda, Toyota, Altima, Passat, Lexus IS, Audi and Infinity. Maxima was by far the best bang for the buck. Others had some nicer stuff but higher price tag. Was not worth it for me.

Happy shopping.

 

I would not let the recommendation for premium bother me. I had a 98 Maxima SE for 16 years before I bought my 2014. It had the same recommendation. I'm not sure about the fuel economy but most of the articles I have read on the subject state that fuel octane has nothing to do with mileage. I get 23 MPG in suburban driving.

I was in the same boat trying to decide between used and new. For much the same reasons that you state. I ended up getting new because I feel I got a great deal on my 2014. I am happy with the car but sometimes I wish I had bought used. Really depends on the deal you get. If you are taking a loan out to pay for the car you will be happy you bought used when you have to make a payment.

I remember seeing some low mileage 3-4 year old Maxima S version for around $20K. The S is basically the same car without leather and all the bells and whistles. Depends on how important that is to you. If you are going to be disappointed than go with the SV. Test drive used and new S and SV. Take your time and the decision will become clearer for you. The sales people usually want you to make a decision quickly, don't let them annoy or pressure you. You are the boss. Have some fun with them.

Regardless if you buy new or used make sure you inspect the vehicle closely. Make sure everything works to your satisfaction. You don't want to get it home and then say WTF is that. If you buy used and are not sure what to look for having a mechanic look it over is a good idea.

 

The valve body does not make it a new CVT. It is the same CVT with the only real difference being a software change. Every single thing on all the 7th gens are interchangeable.

The CVT changed from the 6th gen (when it was implemented) to the 7th but the 7th gen did not change it's CVT, like it said it changed some things to prevent the TSB but it didn't necessarily improve it because not everyone was affected.

Also it was a TSB like you said, not like a recall so it only affected a small amount of people just like the TSB for the rocking seats and the tilt motor.

All I'm saying is that the CVT did not change, it's still the same one as the one in the 2012+ with a different software that can be updated on the pre-2012 Maximas as well if you find a cool enough dealer.

Also the best things about the 2009-10 is that they came with the 10 years 120K warranty where as the 2011+ get the 5 years 60K so in theory my 2010 Transmission warranty would end the same time as the newest maxima's

 

Lol I'm not trying to bump heads I'm simply stating that your information is not all correct.

It's the same CVT transmission with mainly an updated software that is also able to be put on the pre-2012 models.

Yeah they changed a part but that was based on the TSB to prevent future hassles just like how they remove all the wheel lock fuses now to prevent the wheel lock issue.

Again sorry if I came off as rude but I just found your post a bit misinforming to the OP.

 

Dude, really? I think we've exhausted the topic. No need to argue over semantics. Enough said.

 

So if we had a pre 2012 how would we get that software update on our cvt? Would love to stave off issues if I could.

 

I believe everything is through the OBII connection and you'd have to have a cool dealer. Most dealers will hit you with the "idk what you're talking about" speech just like some do when you try to ask about the +2 timing advance.

From what I have gathered the new software is suppose to fix the sluggishness of the CVT in low speeds with the trade off being a bit lower on gas mileage. Saw it Somewhwre on a older forum post but I can't remember which one.

I believe Ghozt would know so if you can, PM him.

 

Thanks for the info. I will look into that as I'm due for an oil change soon. Advancing the timing is going to do what exactly? Thanks again for the info.

To the guy looking at buying one of these, this is my third one and I love it. It is as fancy as a 60k car without the tag or logo. I love them and have never been more happy than with the 7th gen.

 

Yeah sorry for the thread jack. But advancing your time will also make the car more responsive/faster in lower speeds.

To the OP,

As stated premium gas is not required, so 89 is more than fine and the only thing you'd lose would be a few horsepower but unless you're street racing it shouldn't matter lol. Higher octane will generally contain more detergents though and it'd only be about $.05+ More. What I wouldn't recommend is 87 because more than likely you will lose gas mileage on top of horsepower.

The Bose system is awesome! It definitely kicks and even on high volumes with music of high bass, it does not distort. If you get the Bose system I doubt you'll feel the need to upgrade it but some extra kick can't hurt lol.

If there is anything to be said badly about the CVT it would be the engine braking. I personally don't notice it as much so I don't mind it but it does happen.

This isn't a Honda V6 automatic transmission here, lol Nissan's CVT have been proven to be very reliable.

Don't pay any mind to the New 2013+ Altimas because they are the ones running completely new CVTs that were plagued with problems due to JATCO.

 

Thanks for the info. Sorry we got off subject. All in all the cvt is more like an auto than anything really. You can still feel cogs swapping so to speak even though your not meant to. Love the car and since the new body is coming soon that means savings on new and used. Also, buying last model in a previous gen which this would be, means most of the bugs got taken care of. Good luck.

 

I will agree completely with your last statement because generally speaking the first model year of a vehicle or any product tends to have the most issues and as the time goes on these kinks are worked out.

For that reason, when I was looking at my Maxima I made sure to stay clear of the 09. Nothing personal but I just told myself not to go for a first model. Overall they are all VERY reliable and you can't go wrong with any year.

To the OP, For reference, the 2010 SV added Bluetooth audio as well as DVD map updates and the 2012 SV added illuminated kick plates. Ghozt retrofitted the kick plates on his 09 SV so yeah.

Other things were added and removed through the years like the rear audio controls for the 09-10 Premium package but I cannot remember anymore off the top.

 

Well, I made the mistake of driving a new Altima today. And to be honest, I really liked it. It was a 2.5 SL, had leather, sunroof, Bose, illuminated plates (same stuff as the Maxima). I was expecting it to be a complete slouch since it had a 4 cylinder, but I was wrong. This car actually gets up and goes. I drove a 2.4 Honda Accord EX-L before, and the Altima would walk all over it. The CVT is awesome in it, the Altima doesn't downshift and have to rev high to get moving like the torque less Honda.

I didn't drive the Max and Altima back to back, but I'm sure the Maxima is a lot better performer with 100 extra HP. But the Altima seemed fast too since my current car is sooo underpowered.

I'll be honest, the Altima has a lot nicer and newer technologies than the Maxima since it's been recently redesigned. The color digital instrument cluster, dash layout, and radio are nice, and the zero gravity seats are very comfy. Plus the 38 MPG on the interstate is crazy. Don't get me wrong, I love the Maxima, but the technology seems a little outdated and the interior is kind of plain. I suppose that's expected with a car that's still based on one from 2009. I love the power of the Max, the HIDs, LED taillights, and the style.

The Altima is not exactly a head turner, but it's a good bang for the buck. I have got to decide if I want a car with nice amenities, good MPG, and a lower price vs something more powerful. I can get a new Max for $30K OTD with the SV value package. I'm at a loss on what to get c'mon people give me some advantages that the Maxima has over the Altima. Convince me to get the Maxima


What is wrong with the CVTs on the 13+ Altimas? Are a lot of them failing? Bear in mind the Altimas I'm looking at are 2.5s not the 3.5.

iPhreak, you Max looks awesome. It's the same color and package that I wanted. I found out today that the sport package cars do not come with fold down rear seats, but instead a fold down center pass through. That's kind of a deal breaker, since I could use the extra room in case I have to haul lumber or a ladder.



I know I want the SV, since I definitely want leather and a sunroof.


Can audio be streamed via Bluetooth on the SV with just the value package (no premium package)? That's kind of big deal to me when it's available on an Altima, but not a mid $30K+ luxury car.

How hard is it to add the illuminated sill plates? From the factory it's $250. Can they be bought online cheaper and with a simple install?

 

I just purchased the illuminated kickplates for my max for $120 from amazon. The dealer will charge you $200+. The install is super easy thanks to Ghozt's DIY plus there's a factory install instruction guide online with color pics. Since you're getting a 14 it will be pre wired as well.

 

Nothing wrong with an Altima 4 banger. Certainly better gas mileage and I think you may be able to go with regular. You have to decide what you want and what is most important to you. The Maxima is a larger more powerful automobile. Other than that the Altima is not that much different. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the two vehicles apart.

The Maxima Sport or Premium does not have fold down seats and the trunk is pretty small. It's not much of a hauler.

 

Had good experience with a 08 Altima 3.5 for a bit...

To me it felt more sporty than the Gen 6 Maxima but didn't have as much of the "refined/luxury vehicle" feel... Plus it was quiet a bit cheaper (I am in Canada though).

It might be worth looking at the 3.5 Altima if you want the power

 

The engine/cvt are kinda noisy under certain circumstances on those. That's all I know about them from driving a few rentals.

 

I got an altima from the dealer when I got my windows tinted (part of the sale) and while it did have a little get up and go, it felt very cheap... and rattled pretty badly. It also only had 15k on the dial. The leather was very plether-y and fit and finish were not nearly the quality of the Maxima

 

I had no intentions of buying a gas sipping 4 cylinder, but instead I wanted a sporty sedan with a little bit of power. Originally I was looking at used Maxima's in the $22-23K price rang, but many of those were ones that were not in that great of shape cosmetically with scratches, etc, and whatnot with 30K miles or so. So when I found out I could get one for almost $27K before TTL it seemed the way to go. Not knocking the Maxima at all, but I could never pay full price of almost $40K out the door for one at sticker price.

The things that stood out to me vs the Altima and Maxima.

Maxima advantges

Atlima advantages

As far a seat comfort, neither one stood out vs the other one. Both had really comfortable seats. One thing I noticed in the Maxima, it has the manual tilt and telescoping wheel, and my need seemed to hit the bottom of the steering colum while getting out. Maybe I needed to find a good seat and wheel position, but it was kind of annoying. I didn't experience this in the Altima.

If the Altima had a 3.5 in it for this price range, I would probably be leaning real heavily towards it. Neither car has anything on it that totally blows me a way to make it a real choice winner.

The discount on the Maxima is really enticing. I don't think I will be able to buy too many other sport sedans with a V6 out there brand new for $30K out the door. I'm hoping that the car will hold a better resale vs the Altima, and that this $10K will work to my advantage in the long run of ownership.


Seriously, you all own Maximas, so tell me some of the advantages. At this point I am not completely sold on this car. I guess my mind is overloaded from car shopping, and I can't see a clear picture. Come on everyone, what am I missing? Tell me why I should get the Maxima

 

I'm not sure where your located but in my area, you can buy a new 2014 3.5 SL (top trim level) Altima for 26k before TTL or a 2015 3.5 SV for 26.5k. It sounds like you like the new tech features in the altima and the maxima really can't compete with that since it is an older car. What made me choose the maxima over the altima was the looks and maybe some more exclusivity. I don't like the way the altima looks in front and its not as aggressive looking as the maxima. There are also too many altima's out there on the roads. If the altima looked better, i would have gotten it over the maxima. I have driven a new 2014 altima 2.5S and it felt pretty good to me. The CVT was definitely better (no whining noise after repeatedly flooring it, not sure if this is true for the 3.5 version though). If your a DIYer, you can always upgrade the stock stereo or put a nexus 7 or any other 7 inch tablet in place of the stock screen in the maxima and then all of a sudden, the maxima won't seem too ancient in terms of technology compared to the altima. Also, just a correction in your advantages list.... the altima has v6 power, HID headlights and backup camera and the maxima has streaming bluetooth audio depending on trim levels.

 

Where are you at to get those prices on Altimas? I'm in TN. If I could get a 3.5 Altima with HIDs and the works for that price, I'd very strongly consider it.

I agree, the Maxima is a better looking car. The Altima is not hideous, but the front grille is just too big plus the rear end is kind of weird looking. I don't like the Maxima grille either, but I was planning on putting in a T Rex grille in it. I don't really want to mess with the stock stereo at all. With a mid-$30K MSRP the car should have a good stereo in it. You're right on the Maxima having streaming Bluetooth, but that's on the premium level I believe. The SV with the value package is already pushing what I inteded to spend at $30K, so that is my absolute max price I'm spending.


I just want a car that's sporty, luxurious, has good power, and has some nice tech features. If the Maxima had a nicer looking radio display and little more updated interior, I'd choose it. The more I look at the Maxima interior, the more I realize it looks...well, just plain. I live just a few minutes from the Nissan North American headquarters, so everyone has Nissans around here. I can't be too exclusive by choosing one or another.

 

I can stream Bluetooth with my 2010. Also, the quality of the screens on some newer cars is not as good, not sure on the new Altima.

 

I live in NJ. I went to the site below for the true car price. Its sometimes lower on the penfed site than the actual truecar website. Just print it out with the price and bring it to the dealer and they should honor it.

https://penfed.truecar.com/main.html

 

You also have a Maxima with the premium package, which has Bluetooth streaming capability.

The Maxima that I am looking to get is an SV with the Value package only.

I wish I would have played around with the radio more on the Maxima, but I was more focused on how it drove. Not that I have looked at some more information, I found out that the Maxima has single and 6 disc systems. I took a pic of the window sticker, and it doesn't mention 6 disc at all. Does the SV Value Package cars have 6 disc or not? Is it just the base S models that have the single disc?

While I don't use CDs very often, I would expect a car that stickers for $37K to have a 6 disc. If not, that's pretty pathetic compared to the competition.

I do plan on subscribing to SiriusXM, because let's face it FM radio is terrible. The Maximas that I drove did not have the XM activated, so I could not test it out. I have heard on some vehicles where the sound quality is not as good and the volume must be cranked up more while using XM, is that true with the Maximas? How is the Sirius XM quality on these cars?


I do know that the Maxima I am looking at has the video AUX jacks in the center console and a USB, no AUX on the radio. If I had an Apple i-device I know I could use it by USB, but I don't own Apple anything and don't plan to. I have an Android phone and use Google Music a LOT. Is there anyone else out there that has an Android phone and uses it on their Maxima? Is there some type of USB to AUX cable I could use? How is the sound quality with it?

The factory stereo and how it performs is going to be one big factor in which car I choose.

Good find, but a 3.5 Altima will be $2,500 more here, putting it right next to the Maxima in pricing. I might go drive a 3.5 SL and see what it's like.

 

If you opt for a model with navigation you loose the 6 disc changer. You get a DVD player in its place. The satellite radio works fine, no big difference in volume that I noticed. The OEM stereo in my trim level was decent for what it was.

 

To be honest, it sounds like you are trying to find excuses to buy the Altima and not the maxima. I've been in the same boat, I'm sure we all have at some point. My advice is go with the Altima if you want newer premium options. The maxima is a different class of car so you have to pay more for it. It's tough to do but if you don't care about seeing your exact same Altima every time you get behind the wheel, then that's the car for you! I bought the maxima because I never buy new and don't want I drive something everyone else drives. Never mind that the maxima is more of a performance car and I got the SV with sport pack which does make it somewhat unique compared to camrys and accords. Just my thoughts and advice. As they say about free advice it is yours to ignore...

 

Get a fully loaded Altima 3.5

/thread

 

Yeah this thread is kind of getting pointless. Just get the Altima because this forum isn't really here to convince you on which car to get. You seem sold on the Altima with that being said I think you should just choose it and you'll be happy.

 

I wish I would've used this much thought in getting married, buying a house or choosing **** sites!

 

And scene...

 

 

Like previously stated no one can convince you to buy something you don't want but from personal experience I owned a 2009 Altima 2.5sl, decent little car but not a head turner and the 4 cylinder engine sounded like a lawn mower. Every time I saw a 7th gen drive by me I'd snap my neck so when the opportunity was there to trade up to the 7th gen I didn't hesitate, and never looked back. Also I should mention my gf purchased a 2013 2.5 sv and always asks to drive my outdated 7th gen.

Whenever she drives with me she wants to know if I know the girls breaking there neck

 

Lmfao!