Propa Teknique

@lightonthehill You don't think the interior looks too simple with the monochrome screen and weird looking air vents? I do like it but it's so simple especially of the START/STOP button. By the way, according to this pic, the steering wheels controls are on the wheel.

My major needs would be the ventilated seats, sound system, larger monitor, and around view camera.

I was thinking that with the car having a "floating roof" they would have to scrap the panoramic roof because it seemed to slope so much going toward the rear. I love that roof so much it's really deterring me from even thinking about an M37S.

I'm hoping that they have heated rear seats as well. If Kia can do it, they can definitely do that. It would be nice to incorporate the look of the extended center console into the 8th gen well as the 6th gen with the Elite Package did. That was gorgeous.

Chris Alexander

Propa Teknique this picture you posted above the 8th gen interior with the 7th gen exterior I think they should have put the inside of that car with the 7th gen it looks good together.

Propa Teknique

I think it probably would look really good with the 7th gen if the exterior of the 7th gen was tweaked a little more to look a little more aggressive. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the in dash screen. That black and white seems like a blast from the past. I'm sure they probably have plans for a color display however. The other parts of the interior look really good. It seems they are taking cues from Infiniti with the stitching of the seats, console, and dash.

The shifter looks different and the speedometer and tachometer with the picture in the middle leads me to believe that they are going the virtual route and the lighting will be more subdued but noticeable according to this picture.

lightonthehill

Propa Teknique - Rest assured the screen will be full color. Modern navigation packages require quite a few different colors on their maps to be usable.

The screen won't be smaller than the 7th gen screen. The way it looks in the photo you posted makes it look like the screen is wider, not as high as the 7th gen screens. It may be that this 8th gen screen may rise from, or sink partially into the dash depending on whether the full screen is needed for whatever the user is doing. I think this rise/sink feature will eventually become standard on all car screens.

Glad to see the remote controls on the steering wheel in the photo version you posted.

I am sure the higher versions of the 8th gen will have ventilated seats, good sound system, large monitor and around-view camera. In fact, some of this may even be on more basic versions of the 8th gen. I'm hoping for power outside mirrors, and, with the 8th gen being slightly wider, I'm sure we will get them.

Rear seat heating and heated steering wheel will probably be part of a 'Cold Weather' package on lower and mid-level versions, and standard on high end versions.

Like you, I had been concerned with the slanting roof making an operational panel roof difficult. But the exaggerated rearward slant of the roof is partially an optical illusion created by the 'rising toward the rear' belt line and 'rising toward the rear' bottom edge of the side windows. The car must be viewed exactly 90 degrees from the side to fully detect this illusion. This makes sense, else rear seat passengers would not have headroom. This illusion has been used in the past on Japanese vehicles, especially in the sixties and seventies. It was very pronounced on my 1978 Datsun 200SX, and on most earlier Suzukis.

CS_AR

I really like the interior in the picture. Something about it has the distinction of "bold design" from an earlier famous interior.

[/QUOTE]

Garrettz459

Noticed the car is really hella sporty look better than GTR looking style just in my opinion, although I'm quite little dissapointment with the style interior and exterior.

I also noticed the speed gauge is only upto 160mph still since from 5th gen. It should be more like upto 200mph in my opinion, once again.

CS_AR

Garrett - I agree it does share some styling similarities with the GTR. The problem is so few people even know that a GTR exists and fewer have actually seen one up close.

Propa Teknique

I looked at some older cars with that roofline and you are right, it is indeed an optical illusion.

I don't know why I thought there wouldn't be a color screen. I guess I was focusing on the concept and not the real version of the car. I'm excited about this though. It looks sexier each time I see it. I didn't realize it would be wider. The 7th gen is already super wide.

That looks nice and I can definitely see the design cues. I've never been a fan of Chevy but I must admit that the interior looks nice. I'm glad we have a brand that loves to be bold and strives to be ahead of the pack when it comes to innovation.

Why don't you like the interior and exterior? They could easily put the speedometer to 200mph but it will never reach that speed since I believe Nissan electronically limits the speed so there would not be a point.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

It's terrible reliability is what's doomed it.

Chris Alexander

deezo yes I agree with the 6th gens terrible reliability i'm burned out with mine I could have invested all this money into a Range Rover. I've got a pending case with the BBB and Nissan North America to get a full refund on what I payed for it. I'm trying not to get rid of it just hold on to it for a spare car and get something else maybe a 535i

deezo

iTrader: (3)

My brother is having crazy issues with his. The new Nissans are not the same as the older ones.

Don't be afraid to go elsewhere in the car scene. I think once my Maxima gives up (at 380k miles now), I'm going to look into replacing it with a 2011/12 Sonata 2.0T. 274hp, 18.5 gallon tank and 35mpg.

To hell with Nissan.

lightonthehill

I am sorry you got a lemon and received poor support from Nissan. I understand your unhappiness. Nissan sometimes shoots itself in the foot when it comes to customer support.

But be careful to look before you leap. BMWs have long been known for needing frequent (expensive) repairs. Consumer Reports has shown most BMW models to be worse than average in reliability for decades. By contrast, Consumer Reports has shown the Maxima to usually be above average (never below average) in reliability since the first generation arrived in 1981. CU combinines the annual car repair reports from dozens of thousands of subscribers, so gives a much more meaningful rating than the smaller samples we often see from rating services.

The BMW 5 series with 4 cylinder engines are above average in reliability, and the 535i with RWD has been more reliable than the AWD version. I also suspect BMW might be more amenable to listening to customer complaints.

Yes, Nissan is far from perfect. The newest generation of Altimas and Pathfinders have proven unreliable (bad CVT redesign). The new Titan is not reliable, and older versions of the Quest have been unreliable. Several other Nissan models are only average in reliability. These bad apples combine to bring the overall Nissan reliability rating down to just below average, but still better than the overall BMW rating.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Chris Alexander

To make a long story short guys my parents bought a silver 06SE brand new it's now falling apart. They gave it to my brother about 3 years ago. It needs alot of work the only good thing about it is the transmission hasn't failed yet and the car has 155,000 on it.

I bought my 06SL in January of 2011 and have done over $7000 in repairs. I bought this car because we had a 93 that ran 18 yrs never had a single problem. These 6th gens they were built poorly. Alot of people around here I know have or had the same car and have gotten rid of them or thinking about it, but.

The 6.5 gen its a whole different car my grandmother has one two of my neighbors have them and have never had a single issue. By the 6.5 Nissan addressed alot of issues because I see peopel with those around here who have had them new from day one and tell me never a single problem where as us 6 gen its a widespread issue with all of them. So now Nissan is working on a plan with the finance company and the better business bureau to give me a full refund for what I payed for it. If I do have to replace my car if not a 5 series bmw a Lexus GS.

Chris Alexander

lightonthehill Nissan's downfall began in 2002 that's where we began to see cost cutting and a decline in product quality. BMW's they're alright when they're new they take care of their customers pretty well. Lexus are solid I may invest in one of those at 28 I still have alot of time before I decide but lets hope we see some improvement in this 8th gen. The Maxima's been off track for a long time.

lightonthehill

I realize several folks here are having troubles with their Maximas, but I have had virtually no trouble with my 2000, 2004 and 2009 Maximas, and Consumer Reports shows that many folks are having the same good luck I have had with these last three generations.

Yes, Nissan left their 4DSC days when the 6th gen arrived. But Ghosn had said in 2002 that Nissan was taking the Maxima to near-luxury flagship status, and the manual Altima would henceforth be Nissan's affordable 4DSC. But buyers evidently don't read newspapers, and so never got the word.

So the 6th gen brought so many complaints that a little sportiness was put back in with the 7th gen. I carry 37 psi front and 36 psi rear in my 7th gen, and that car will turn on a dime and leave 9 cents change. The turning circle of the 7th gen is FOUR FEET tighter than that of the 6th gen. And zero to 60 in 6 seconds is good for a 3600 pound family sedan that approaches 30 MPG on freeway trips.

If you want reliability, you shouldn't count on it with BMW. The best things BMW has going for it are that the cars look very nice, are fun to drive, and dealers often show sympathy for customers with problems.

By contrast, Lexus has had a rather remarkably good reliability record. Even the least reliable Lexus models are above average in reliability, and many Lexus models are well above average (top score). My friends and relatives who drive Lexus models tell me their dealer is very accomodating whenever questions arise.

I read a book the other day (author was some guy named Moss) which interviewed thousands of folks and measured their happiness. Turns out that the happiest folks tend to drive Japanese vehicles, and the unhappiest tend to drive European vehicles. The happiest folks of all drove various models of the Lexus line.

But every person and every particular vehicle is different, and preferences can range widely. I hope you find a vehicle you really love.

Chris Alexander

lightonthehill the 5th gens are the most reliable, when had an 02 about 13 years ago it was well built. And the 6th gen when its working right its fun to get around in. The 7th gens I haven't heard too many people complain about those good stuff from everywhere.

Propa Teknique

True, however I do believe that it wasn't all the 6th gens just the early ones. My 05 ran for 190,000+ miles and the only big issue I ever had with it was the transmission.

Propa Teknique

So true. As with most luxury automobiles such as BMW and Mercedes, you are paying for the name. Owners and dealers "forget" to tell you this. It's unfortunate that this is what it is.

I enjoy the Maxima brand and doubt I would downgrade to a Sonata or Optima because of issues with a 10+ year old vehicle. Every car has it's issues with drivetrain, features, materials, and customer service.

Chris Alexander

I had a major overhaul done on my 6th today Spark Plugs,etc. I plan on doing the bearings early on they probably gonna go out anyway, should give it some extra life like I was mentioning earlier if anything i'll keep it and get something else not ready to dump it just yet. I think of it as raising a extra bad kid.

I was just fired up last week because that headlight went out that's where the frustration was coming from pretty much, then the Valve Covers and then a power steering leak all in the same week, I had it all fixed this week cost me about $900

lightonthehill

Chris - Are you sure you didn't buy your Maxima used from Dale Earnhart or Carl Edwards? Or maybe from some Eskimo in Alaska who had snow skis attached to the wheels? Or maybe from Myrtle Murgatroid, who used it to pull a 40 foot mobile home from Key West to Seattle? It is very unusual to hear of a Maxima with so many problems.

I did have to make a few repairs to one of my two 1985 Maximas, but only after I had passed the 200K mile mark, mostly in Atlanta rush hour traffic. Other than that, I have had excellent reliability with every generation.

I sympathize with your situation. I can see why your view of the Maxima has been dimmed.

Chris Alexander

lightonthehill you might be on to something when I bought it from the Ancira Nissan it did smell like horse patties, i'm the second owner the previous was a police officer from what I understand he had an accident in it. It's running real good right now I don't wanna speak too soon though. My problems are light when my brother starts his 06 SE it sounds like a 200 year old farm tractor. I'm not the only one though i've heard worse stories. I'm willing to put up with it if I don't have to go back to driving a Contour.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Chris man, how you been! Remember me telling you when we had that 6th gen, before it was totaled it was a nightmare, my girl did not care for it and did not/does not miss it at all. I do love the look of those 06 to 12 Lexus GS; top notch interior nothing cheap in there, great cruiser and it has some get up and go. Lexus dealerships as Light said spoil the heck out of you, its a no brainer why there service is rated at the top every year.

Chris Alexander

MONTE 01&97 SE Who could ever forget the king Monte!!!!! I got so much to tell you, I remember you told me yalls 6th felt like it a product of crackhead motors. I'm doing a little bit better today i'm not driving it as much once a week. It's my brother who's about to have a stroke man his is on its last legs. They bought that one new off the show room floor about 8 years ago when I was in flight school

I really am thinking about getting me a GS though but I don't wanna drive that to work everyday I gotta keep this one for a spare even though i'm ready to junk it i'm kind of attached to it. Basically everything under the hood is new Battery,Belts,Transmission,Axles,Hoses more than $7000 in maintenance the last 3 yrs so I might as well keep it after putting so much money into it but a second car is in the works I gotta get one asap you never know with this whip when somethings gonna go.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

Actually the 97 4th gen was the most reliable out of all Maximas.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

Too late sir. My upgrade from the Maxima is the Holden Commodore SSV aka Pontiac G8 GT. I was going to buy a BMW 545i but after seeing all of the comparisons of the G8 GT against the 545 and 550, I bought the G8 instead. My car is lightly modded with a tune and intake and I'm close to 400hp now. The car rides like a German sedan and still gets an average of 27 mph on the highway.

My days of buying Maximas are over and it's because Nissan got away from the 4DSC with the newer versions. They're just plain boring now.

My brother is actually the one having the issues. I also know a cop that has the same car and he got rid of his as well. My 97 GXE has been stellar since the day I bought it 14 years ago. It has 380k miles and still runs like a champ.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

I hear ya, yeah after all that I would keep it as well as a daily, your poor brother man. Yea a friend of mine purchased a Burgundy Pearl 2010 GS350 with 39k miles on it a few months ago, man that thing is beautiful inside and out! I would not mind having one for myself.

Chris Alexander

MONTE 01&97 SE Email me when you get a chance don't tease me i'll go buy a GS right now

deezo We had a 93 it felt more solid and strong compared to the 4th gen. And more stronger in a collision. That 3rd gen growled like a wolf. Out of all gens 3rd and 5th are the two best both strong solid safe and reliable. The 4th were nice but the crash test scores could scare the flies off of a manure truck.

The problem with the 6th gen is the uncertainty you never know what's gonna happen next. One night I'm on the highway its smooth as butter. The next day the steering wheel is shaking like a hula dancer who just had a magical night at the crackhouse. I mean like the kids on the block love it, everybody's crazy about it but then the next day its in the shop coughing up fluid like a sick camel. It has its good and its bad really its bipolar someday's it feels like the best car in the world but the next it feels like the worse. The driving experience is phenomenal and it hardly uses any gas but the reliability I dont know how to call it bad because really everything that has happened is parts going fast hoses,transmissions,etc it seems like the company built these with poor craftsmanship that's really the problem. This car was designed with shortcuts and shortcomings.




The Infiniti M is the essentially same as the 6th gens but far as I know they're problem free.


I personally think the Nissan corporation could use a new CEO because the way things are going It looks like the rats from Kia are going the lead automakers soon. I would like to see more innovation with time in Nissan's lineup. These cars should be solid and refined they all have the looks but not the polish.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

Guys, too bad I can't find the link but I'm going off of test along with consumer data. It was posted here years ago and the ratings show that the 4th gen was the most reliable. This was not a matter of who had the best crash test ratings or which car felt like it was the best built. I'm the only one in my family that's owned a 4th gen and still have it. My sister had a 3rd gen and had issues with it. My brother has a 6th gen and has problems with it. I mean lemon type problems.

And it's not wonder that 4th gens were the most reliable. There's not much to them at all. One of the simplest designed cars I've ever seen and that's why you don't see them have as many problems as the others.

Chris Alexander

deezo before I bought my 6th I almost bought a 4th gen I think I know that link you're talking about it was this one http://blog.oscaroparts.com/2013/10/...reliable-cars/

deezo

iTrader: (3)

That wasn't the link but thanks for posting. I endorse everything said about the 4th gen on that link.

Chris Alexander

deezo cool and yes 4th gen nice car.

mandijoy86

so i dont know what you all mean by 3rd generation and all that could someone maybe explain for me thank you so much

Chris Alexander

mandijoy86 3rd generation Maxima was from 89 to 94 that was ours.
we had it from 1993 to about 2010 it was well built and never had a problem ran passed 250K you drove it and knew it would never break down. The build quality was amazing Nissan nailed it with the 3rd gen. They got broadsided 6 months after it was bought when I was 7 fixed it and it ran smooth, my brother hit a tree fixed it still ran solid.

lightonthehill

Yep. And for those not sure of other gens:

1st gen -- 1981-1984
2nd gen - 1985 -1988
3rd gen - 1989-1994
4th gen - 1995-1999
5th gen - 2000-2003
6th gen - 2004-2008
7th gen - 2009-2014
8th gen - 2015-2019
9th gen - 2020-2026

OK, the 9th gen is just guessing.

Most of those gens (1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th) had a clear 'half-gen' in the middle, where notable changes were made. With the two longest gens (3rd and 7th, six years each), changes were actually spread out over several model years.

Of note - The first gen was the only RWD Maxima ever built. The first 3 model years of the first gen were Datsuns, not Nissans, while the 1984 was a 'Nissan Datsun'. The first gen was also the only Maxima gen to offer a diesel option.

Datsuns were always built by Nissan, and were sold in the U.S. from the late 1960s until 1984. But Datsuns were not common in the U.S. until the original 'Zs' began to appear in the early 1970s.

Of interest to nobody, I actually rode in Datsun taxis in several Japanese cities in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and owned Datsuns before Nissan corporate changed their vehicle name to Nissan in 1984. In the lobby of the Nissan plant at Smyrna, they have a 1960 Datsun pickup on display. Looks just like the thousands running around Japan over 50 years ago.

Memories

Chris Alexander

the likelyhood of us becoming Monkey's in space is more so than Nissan showing us a full production model of the next Maxima in due time.

dfj240

iTrader: (1)

Let's not forget that Renault took control of Nissan in 2001, and began their implementation of corporate governance in early 2003. There's always a reason why certain things change from the norm, whether better or worse. In Nissan's case, unfortunately, for worse. They received the funding they needed to avoid bankruptcy but traded that for an inevitable decline in traditional Nissan quality.

I love the look of the Maxima, it really doesn't matter what year or generation, but with the quality really heading for the deep end, I can't say that there's a Nissan that I really want anymore. They have really fallen from the driver focused, performance centered mindset they made their name on. I understand that changes must happen and you must adapt or die, but the spirit is gone, and that's what really makes the difference.

I love my Nissan's, but they have been uninspiring since the early 2000's in my opinion.

Propa Teknique

Maybe since I was too young in 2000 to truly understand performance in vehicles, but the look of the cars to me were not attractive. I prefer the Maximas that are being shown on floors now. They are more appealing in looks and power to me. Once again, I believe that is due to the fact I wasn't old enough to ascertain anything about vehicles in the early 2000's.

Still, from what I've seen written by true enthusiasts on here, everyone places the older Maximas on a pedestal. I guess it's for valid reasons. I just enjoy the progression of the brand. They will never get it "right" for everyone but as long as they are still relevant and cars are coming off the lot I would say they are doing something right. The Maxima, in my opinion, is an excellent value and that could be why they chose to navigate away from true performance and plopped in between that and family sedans. It's a perfamily (performance + family) sports sedan!!! Yay for Perfamily!

gizzsdad

Your opinion does not seem to be widely held, particularly with respect to the Maxima. My experience, though not as long as Light's, is that I have had 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th gen's; and each has been increasingly reliable and trouble free, with my 2010 the most enjoyable ownership experience yet. And while my first three were all manuals, and I was not excited about the move to a CVT, I will have to admit that my next trade/resale experience will be MUCH easier.

A quick check of Consumer Report's ratings for the Max reveals lots of big red circles, and the Max is still a "recommended" pick in the large sedan category.

This is not meant to minimize your experience, but clearly a wider look reveals a different conclusion.

Chris Alexander

You guys made a good point about something with Renault and the takeover around 2003 from Nissan being on the edge of bankruptcy the 6th gens took the brunt of it 2004 was a brutal if not fatal year for the Maxima. 04s have all the red marks while it dwindled a little bit for 05 and 06s Maxima's

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Nissan/Maxima/

lightonthehill

I understand that different folks are looking for different things. But I gotta go with Propa Teknique and gizzsdad here.

Having owned every generation but the first (and a gal with a 1st gen was part of my car pool from '82 to '84), I have driven almost a million miles in Maximas, most with heavy commuting in Atlanta traffic, and all were better than average in reliability.

But the Maximas of today have infinitely more features and parts than those more simple ones of bygone days. A double panoramic roof would have been unthinkable thirty years ago. The same with electronic stability control. Even ABS was still under development then.

And yet, even with the vastly increased complexity of today's Maxima over the earlier generations, I am finding more reliability. My all-time favorite Maxima was the 1985 model year. But, as far as performance and reliability, my 5th, 6th and 7th generations have been the best for me.

My '09 is an absolutely perfect car. I have the premium and tech packages - tons of things that could go wrong. And yet every single detail of every single feature is working absolutely perfectly. I am still on the original RS-A tires at 45K, have never had to balance or align, yet the car is very smooth at speeds the mod won't allow posted here. I began driving in the 1940s, and have owned tons of vehicles, but never anything as perfect as this '09 Maxima.

Of course, one vehicle being very good or very bad proves nothing. But Consumer Reports sends out comprehensive vehicle evaluation forms to all subscribers, and compiles data from thousands of Maxima owners, and that large body of Maxima owners tells us that, compared to all other vehicles, the Maxima is absolutely a reliable vehicle.

My '09 also zips from zero to sixty in around six seconds, has a very tight turning radius, and, with 37 psi in the tires, can turn on a dime. There are cars that are quicker off the line, but something I don't see posted very often is the quickness with which this 7th gen CVT driven Maxima can go from 40 MPH to 80 MPH. I have never had a car any better at that specific function, and that is vastly more important to me than zero to sixty.

Considering the styling, features and luxury that are also on this car, and the price I paid, I don't think I could have done any better.

I understand there are those who are more interested in a track car than a sporty family sedan. And I also understand that there are those who are still stuck in the days of manuals. Yes, manuals were a ton of fun when there were 50 million vehicles in this country.

But there are now around 250 million vehicles, and only limited road improvement. A manual is now growingly useless in the gridlock that is spreading around the country. Time passes, and things change. We either change with the times, or are eventually left behind.

I understand there are those unfortunate souls who had troubles with their Maximas, and I sympathize with them. But, unlike some, I have always had dependable service from my Maximas, and my dealer has always been responsive to my every whim. I am probably just lucky having a great dealer, but I think there are probably around a million folks who have been blessed with reliable Maximas.

End of rant.