My 2010 Maxima SV and I were in an accident two weeks ago (everyone is ok, but it was unfortunate nonetheless) so I am in need of a new car, unexpectedly. The 2010 was my third Maxima/Infiniti I30 so instead of buying another 7th gen Maxima I figured I should just jump to the new one.

I love the Deep Blue Pearl color so am limited in my selection. I drove an SL and SR and sat down and talked numbers with a dealer about the SR but they couldn't budge. The SV is in my price range, I don't need the moonroof, the suspension is sporty enough in the non-SR models, and the only thing I may miss is the Bose stereo since I listen to a lot of music from a hard drive or SXM. I sat in a base model and listened to the same music back to back with the SR and there was a difference but it wasn't that noticeable.

Is there anything else other than the blind spot warning, forward collision warning, other safety features that I've lived without that I'll miss? I actually didn't like the Alcantera and suede like wrap on the steering wheel on the SR. I am not sure how that will hold up over time there and on the doors.

I wish I could wait another few months for prices to drop or inventory to be more plentiful but I work for myself and will need my own car pretty soon. I just want to make sure I'm making the best decision for my money and for the car that I'll keep for the next 5-10 years!

 

Sorry for your loss. Go to the main Nissan.usa website where you can compare the different trim levels and what each offers.

 

Oh - I am very well versed in the technical differences between models - and the website doesn't do a great job of describing some of the other aspects. The S and SV model have a decent speaker system but there's no information on it. I've done a lot of homework on it and the salespeople at the three dealerships I've been to already have been behind the curve.

I was wondering if there are any intangibles that I'm not thinking of - resale value years down the road (even though I usually drive cars longer than that would really matter), etc - and just posting here to reassure myself I am making the right decision. I feel pretty good about it, my singalongs to 80's music will just have to be louder to counter any differences between the stereo systems.

Thanks for the input though! Much appreciated!

 

If I had it to do over again I would have at least gone with the SL. The car I traded in was a Fusion SE with premium sound and a moon roof. I thought I could live without these two items but I regret my decision.


Don't get me wrong I Love my car but the stereo is ehh-ok.
upgrading it is going to be difficult. I was trying to be cheap and now its too late. Plus there wasn't a Maxima SL in the color combo I wanted within 200 miles of me.

 

I ended up in the same situation. Needed a car fast and convinced myself not to upgrade to the SL. Regretted it over some security features and the stereo, which was big for me coming from a premium system before as well.

I found the right color SL at a nearby dealer and wandered in on the last day of the month when my SV was only a month old. Told them my predicament and said they were welcome to make me as crazy of an offer to trade mine in. I walked out of there two or three times with the salesman running after me. I ended up getting the SL and losing a little bit on the previous SV but they made up for most of it. While probably not the smartest move, I am totally in love with the new SL even more and finally at peace on long drives or in bad traffic.

 

I, too, was in a similar situation, geffo: 2004 G-35 died and needed a car. I decided on a 2016 S. The factory stereo is OK, but not great. I salvaged the after-market gear from my Infiniti and will be doing an install in my new-to-me Maxima. The factory sound has bass volume but no depth and the highs are vague and soft. I'll do much better with a modest after-market system.


I've seen Tommie70's install post here and the work he put in I consider worthwhile. I will be following in his footsteps shortly. The gear he installed will make either the standard or the Bose premium systems sound like garbage.

 

I picked the SL mainly because it had blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. You don't realize how handy they are until you start using them.
Better stereo? That's debatable. The SL's system is mediocre at best.

 

Not wanting a sunroof pretty much drove me to the SV. It's a fun car, the leather is nice, and the factory radio isn't bad. No regrets here.

 

I was driving to work this morning and saw an SV with a regular moonroof, which had to be an aftermarket install. This post made me think of that oddity lol! Personally, I went from a 7th gen SV with sport/technology package to a 2017 platinum. I couldn't see myself going below what I had before. But you have to do what your finances allow. Good luck and you'll enjoy it immensely!

 

I still think it is slightly odd that the SR doesn't have at least a traditional moonroof. Rigidity may be a valid point but I think it's more like Nissan didn't want to engineer a 3rd roof option for the car. Oh well more headroom and quieter in the rain.

 

2 tweeters on doors corners and 1 sub in the trunk...

 

It's funny... I read this post yesterday and then saw this used SR on a dealer lot last night... With an aftermarket moon roof