I feel like the SL is loaded compared to any car I've ever owned, so the platinum stuff just doesn't do it for me. I look at it as 3k i don't have to pay off, but if you want it of course i say go for it...nothing worse than not getting what you want and still paying for it anyway.

 

Hey guys! I appreciate everyone's replies - They truly helped! Just got back from the dealer about an hour ago with a Pearl White Platinum w/ charcoal int. 😉


Pic isn't the best but I'll get more up later.

 

Looks great, man. I love the way the black pano moonroof looks against the white paint. You made a wise choice.

 

Appreciate it! Love everything about the car!

 

Congrats!!! Awesome color combo and trim level.

 

Congratulations! Be prepared to get a lot of compliments , this car is awesome. An administrator at work bought an infiniti and parks it side by side with my car, but all the compliments are directed towards mine.

 

Looks great brother. Congrats. That's the exact same color combo that I got and I love it. I can't wait until I get off work today so I can clean it up either.

 

thats a good question SL vs Platinum is a matter of taste...peraonlly i dont like the quilted seats the SL seats are much more to my taste....the fake wood trim I really dont like they could have done a much better job. But you can't beat the cooled seats 360 camera power back seat and wheel but your right $3K is a stiff upcharge for a very similar car.

 

Don't forget the Driver Attention Alert, the LED Low Beam Headlights, Outside Mirrors with Reverse Tiltdown, Auto-Dimming outside driver's mirror, Power Tilt/telescope Steering Column, Speed and Rain Sensing variable speed intermittent windshield wipers, Power Sunshade on the rear window, Memory System for driver's seat for outside mirrors, steering column, driver's seat, etc. There are some of us who for various reasons, really need some of those options.

 

Went with the Platinum. Wanted all the stuff, but the driver seat memory keeps forgetting the settings, which has been discussed in another thread

 

The platinum is a big jump in price. I think the comaprison has to become SL versus SR. At the end of the day, the price will be much closer after adding some spice to the SL but SL still a little cheaper.

In the SR favor:
-- Performance and ride difference.
-- 19" wheels
-- Cooled Seats
-- Alcantara seats , espeecially with Camel. But the Charcoal are actually damn nice too with the stitching.
-- Paddles - I like the paddles, more for Snow than for performance.

SL :
-- Panoramic Moonroof.
-- Panoramic Moonroof.
-- No cooled seats and no cool alcantara.
-- No HIDs?

I still like the Platinum, but here is my latest thoughts. For me, the big difference is the seats. Stitching, memory, and cooled. Around view and the coffee cup are not worth 3000 to me. Nissan Connect services is a temporary freebie, Im not paying a monthly fee to start my car from my phone.

So I think I just talked myself out of a Platinum for now. It would be great to have a moonroof on the SR, even if it didn't open, just for the moonlight. But I like the interior a lot and face it I will spend more time inside the car than looking at it in my driveway.
At the end of the day, an S looks just like a Platinum out on the road.

The SR is supposed to be about performance, but without the cool interior and the cooled seats, the take rate would be tiny.
So for me, SL versus SR.

 

I was also struggling with SR vs Platinum. Drove both three times. I ended up going with Platinum based on the 360 camera, rear shade, and ventilated seats and the slightly quieter cabin.

I had the 360 camera in my 2012 QX56 which is necessary to navigate a large vehicle in and out of tight spaces. Now that I have the camera again, I can perform perfect parks.

I'm 6'4" and so I liked the extra head room in the SR. Love the SR wheels and the handling. Wish Nissan had put the 19s on the non-SR models and put 20s on the SR.

 

Hey all, just putting in my 2 cents here...


I was torn between deciding from the SL & Platinum. Platinum is an extra 3K and change. Your getting additional small luxuries with the Platinum and honestly, if you REALLY need the extra essentials, then go for it.


I ended up with the SL and the only thing that's bothered me was not having the low beam HIDs, which I plan on spending the $100-$200 to buy/install.


Outside of that, to me, the all around camera is useless, cooling seats is cool (only needed for 2 months out of the year in NY for me), driver/passenger mirrors tilt down when going in reverse (I can live without this), auto motion sensor on windshield wipers (I can live without), accent lights when you open/lock/unlock doors (had it in my Altima, it was cool, another thing I can live without). Leather seats are beautiful in the Platinum, but Nissan also did an amazing job with the leather seats in the SL....Nissan connect is something new to my ears...


I'm not dissing the Platinum whatsoever, if you need/want the extra small essentials listed above (sure I'm missing some), then get the Platinum...if you don't need those essentials, the SL is a great choice otherwise.


Looking forward to seeing the 8th Gen Max market grow in my parts!

 

I see some 2016 maxima 19 inch Wheels and tires that were take offs now for sale on Ebay.

 

I would have purchased the platinum if it had the silver interior dash vs the wood grain kit as well as if the panoramic roof opened up a bit more. After sitting in a platinum, those are the two things that stuck out to me.

 

I sat in both and drove one and to me the SL was more sporty interior wise while the platinum with that wood grain looked a bit out of place (to me). The seats looked nice on the platinum but i the way i use my car with coffee spilling at times and throwing baseball equipment on the seats the SL is enough to worry about!!

 

heading to a new nissan dealer this week- they have the SL I want in stock, couple of them. Hoping to make a deal. I'll look at the platinum, but I'm just not sure its in the cards payment wise.

 

I'm not buying right now, but in looking at the models, I'd definitely go with the Platinum. The LED headlights lights alone would make the decision for me, as the sorry lights on my wife's 2015 Altima are a weak, yellow disgrace at night and I suspect they're the same on the Max.

I gather you can also get the LED lights on the SR, but I'm done with sport suspensions and big wheels ... they just spell discomfort for me.

The other things about the Platinum that get my attention are the cooled seats (in Texas, that's a blessing), the extra power amenities, around-view camera system, etc.

Extra cost, but worth it to me.

 

Good points- but every thousand off counts. The SL is much more loaded than my current SV sport non-tech. The savings is worth it to me unless they make me a better deal on the platinum than the SL.

 

I believe your mistaking the LED headlights for the low beam HIDs that only come factory installed on the SR / Platinum trims.


The LED DRL (Daytime Running Lights - boomerang-shaped headlights) come factory installed on all 2016 Maxima trims.


I unfortunately have the SL with the horribly disgusting factory installed halogen headlight bulbs. (IMO) If purchasing the SL trim, installing an HID kit should be one of your first (cosmetic) mods (outside of tints).

 

When you say the SL headlights are terrible how do they compare to the 7th gen? Weren't those halogens too? or does the 7th gen sport SV have higher end lights than the current SL?

 

i didn't have the 7th generation....I had a 13 Altima SL 3.5 prior...I had HIDs in that...the halogens in the SL Max aren't bad...but in comparison to an HID kit install...its like night and day lol

 

I like the headlights in the 7th gen SV sport, I just wanted to know if the SL Maxima had at LEAST the quality of the old 7th gen. They have a bluish tint I would say?

 

SV Sports in the 7th gen had HID headlights so they are much brighter than the Halogens on the 8th gen SL. So if you went with an SL you would be going back to Halogens and would notice the difference!

 

What headlights are on the S model? worse?

 

The S model has regular Halogen headlights like the SV and SL on the 8th gen. 7th gen S and base SV has Halogens as well.

 

Is this something I should have the dealers replace because it looks like the SL is as far as I can go...maybe they will throw in the change to HIDs?

 

You will have to buy an aftermarket HID kit and it install it or have it installed. check out this thread. https://maxima.org/forums/8th-genera...eadlights.html

 

I'm starting to think the internal and external illumination may be an option I want after watching the demo. What is the difference in just having the illuminated kick plates? Glad I'm taking my time with this- I want to be sure I get the Max I really want- if I had any patience I would just order it custom but i think better deals are to be had with in stock cars.

Was thinking:
Silver/Charcoal SL, basic splash guards

now thinking:
White/Charcoal or Silver/Charcoal Platinum with illumination interior and exterior, premium spoiler.

 

Most of the time it'll be better to get the accessories from the factory vs dealer as you'll pay for dealer labor to install each accessory, though if you get the accessories installed at the same time, you'll likely get a cut off the labor. The only exception to the above statement is if you're paying a high interest rate on the loan, of course.

 

So you are finally coming around to my way of thinking.

I began by looking for a white/white Platinum, but, after months of wrangling and having offers refused, and studying the different colors under different lighting conditions on local dealer lots, I decided I wanted a silver/charcoal Platinum with special interior lighting, external ground lighting and black rear valence/diffuser, and would settle for nothing else. My sales person (internet manager) had the diffuser arrive the same day as the car (which I had found at a dealership several counties away), had it installed, and the car ready to go when I arrived.

 

Totally agree, the camera is amazing. I use it now everywhere. I wouldn't buy the Platinum just for the camera, but it is a nice piece of technology and I am not sure i would want another new car without it now.

 

Yes I am! The discounts look better on the platinum in my area, so Im thinking go all out. Just have to get over that fake wood trim- really didnt like it when I saw it. I'm taking my time LOTH---I rushed out for the 7th gen and didnt get exactly what I wanted, so this time Ive been shopping this car since June and I'm making sure.

 

i thought you didn't like dark interiors because of the hot weather in your neck of the woods?

 

I didnt like the interior trim as well so i bought the kit and changed it to piano black.....i personally like it much better

 

I had a 2007 Azera with some of these features - here are the ones
that I found relatively useless:
Power tilt/telescoping steering wheel.
Rain Sensing wipers/windshield (truly, the windshield had the rain detection, the wipers responded to the input). I would end up adjusting the intermittency anyway.
Rear window sunshade - rarely used but was helpful when the sun would
come in the back window. Was a common breakdown point in the Azera.
Memory System - can live without
Climate Controlled Front Seats - can live without

Here is what I like from the above:

Driver Attention Alert (though lane departure worked for me)
Auto-dimming driver's outside mirror
Also like surround cam - but not a whole lot .

 

I'm 100% going platinum- decided that after thinking about it for 4 months.

 

Good decision. Been lovin' mine for four months.

 

The MSRP on the Nissan site does not include freight. Freight on the 2016 Maxima is $825. The dealer pricing probably includes dealer add-ons, additional markup, or in some states might include a doc fee when state law requires that fees be included in any advertised price.

 

Now I'm leaning back to the SL since my dealer just got a pearl white/cashmire interior in stock and the price is much better than the platinum.