the maxima is my first car. it was fun, but after the experiences ive had with this one, i will never buy another one again. as for my next car, im going to be getting the cheapest S14 i can find and then swap in an rb25...so looks like my love for 240s has got me stuck with nissan for a few more years.

 

No more Japanese or Domestic. Let's hope that day will come when I can afford German horses.

Driven my cousin's '98 325i w/ S52 conversion several times and test drove an '02 540i steptronic. I was moist all over.

 

My wife's 1988 325e automagic is extremely dependable although parts have started to be shipped in from the T.O. warehouse. The only problem we had was a dead battery. Last time we took in the car for servicing we got a 325ix as a loaner. Loved it so much that our next car will be a 325ix.

 

from here on out most likely.

 

+1

 

dad had a 86 max
then 99 max
i have a 2k max so we keep it in the family

 

1991 Maxima GXE (auto, obviously)
1993 Maxima SE (5spd)
1991 Sentra SE-R (only came in 5spd)
1994 Pathfinder SE (auto)
1997 I30t (5spd)
2002 Maxima SE (6spd) - present car

 

Absolutely not. 1st Nissan, last Nissan. Nissan does nothing to command loyalty, which in a sense is respect. The 350Z has no heritage. It's just an odd-looking car that can't handle as is par for the course for Nissan.

If Nissan were to build a best-in-class vehicle I'd consider it on its merits, not because it's a Nissan.

Nissan will always be 2nd tier Japanese barring some big transformation.

 

This is my third and last Maxima. I've owned a '94, '98, and '00. I am considering the new Lexus GS ('05-'06), or the new Infiniti M45 ('05-'06) as my next 4 door. Nothing against the Maxima, but it's time for something completely different. Thank God I have a great mechanic, because Nissan dealership service is absolutely terrible
The last time I went to the dealership, they treated me like crap, and locked my keys in my car inside of 45 seconds!! Nissan needs to wake up and get their service act together IMHO

 

85 Nissan 720 (lowrider)-sold
94 Nissan Altima GXE (Still own)
99 Nissan Maxima SE-L (Daily Driver)

I plan to stay in the family for as long as I can. Nissans have always appealed to me. I do plan to add a Z32 to that list in the near future!

 

When I think back on my Nissan experience, I realize this was no cheap car, even though it was $6500 off list in 1998. That list price was jacked about 6500. 29,400 for a 5-spd Maxima list, in 1998? That's laughable. And today the car is worth less than 5 grand. Then I think back on all the things the dealership didn't want to fix under warranty, saying it was normal. Crazy.

There was only room for two at the top of Japanese carmaker mountain, Toyota and Honda. But looks like Subaru is trying to make it 3. Nissan's having a rebate on every 2005 except 350Z, Murano, and Quest is laughable. Poor people who bought a Nissan in 2004 or 2005, they lose that much on their trade instantly. Even those people who are leasing are getting gyped due to poor residual!

 

After my I30t, I said to myself that I would never buy another Maxima. The problem is that no one made any V6 cars that came in a stick. BMW 5-series was too pricey and I didn't feel comfortable with a RWD car in NYC. The Audi A6 looked ugly. The Passat was weak. What else is there? The 02 Maxima was a good compromise being a 255hp beast with a 6spd tranny and it looked pretty good.

My other option was to get an SUV, but the same problem arose. What SUV came in a stick? X5 ($$$), 4Runner, and Pathfinder. I think my next SUV will be an 02 Pathfinder in a stick. Or if I can swing it, an X5 in a stick. Maybe...just maybe...an 05 Xterra.

 

In order:
1972 Datsun 510
1994 Hardbody XE 5-speed 4x4
1992 Maxima SE 5-speed
1995 200SX SE 5-speed
1995 Pathfinder SE 5-speed
1992 Maxima SE 5-speed (current)
2000 Infiniti QX4 AT (current)

None of the cars I have had except the current one (put in a JDM engine in the Max) had any major problems and I drove all of them at least 50k miles.

I have also owned some Fords and Toyotas. I loved my 5.0 Mustang and was extremely pleased with my 88 Celica convertible and 98 Tacoma 4x4. I plan on keeping the Maxima a long time, but I think we will eventually trade the QX4 in on an 05-newer Pathfinder or newest version of the 4Runner. Toyota is probably the only other vehicle I would buy new or nearly new.

 

Nissan is my favorite import

I've owned 3 Maximas
but my first car is my 68 Mustang

oh and Dodge makes the best trucks

 

91 sentra se-r (5spd)
92 240 sx coupe (5-spd)
91 maxima gxe (automatic)
2k maxima SE (5-spd)

thas all in my short 3+ almost 4 years of driving.

 

I was at the auto show yesterday and can tell you what I noticed about Nissan, judging by the number of people looking at the cars.

Maxima, Altima, Sentra = NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER
You could sleep in the above 3 cars and it'd probably be 11 pm before security tells you they're closing up.

Armada = very high interest
350Z = high interest
Pathfinder = mild interest (surprising, but it's small on the interior space for today's standards)
Frontier, Quest, less than mild interest

Then you look at Acura and people are swarmed around every model, even the RS-X. I don't have to tell you about BMW, right? Try to sit in any of the cars, there is a huge wait. I did manage to pop into the M3 and new 5, but forget the 6 or 7, ugly as they are you can't get near them. Interesting, I got right into the E55 AMG, even popped the hood and snapped pics. I guess it's very plain jane. New Audi 6 was a disappointmend and people's interest showed it. Got some free gifts from Subaru so I checked them out. STi is awesome, especially the rally car on display, but not being into SUV's I didn't like their new Tribeca.

You know, the fit/finish really ticks me off with Nissan--the Maxima has a wire now running to the rearview mirror. That's like going back to the 1991 Chevy Caprice--I remember noting how cheap-a** that is (keep in mind our 4th gens have homelink in the visor--no wires exposed). The German cars do not have a loose wire going to the rear view. Nissan continues to cut costs at the expense of quality imho.

 

First Car: '89 Honda Accord DX w/ power nothing. Owned from April 97- Sept 2000. No major problems, but it was still one bad part after another that needed replacing.

Second Car: '90 Eagle Talon TSi AWD. Owned from Sept 2000-Jan 2003. Went through two 4G63 motors, and loved both as I destroyed them.

Current Car: '98 Nissan Maxima SE. The love of my life.

Next Car: probably a 5.5 gen.... hopefully.

Not very loyal (yet)...

EDIT: add in my mother's Murano and my brother's old Sentra and four Z cars, and my family seems a bit more loyal.

 

Laugh if you want, but I absolutely LOVE my 2nd gen. The motor is a gem, sometimes I forget it running if I don't look at the rpms. I have no plans at all to sell it, and I just bought $400 worth of parts (the most I've spent in the 30k miles I've put on it--up to 140k now). Long term plans are someday a 5 speed swap and maybe a VG33. This car rocks. I surprise alotta Honda punks with my stock 160hp. I love my car!

 

I'll get a 2003 Max once my 02 is paid off. I'll keep it and use it for work driving. One thing I love so much about the 5th gen max is the lighting of the gauges. So good. The 2004 and 2005 has nowhere near that look.The orange lighting I don't like much.

I'll stay with Nissan but me and my soon to be wife will get, for her, late model Range Rover. I've got a mid 90s model Range Rover that I love greatly. The quility behind Land Rover is beyond what I expected. I put Flowmasters on my Range Rover and it has such a unique sound. Very agressive, even for such a small V8.

 

1995 Maxima GLE Totalled
1996 Maxima GXE current

 

1988 Nissan Sentra
1994 Nissan Sentra
1993 Nissan Maxima SE
1978 Datsun 280Z
1995 Nissan Maxima GXE 5 speed ( Currently Drive )
1995 Nissan Maxima GXE Auto ( Currently Drive )
1997 Nissan Maxima Totalled. Bought it for parts.

TRUE DIE HARD FAN!!!

You ever drive on the highway, or anywhere else and you see cars that pulled over with there hood up. Well i only help if its a Nissan or Datsun. beat that....

Now thats loyal.

 

my loyalty is all in the sig

 

My first Car: a a ford crown victoria =( Did not like that thing at all, talk about a boat

Second Car: Nissan Pathfinder I loved it, too bad it was totaled... that is when I decided I liked nissan... kept me save =)

Third Car: Nissan Maxima SE: Had a couple of problems in the beginning and the dealer was no fun to deal with, but I still love my car...

My dad had a G35 for awhile that was awesome, I loved driving that, so maybe, I can still kind of stay loyal to nissan but by going to infiniti instead and the one where I live has excellent customer service. I really like the look of the lexus though but I also like the look of a nissan 300zx...I'll see though, for now I am happy with my maxima. =)

Christina

 

-1982 Datsun Sentra 3AT (Finally Junked after 300K miles of service, it was still running but the tranny stopped shifting above 2nd gear...)
-1993 Maxima SE 4AT (current)
-1997 Maxima SE 5MT (sold)
-2003 Maxima SE 6MT (current)

 

94 altima gxe totaled
97 max gxe current
my brother has a 97 se
.. i bought a 3rd gen for about a day and a half years ago. short of an m5 or g35 sedan i wont be pushing anything besides a 4th gen max.

 

1994 Sentra XE (4auto) 130,000 miles and was working like new (minus wore out stock suspension) ~Totalled~
1998 Infiniti I30 (4auto) 103,000 and running like new

 

im loyal to my nissann.... i made my mom buy a maxima too haha.. she got the 5.5 gen in auto and i got the 5th gen in 5spd.... we bought 2 maximas in 3 months.. haha

 

In my family now:

Me: 1998 Maxima SE & 2001 Maxima SE
Sis: 1999 Maxima SE
Bro: 1998 Maxima SE & 2003 Pathfinder SE

Former:
Mom: 1995 Maxima SE
Bro: 1992 Altima & 1990 Pathfinder
Dad: 1992? Infiniti J30

Dad now drives a GS430, Mom has an Acura TL (2004) and they also have an MDX.

I guess we're not super loyal, but we do recognize the reliability and overall quality of Nissan products.

 

this is my first nissan

1) 1987 Supra non-turbo, sold it
2)1993 Toyota Pickup, totalled by drunk driver
3) 1994 Thunderbird LX V8 fully loaded (flipped it)
4) and now my 99 SE....

 

Jeez another one of these threads?

1987 Maxima Wagon -auto (died)
1990 Maxima GXE - auto (sold)
1998 Maxima SE - auto (sold)
1998 Maxima GXE - 5psd (current and keeping until eternity)

 

It would be interesting to ask how loyal people are to Nissan barring price. I mean on the used market, if you can have a Maxima or a Civic EX, many would choose the Maxima because they want the 6 cyl. and more luxury. My hunch is that if Nissan cost the same as Honda or Toyota, and were not in fact cheaper, people would choose the latter.

GS's are going for crazy prices--my friend said he is considering a new GS300 for 36,500. Brand-new! And the 330i is getting a 3,800 discount due to the new 3-Series coming out this month. The gap between Nissan and more premium cars is constantly closing.

 

To what do you attribute the closing gap? Increased cost relating to higher luxury and performance in the Maxima? Discounts in vehicles traditionally costing significantly more than the Maxima? Both?

 

The gap is NOT closing ... at all. Just because next year's model is coming out does not constitute closing the gap. Have you ever priced a BMW 330i? They're $42k if you want any semblance of options. The GS300 is a POS for $36,500. Cushyiest car I ever drove. I didn't know if the tires were on concrete or KY Jelly. The GS430 is the real car ... try and touch one of those anywhere near the $30k's brand new.

Additionally, people do NOT always pick a Maxima over a Civic. Did you ever look at the Civic resale? It's good all over the nation and particularly ridiculous here in Tampa. My buddy has a 2000 with like 50k miles on it and it's easily worth $11k (dealer offered him this). Compare that depreciation to the 2000 Maxima with 50k miles at $10,600 private party. That Maxima has lost at LEAST half it's value. That's the price for a stripped 5 speed ... similar to my friend's civic with only a sunroof. That civic was probably $16k brand new ... not $22k which is more likely what the 2000 would have cost someone who knew how to deal with Nissan. The guy who walked in and signed papers paid $25k ... YIKES!

I know we all love our Maximas (I know I do), but let's not sing the resale praises of it. It's no Chevy Cavalier, but it's also no Accord, Civic, 330i, etc. in terms of resale value.

 

i'm so nissan loyal that my beater is currently a GM product. but as soon as I fix a few little things my beater will be a '91-94 SE-R.

 

this is my 1st and last maxima, id never own a 4th/5th/6th, and having another 3rd wouldnt be the same

as far as nissan, no other appeals to me enough to own one except the G/Z, or a Titan with a lift kit and exhaust

next car is a V8 bowtie..

 

poor guy....will never know the enjoyment of having a VQ

 

well the G and Z count but those i can only consider when i get a real job

my VE is great, i plan on driving it till it dies but i just cant do the front drive thing anymore, believe it or not there are times when id rather drive my truck just because of rwd

 

Well I got a new car and its not a Nissan. . . but im very happy with it. . . . Nissan's not the only one who makes great cars!

 

'96 MAX (dad's)
'99 MAX (mine)
'02 Sentra (mom's)
'05 350Z (maybe after I graduate)

 

95 Maxima
95 Altima(sold)
95 240sx SE
98 Nissan quest