I had a chat with a Nissan Sales Manager today and from the look of the shipping information and invoices, there isn't anything new about the 2003's. We even looked for new colors and it didn't seem like there were going to be any.

So, bottom line -- 2003 model is just a bridge to the 2004 model, which sounds like it ought to be interesting.

 

It would have made absolutely no sense if Nissan made a switch after 3 years of the 5th Generation, so I see this extended year would make for something well worth the wait, I hope.

Thanks for the heads up Jambo

 

Man, Maxima's are selling now because they are $1000+ under invoice. but to extend it another year? What are they going to do for incentives? At least with the '02, we saw the added power, standard HID, available 6speed with VLSD... They are going to have to play hard ball with the price if they are going to sell in any sort of qty.

 

Just as an added note -- apparently the Fed. gov't has some stringent requirements about how long you can have a model year run. The way I see it, Nissan's probably just looking at the minimum timre requirements in order claim that there was, in fact, a 2003 model year.

 

I hate to run off topic, but anyword on Maxus?

 

I would say nissan was just bluffing or should I say playing it safe with its customers, to try and intise them in waiting for the 2k3 Model year to come, and in fact it doesnt seem to have changed anything at all. I would hope they are not going to do the BMW style transformation this year, and add some retarded yellow lights somewhere

 

You make it sound like the max is a piece of junk this year Maybe you have not noticed but the 2002 maxima is a very modern car with plenty of things to offer for it's price. On top of that they just changed a lot of things on the 2002 so I think another few months as a 2003 model would not exactly make it plated out..


Jambo from everything I have heard the 2003 maxima will be comming out in about a month. There is going to be a platinum addition model which has a few extra tid bits hear and there and it is also going to have the platinum paint(the same as on the pathfinder). Then very early next year the 2004 maxima will be comming out as the all new 6th gen. Basicaly the 2003 is only going to be made in 2002, I wish they would just give the 2002 a full model year and then introduce the new 6th gen max as a 2003 in January of the 2003. Nissan does not seem to like that though, they would much rather screw the 2002 owners.

 

2K-2K1 Maxima owners screwed by 2K2 Maxima
2K2 Maxima owners screwed by early 2K3 Maxima release
2K3 Maxima owners screwed by 2K4 6th gen Maxima released in 2K3

Not a good way for Nissan to build brand loyalty.

 

Well, this is a bit of a catch-22. These loyal owners are the ones selling their cars, so how loyal is that?? Resale for a Maxima sucks, but it benefits those who buy used and plan on keeping the car for a long time.

DW

 

No it's not

 

99 owners got screwed too when the 2k came out.

 

Like my dad always says, its just impossible to keep up with the automotive world. Cars will always be changing for the better and blah blah blah

 

Buying used rules.

 

Or do as I'm currently doing. Buy a 98 Honda Accord demo (for below invoice - $18k), drive around for a couple of years, realize you want a 5 speed V6, then pick up a 99 Maxima SE (orig. sticker $25k) for $13k, then sell 98 Accord for $15k. Gotta love that Honda resale value....after tax, license, I'll come out about $1k ahead.

 

Ya, but you still had to drive a honda for a few years

 

Really?

My 99 brand new cost $17,990. I think after taxes it was around $19k.....

The people who bought 98s for full list before the incentives came with the 99s are the ones who really got screwed.....

 

You have my pity, I had an Accord automatic before my Max as well.

 

so did I, same year in fact.. GOOD GOD that thing was slow

 

VG owners screwed when the VEs came out

 

Maybe they should just keep making the same exact car forever, then nobody would get screwed.

 

We should start a club. Ex-Accord V6 auto owner checking in

Fortunately, mine was totalled so I was spared the trouble of trading it in although because of the awesome Honda resale I probably wouldn't have lost any money. I came out $6k ahead on the totalling. mwahahaha

 

aww yeah baby

 

I think the 99 owners got lucky they bought before the 2k came out.

 

Honda has done just that. The current Honda Accord is over 5 years old. A good design should last a long time and continue to sell well.

 

I had a 4 banger.....

 

ouch