My thoughts are that the 5th gens are the last (At least for now) true Maximas. The new Max's are built on the Altima platform and really have lost the true Maxima body shape. Am I the only one who feels this way? Am I just setting myself up to get flamed? Its sad really, that Nissan just totally focused thier attention to the Z and the Altima, and forgot about the Maxima. Everything about the new Maxima looks like an afterthought. The gauge cluster looks retarded, the grille and headlights are hideous and the taillights just look like smears. And not to mention that huge a$$ end!!! Im not really hating here, just disappointed. But alas, I am one among you fellow 5th gen owners that has bought the last true Maxima (for now).

 

yeah, when i think maxima i think 4th and 5th gen, but hey thats where 4 door cars are heading, there are like 5 other cars that look just like the new maxima. i guess thats what the majority of people want, i dunno

 

Very true. When the 6th first came out I had aspirations to one day buy one, when they were used. I no longer think I'll bother. To me they are boring and offer nothing meaningful over the 5th. The 4th to 5th was a big jump in HP and driveability. I'm sure the 6th drives nicely, but with no more performance than the 5th I think that the maxima name has lots its way. For a long time it's a family sedan with far more power than the import competition, and it just isn't that way now. I'd like to see a 6.5 with a good 300 HP, but if that doesn't happen, it's of no interest to me.

 

you are not alone. i love the 5th get, and dont feel anything for the new generation. the interior is too spartan for me... too clean and plain. the car looks decent, but i think is so much bigger, it does not perform like a true maxima should. i think nissan will switch it to a v8 some time in the future. the altima and maxima are so close in size and performance, maximas will not be bought unless they differentiate themselves somehow. they look ok, i can't bash on that.

 

I'd like to see a 300hp AWD maxima now that would be sumthin worth while...I think since all new models are becoming that bubble shape that's what nissan wanted to do? I agree totally that they killed it in the 04 and 05 models hopefully there is sumthin better in the works

 

[q]i think nissan will switch it to a v8 some time in the future. the altima and maxima are so close in size and performance, maximas will not be bought unless they differentiate themselves somehow[/q]Yes, the altima is definitely cutting into maxima sales. they aren't the same car, but unlike in the past, they are so similar that no doubt some potential maxima buyers just went down to a 3.5SE altima instead.

 

i agree...when that mitsubishi galant came out i thought mitsu borrowed the platform from the max kinda like how nissan and mercury had the same vans in the 90's. i think a fully loaded altima is nice but not as nice as a 5th gen max, the altima still seems to be somewhat of an economical car since it offers an inline 4 and v6. nissan has decided to make the Z the new priority. i can't even think what other cars can be compared to the 6th gen now b/c it seems like its just out in its own small market that will soon be growing smaller if nissan doesnt change things around and make the new max a higher priority...they also seem very focused on its truck/suv market now too.

 

i feel the same way. when the new maxima came out, i wanted to get one, but since i drove the 5th gen first, i instantly fell in love with it. plus it s cheaper. yeah there are some better stuff like projectors and dual exhaust, but its too bulky to call it a 4dr sports car. its more of a bland regular altima looking sedan. im not saying the new maximas are ugly, but they lost the sporty touch to it. thats how i feel about the 6th gen. im sure alot of 5, 5.5, owners agree, but you think the 6th gen onwers agree with us?

 

Doubtful the 6th gen agrees with this thread at all.
Anyway, the 6th gen kinda looks bloated, like it needs a diet. From the side, it has smooth lines, but the 5th gen looks "toned" if you will. Like its eaten a high protien diet of ricer boys and works out at the track every other day

 

the new max's dont have the sporty look, i mean yes there classier, butt hey dont have the sporty look to them like the 5th gens, granted theyre family sedans they still look sick, i think in the future im guna get away from the maxima, and get a g35 or an sti, but ill keep the maxima for my project vehicle for another 10 years heh

 

I was thinking about this the other day after a salesman at my dealership talked me into test driving a 2005 SE while I was in for an oil change.

I mostly like the looks of the 6th gen, but it's kind of weird looking from certain angles. The "greenhouse" looks bizarrely large, especially on dark-colored cars. The front-end and grille is also unattractive.

It's a nice driving car, but I agree with previous posters about the interior. The center console and HVAC stack is too large and very plain. On the car I drove it looked like a big desert of brushed aluminum. I also really dislike the direction Nissan went with the HVAC and radio controls. The big screen and assorted ***** is just not my style at all. On top of it all, the plastic seems really cheap and looks poorly finished. They're in a tight spot with the Maxima - it's iconic for Nissan, but it's squeezed by the 7/8 size 3.5SE Altima on one side, and the G35 Infiniti on the other.

I'd argue that the last "true" Maxima is hard to define. If you define a Maxima as a "4-door sports car" the last true cars were the 3rd gens. After that you lose the fully-independent rear suspension and the attitude those cars had when they were on the market. I'd also argue that those were the last cars that were truly competitive with their peers - i.e. the BMW's, etc. - that were the dominant sports sedans of their day.

With the 4th gens, Nissan softened the looks and changed the handling dynamic by going with the twist-beam rear axle. They clearly tried to pump up the looks of the 5th gens, and a perfect Maxima for me would be the 00-01 body with the 3.5L engine and 6-speed manual...call me crazy, but I prefer the grille/headlights of the 00-01's over the 5.5 gen cars.

All in all, I bought my car because it was exactly what I needed at a bargain-basement price. I didn't really want a car payment at the time, and was really happy to find my 40,000 mile '01 at an attractive price. It's roomy, very fun to drive, and gets decent mileage while still allowing me to carry 5 people or a ton of stuff for long trips.

I'll be looking for a new car in spring '06. Everything else financial in my life is taken care of, so I feel I'll probably splurge a little on a nice vehicle then. I love Nissan, so I'll probably be loyal and "consider" the Maxima, but am more likely to actually buy an Infiniti G35 or M35.

 

I love the new M45. I even liked the old, in your face styling of the the past generation. I am going to go to Infiniti tommorow and check them out with my dad. I think that if Nissan was to put a v8 in a maxima...then it would be an even bigger car...maybe more powerful but a lot less sporty then. I can't wait to look at the M and I am gonna try to get my dad to test drive one. I see this M blowing Lexus' new GS out of the water on performace...although lexus always tends to do better on selling cars though.

 

I really like the Q-ship. The '99 is my favorite. The new ones look like battleship galactica!!!!!

 

isn't it true that the 6th gen is the last model of the Maxima and that it is going to be replaced with the Nissan version of the new 2006 Infiniti M45 body style and given a new name?

 

Drive one at night so you don't have to look at the "brushed aluminum" (is it really aluminum?). Well, strike that, you'd have to look at those hideous orange gauges... (That alone is enough to keep me from getting another Nissan).

 

i agree...6th gen are in this forum on technicality...they have "maxima" stuck on the back.

4DSC forever

 

....

 

they need to come out with a 2 door maxima with the body style of our 5th gen body with a highly tuned v8.......

 

Agree w/ above posters. The interior just looks took big and plain, mostly because many of the controls have been homologated into the screen, ala lexus and the bmw i-drive that you hear all the car mags bustin' on.

Hopefully the mid-generation refreshing of the 6th gen will bring a slightly restyled front and rear, and a flattening of the body shape. I really like the subtle changes they made to the altima for this model year.

 

I'd also argue that Nissan is losing it's way on the status of the Maxima as "Nissan's Flagship." They have so many great vehicles, and it doesn't help that big, 4-door sedans are not really in vogue right now. The Maxima is promoted, but in Nissan's lineup it doesn't really stand out. I get stuff in the mail every week about great deals on Maximas with big discounts and incentives. Should a company really be dicounting the heck out of its flagship?

I wish they'd consider building an SE-R or Nismo version to spice things up and raise it's profile a little. Make it something special, don't turn it into some kind of commodity item the people buy based only on price. That's what GM's cars are for, right?

$1 to CCS for his comments on the guages. Fugly. They're not fooling anyone...if it's supposed to be a sporty, luxury sedan then give a sporty but luxurious interior. The guages just don't look right, and the orange color is awful.

The new Lexus GS looks pretty sweet, but I'm a Nissan guy. I've always appreciated Infiniti's choice to be the sporty, upmarket Japanese brand. It seems like Lexus is always copying someone - either Mercedes with the LS or BMW with the GS. I saw some stuff about the forthcoming IS on www.autoblog.com and they're blatantly chasing the G35 with that car.

Speaking of Toyota being the copycats of the automotive world, does anyone else think the new Avalons look an awful lot like the 6th-gen Maximas? If so, is imitation really the most sincere form of flattery? In this case, I'd say no.

 

Ironically enough the 5th might have been the last maxima. After the 6th (no offense to all the happy owners, but that thing is weird) i highly doubt they will make another. Not when the altima is such a hot seller it's amazing.

 

i kinda thought the avalon has a little resemblance to the new max but i also think it looks too much like the new GS. i hate it though...it looks like a grandpas car and its sad to see toyota trying to market it to younger people.

 

some would say the 3rd gen was the last 'true maxima'...since the 4th and 5th gens switched to a beam-axle rear suspension from the 3rd gen's IRS......IRS is much "sportier"...beam axle is for "luxury cars"

 

Personally I don't like the new Maxima.. it looks too old and like an Accord..... I don't know but I think this is my last Maxima.....

 

There are so many posts in this thread talking about how Nissan has made the Maxima too big and how they need to go back. It's a nice thought, but it will never happen. They have made the new Altimas and Maximas so large that they CANNOT simply downsize the vehicle to the drastic degree that would be required to once again make it a "sports car." This would literally require a restructuring of their entire line-up. Ultimately, they would lose out to the competition, because most buyers unfortunately don't feel the way most guys on here do (about smaller=better).

A side note on the new Infiniti M45: Isn't it just a dressed-up 6th gen Maxima? Looks very similar anyway.

 

to add...the 6th gen looks like a mini space ship, not uniform at all. It has a big butt, and a large midsection, and a tiny head...IMHO...

And yes, the Altima has cut into the Max, only because a few years back, Nissan said that they would make the then up-and-coming Altima its flagship car...The Maxima's now are more for the sporty folks, and the Altima is a true family car...

And they way it looks, for the Max to claim the top spot again, Nissan will have to revamp the look of the Max...yes, more HP is great, but not with a FWD...You know how it is in the 5th gen as we speak, just imagine it with 300+...Accidents way up, insurance way up...lol...

But the only way Nissan will continue to have success with the Max, they will have 2 change a few things. 1) With the performance gains in the 3.5, they will have to build a much stronger Tranny. 2) They will have to change it into an AWD, or a RWD if they do decide to go 300+ HP. 3) They will have to do something about this "futuristic" look, it's nasty.

I truly believe they have taken everything away from the Max. If you look at the last 3 generations, not including the 6th, you can see how they resemble each other...A little tweak here, a little tweak there...But the 6th, were they thinking...

But if you are reading this, and have a 5th gen...You are truly blessed with the last "true" Maxima...Or even a piece of the legacy...

 

the one thing that i like about the 6th gen is the 4 seater. with the center console extending all the way to the rear of the back seat is nice. i was actually thinking of doing the same thing to my 5th gen. i was thinking of using 2 sentra front seats for the rear. they are a little smaller than the max's front seats.

 

A few weeks ago, I traded in my Super Black '97SE for an '03SE Titanium Edition Sheer Silver for the very reason that I consider it the "last of the Max". That...that... THING on the dealer's lot SAYS "Maxima" but looks like my old man's 1980 Cadillac Seville from eons ago. The humpback whale. How much crack was smoked at lunch the day they designed that grill???

 

i think most of us feel the same way on the 6th...i agree with most of you that the 6's interior is basically the same design as the altima, the stereo is nearly identical...i am also disappointed in the power of the 6th...hardly any over the 5.5, with the altima 3.5 right behind in power, and since the 6 is heavier then the 5.5, it is slower...i still love it cuz it is a max, but i wonder what nissan is thinking by making the maxima and the altima so similar, they are now basically the same car...which makes me wonder what is in the future for the max...

 

I had a 93, currently in a 95 with gears. I like the 5th gen, my dad had one when they first came out. The fifth is a nice car. My bother in law has a 6th gen, as a demo. Sorry, the thing has guts but that's all it has. It's ugly, it handles like a big car, the interior is pitiful and fit and finish leaves a lot to be desired. I agree with most people here. The 5th generation is the last one I'll buy.

 

Back on a technicality....what kind of garbage is that. Nothing wrong with the 6th gen. Some people like it or hate it. Calling it not a Maxima by saying it just has the name stuck on the back is lame. Owning a 2000 Max as you do, I am sure many things have changed. Now, calling the Maxima a sports car is a totally different issue. You expect too much. I also owned a 93 Maxima...nice car also. The gens are different as cars change. Now, if you wanted a SPORTS CAR.....I never considered the Max a sports car. Not starting a flame war here...but get over it, cars change. 6th gen is not all that bad, 5th gen is nice looking, but the upgrades in the interior and engine are nice.

 

Trade in your Maxima and buy a G35 or a 350Z....

 

In terms of living up th to the true Maxima name,

3rd Gen > 4th Gen > 5th/5.5 Gen > 6th gen

 

Haha, one thing though? Isn't the 04-05 Altima 3.5 faster than the 04-05 Maxima? I remember reading that in Motor Trend and was shocked.

 

02-03 maxima is faster then 04-05 max...

 

I don't know. I was in a co-worker's '04 Maxima GLE the other day and I was fairly impressed with the car...not enough that I would buy one but I did notice a few things I liked about it. For one, it is larger than my '03 and it is more luxurious. I also liked the interior, seats and layout to some extent. But I also noticed a few problems, like a squeak from the right front suspension every time he hit a bump. He's also had it in for warped brake rotors a few times now. It's a nice car but I prefer my '03 personally.

My .02

 

I really like my 2k1, it's far from being perfect but the car has a nice design and a lot of potential, I think every generation of maxima has brought different innovation, as for the style it's a matter of taste, some like the 3rd gen some dont as well as 4th, 5th and 6th gen. I do not dislike the 6th gen but I know it's not a car for me.
On an other note, there is a rumor in Canada, apparently Nissan might introduce a version of the Skyline GTR in Canada for 2007, if that found to be thrue, man I would buy one anytime.

 

Another pointless post. If you are looking for a car that is FAST....you are not buying a Maxima or Altima. Look at a LS1 Z28 or a Stang...well, newer stang. Those are muscle cars by the way. Now, buying a Maxima and wanting to race is about the same the Honda guys do. Maxima is a nice cruiser, rides nice, nice lux, and good room. Regardless what gen it is, it is not a FAST car. Comparing Maxima gens to others are pointless. If you wanted a sports car, go buy one. The Maxima is NOT A SPORTS CAR...nor a MUSCLE CAR.

 

LMAO...somebody feel insecure about their car? Maxima is not a fast car???

 

I personally like the 5th gens the best. Best looking car out of all the maximas. BUt everyone has their own opinion