I'm interested in overall impressions, issues, maintenance.
I have been reading reviews from different auto websites. And it seems to me the auto is tranny has the most issues and they are reporting noise issues with the timing chain.. So i'm looking for maxima.org opinions on the 6th gen. And if you've owned previous Max's how would you compare the 6th Gen. I owned 1 3rd gen and 2 4th gens each 4th gen had had over 240,000 miles with no Transmission or motor issues.. So give me your opinion of your 6th gen...

 

they are amazing and do have problems. 5speed transmissions suck. Motor mounts suck. Piston rings suck. Trottle Position Sensors suck. Some suspension components suck. Other than that this car is awesome. Get a stick, check the motor mounts, make sure there is no oil consumption, make sure your suspension is good. Once you do all those things you should be fine until/if they break. If you get an auto 4 speed, get a shift kit right away to avoid any later headaches. If you have good motor mounts, get inserts and add them right away before they break on you. Don't get a 5 speed unless you want to spend a couple thousand in repairs and diagnostics. If you are burning oil switch oil to a heavier oil. Suspension is hit or miss on these cars. Some have problems while others don't. So far 70k miles of hard driving and I am still good on suspension. 2-5speed trannys so far, burning 1-2 quarts of oil every 3k miles. Replaced one TPS. 2 broken motor mounts. Not really too bad concidering I have owned it for 5 years. Ohh and the 6 disc bose cd changer sux bad. Had that break on me. Just installed my own system. The car is still a nice car with good accomidations if you find the right one. If you do deside on a 5 speed just know there are options for fixing now that there weren't a few years back. Motor mounts are about 140 on ebay for both, the inserts were about 50 back when I got mine, the suspension can range from a couple hundred to a thousand depending on what you are looking for, and piston ring sets are not that much just a pain to get replaced unless you know what you are doing or want to fork over the $$ to do it. I hope I didn't discourage you just don't want to lie and have you get into something you might not be ready for. Also gives you tips on what to look for when purchasing the car. Good luck

 

Are you considering any other cars? Honestly, I'd stay away from a used 6th Gen... just too risky IMO.

 

@ po8pimp - No you didn't discourage me. Most of what you said, was said in reviews on www.autos.msn.com. I will definitely stay away from the auto trans. After owning 3 high mileage Maxima's I was shocked to see Nissan would build something that would have such issues. My boy owned a 5.5 Gen and after the warranty was up his motor went. His car was not raced or abused. His wife owns an black/black 2004 Maxima with 19's and it's hot looking, so far she has no issues.. Motor mounts and radio issues are no worry to me. But that burning oil issues is what concerns.

@ Oolatec - I was looking at the 2004 to 2006 Acura TL.

 

Yea if you are worried about the burning oil issue then you can tell the person you purchase it from about the concern and explain that it is "Going to Happen" whether it has allready or not and add the cost of new rings and labor in to the final cost. Just stick with it and have it done right away. You can do it yourself if you are mechanically inclined. I am waiting to do mine because I want to do the whole shabang at one time.

 

I've had my max for 1.5 years now and I can honestly say I've had no problems with anything. These are great cars but I wish Nissan would have made a rwd maxima. Also, if I could buy my max all over again i would get the 6 speed manual. I hear its a lot of fun to drive.

 

My 06 was problem free, no issues other then the ones I caused transmission needs the fluid changed, most wait until 60-100k, car needs it every 30k , most newer cars fall into the high maintenance category, especially the 6th Gen, newer cars are not built to the heavy duty abuse standards they once where.

 

Now what about this timing chain issue? Is just noise from contact with the cover or something else?

@ po8pimp - I will use that to negotiate the price..

 

Those are bad years for the TL too... Lol

 

timing chain tensioner loosens up after time if not properly adjusted and slaps against the cover causing the noise. Most people wait too long and have it serviced which is pretty costly. If you are mechanically inclined once again you can do it yourself with the right tools. Once started up you will notice the sound, sounds like metal on metal under the hood rattling. a little diesel sound is quite typical for this car for some reason. For those guys without problems hopefully you don't. 1year is not a long enough time to count yourself out of being next in line.

 

When I traded my 06 in with 65k on it, it had no signs of any engine rattles and I always used a quality synthetic oil and a Mobil filter, any 6th gen you go test drive, make sure it has sat over night or for several hours, put the windows down and then start it up, whatever rattle you hear should be pretty clear.

 

I believe the 6.5 gens w/the CVT have fewer tranny problems than the other autos.

 

I have an 06 SL with 39k miles, purchased new, never had a problem. On certain grade hills the tranny will downshift hard from 5th to 3rd. Also have an 01 GLE - this car is much better built, tighter a more fun to drive, however the 06 is still a great car.

 

I have an 04 SE automatic 5 speed since July and I haven't had the best of luck. I have had the timing belt tensioners replaced, the tranny bangs into Drive from Reverse when hot, the steering wheel shakes at highway speeds, the left blinker doesnt shut off when you turn the wheel back to straight, and my right exhaust is hanging lower than the left side. Sometimes my engine will take a while to respond when I give it throttle while cornering, and the brakes sometimes pulse from high to low braking pressure making an awkward stopping experience.

All in all, the car is an awsome car, and Its a blast to drive. I bought the car from Nissan so any problems ive encountered so far, have been dealt with, including the tranny which its going to the dealer tommorow for.

Mind you, my car has 78,000 miles. Its no baby, but its my baby.
Its basically a love hate thing. You either love the car, or you dont.

That's how I feel anyway.

 

I guess the problems depends on how you will drive it. I had a 1996 that used no oil after 145,000 miles, and with the 2,000+ miles I've put on this 2006 since I bought it, still no oil use or rattles or any other problem. The 6-speed is a blast to drive, although I drive fairly conservatively. I actually like the looks of this better than the 7th gen--it looks muscular!

 

seriously 2k miles is not going to be enough driving to experience any problems if you bought it without problems. 1996 maxima is completely different than this beast. Probably about 100+hp and tq. I mean let's not even put the two in the same category concidering they are two completely different cars. Nissan in 96 IMO where built better and with the consumer in mind. Give your car another 20k miles than let us know how your 06 is kickin. There are plenty of guys on here who drive conservative and still have the same issues as those who beat there car into the ground.

 

get a used 6.5 gen....

 

@ @LEET4U- I'm looking into a used 6th Gen.

I was expecting the 6th Gen to be as reliable as both my 4th Gens One had 240,000 with nitrous and No issues. The other which I still have, has 280,000 and it's been turbo'd for 5 years on the stock motor with stock ecu, injectors. And it finally let go racing an M3 on 12 PSi..

So I was shocked when I saw the reviews on msn auto about Transmission, interior, timing chain, motor mounts, oil burning issues. But the owners still love the car with all those issues. I may take the chance and purchase one. Just can't believe Nissan would go backwards when they designed the 3.5..

 

They went backwards when they started building the Maxima in TN, IMO.

 

How much would a timing chain Fix cost if it totally craps out on someone ?? Just a question.... has this happened to anyone? And how much did it cost you?

I had mine fixed about 1 year ago (did not crap out) when I still had warranty.

 

Personally, I don't see how anyone could have oil consumption problems with a VQ engine. The only things I could think of is that it it was not broken in properly (and please don't tell me engines don't need to be broken in anymore!), or that it was abused--like full throttle on a cold engine. Added HP just means everything has to be heavier duty--it's just a matter of engine design. I put 112,000 miles on a Chevy 454 in a motorhome, and it was still getting 3,000 miles to a quart of oil!

 

Do yourself a favor and stay away from a used 6th gen max.
Go for the 04-07 TL 6spd A-spec (Ive heard the autos have some issues but not nearly as many as the max)
Cant beat Honda or Toyota for a used car reliability (but dont get a Camry lol). Nissan really dropped the ball on the 04-06 Maxima and Altima V6

 

On how you drive it? I drive my car like a 45 year old buisness man, change the oil before its time, and clean it once a week. Ive probably had more problems with my car in a month than many members have ahd in years. IMO its how the previous owner treated it and the fact that my car is a LEMON.

 

Today I sat in an 06 Maxima. Had the space that I needed but the price was too much.. The TL doesn't have as much rear seat room as the Maxima. So I am going to keep searching.

 

Ive now had my 06 max for 3 years ... no mods other than rims and tires .. exhaust and res delete and I still love the **** out of this car .. Ive auto crossed it .. ive 1/4 miled it and I drive the snot out of it .. no oil consumption, no shimmy, stock brakes and rotors still brake hard with no rumble. Tranny is still strong with no obvious shift shock or slip ...
I love my car

 

From a production line, when the cars roll out, for some reason, some of the cars will last while others will not last. Some parts go bad early in some than others. Previous owner's maintenance records and driving habits is an important factor too. For example, I drive my car hard and I am the fastest car on the road, PERIOD! My wife on the other hand is soo gentle and all. So, at the end of the day, I wear out brakes, pads and rev engine more. While say my wife's car has been more gently handled. Hey, but my ride is always clean and very, I mean, very well maintained.

So, if you see a car you like, get it checked out by your mechanic. If it pleases you, get it. I have heard the tranny on the Acura goes out really quick. This is my first V6 car. I have driven a Camry all through and I will say it is very reliable. I don't like the V6 Camry. So, when I wanted performance, I fell for the Maxima.

If you want a performance car and want to find out about the Maxima, I would say I love the Max a lot. I can't stay away from my car, hence the 30k a year I put on my car and now at 33k. Drives like new!

So, bro, you are on the Max org. I would only say get you one that fits your taste and budget. Not all Max that rolled out the assembly line will see 200k or let alone more than 250k. No matter the brand of car! Period! If you find a Max, get it checked out, and if it passes your tests, take it home to your family, if the price is right. If Max is not your choice, there are other great cars out there. Goodluck in your search.

 

I did a similar search. I would've created this thread if I could, but I didn't have enough posts under my belt. What I found is the Lexus IS250/350's are smaller too. The Camry is a bigger car, but it drove like a tank. I like a car that is more nimble, and the Maxima fit the bill. The Infiniti sedans are very cool and very expensive. But test drive one anyway, its an experience! To get a lower price, stay away from the dealers. I found my car at a backroads lot about an hour and a half away. It sat on the lot for 5 mos. I made him an offer, and he knew I wasn't coming back so he took it. I already has my financing ready. Its easy to find 06s off leases. Plus, if they are leased, most of the time they let the dealer do the maintenance.

Clarifications are in order here. The oil consumption issue was a problem in SOME of the 06s, but mainly in the 07s (so much for 6.5 gen being perfect). There is a recall on it, and if you give a Nissan dealer the VIN number they can check to see if your car qualifies. Source of my information? My local Nissan dealer who I have been using for the past 4 years. Why? Because they work on more Nissans than anyone else, and the service manager deals with the technical bulletins every day. Another nifty thing I learned, give a Nissan service center the VIN, and they can tell you if any claims under warranty have been filed for the car at any Nissan dealership in the country. Just found out my car had a BHG this past January with a paltry 26k on the car. I asked the service mgr if this was common, he said no. He also knew of no issues with motor mounts whatsoever. And whats wrong with the TPS? The car leaps out from under you when your toe brushes the peddle, and it shifts quickly and quietly. Personally, I like it.

To the person who is shopping: Do your research. Run a carfax. Check the VIN with a local dealer. And by all means verify what you read on here with a Nissan service center!

 

Buy my old car, in perfect condition except for the front end that needs to be repainted, all maintenance was performed, except the 60k service but I traded it so hence why I did not, I found it online by putting in my vin number

http://sales.autofunds.com/Dealer-We...4cQaWFxbTn4%3d

 

Clean car but I'm looking for a manual transmission..

 

Do your research, just google vq35de oil consumption. More and likely you will find a couple 350z forums and g35 forums and probably a bit about it here on the 6th gen forums. Very common problem just a matter of time. I agree with breaking in an engine, however most people know this because they are told when they drive it off the lot. Still happens when you have crappy parts installed from the factory. Nothing is perfect. Ohh and it's not even a close comparrison to a chevy engine. or a motorhome.

 

I am more than a little surprised at all of the problems I am hearing you guys talk about. I guess I can count myself very fortunate. The only things I have had done to my car are replace the MAF sensor, an O2 sensor, and a wheel bearing. I've seen no signs of the other issues being brought up. My '05 has 61,500 miles on it. I did encounter the dreaded CD changer failure two weeks ago. I'm hunting for a replacement before I sell or trade the car in and get a 2010 model.

 

I put almost 30k on my 07 and other than some suspension noises when it was really cold out, it was far more problem free than our 09 Camry. YMMV.

 

This is my first post. I just recently bought a used just off lease 07 SL with 13,500 miles. Only issue I have is a vibration when braking and alignment is off. They are probably related. The dealer is taking care of it next week. This is really an amazing car. It's really quick and the CVT is great. I stumbled onto the car via Nissan's pre owned search and made the deal after the test drive. I was seriously looking at Passat's but couldn't get the dealers to make any deals and used ones had much higher milage than the Maxima.

The Maxima is fully loaded and is Pearl White with grey interior. It has the DPP package and nav,Bose,etc... Hope to have it for a long long time.

 

I'm still searching. Thanks for all the info.

 

Bought an 04 SE 6 spd from Carmax with 50k miles. A year and a half and 23k miles later, I can say have had no major problems. Car runs great!

Took it recently to Firestone Car Care to get brakes replaced (normal replacement). They also had to "shock" the AC since it wasn't blowing cool before. Now it's blowing cool air once more... Nice to have in 99 degree FL heat.

 

Sticky door locks in the front, and shimmy at highway speeds besides that no issues. Had car 2 years NO repairs done.