I would think Not.

A friend of mine and my self were at the nissan dealership,hes
looking into buying the new max,the dealer tells us,oh this
car is on the same level as the new acura TL,Lexus es330.

From my understanding,its lexus,infiniti,Acura

Than a notch or 2 below is,Toyota,Honda,Nissan..


I sat in the new maxima,the interior is horrendous and the
seats are very soft,not to supportive.

 

I'm right there with you. Not only is the interior bad, but the exterior is really really bad. Now Nissan makes an excellent engine, but I think that is the only selling point for the Maxima. I have just heard too many build/general quality issues with Nissan to ever consider getting one of their cars.

I think to compare themselves to Acura is a bit of a stretch, and to compare themselves to Lexus is a joke....even though the Lexus is ugly as hell, it is definately on a higher level than Nissan in every regard.

 

04 Maxima loaded is over $30K for essentially a go cart on wheels - no lux, bad ride, poor handling and a rear from hell. Exterior of that car is horrendous. Can't believe they sell any of those with the G35 (which handles better but may even have a WORSE interior) out there. Maxima is weak.

 

You gotta drive it to see for yourself I suppose. At first I liked the Maxima's looks but now I think it looks goofy. Many have complained about the signficant torque steer in the Maxima. Comparing the Maxima to the Lexus and TL may be a stretch. but then again, in Canada the Maxima SL with Navi is about $1,300 less than the 5AT TL with Navi - so I guess the guys on the floor have to make those comparisons.

Anyway, there can't be much price difference a Maxima and the G35, its upscale cousin. I can never figure out exactly where Nissan is positioning the Maxima. The V6 Accord is about $7,000 cheaper compared to the non-Navi TL.

 

Well, pricewise the Maxima is comparable to the TL. It's sad though how many more corners Nissan has cut in making the Maxima than Acura has in making the TL. Also, it's tough to take in the fact that a car that is supposedly luxurious can also be rented at the local Enterprise Rent A Car. This causes resale value to plummet and brand image to take even more of a hit. So, while it may compare in price and being FWD with lots of HP, in essense it really does not come close to comparing to the TL or ES330. It's still quite an impressive package though.

 

Good point on the rental car thing...the Maxima would proabably not be worth producing (given the number that are sold) if it wasn't for the rental car companies. Those companies are the same that make the Camry numbers look way bigger than they really are. There are very, very few cars (if any) available for rent that I would ever own (except for the high dollar exotic rental compaines)

 

Maxima's exterior will be out of style very soon. Ppl won't like it anymore after a year...

 

it's hell ugly and i would buy a buick over the max, period.

 

Wow, thats pretty harsh...can't completely disagree though

 

"At first I liked the Maxima's looks but now I think it looks goofy" - I feel the same way. Also feel the same way about the G35 sedan... kinda looks like an old sneaker to me. I'm sure it's just me

 

One of the biggest reasons I never got the G35 was my wife hated it - she strongly encourged me to get the coupe. Then the TL came out.

I look at the G35 sedan now and it also looks funny from the back and the front.

 

The new Max finished 12th in a 12 cart comparison, lost to a A4 on a 1 on 1 comparison, was chosen as one of the 3 biggest disapointments for 2003 etc etc etc etc. I cannot believe they charge 34k loaded for it and people are paying for it.

Looks, it does look different for a Nissan but an obvious knock-off and uglier, bigger version of the GS series.

I wanted a 3rd/4th gen Max, the 5th gen is cool and they have TOTALLY lost it with the 6th gen. MAXIMA ARMADA is more apporpriate. Sad to see that car go that route..

 

Good call...not just you. I still like the coupe a lot, but the 4 door is really pedestrian....not that the TL is so wild, but it just doesn't get old to me.

 

No. The G35.

 

lol
the buick regal GS gives u all the power u want with the SC, and it's better looking then the Max at least~

if not i would take the Rendervous Ultra

 

Today's Maxima is really for people who want to move up from their Nissan Sentra and don't know any better or don't want to look around at better alternatives. The engine is strong but the torque steer is really awful compared to the TL. All that money, and no lux! Bummer.

 

Well some guys are being harsh here I am a big Max fan and donot paticularly care for the 04 Max, but depsite the differences between it and the TL many cross shop it with the TL and has for years. It is just simply some people that would prefer it to the TL and vis Versa and their are many cars that Rental car companies rent that are nice to have as a personal car and the Max is one of them. Along with some of the Volvo's, Jag's etc., I do believe that the 2002/2003 Nissan had the Max just right nice quality and materials along with a sporty not so bulky looking look. BTW how many Maxima/G35/3 series vs the TL threads is their going to be their are several other cars out their in this price range as well.

 

I totally agree, I actually like the older Maximas. I've also said before that the mid-late 90's Max's were great cars, but at the time I lusted after them, I couldn't afford them. The new one is just a big disappointment.

 

yes
but with the new 04 max no longer made in japan, and the car is ugly, it certainly draw back a lot of buyers~

i like the old max too, my friend's 01 SE is the smoothest V6 i have ever driven, silky smooth and silent...also it does SCREAM!!!

 

Yeah I agree the 3.0 VQ in the 95-01 Max has to be one of the smoothest V6's out their, when they bored it out in 02 to 3.5 it lost some of its smoothness.

 

Really? You think people that would consider a TL would consider a Max now? I think the comparos are the G35 in raw dollars and then the 3 series BMW's and the Audi A4 no? Although the latter two get expensive when you put the bigger engines and options in them. Actually on paper, I can see the Volvo S60 T5 as comparable, although I haven't driven one in years. When you drill down though, the TL give you a lot of features with the base car that you have to option out in others.

 

Boy, I sure didn't consider the Maxima in the same league as the TL. Maybe, I would have if I had set a budget below the TL level. My alts were: the G35 sedan, until I drove it; the 530i, until I compared prices; and just keeping my 330i until I highway drove the TL. Now, I'm leaning toward keeping the 330i, along with the new TL and selling one of the trucks.

 

well...the new 04 Max is rated as a Full-size car, same class with the dodge intrepid, Toyota Avalon and Buick Le Sabre....

yes...it's the buick le sabre~ they are in the same full size class

 

Le Sabre it is.

 

Thats you I work for Nissan(Systems engineer) and have seen lots of data and market research they have compiled and yes many do cross shop them. Same price range and intent to the market(a Loaded up Max is in TL price range despite what you think of it, alot of the same features(some on TL Max doesnt have and vis versa) although with Nissan cars to the public is more model "loyal" than brand. The Maxima and Z has the strongest Model loyalty at our company. The TL is still a nose heavy powerful front driver just like the Maxima and it will never be a 3 series or G killer in the handling/balance, or G killer in accelleration despite more power until and if it becomes rwd. Shoppers of Avalons/LeSabre have an average age of 56 years old and Maxima was 42 and TL was 40 ish as well according to the last statistics I saw, and arent drawn to the Maximas ride nor the TL's which arent as cushy as those cars.. Peace

 

And that's the problem the Maxima faces. Research or no research, today, buyers of anything, be it cars or televisions can compare - and compare they do. But what you find in this day and age of product awareness is that there are some relatively over-priced products out there. Cars have many attributes, interior features, handling characteristics, you name it. But good value cars; those that combine good creature comforts with outstanding performance characteristics will win the day. Maybe customers are still cross shopping them, but how many are actually buying a Maxima when they directly compare it to a TL and find out its almost the same price? Not many I bet. MacDonalds used to bet on customer loyalty. Not anymore.