jspagna1

Yes sad but true. Wife's bad back could not deal with the uncomfortable seats in the TL any longer. Traded it in for a loaded 2012 Maxima SV.

Premium/Tech. Package
Winter Frost/Premium Charcoal Leather
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/399188...-nissan-maxima

Not my choice but you know what they say happy wife......................

Ok have only driven the car a couple of times and have only had it for 2 days. Here are my observations so far between the two cars. The Maxima feels more sporty than the TL and more nimble. Also looks are in the eye of the beholder so don't want to bring up that subject again.

Acura TL SH-AWD w/Tech. Package 18" wheels +
-AWD (of course)
-Love the 18" 5 spoke wheels
-Love that the keys fobs recognize driver#1 & 2 and seats adjust accordingly
-Steering wheel controls

Nissan Maxima SV w/Premium & Tech. Package +
-Heated steering wheel
-Cooled drivers seat
-Power adjustable steering wheel
-Power rear sunshade
-Soft leather seating

Acura TL SH-AWD w/Tech. Package 18" wheels -
-Uncomfortable leather seating
-Non power adjustable steering wheel
-Big/bulky size
-Styling-Front & Rear(?????????????)

Nissan Maxima SV w/Premium & Tech. Package -
-Steering wheel controls
-Key fobs do not specify driver# 1 & 2. Have to push setting# 1 or 2 when entering car
-Wheel style not as nice (IMO)

I always keep my cars for a long time so I was very disappointed when the wife said she did not like the car. Really going to miss the AWD in the winter but she can work out of the house if she wants to.
Going to definitely have to buy a set of winter wheels and tires for the Maxima.

Here are how the numbers broke down on the cars. MSRP on the Maxima was $41,000 and after rebates and lots of negotiations got the car for $34,000.
They gave me $28,500 for the TL which was $500 more than CarMax and another dealer offered me for the car. And I see that the dealer has the TL listed for $29,991. So I think I did alright under the circumstances.

So if anyone in the CT area wants an awesome used 2010 TL SH-AWD go down to Harte Nissan in Hartford,CT. and tell them Joe Spagna sent you because this is the 3rd Maxima I have bought from these guys so they know me well.

jjsC5

Thanks for the write-up. I have had a couple of Maximas back in the '90s, and I've owned a number of Nissan/Infiniti's, so I have no bias.

Question - how do ya'll like the CVT? We had a Murano with it and neither my wife nor I cared for it. Not a total show-stopper, but it does get negative points for us. Other than that I like the Maxima.

CerberusKy

iTrader: (1)

I still have my 99 maxima, and still love to drive it.

jspagna1

Not sure. I hated the 09-10 Maxima because of the CVT. I'm hoping and I've heard they have made improvements over the last couple of years so the jury is still out on this one.

eazy

iTrader: (8)

I too looked at the 09 maxima when i got my 09 TL. CVT and the interior lost to the TL

jspagna1

Ok took the Max out for a drive this morning. Another observation is the CVT does get some getting used to. Car shifts more like a city bus. But I do like the fact that it's a 6 speed and also that I can either use the paddle shifters (Not) or I can shift it via the conventional shifter which is what I prefer and I couldn't do that with the TL.

SeismicGuy

No need to apologize. I think Nissan's have been under-rated for a while now. Back in 1990 when we we shopping for a 4-door sedan, the Maxima Sport model we ended up with was hands-down best performing, best looking, best bang-for-the-buck compared with other similar cars we looked at. During 10 years or ownership we had virtually NO significant problems.

In 2000 when it came time to replace, we actually first considered another Maxima but styling at that time was just so-so and the 2nd Gen TL that had just come out was clearly best bang-for-the-buck and looked nice to boot.

I am not sure I like the way the Maxima has bloated up recently but they still at least are distinctive looking compared with other blah Asian cars.

saturno_v

Rented a Maxima for one week in Hawaii this spring...obviously it was the base model, however these are my impressions:

I really love the styling.....I still like even more the TL but kudos to Nissan for making a less controversial design and still standout compared to other similar cars.

Some interior material quality is inferior compared to the TL (and I do not think the more upscale trims changes that), for example the door panels and hard plastic texturing.

I think Nissan makes the best CVT in the business (I love the "jetiner at takeoff" effect, engine constantly at max rev during acceleration, when you stomp hard on the gas on a straight line).....still I do not like it....a manual stick would be a great addition to the Maxima options.

Great chassis and total absence of torque steering even when accelerating hard on a sharp curve....I bet many people that fill their mouth with the acronym "RWD" could not tell the difference if they did not know the car specs.

The curent Maxima can be perfectly compared to the FWD TL (and I bet the two are cross shopped often) even if Nissan is not "officially" a premium brand...The Maxima is alwayas been considered a bit of a step up compared to the Camry or the Accord....

I personally did own a 5th gen Maxima 6 speed, the best Max overall (in my opinion) ever made compared to the competition of the time.

g37guy01

Actually saturno many people can tell the difference between the way a maxima handles and a sports oriented rwd car. The fact you believe people couldnt is interesting, leads me to ask if you can.

On one aspect I agree with, some people i believe cant tell the difference between a 911 and a 1977 pinto. I'm sure you were referring to those people.

saturno_v

Many can....and many, I bet, they can't.....

g37guy01

I would also bet many can't tell the difference amongst a Ferrari, 335, TL or g. Yes there are people who are that clueless with regards to cars.

LawnPro

Sorry to see you go i always enjoy your posts jspagna.
Enjoy your maxima.....I have heard alot of good things!

Hapa DC5

Enjoy the Maxima Joe.

pimpin-tl

That's actually kinda funny. I got rid of my GTI for this TL because the seats were way way more comfortable because of my bad back. lol

Neva Eva Forget 1984

I was thinking of getting a Maxima SV too, with the pano roof, before I purchased the TL SH-AWD... Wifey and I liked the TL better...

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Sorry to hear she wasn't comfortable in the TL. Enjoy the Maxima.

FYAH TL

Congrats on your new ride. I always love seeing those maximas in white with the panoramic roof.

Blueberryyumyum

Nismo exhaust

kc1953

I always thought the TL sh-awd seats were really comfortable.

terdonal

Enjoy

Ken1997TL

Agreed. I tend to sit up straight though.


Enjoy the Maxima!

JM2010 SH-AWD

Same here. Other than a few Volvos I've ridden in, my AWD has the most comfortable seats I've experienced in a car. They just fit me.

Ken1997TL

Volvo S80 seats are THE best I've sat in. The RL comes very close. They're almost TOO comfortable...

gibbyisgibby

Ya, I think you did well with the trade in price. Hopefully I would be able to get something near that.

jjsC5

Not aimed at you, but I'm amused that all the manufacturers offering CVT's are making them "shift" to feel more natural. Anyone who knows anything about how CVT's work and why they are used knows that having them "shift" defeats most of the advantages of a CVT.

weather

*lmao* Almost like the idea of drinking a Diet Coke with a crazy ass burger, fries and gravy

jspagna1

We still have our 2003 Maxima that my daughter now drives. Wife always loved that car and still does. That is in part why we took another look at the Maxima.

Rocket_man

Don't forget the cheese and bacon please!

I will be interested to see how Honda implements thier CVT in the upcoming Accord. At some point I expect these to show up in Acura's. Maybe even the new TLX.

NwTSXmt

Only Nissan I would own is a GT-R....

012TL-GLM

huh, interesting. Perspective on what's comfortable completely changes when you've got a health issue. My mom just bought a Toyota venza for similar reasons. Out of everything she tried, it fit her best

CPR

ONLY complaint about my '12/SH AWD TL/Tech, is the seats.
For some reason the seat back doesn't go high enough for my taste.
I've tried EVERY angle; no luck
I'm 6'0" 165lbs.; not exactly fat
Also, would be nice, if the passenger seat, had the same functions, as the driver; lumbar, etc.
That being said;GREAT CAR!

Mr Marco

^ My HVAC guy had the same complaint, drove the Nissan and bought it.

compewterbleu

Seats issues...never experienced them. So of the best I've come across actually. TL to Maxima...interesting variation in driving dynamics, especially when it comes to SH_AWD, enjoy.

jspagna1

Personally I don't like leather seats at all. Bought my 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 with cloth seats and it is so comfortable. No complaints at all and even the wife likes it. Thats once she can lift herself up in the truck to begin with.

LawnPro

The first cold winter morning I used the heated leather seats........I can never go back to cloth seats. Feels good on a sore back too.

Edward'TLS

^^^^^

Unless the leather seat has been preheated, otherwise it is never a pleasant experience sitting on an ice-cold leather seat before it heats up.

Packagingpro

The new Altima looks interesting!

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...sl-test-review

Rocketsfan

So you're saying you chose the wife over the car? Hmm... k.

jk.

I had a 1997 Maxima and loved that car. Got rid of her too quickly. I made sure I didn't make that same mistake with my TL. Those engines were bomb-proof. No hate for the new Maxima, either.

BTW, I've had back surgery and never felt too bad with my loaner 4G TL's, but then I never went on any extended drives with them. The only thing I remember being annoying was the headrest.

Good luck with the new car, and sorry it isn't necessarily what you wanted.

jvette

My wife had a 2010 TL and hated that car. We ended up trading it in on a 2012 TL after I had one as a loaner when my MDX went in for service. There was a huge difference in the 2012 vs the 2010. When they sat side by side the look was even changed a lot. She now loves the 2012 so as you say when the wife is happy we are all happy

compewterbleu

Not much was changed mechanically from 2011 to 2012 save for 6 speed TRAN, blind spot system, and ventilated seats...which are an Advance package option. Save for the "Aggression redefined" they're the same car until the 5G comes out. Had a 2009 looked at the 2012 left with a 2010 model. I'm single so I guess that rules out outside wifey influences. I'm just saying.