cccjoecool

I agree that a test drive of both cars would be the best action. I mean, each person has his/her own priorities when evaluating a car.

However, I own a 2004 TL (VIN 61XXX), and I do not have visor/dash rattles or any driveline vibrations (or any rattles/vibrations, for that matter); it is unfortunate that 04acura TL does. I wanted to point that out for the threadposter. Though some have experienced these problems, certainly not all TL's have these problems. I can attest to that; I love to drive the TL.

Good luck in your decision.

TLXLR8S

i floored my TL in the rain when the 3 lane road was empty, and it handled exellent in the rain, and didnt even think about sliping while braking hard. i love the VSA.

rond310

Thanks for all of the replies!!! I am going out to drive the TL again tonight and to take another look at the rear seat room. I may even let the wife take it for a spin too

I am leaning toward the TL at the moment and think I may regret later not buying TL when I had the chance.

Nodoze2004

I was looking at the Max before the TL as well. I was really taken by the looks of the car (please keep in mind this was before the TL was released). What sealed the deal was that ABYSMAL interior. Whats up with the amber round guages!?! Those things are horrible.

I like the fold down rear seats (hello Acura??)
I like the rear heated seats
I like the power assist steering column

regardless I am VERY happy with the TL. Amber is so dated looking on interiors. Once you go blue you never go back!!

Take a look at the 360 interior video....it is HIDEOUS

http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/ModelAttributes/0,,121534|31002|,00.html

F23A4

Amber gauges are pretty much a guarantee if you buy any new Nissan or Infiniti. I think they started phasing this in with the 02 Altima and it's pretty much spreading to every other model since then. I think the only exception is the I35 which is being phased out this year. The I35 has cool looking EL gauges and looks similar in appearance to the current Accord:



That said, I dont like Amber/orange gauges neither. I dont know what Nissan was thinking on that one.

Tunerman

If you can not control a car in the rain you should not be driving it then. Only kids make comments like you just did. Your suppose to slow down in the rain and take extra care. Any car including the TL will be not as good in the wet as it is in the dry. And guess what, its not the car, its the tires.

I suggest going back to drivers-ed...

TLXLR8S

i dont like those gauges either.

i was looking at the maxima too, even though i didnt realy like it that much i thought that it was the best choice at that time. then i looked on acura's web site to see if there were any changes from 2003 and DAMN what a change. from that day on i was over the maxima. and thank god acura redesigned the TL for '04, b/c i would have had to get the maxima.

Yoda117

Okies, how about taking the word of someone who has taken courses and also has over 15 years experience dealing with bad driving conditions?

The Maxima isn't a good car in the rain. Nopes, the TL's performance also degrades, but not nearly to the same level. I don't have to worry as much about the TL's breaking or acceleration, even the hydroplaning as I did when test driving a Maxima SL in the rain.

I mean, the car actually hopped when I tried to accelerate onto road from a dead stop... I never had that happen with the TL, even when I totally gunned it. Additionally, I had some major concerns when I attempted to apply the brakes. The rear of the Maxima begain to tail away from me without any warning.

I think that if you put some good tires on the car, it'd be better, but I think that it has a lot to do with the weight distribution as well, which is something that the end user cannot fix.

spacejamz

wonder what kinda of replies we would see on a Maxima forum where somone asks this question over there...

anyway, my vote is for the TL (just hit 600 miles on my 05 )...

JWhite1301

Ok, once again YOU Need to read my post. You make suggestions for me to go to drivers ed, got to ENGLISH class. Man, I said DRIVE in rain conditions, which means slow down. Do I need to spell everything out for you? As for your kid statement, I am 4 years younger that you. Let's not act like a kid and make silly comments. Read the other posts, they sustain what I have mentioned about it's handling. I understand there is no car that handles the same in wet vs dry. What I was saying (spelling it out for you) is that the Maxima is extra touchy in the rain.

Thank you for your slanders and non helpful comments though.

JWhite1301

Yeah, my point exactly!!!! Thanks Yoda

tl_soso

Acura by far dood - unless money is a big factor. but the type of service you get at an Acura dealership compared to a Nissan dealership would be enough for me.

Yoda117

and even the price isn't that big of a deal... a comprably equipped Maxima isn't all that far away from a TL if you think about it.

The high end Maxima hits 35-37... about the same for a TL with navi.

Mike_TX

HAHAHAHA! That's gotta be the lamest reason I've seen for not buying a Maxima. It's got too much power! Hahahaha!

Seriously, folks (rim shot).

I have an '04 Maxima and contrary to JWhite's dire warning, you can control it. Yes, it's a beast, what with all that low-end torque, but you can manage if you try. And just think how much fun that torque will be when the rain stops.

And as for the front-end - if you don't like the grille, get another one. Stillen and Trenz and others have cool billets for about $150 that install in a half-hour and look fantastic.

Bottom line, though ... don't look for an unbiased opinion about a Maxima in a TL forum. They wouldn't own TL's if they weren't biased toward them, right?

Mike

2K2SilverTL-S

One of my good friends has an 04 Maxima SE with the 5-speed auto and from what I've seen it has to be one of the cheapest built cars in the 30K range. The doors seem like they are completely hollow and close with one of the cheapest thumps I've heard in a while. The interior and exterior parts are sub-par and the cars design has many contrasting lines that dont go together.

The VQ motor is the best part of the car, however. It's pretty strong, and when I raced him in my 04 TL he kept it close till 3rd gear.....it was only then that I started walking away from him.

Get the TL....its worth the extra money......

rets

I have the similar impression while visiting Maxima site and seeing TL threads out there. This is all about the vehicle-ecology. LOL. I agree some of your points, and for the case of the grille, I really wish Nissan could directly come out some more friendly and acceptable style. IMO. This would make Max better in addition to its VQ engine.

Road Rage

The French Connection with Nissan makes any consideration of a Nismo out of the question.

Tim Lopez

Had an 04 Maxima that turned out to be a Lemon. From the Max web page there seems to be too many problems. I like my 05TL.

Tunerman

Wow you have 15 years of experience. Well guess what, so do I, and in that 15 years I have 10 of that on a real road course racing. So like I said, its in the tires, NOT THE CAR. I haev driven the 04 Maxima, and the 04 TL. The 04 Maxima handles nicely in wet and dry and so does the TL. But the TL had better tires on it from the start.

The only reason the tail in the Max comes out on you is because your going to fast. LOL

Mike_TX

Agree with tunerman. Handling in the wet is a tire thing, and what do I always hear on this forum? How bad the EL42's are, in the wet and dry.

Yep, the Maxima has Goodyear RSA's, which are also hated by many, but my personal experience (25,000 miles on my '04) is that they're pretty doggone good tires in the wet. I've whipped mine down the highway at 75 in driving rain with no hydro action at all. You can make the tires slip if you crank it on from a stop, but ... duh ... show me the street tires that won't slip under those conditions.

The TL is a very nice ride, but there's no point in trashing another very good car like the Max just because you like your TL. It's all a matter of preference - and sometimes finances - but that's why they make strawberry and chocolate ice cream.

To the original poster: Test drive both cars extensively. You'll reach the point where you know which one you want. You won't go wrong with either one. I love my Maxima, and I'm looking very seriously at the TL to replace my second car in a few months. And check out the G35 sedan if you haven't already ... there's another very nice car!

Mike

rets

.

Twenties

I have an 05 TL and I recently bought an 05 Maxima SE for my mother. I've been driving the Max for the last week.

My TL w/Navi was $33.5k and
Max w/Lthr,Bose, pwr all, skyview dual roofs, 18s, (no Navi)...$26.5k.


Exterior Looks: MAX WINS
I think the Max looks as good or better. Sorry guys. The side profile on the Max looks solid especially w/the std. 18" wheels. The rear looks good---with the lip spoiler. I like the TL's front end and grille much better.

Interior Looks: TL WINS
Max looks clean with all silver metal finish (kinda like TL) but the gauges/controls on TL + blue color looks much better than Max's orange.

Comfort: MAX WINS
Both cars are very comfortable; Max has more room, esp in back, my mom says it feels like a boat and just feels airy inside. But TL is very comfortable and suprisingly roomy.

Features: TL WINS
TL has better radio (Bose aint bad though), bluetooth, everything else about even. Max non-nav gives display screen like a Nav so its better than a non-Nav TL's radio display.

Engine: TL WINS:
This was the most suprising... the Max engine feels like it does not like to rev over 3,000 rpm. Its loud and not in a good way. Not like the exhaust roar on the TL, but more like a truck ... it tells you to back off from accelerating or the engine may break. I'm going to take this in --- almost seems like a DEFECT. Whereas TL feels good at high RPMs. Max feels too torquey, i know it sounds crazy but as soon as you touch the accelator you feel a lot of power and then when you step on it---your disappointed b/c its the same and you can't build up any more feeling of power even though your revving it higher. maybe more torque isn't necessarily a good thing???

Transmission: TL WINS:
TL shifts smoothly and just as you'd expect it to. Manual mode works great and holds gears (except 1st). Max does NOT hold gears it automatically shifts up for you when rev high---lame and defeats purpose of holding gear to maintain more control. Plus the MAX shifts A LOT-- and too early, the gear spacing is poor and too short, under normal driving it shifts every 10 MPH so your in 5th gear at 50 MPH. Just doesn't make sense. The tach seems to stick and jump--the shifts are not smooth.

Tires: TL WINS.
The Michelins are much smoother and grip better than the Goodyears or whatever is on the Max. Definitely need to get new tires on the max. they squeal and have no traction in the rain---scary.

Handling/Stability: TL WINS:
The TL feels heavy and planted in straight lines and fairly stable when cornering. The Max feels unplanted and loose, especially at freeway speeds... I just found out this is a Recall/TSB issue that I need to take care of...yikes!!

Brakes: TL WINS.
Max is okay but it does not have traction control or stability control system so you don't feel as confident your going to come to a smooth stop.



There are another dozen intangibles that make the TL better.... but the TL is better than most cars anywhere near its price range so its not a huge knock against the Max. If they can fix the stability issue i'd give the Max an 7.5/10. If not its a 6 b/c the handling is that bad.

I'd give the TL a 9/10.

If money is an issue then the Max is a good bargain .... can get $4000 off $30k sticker, but i you can afford a TL .... not even close.

Tunerman

All Nissans have traction control and stability control standard now. That 05 Maxima does as well.

F23A4

TCS is standard while the VDC is optional (Link ) but, yes...it is available on the Maxima.

You may want to take your Maxima in for a diagnostic. Outside of torque delivery (which a good set of replacement tires can fix), my 02 Maxima has NONE of the characterics you've described in your 05. With its first generation VQ35DE (and 4AT), my 02 Maxima pulls the hardest from 4k-5.5k rpm and feels strong even in the 6k rpm range. As for engine noise, my VQ35DE isnt Lexus 3MZ-FE silent but it DEFINITELY holds its own when it comes to decibal levels.

Not for nothing, the new Maxima's powertrain is probably its best feature. If you're not sold on that then, you probably should not have even purchased it.

Twenties

[QUOTE=F23A4]TCS is standard while the VDC is optional (Link ) but, yes...it is available on the Maxima. QUOTE]

that's what i thought ......but TCS is not listed on the window sticker, and i checked official Nissan docs and it turns out its standard on ONLY on 05 models built AFTER NOVEMBER 2004. Mine was purchased in November so it could not have possibly been manufactured in November.

Hence i ain't got traction control ....and this thing spins its tires if you accelerate suddenly.

as far as previous maximas i drove them as well as I35s and the engine did not sound harsh like this one does. the car is for my mom so i didn't take it into high RPMs on the test drive. She doesn't either when she drives so its probably a non-issue for her...but i say shame on Nissan for making such a cheap product.