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Sedans Nissan Maxima 2009 Nissan Maxima
681 messages, Last post on Oct 08, 2009 at 11:05 AM
You are in the Nissan Maxima Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
I think you guys who have driven the CVT and then put it down very badly are doing it an injustice. Reading the earlier posts, it takes a while to get used to; certainly more than a test drive--everyone knows that and some people accept it and come to love it. And look at the numbers: I think I saw 6.2 seconds 0 to 60; that's class leading fast, and probably a good bit faster than whatever you're driving now. And on top of it, they supposedly last a long, long time. I don't own it as I'm not buying this year, but if I was buying I'd go for it and stop worrying that it didn't feel quite like my current car. OK, I'm sure I'll get flamed now but I think that needed to be said. I think the guys who have been driving it for a few weeks are more qualified to determine whether it's a good one. Flame on now...
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Must be nice to have a new Maxima for the holidays. Having shopped the Maxima, '09 TL, and Mazda6 before deciding not to buy, I think the looks of the Maxima are better than the other 2--it's pretty awesome... The old Maxima's were so ugly even a mother couldn't love them, but this one is a huge improvement...
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Replying to: carnut35 (Dec 11, 2008 7:12 pm) Although I would not call the new 09 Maxima ugly, I do find its design to be overcrowded with design cues and elements. It is like if the design team simply took a bit from a bunch of cars and threw it together and came up with the 09 Maxima. There is so much going on forward of the A pillar that the design makes me dizzy, the Altima trunk is the complete opposite of the front end, just a plain trunk. I wish all who have one many happy miles driving it, but it is by no means a home-run in design. The prior model, the one all of you hate, at least was designed with the Lexus GS in mind, this one is more Camry/Lexus ES-like. Oh and by the way, since you saw the new TL, it is not too far off on the design of the previous Maxima, right down to the roof metallic rails and rear buttress-type window and C-pillar design. Happy motoring to all and a Merry Christmas!!! Enjoy whatever vehicle you drive and do so safely!! |
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I wrote my earlier msg quickly and right after I let it fly I realized my misstatement. I consider the newer Maximas, including the 2004 - 2008 version, very attractive. The 2 prior versions I did not care for at all, and many in the automotive press did not care for their looks either. So out4cat, I like your car, although I like the new one better (for looks). As for the CVT, it has been refined for the '09 compared to the prior version, and a number of the owners earlier on in the posts got used to it and liked it a lot. So I'm really speaking to what people have said on the new version of that transmission. Same goes for acceleration--I'm speaking to the new one. C&D is painstakingly precise in their acceleration tests, and they clock the '09 at 5.8 seconds to 60 mph, which blows away most others in the class. They also make positive comments about the CVT in this model. Sorry for not being clearer in my previous post. I'm sorry about your slower car, but the '09 is clearly very fast as rated by professional testers. Perhaps you could unload yours and buy something you like; I'd hate to be driving something I didn't like, especially as a car enthusiast... Good luck.
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Replying to: carnut35 (Dec 12, 2008 10:24 pm) As I begin to see more 09s on the road I imagine that I will begin to like it more but the trouble again is, I have not seen one in a color that makes me fall in love with it. Most dealers only carry variations of grey and the few blue/maroon/green ones all have black seats which I HATE. So far I am drawn towards the Tuscan Sun exterior color with Cafe Latte leather seats, have not seen one on the road yet. I can also tell you from experience that it is a difficult color to keep clean especially here in the north with no garage and cold winters. I am puzzled by the variety in color availability in cheaper Nissans but the flagship is restricted to a sea of grey tones and only 3 colors that are not. More to come when I test drive the 09 as per your suggestion, wow 290 HP, I may never give the darn thing back to the dealer. |
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2009 3.5 SV Premium + Technology, Dark Slate / Charcoal $39,302 MSRP $35,473 Final Price I've had my new Maxima for a little more than two weeks now (and 600 miles), and I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with it. I considered a number of different cars: 2008 Lexus GS 350: I almost bought this car, I negotiated $2,500 below dealer invoice, and the interest rate on the lease was only about 0.5%. When I went to pick it up, I drove it first and realized that the seat comfort just didn't compare to most of the other cars I had tried, there just isn't enough padding in the driver's seat back. Even my wife's 2008 Highlander Limited has a better seat. And you have to pay another $500 to get iPod connectivity? Come on Lexus, let's move into 2006 already. (if you're wondering why I get such good pricing, I'm a licensed Auto Broker in California and I know all the fleet guys professionally). 2009 BMW 535i Sport + Premium: I was on the verge of buying this one as well, at $500 over invoice and the mfr buy rate for the lease. This car has the best seat in the business, the 20-way adjustable one included in the sport pkg. I loved everything about this car except the price. At about $63K I finally realized that I could get something satisfactory for a lot less money - the BMW is very nice, I think it's way overpriced though. At $50K I would have gone for it. 2009 Jaguar XF - This was nice, and gorgeous - plus I was going to get about $10K off the sticker price. I just didn't want another V8 - too bad they don't make it with a V6 in the U.S. 2009 Acura TL - I like the new TL from almost every perspective, except for the front end - I just couldn't see myself looking at that ugly-ass shield grill every day for the next three years. BMW 335i, Infiniti G37 - Both excellent drives (the 335i coupe was a hoot in particular), but a little smaller than what I really want. I think the G37 coupe is absolutely beautiful though. Over a period of six months, I looked at and considered a lot of cars. Every time I would try out something new, I found myself coming back to the Maxima and finally realized that the car fit me like a glove, more than any other car (except the 535i). I love the comfortable seat, the style of the interior, the sporty exterior and all the cutting edge technology features. This is a handsome car, very luxurious, but with a sporty soul. It has plenty of power for everyday driving, and the sport shift mode is a lot of fun. Yes, it has front wheel drive, and a CVT. Those wouldn't be my first choice, but in everyday driving these have becoome a non-issue for me. The Max takes freeway onramps at speed with aplomb, and windy roads in the mountains just fine. It feels planted. It's steering and suspension are not BMW caliber, but the cost is much less. It's very quiet on the freeway, yet has a sporty soul when winding it up. Do I care about Nissan's "4DSC" marketing slogan? Hell no, it's just the marketing department at work. Don't let that bother you, it's just marketing, and who really cares about that? The stereo is excellent, way better than the standard stereos in the Lexus and BMW. The iPod interface is wonderful. The Navi works great, way better than our Highlander. There are a few regular contributors on this site whose only reason for being here is to try to talk people out of the Maxima. I personally wouldn't have the time to spend on such an endeavor, but to each their own - and they are certainly welcome to voice their opinions here for whatever reasons motivate them. My opinion is that owning a certain expensive sports car or having a history of driving other cars or whatever doesn't make someone an expert on cars in general, or on the new Maxima in particular. It's easy to talk down the Maxima because it's not rear-wheel-drive, or doesn't have a manual transmission, or whatever. From age 16 to 46 I drove nothing but manual transmissions, and just got tired of shifting in traffic. Some people feel better about themselves when they are able to focus on being negative. Look out for them and take what they say with a grain of salt. Question their motivation for spending so much time on a forum for a car that they have no intention of buying. If you are attracted to the Maxima, and it feels good to drive it, then go for it. This is a fine car, and I'm really glad I have it. Don't worry about what other people say, especially on an Internet forum. Go and drive all the cars for yourself and make up your own mind. By the way, the dark gray exterior/black interior looks especially sporty - give it a look. I considered the sport package, but one of the auto mags said they feel not having the sport package improves the ride without hurting the handling. After trying both I agree. You can always get a spoiler added on, and it really is hard to tell the 18" from the 19" wheels. I don't have a lot of time to spend on this site posting, but I wanted to be sure that for those who are interested in a Maxima and come here to see what others have to say, that I was able to give my perspective on this excellent new car.
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Replying to: redbull (Dec 13, 2008 8:54 pm) I am not on the market for a new car at this time, but 09 maxima actually looks great but as a person in the business what made you chose a 1st year car?
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Replying to: redbull (Dec 13, 2008 8:54 pm) I have doubts about someone not getting the lexus GS simply because of the seat cushion, especially an auto broker. I doubt the X5's only attribute is the seat and suddenly the price was the reason for not going forward, an auto broker should have known the price going in. By the way, these X5s are being built in America and priced as an import, no wonder BMW does not need a bail out, America is getting duped and BMW is laughing all the way to the bank. Woops, same goes for Nissan, the Maxima is built right here and you paid import price, no matter what the discount is. No-1 is trying to talk anyone out of buying the Maxima, the final decision is that of the person who has to live with the choice. We simply express our views and move on. Personally I do not like the color scheme you chose, it has no life in such a dark color scheme, almost funeral-like. But the bottom line is, if you like it, then it is a good choice for you. I am still puzzled by the "sporty" classification of a vehicle, what do wheels and metallic interior trim have to do with sports? The views will continue to be expressed on these pages and the Blog will go on. If GM gets its act together, maybe I will pull up next to you in a V8 Pontiac G8 which discounts for about 29K and rumble away ahead of you in my comfy leather seats and 400 H.P. with enough leftover cash in my pocket to have it detailed monthly. U.S. built Nissans are NOT equal to Lexus, Acura, Jaguars, or Infinitys; no way no how. |
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Replying to: out4cat (Dec 14, 2008 10:17 am) Being an auto broker really has nothing to do with how I consider a vehicle for myself, professionally I just get deals for other people and have a detailed knowledge about vehicle configurations. Comfort should be at the top of the list for anyone considering a daily driver; if the Lexus seat is not comfortable, I think it's obvious that I would disclude that car from my consideration. You mention the X5 several times, yet I didn't even look at it, or any other SUV. We already have a new Highlander, and that's enough for our family. I mention the 535i several times though, a very nice car. Also, I never metioned metallic interior trim...? In my mind, "sporty" is a feel you get from all your sensory input when driving and or looking at a car - the Lexus for example, while somewhat planted in the handling department, sounds like a sewing machine - there is no soul there. It's a beautiful car on the exterior though. I wanted a car for me, so looked at all the cars that have some appeal to me - there were no rules, i.e. has to be a sedan or big or small. I think the Jag XF is gorgeous. If when trying it out I were to totally fall in love with it, then I would have discounted the fact that it has a V8. That didn't happen though. Same with the G37 coupe - a beautiful car with soul. It was just a bit too cramped for me, and I think the exhaust noise would be irritating after awhile. The BMW 3 series is a very appealing car, I had to try it out to realize that it was just too small, and way too expensive. Although as I was leasing, the cost wouldn't have been too prohibitive all other things considered. Your final statement about the equality of Nissans vs. a number of brands is puzzling. How do you quantify that? Do you mean quality? Nissan generally finishes very high up in the quality ratings every year, usually beating Honda by a few places. After trying the new TL I thought the interior of the Maxima was much nicer, and the fit and finish is certainly no better on the TL. Same with the Lexus, I couldn't see a difference in quality between the GS350 and the Maxima. Jags are known for electrical glitches and other problems, but they have supposedly improved quality tremendously. My new Max is very well buttoned down, no rattles, and the fit and finish of everything is suberb - I believe just as good as our Japanese-made Toyota Highlander. Given the improvement of Ford and GM in quality over the past few years, I think a statement that Japanese or German cars are better in quality is fast becoming a myth. I stopped racing at stoplights years ago, so if you do come up next to me in a G8, I'll give you a friendly wave as you go by - I don't care about bragging rights, performance specs or wining races. I do appreciate your response though, thanks for your time.
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