2002 Nissan Maxima SE review from North America
"Quick reliable sports sedan"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Recall crank senser (dealer replaced and said it can occur in cold climate never saw failure on Maxima, failure occurs on Altima which shares same part)
Paint chipping on plastic front on/below bumper. Dealer agrees to paint for free. Known issue and complaint on www.maxima.org user group site.
Factory non-Bose CD player was replaced free when it eat cd's.
Factory speakers don't like Rap music (which is OK by me) distorts.
Added dynamat pads to speaker mounts on door to help vibration speaker sound.
Dealer would not address this problem.
General comments?
Very fast 3.5 liter engine.
Comfortable ride, SE will let you feel the road.
Handling good, smooth response.
4 wheel disc ABS brakes stop straight and quickly on snow rainy roads.
Put front shock tower brace ($70) on to help with torque steer on quick accelaration from dead stop.
Good bang for the buck. Sometimes called poor man's BMW.
Maintenance oil changes. Getting ready to replace factory tires.
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![]() ![]() | By far, 2001 is the best year Maxima built by Nissan to this day! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.5 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 19000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 45000 miles |
| Previous car | Nissan Maxima |
| Date of Entry | 25th February, 2004 |

