1993 Nissan Maxima SE review from North America

55K miles: Variable Timing Cam, common problem, fixed under warranty.

Passenger side CV boot at about 85K

Drivers side went at 130K. I dragged my heels about fixing so it also cost me a half-shaft replacement.

114K: Transmission rebuilt $1500. Could have lasted longer, were it not for my abuse of it.

Window are slow, need to be lubricated.

Power antenna mechanism fails to raise/lower the mast. I'm told it's an internal clutch.

Struts got really tired of my driving habits, so I put some fresh KYB's in last month. WooHoo! Fun again!

Power steering hose went out slowly starting at 100K or so. I eventually fixed it myself at a cost of about $70 for the parts/supplies.

Front Main seal started leaking around 120K miles. Again, might not have happened if I didn't love to drive this car at 9/10ths so very much!

A smart buy, even after 7 years! For my needs as a father of 3 and a residential Realtor, this car has been fabulous.

Roomy and elegant in leather, the interior has held up extremely well. I observe no rips or tears in the seats, and no discoloration or fading of the black leather, either. I am also very impressed with the lack of squeaks, rattles or loose parts inside.

Performance in both acceleration and handling is superb for what this car is: a 4dr family sedan. The VE30DE motor loves to rev and sings a beautiful song above 3500RPM's. Synthetic oil is best for preventing a repeat of the VTC breakdown. That mechanism has to be very will lubricated. The bottom end is pretty stout, though. I did a compression test at 140K and all six were above 170 lbs psi.

The 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS have saved me at least a dozen times from something bad happening. That over-confidence caused me to crash my wife's Taurus!

The only complaint I ever had was a poor cup holder design. This can be simply and cheaply remedied with a unit from an 89-95 Taurus, or Saab 900. Looks stock, too.

Later year Maxima's have a more powerful engine, but lack an independent rear suspension. I've driven them. They don't corner or respond anywhere near as well as the second gen with an IRS. When I crank the wheel over hard, I expect the vehicle to follow! The later Maxima's I've driven have under-steered so badly that I found them unsafe. I'm spoiled.

I think that another 100,000 miles is not out of the question.