Faults:
The Compact Disk's player's left channel sometimes cuts out, especially while playing disk 4 of 6.
The 200-watt Bose sound system's base was not as strong as I had anticipated, even though the system includes a sub woofer.
A strange grinding noise can be heard from the wheels when the car makes a sharp left-hand turn, which is probably minor.
The tires provided looses its traction in wet snow, as I have found out while sliding into a guardrail this past winter.
General Comments:
This was my dream car. The only "nightmare" was when I discovered that the 17-inch aluminum alloy rims with the all-season steal-belted radial tires just could not handle Ottawa's harsh winters as well as the old Altima's tires were able to.
The damage was repaired and the car still performs admirably. I have the 6-speed manual transmission SE, and I don't know about 0-60 times and quarter-mile times, but I can easily get it up there to 140 kph within 10 seconds! Makes merging into highway traffic a breeze!
A word for that guy too busy "beefing up" his V8 pick-up truck, I have two things to say:
1: The Maxima has a 6-Cylinder Engine, you blockhead, not to mention the Maxima is a heavier vehicle, and...
2: Have you gone up against the new 2002 model with 255 horses under the hood, instead of 222? Something tells me the new Maxima can put up a better show than you anticipate.
On dry Pavement, the car feels like it sticks to the road like glue, thanks to the sport-tuned suspension. If I wanted to, I could easily take curves at twice the posted speed limit. Emphasis on the word "EASILY"!
On the negative side, I get the impression that the stick is a little on the "clunky" side. The clutch doesn't always allow the stick to slide into gear, and I've already stalled the engine far many more times than I have had with the 3 years that I've had with the Altima. This also can be "painful" when you're accelerating and the the clutch "crunches" second gear! (With the Altima, it was 3rd gear.)
25th Jan 2004, 12:15
My 2002 Nissan Maxima has been nothing, but trouble form the beginning. First, Nissan had to replace the transverse links (control Arms in front suspension). Then, they had to replace the CD player. It kept skipping tracks. Now I have had it in the shop for air leaks around the rear door windows, the hood was rippling at highway speeds and the worst of it all is a bad rattle in the rear window area. This rattle is driving me crazy. Overall, I am totally displeased with the quality of this car from the carpeting to the lack of covers to hide the seat bolt down tabs. My feeling is that Nissan paid very little attention to this car as they were concentrating on the 2003 and a half. By the way, this is my second Maxima and my last.