1998 Nissan Maxima Reviews - Page 2 of 6

All sensors failed around the 120k mark, otherwise the car was very reliable and a blast to drive.

The 5 speed manual made this car stand out. It was very fast with good handling (sport suspension with 16 in wheels on the SE model) while providing luxury and a nice ride. Not too many sedans at that price could run from 0 to 60 in under 7.0 seconds.

Replaced shocks at 200,000km due to soft cornering on mountain roads, which are regularly travelled.

Replaced knock sensor at 209,000km - was occasionally performing like 2.0 litre car and was picked up by on board computer - surprisingly cheap repair at $300.

Replaced bushes on front lower arm mounts - had chewed out, probably due to plenty of travel on country roads with gravel surfaces and lots of potholes and corrugations.

Car is unbelievably reliable - have never had such a reliable vehicle - even the brake rotors are original - a surprise if you knew how hard I drive this car.

Performs very well - strong and quick.

Extremely well spec'd for a NZ new model.

Reasonable fuel consumption for size and performance - long run average 9.5l/100km over 125,000k - can do 800km on a tank when treated gently, or 550km when thrashed.

Still no rattles or clunks in the cabin.

Front passenger seat is uncomfortable on the odd occasion that I sit there - possibly due to the fact that that seat is seldom used.

Since I bought the car in 2003 (as used), I had a steady problem. The dash light for Service Engine Soon was on and off all the time, but mostly on. Finally I solved this problem that drives crazy a lot of Nissan owners. If one uses only Premium gas (91 octanes) as prescribed by the owner's manual, the light will go off. As soon as one uses lower octane fuel, the light will come back on. The explanation is simple! The ignition and anti-pollution system on the Nissan has been set for the use of Premium gas and as soon as on uses a cheaper gas, the mixture of air/fuel changes thus signaling the oxygen sensors more carbon dioxide than normal. When one uses the proper fuel the combustion mixture is lean resulting in a lesser CO2 emisssion. It is also possible that the oxygen sensor are burned, but please try first using the prescribed type of fuel before going to the dealer who will gladly replace all 6 coils, oxygen sensors and spark plugs for hundreds and hundreds of dollars and not telling you to use proper gas. That would be unproductive for his wallet!

Great car, as they say as good as a BMW, but much cheaper!

It has been a great car. I just got it this year on my 16th birthday, but went joyriding in it at 14. Never had any problems with it. A few years ago something got stuck inthe ignition and my parents had to get 400 dollars worth of stuff replaced.

Excellent performer mine is at about 320HP since I had it turbocharged a few months ago. Great reliable daily driver.

Nothing has gone wrong with the car.

The bonnet shocks are worn out, but I have not yet replaced them because they are very expensive and not essential.

The 2.0 V6 has sufficient power for my driving style, but lacks the acceleration of the 3.0. The engine is very smooth and quiet and reasonably economical.

The car is quite big, but handles without fuss provided that you drive it within its limitations.

The lines are quite pleasing and I think the design has aged quite well.

The interior is very comfortable in front and in the back. Driving position is good and the gearshift falls comfortably to hand. It is a relaxing car to drive over long distances.

There are loads of luggage space.

Building quality feels quite solid, not unlike the Merc 230e I had before. There are no squeaks or rattles inside.

A 2nd hand Maxima QX is much cheaper than a comparable used Camry or Merc or BMW. It is much more spacious than an Audi A4, which costs more or less the same 2nd hand. It may be less attractive than a comparable Laguna or Peugeot 406 but its reliability more than compensates.

Parts are a bit expensive, but certainly not more so than parts for the W123. Thus far, I've in any event only replaced the brake pads.

The Maxima has been withdrawn from the South African market. Maybe it didn't sell very well? I don't know about later models, but given its comfort and reliability and other qualities I find it hard to understand why the Maxima has not achieved the same popularity here as the Camry.