There was a rattle / thump in the front of the car in the suspension that was finally diagnosed as being the sway bar end links and fixed within a week. This is a common rattle and is not dangerous, just annoying, and the dealership I went to diagnosed / solved the problem themselves since there is no bulletin from Nissan on the problem.
The only other problems I have had have been a few rattles from the dash of the car and those from the rear parcel shelf from the sub-woofer. These are pronounced in the cold more than in heat and when the volume is up (of course).
I purchased this car about 4 months ago with 20,000 miles on the odometer and have since put 10,000 miles on it. It is an SE edition, 6-speed, all options including Navigation, Meridian Package, Titanium Edition Package, and every other bell and or whistle that you could possibly want. It's a great riding car for a sporty-type car and is quite fast, even when compared to the Accord and Camry V6's, but they are definitely within the same class and are probably better in some respects such as interior quality and overall long-term reliability (if history shows us anything). I had looked at the 05 Altima, the 350Z, and other cars, but ultimately decided on the Maxima for price, looks, power, and size.
The heated steering wheel is more than just a novelty in that it heats quickly and gloves aren't necessary if you warm the car up for more than a minute or two. The heated seats do take longer to heat up, however, than I'd like, but they can get very toasty! The automatic climate control is a nice feature since you can set it and forget it and just focus on driving.
The Navigation System takes some getting used to as it's also the screen that controls / shows the climate control information. It is more of a novelty to me than a useful tool, but it has come in handy already in finding a destination and the correct route. Had I the choice, however, I'd have put in a DVD based system and left the 6-disc changer in the dash.
The clutch engagement point is semi-high and the travel is more than I'd have designed in as is the travel for the shifter when changing gears. The shifter travel can be countered and shortened by the addition of a simple part called a "short throw shifter" that is installed under the hood due to the cable shifted design of the transmission. No more ripping the car apart to install this. For the most part, however, shifting the car is easy and smooth, and comes as second nature quickly.
The seats are quite comfortable. I have driven the car 9 hours in a day and not felt the strain I normally feel in that sort of situation and my back did not hurt. The adjustibility of the seats is nice since both the passenger and driver can conform their seat to themselves better. My hour long drive to work no longer seems to have as much affect on my back and legs as in my previous car.
Overall, the car has plenty of power, style, and ride comfort. Even the gas mileage has been better than expected even though premium fuel is required. The flaws noted have been minor and more annoying than anything and all have / can / will be fixed by Nissan. I would probably buy this car again.
With the possible exception of the Mazda RX8, there really are no 4 door "sports cars".
To the poster above; perhaps you should take time to look up some history on the Nissan Maxima before touting the RX8 as the "only" sports car with 4 doors.
For many years, the Maxima was referred to as a "4 door sports car" and MANY had the badge of 4DSC in a window or elsewhere. Yes, the RX8 may be a 4 door sports car, but the Maxima had the title long before the RX8 was even on the drawing board.
While the Maxima may not fit the true definition of a "sports car," there are many sports cars that cannot begin to match the acceleration and handling of it, not to mention the top speed in excess of 150 mph. So, one could argue easily that many of the "sports cars" of today are less "sports cars" than is the 4 door Maxima.
The above comment makes it clear whether the Maxima is a "sports car" or not.
It IS a sports car because Nissan says it is. They even put "4DSC" emblems on it just in case you missed the "sports car" reference in their advertising.
People just have to rethink what the traditional definition of a sports car is. As long as it has performance, handling and sporty looks, who cares whether it is a sedan, a hatchback or even a pickup truck. All of those would be sports cars if their manufacturers refer to them as such in their advertising or emblems.
That should end the argument.
I am the original poster from above. First and foremost, the only reason I mentioned the "Four Door Sports Car" with Fine Manners is due to the fact that Nissan, for years, touted the Maxima as such. I meant no harm to all those ego drivers out there.
The Maxima will compete and beat a TON of those "true" sports cars in the 0 - 60 times, quarter mile times, skid pad g's, and still be able to fit 4 comfortably.
If the definition of a sports car is a car with 2 doors then the Maxima is not one, granted. But if the definition is a car that is fast, adgile, and aggressively styled, then the Maxima can and should be categorized likewise.
There are MANY 4 door sports cars on the market, by the way. Take a look at your local Subaru dealership and take a quick glance at the WRX or the STi version of the same car. I think you'll be sad to hear it will take almost all stock competitors in a race. And if that's not good enough, walk on down to the Mitsubishi dealership and take a quick run in the Evolution. Then there is the SRT-4 from Dodge. All 4 door sports cars, and not just in the marketing hype kind of way.
And the only reason that the Maxima is not considered to be a sporty car in the first place is due to the lack of press on these cars. It is touted as a "family sedan" on most dealerships. There are few print ads for the Maxima and fewer still commercials. But, when you do see those ads, they are almost entirely geared toward the sports side of the car.
So, to all the detractors out there, take a few minutes and read up on the Maxima, for your own good. Especially the 2002+ models. Take time to read up on the 255+ HP 3.5L engine, the track times, the handling, and the overall car. You may be surprised to learn what real "sports cars" this car can pace if not beat.
And if your definition of a sports car is so narrow as to only include 2 door, 2 seaters then I know quite a few Porsche owners who'd love to talk to you... And I'm sure that there are several F1 owners that'd love to chat as well. I'll let those who say that a "muscle car" is not a "sports car" have your debate elsewhere. I'll also let those who say that a "sports car" must have X, Y, or Z go about thier business as well. The definition of "sports car" has changed (for the better, I don't know). Get over it and move on. I, too, wish the age of the muscle car and sports car would come back and everyone could afford one. It ain't happening, though, so I bought a pratical car that also happens to be sporty after having done a ton of research and a lot of searching.
I wrote this review to give my own insight about the Nissan Maxima SE 6-speed with all options that I drive and not start some petty little spat online about what a sports car is and is not. All I can say for sure is that my car is nice, fast, handles well, and it is sporty. I'll leave it at that.
I want to thank the original poster for his very well thought out explanation. I appreciate his input into this debate.
I am one who does not consider any 4 door sedan a "sports car". I will give you the term "sports sedan", but to me the term sports car belongs to the MG's, Triumphs, Miatas,
and yes Porsches of the world. (Their back seats don't really count). I also think that a true sports car is a rear wheel drive vehicle. (I'll give the AWD Porsches a free pass too.)
Using your argument, my VW Cabriolet would qualify as a sports car because it will out handle and out accelerate
the MG's and Triumphs of old, plus it's a reatop. But the
Cabriolet is far from being a sports car, it's merely
a fun to drive, four seat convertible, based on an economy car.
In reality, I can't think of any front wheel drive vehicle that qualifies as a true sports car.
Nowadays people (an in the case of the Maxima, manufacturers) throw around terms like muscle car and sports car, far too much. On this site alone, I've found claims that the Plymouth Volare is a "sports car", and claims that the Chrysler LHS, and Ford Mustang V6 were muscle cars. To me the claims diminish the meaning of
these terms, and take something away from the true traditional sports cars and muscle cars.
Again I'd like to thank the original reviewer for his input, but I guess we'll have to just continue to disagree on what truly constitutes a "sports car".
The only Maxima badged with 4DSC was the 3rd Gen Maxima. This qualified due to its sweet 190HP engine (one of the faster FWD cars in its time (Taurus SHO aside) ) and also, more importantly, its independent rear suspension. The 4th Gen Maxima has a solid rear beam as well as the 5th Gen (to my knowledge). I am unsure if the 6th Gen (2004+) has independent rear suspension or not.
The Maxima, to me, is certainly a sports sedan and as the original posted laid out... it certainly can and does beat some so called "sports cars" in 0-60MPH and 1/4 Mile sprints (some people take the stock 02-03 6MT through the 1/4 miles in very low 14s).
Whatever you want to call it, aside from the below average resale value (when compared to Honda and Toyota), these cars are one of a kind torque monsters available with a VLSD (2001 AE, 199x 5MT equipped I30's and Canadian Maximas) or an HLSD (2002+), manual transmission, and decent aftermarket support. Oh, and it's a great grocery getter too... ;)