Nissan Maxima: Who knows late 90's Maximas???

'99 SE. 110K miles. 1 failed O2 sensor. 1 failed power antenna. Otherwise
100% bulletproof.

I can't sing. Ripping is for CDs.

Best of luck.
Mike

"Darren" <com> wrote in message
news:google.com... 

Yep, I concur. Mine's pretty tough too. 121k, 97SE 5spd. Although there
is a differential issue with some 95-96 5 speeds, see www.motorvate.ca for
details on that.

Dave

"Mike" <com> wrote in message
news:supernews.com... 

Darren wrote:
 

'97SE 140K not a single failure. Still has the original exhaust. You
should visit www.maxima.org to hear from lots of other owners
..

Also:

Replaced: starter, alternator (under recall), that's it. I have a CEL
related to a very intermittent starting issue I need to check on (my first
CEL since I've owned it). Replaced the shocks once, but probably didn't
need to.

Dave

"David Geesaman" <com> wrote in message
news:newsguy.com... 
Otherwise 

On 1 Jul 2004 21:01:37 -0700, Darren <com> wrote: 

One of the first 95 SE 5 speeds off the boat (purchased May 94).
Initially heavily autocrossed (both SCCA Solo II type events and wide open
road racing track). Currently 10 years old with 110K miles, original
clutch. Replaced starter and right front wheel bearing long ago. Just
replaced 3rd injector (1st failed under warranty). Running 2 day high
speed autocross on 2 mile track this weekend. Still a joy to drive.

So I had no reservations about recently purchasing 2001 Pathfinder with
99K miles at half the price of a new one to replace my old 86 Ford F150
4x4.

--
David Efflandt - All spam ignored http://www.de-srv.com/

I have a '99 GLE with 141,600 on the clock. Runs like a champ.
Probably the best car I have ever owned.







com (Darren) wrote in message news:<google.com>... 

Racer X wrote: 
95-99s are pretty much the same in terms of engine and body. They are
also known as the generation 4 Maxima, Gen 4 for short. They all thave
the same very good reliability record. I tend to know 97-99s better, so
here's what I can tell you;

With the introduction of the 97 year, the gen 4 got an updated look. The
most significant change was the bumpers. 95-96 Maximas can get ALOT of
damage on their rear bumper from a simple 5mph hit. The 97+ have been
beefed up. Even though the 97-99s look exactly the same on the outside,
here are the little details differentiating them;

97 - 1st year of the newer look. That newer look comprises beefed up
front and rear bumpers, plastic "clear" headlights replacing the older
glass ones,a new fornt grill and completely re-designed taillights.
Also, the Maxima SE got 16" wheels. The optional BOSE system got an
updated newer looking head unit. There may be more, but rest is foggy.

98 - Everything on the 97 PLUS: a digital odo with 2 trip meters
replaced the analog odo and analog trip meter, a newer automatic climate
control system was introduced which even could tell you the ouside
tempurature. This new unit went onto even the Gen 5 Maxima I believe.
I've heard that the 97 auto climate unit was buggy and prone to failure
alot. The feul gage was switched around to be more symmetrical in the
instrument cluster. Before, the feul gage and the temp gage faced the
same way, left. With the 98 and later years, they face each other, in a
more prettier symmetrical fashion. I think the ECU became a 32 bit one,
making it much harder for the aftermarket to break the code and mimic.

99 - The last year of the Gen 4 Maxima. To make it go out with a bang,
so to speak, Nissan introduced Limited SE models, more popularly known
as SE-Limiteds. Those limited SEs got Gold tinted white face gages
(instead of the usual white face gages in the SE), gold tinted SE 16"
wheels, and even some fancy floor mats, I beleive. Those are the
limiteds . . .except for one thing that I'll save for last

For the 99 model year, the 99s have everything the 97 and 98s have PLUS:
the introduciton of a chipped key security system and the optional BOSE
got an even better looking Headunit. Despite the difference in the Bose
head units thorugh the years, they all (95-99) have a 200 watt system.
Amongst BOSEphiles, the Gen 4 Maxima was one of the better BOSE systems.
Electronically and aesthectically, Nissan made it even harder for the
aftermarket to make products for the Gen 4 because 1) the California
emissions 99 Maximas have 4 O2 sensors in the exahsut path, instead of
the usual 2, one of which was shoved way up the forward exhaust
manifold, making it even harder for the aftermarket. 2ndly, with the
2000 Maxima around the corner, Nissan was 'experimenting' with new stuff
for the 2000 inside the 99 Maxima. The front struts in the 99 have
mounting hardware similar to the 2000, and getting the codes in some 99
ECUs has become as difficult as in the 2000 and later.


Now, the most rare and unique Gen 4 Maxima would be a 99 SE limited in
RED. The red color for a Maxima was only offered in 99 SELs, that's it.
Given the common nature of these cars (on a bad year Nissan still sold
about 80,000 gen 4 Maximas) if you want a rare one, the most rare would
be a 99 SEL in red, black leather interior, with a 5-speed manual
transmission. If any of you out there own one, I am extremely envious

That's about all I can recall. If there's more, I'm sure someone else
will post. And yeah, Gen 4s (97-99!!are still my favorite Maxima.

CD

On 1 Jul 2004 21:01:37 -0700, com (Darren) wrote:
 


Heh, I'll bite:

This will be a bit of GM-bashing and a bit of Nissan promotion...

First off, I just got back from a two-week trip to Florida with my
family. We rented a (supposedly) mid-range car for the trip, an '04
Buick Century. For the most part, the car was fine. However, just try
to pass somebody on the expressway when you're doing 60 or 60MPH. I
was often reminded of my mom's underpowered 3-speed '84 Cutlass and
her way-underpowered '92 Voyager. Also, I felt crampt in the cabin,
even with the seats all the way back, there's no tach on the
instrument panel, and visibility was limited.

I say all that in comparison to my '98 GXE. At 68,000 miles, I've
only had a few issues (aside from being hit from behind at 45MPH - no
injuries, just $15,000 of damage).

The car drives like a champ, and has power pretty much across the
board. I don't have a stick, so I rely on the 4-speed to take care of
things for me, it does. I have no problem passing somebody at 80+ MPH,
and feeling confident.

The roominess is pretty good for a compact car. My knee does hit the
steering column occasionally when I go to brake, but I compensate.
The ride is nice but not mushy - I feel the road but not too much.

My only compliants are: the 4th gen cars don't have independent rear
suspension, but supposedly a sway bar can compensate. also the CD
changer takes forever (10+ seconds) to change CDs.

I do look occasionally at the G35's I see out there, but think again
when I realize that they are $30K+ to buy.

HTH
kai
www.perfectreign.com || www.filesite.org
g2004 at g3prod.cotse.net