nissan maxima

[charlie_the_tuna]

so i'm looking for a car to get me through the next two or so years. considering a 1998 to 2003 maxima. have about $2,000. to $3,000. to work with. never had one. always loved toyota but the camry is a bit more money, as is the accord. like the looks of the max and i wouldnt mind a little japanese performance. anybody have experience with the nissan? any other suggestions?

[Destroyer]

Sorry Charlie. Can't comment on the Nissan. It's supposed to be a good car but I don't know anyone that actually drives one. I can, however, comment on the Honda Accord. Awesome car! Of the 23 people in my office, 9 have Accords. My wife has a 2004 and she simply loves it. Starts everytime, no problems, just requires regular maintenance like all cars do. In a word, ... dependable. If you' have the option, I'd highly suggest you look at an Accord closely before buying anything else.

[spareparts]

I guess it has been a while since we had a "Charlie buying a car thread"

[charlie_the_tuna]

that may be spare, but recent events have caused my cars to float away. we just replaced my wife's 06 sienna with an 11 sienna. now i need a reliable station car to last the next two or so years. i'm working a job with some built in overtime so i dont wanna get stuck with two car payments.
destroyer, i know the honda is a great car. we've always gone toyota, which is also a superior product. just cant really afford those two right now.
the maxima seems to go a bit cheaper than the big jap two.

[phatdaddy]

most of the problems i have heard about with older nissans have been electrical. not anything major, little things. elec windows not working, dash lights out, annoying things like that.

you mention your cars being damaged in the storm, watch out for someone unloading their problems to you.

[jasoncooperpcola]

Stay away from suzuki. I have a 17 year old truck that does not have the problems my 2006 Forenza does. About to pull the bulb on the check engine light. I do have gap though!

My sister had a 91 Nissan 240SX. Wrecked it three times in two days! Then the car lasted another four years! She finally wanted something newer and got a 98 Toyota Avalon with 275k miles. That was a good car too until her buy here pay here car lot screwed her over on her payments.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I got sick and tired of dealing with my wifes NISSAN ALTIMA, and traded that pile of crap in for her PONTIAC G6. Couldn't be happier with it. Many are still fooled into believing the imports are better, but many of us who work on them will STRONGLY disagree. If your dead set on an import though, I would go for a HONDA. Toyota is several notches down in my book, and I will normally turn them away from my shop as they aren't worth the headache to work on as it doesn't pay enough to put up with the POS's, KIA is a DEFINATE NO NO, Nissans won't normally get the time of day from me, I will work on Hondas, and most of the domestic's(not all of them as many of them are lemons to).

20 years ago it was a different world, but nowadays the imports are no better and even worse in many cases to the domestic's.

[UBHSTRY]

Volvo

[reelapeelin]

We bought a new Nissan Quest van in 2000...it's essentially a Max in a van configuration re running gear, engine, electrics, etc...as mentioned above, dash electrics have gone out...radio display went dark, so we installed new after market upgrade she loves and 1/2 of instrument lights are out, but other than that, it's been flawless...the problem w/endorsing a car brand is when buying used, THE ONE YOU BUY could be a real POS...but I can tell ya we've had good service from this one...

Also like said above...be REEL careful you don't buy a Sandy victim up there...I bet the market is "FLOODED" w/'em...pun intended...

I just bought a $3500 4 cyl Camry w/miles on it for one of my girls to drive around Charleston...I'd drive that car to California(if there was a reason to go)inna heartbeat...very happy w/it...GREAT GAS MILEAGE!!...

[phatdaddy]

reel, when you get the oscar nomination, you can drive it out west then.