My sister purchased a 2004 nissan Maxima. Let me tell you when I got behind the wheel I was inpressed with the handling, accleration, and interior. Nisssan did a fantastic job with it. I was driving a rental envoy, and thought this thing was fast. I got behind the wheel of the maxima and it was the fastest car I have drove yet!! Of course a corvett, or $50,000 cars and up will beat it. Not by much tho, and it could beat even some of those.The tan leather is nice, texture is soft and warm. The dash and trim around the doors is cheap tho. Maybe the one door had a defective one or something but it is scratched bad. Only like $20 to replace anyways so no biggie. The way we have droe this car it should be sitting on the side of the rode. Not this baby it is still pushing full throttle with no problems. Only normal maintance which is normal for all cars.
I think it could be a little faster tho. Most people that drive it tho dont need to much more power because they are mostly old ladies and peoples moms and stuff. So for your mom to own one of these you are the king!! lol j/k. 55,000 miles on it now, 2 years later. THe car is still nice. Another con is that the chrome on the roof fades. It isnt chrome anymore because it is tarnished. I have seen other just like it. Alot of room, this one only has four seats tho. They have two full sized and heated seats in the back with a center counsle.
When I first drove it I thought it was a classy car, for rich people. Hope this helps anyone in doubt of buying one of these magnificent cars. They are difently a bang for your buck. They have a good resell value also. Nissan did a good job on warranties also. Another con is the back window seal, if you roll it down to much it will start to stick and scretch making the window not rool up unless you grease it.
New For 2006 Nissan Maxima
Nissans flagship sedan shares an underskin design with the slightly smaller and less costly Altima. Maxima comes in sporty SE and luxury-oriented SL models, both with a 265-hp V6. Altima offers this same engine, but Maximas is tuned for more power. SE comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Optional on SE and standard on SL is a 5-speed automatic with manual shift gate. Both models come with ABS, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Traction control is standard. An antiskid system is optional with automatic transmission.
Leather upholstery is standard for SL, optional for SE. Nissans Skyview roof of dual tinted-glass panels is standard. A conventional sunroof is available. Also optional are a navigation system; heated front seats; and an Elite Package with full-length center console, twin rear bucket seats instead of a three-passenger bench, and power rear-window sunshade. Wireless cell phone connection is a new option for 06.
Interior Design and Special Features
It may be a midsize sedan, but the Maximas interior feels downright cavernous front and rear. The front seats are wide and accommodating, though finding an optimal driving position can be difficult. The dashboard features a sleek and modern design, ergonomics are spotty as most of the center stack buttons are the same size and shape, while the orange-lit central display offers minimal contrast. Trunk space measures 15.5 cubic feet.
Safety
Every Maxima comes with four-wheel antilock disc brakes with BrakeAssist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. Front-seat side airbags and full-length head curtain airbags are also standard, as are foglights and cornering lights. Maximas with an automatic transmission can be equipped with an optional stability and traction control system. A torque-sensitive limited-slip differential is optional when you select the six-speed manual. In NHTSA tests, the Nissan Maxima earned five stars (out of a possible five) for driver protection in frontal impacts. Front-passenger protection is rated at four stars in frontal impacts, as is front- and rear-occupant protection in side impacts. The IIHS named the Maxima a "Best Pick" after conducting its frontal offset crash, however the sedan earned only a "Marginal" rating (second lowest) in IIHS side-impact testing.
Powertrains and Performance
The front-drive Nissan Maxima comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine rated for 265 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5 SE is available with a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic; the SL comes only with the automatic.
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options
The midsize Nissan Maxima is offered in 3.5 SE and 3.5 SL trim. Designed to be the sportier of the two, the SE has a slightly stiffer suspension and 18-inch wheels on the outside and a metallic-trimmed interior on the inside. Its loaded with standard features that include an eight-speaker CD stereo, one-touch up-down front windows and keyless entry. Along with its softer tuning, the more luxurious SL has 17-inch wheels, wood interior trim, heated leather seats, a 320-watt Bose audio system and HID headlights. The optional Elite Package affixes even more luxury to the Maxima by changing the rear-seating area into a more comfortable two-passenger setup. This package adds a rear center console that features controls for the seat heaters as well as a switch to operate the power rear sunshade. Additional options on both models include a DVD-based navigation system and satellite radio.
Driving Impressions
The Nissan Maxima SE rides smoothly and quietly, even on bad pavement. We preferred the SE over the slightly softer ride of the SL because it felt more connected to the road. Both models handled bumps well, a benefit of the independent multi-link rear suspension.
Cruising on the highway is effortless in the Maxima. The 3.5-liter V6 develops 265 horsepower and pulls strongly in passing situations. The V6 has such a broad power band that the Maxima is happy being either a high-revving hard-charger or a boulevard loafer. You can keep the engine at high revs to extract the most acceleration on challenging roads, or you can lug it along at a cruising pace without concern. Its a great engine, and is considered one of the best V6s available from anyone.
Both the six-speed manual and the five-speed automatic transmissions are well-matched to the smoothly revving engine. We prefer the automatic. The shifter on the six-speed manual feels tall. Ours seemed balky initially and the first-to-second shift required good timing, but once we got used to it the gates were easy to select. Clutch pedal travel was notably long as well, so youll be working that left leg in heavy traffic. For these reasons and others, most people choose the automatic. And we think theyre right.
We drove the Maxima down some winding canyon roads and found it handles very well with high grip limits. The Maxima does feel noticeably bigger and more ponderous than the lighter Altima, however. The Maxima and Altima share basic structures, but the Maxima weighs more. The steering is accurate, though it seems light and slow. Body roll is minimal, meaning it doesnt lean much in corners. But turn-in is slow, so when you come into a high-speed turn and turn the steering wheel the car is relatively slow to respond. Charge into a corner past the grip of the tires and the car understeers initially. Coming out of the corners, the Maxima doesnt spin the wheels, which is a good thing, but there is some torque steer, a slight tugging sensation at the steering wheel.
2006 Nissan Maxima Prices
MSRP Price Range $27,900 - $30,150
Invoice Price Range $25,511 - $27,568
Favorite Features
Outside looks great, has lots of power, good option packages. I love to drive the maxima because it handles very well and is very quite.
Overall Review
Overall, the Maxima feels like a sporty sedan thats enjoyable to drive.
This a great car. Its a bit pricey but after this car you truly feel that only performance plus luxury will do from here on.