All-New 2009 Nissan Maxima Starts at $29,290

Much Rather buy an Acura TL better car with better warranty and more reliable and safe in around same price range.

I'm sure everyone was wondering what car Cappy prefers, but now we know and can all sleep well tonight!

Looks like a toned-down Camry (which I didn't think was possible).

Compared to the price of the TL, this is a fantastic deal.

Nice car, but for the money I'd rather have a Pontiac G8

Dear Jake, ignorance is bliss........

The front end looks horrific!

19/26 MPG LMAO

I didn't think you could make a Nissan sedan have worse gas mileage than a Big 3 SUV! Guess they proved everyone wrong!

This thing makes you want to save 10,000 and buy an SUV and get 100 extra HP with the same MPG. Not the right direction.

Good call Jake. I'd sacrifice 1mpg for another 65hp and RWD anyday. Not to mention the Pontiac looks like a regular muscular car, and the Maxima is super girly. You're not ignorant, unless you live in Canada. (snow)

I agree with Jake, certainly not worth 2 seconds of thought against an excellent product like the G8. The maxima looses all the way around.

G8 is still a GM POS.

PS: Loose != Lose

If I trusted the reliability of a Pontiac, then sure. As for the TL, (in Canada at least) its $6000 more. Not saying I wouldn't rather have a TL, but that's a 20% price increase. I've always like the Maxima, however I'm not sure if I like the new styling on this one, though I'll reserve final judgment till I see it in person.

If someone is planning to buy this please let me know. I want to be there when you make the worst decision of the year. If it weren't for the assumption that Nissan is good because they're Japanese they'd probably be labeled for what they are, modern day Oldsmobiles built for the frugal elderly or boring house wife. (excluding the GTR of course)

Yeah, overpriced and no manual offering?

And yes, if you know how to car shop you could get into a TL, Lexus IS350, etc. for a similar price. But why would you even want to buy a $32k car when you can put $2k down and pay $299 month for a lease?

whats with the headlights? seriously the most ugly thing I've ever seen. and the sad part is that style is showing up on the new z car too. seriously, whats the deal.

on another note, why does everything keep getting bigger? I don't get it, compare a new 3 series to a early 90's one, it's like twice the size. the maxima is huge now, the accord is huge, the camry is huge, I don't get it. i understand that americans like bigger cars and that they need to be able to accommodate someone taller than 5 foot 9, but when todays altima is as big as yesterdays maxima, and todays maxima costs 30k+, I just don't get it. it's like all models must get bigger, heavier, and more expensive, until they are priced too high to sell, then they cut them from the line up and introduce something new. i think this will probably be the case with this maxima. less than 5 years and it'll be cut

The G8 is a much better buy. I hate it when people bash an American car before reliability of the car is even known.

akkadain:

They do that to keep making more money. People who are loyal to Nissan will keep buying them as they keep increasing in size and cost. Many people who bought a Maxima and likely going to want another when it's time for a new vehicle because then don't want to downgrade to an Altima and expect things to keep getting bigger and better.

kill the CVT alrdy

Seriously, there is not a single angle where this car isn't hideous. The TL is ugly, too. The G8 isn't great, but it's at least not awful. The TSX and the IS250 are the only things close to this price point that don't look like they were designed by committee or boy racer. The TSX and IS are boring (on the outside), though.

It's a shame we all have to suffer horrible looks for good performance.

@ Jung

That makes sense, it's just a little frustrating, I'd love a 3 series but I think they are way too big now, and a 1 series is... well a 1 series. I wonder if we'll see a riced out 2009 maxima in the new fast and furious movie, like the maxima in the first one, that would be hilarious. Maybe like, one of the character's mothers could drive it.

There's actually a lot about the new Maxima that's appealing (to me... a two-time Maxima owner.)

But the lack of a manual transmission is a total deal-breaker. The Maxima's CVT is a miserable driving experience, and I say that with a great deal of sadness.

Maybe, just maybe, the 2010 Maxima Deisel with a manual shift will be the right mix of fuel economy, performance, style and fun. That's what I'm hoping for.

For all the blanket statements about 'American car quality'. The G8 is not an American car.. Say it with me kids...

The. G8. Is. Not. An. American. Car.

It's a Holden Commodore.. It's Australian. Built there. Imported here. That means they put them on boats and sail them over. If you don't like the G8, or are in the know about Aussie car quality then by all means bash away.

@ Chris

yay someone with a brain around here that knows something.

I'm from Australia and I will tell you what will go wrong with a commodore(G8 for the uneducated american people, american car haters).

Interior will wall apart if it is abused, but that will take 5 years with harsh abuse you mainly see this on wagon and ute models which is because they are more abused by tradesmen and kids in the wagons.

Mechanical nothing will go wrong. Why do you think they are popular in the middle east. They don't fall apart like the garbage mercs and bmw's do.

I'm still wondering if they will sell you guys the long wheel base statesman and caprice models though. They seem to be popular in gas guzling countires.

Youse also don't seem to have the performance models yet either.

Now onto the Maxima, yuck, I'm glad we are getting the Asian version in Australia which will be built in Japan. Much better. Will probably be more reliable to, seems tto me Jap cars built in the US are not as reliable as ones built in Japan.

Jeeeeez Chris, don't tell them what it is. I enjoy reading some of these posts.

I'm curious what you guys in Canada throw on the roads in winter. Here in New England it's good old fashioned salt n' sand. And other than the Maxima built after a certain year, these 90's Nissans do not fare well at all. Altima seems the worse. Those things rust in places i've never seen cars rust. The older Infiniti cars are just as bad. I feel sorry for these "luxury" car owners.

On the rare occasion that i have to pull a windshield on some of these older Nissans, the customer is given fair warning that the bill goes up if i have to grind and prep a rusty pinchweld.

Wanna have some fun. Go find a rusty one in the boneyard and set off both airbags at once. See if the glass pops out on it's own !

@Chris

Wow, it is BUILT there, does not mean it is not American. Do you know where the drive train for the G8 is built and comes from? Give you a hint, it is not Australia. And who is it that owns Zeta, along with Holden again? Oh, that's right, GM, an American company.

You are aware as well that G8 production is being sent over to America. So does that mean when it is built here we can call it American?

Posted on June 24, 2008 15:02
Not an American car hater:

The G8 is a much better buy. I hate it when people bash an American car before reliability of the car is even known.
_______________________________________
Kind of hypocritical don't you think? You say don't bash American cars but it is OK to bash a Japanese car before they've test-driven or seen it in person? I am not a fan of the new Maxima, not because it is Japanese, but because the styling doesn't do it for me. On the other hand, most Japanese manufacturers build their cars in America, whereas American manufacturers are increasingly building in Mexico. Nissan is more American in many cases than Ford or GM. I also think people here, and in every post, are hung up on performance. The Maxima USED to be the "4DSC" but they don't even claim that anymore because it isn't. It isn't meant to do 1/4 miles or corner on a dime, so why do people try and compare it to cars that are labeled as such. It is a family sedan and for that purpose it will probably do great, assuming the buyer likes the styling. And for it's size and horsepower the mileage is good. People who think that someday a car can put out 500whp and get 40+mpg (burning gasoline of course) need to read a chemistry book.

after owning a 2004 maxima se - i will NEVER buy another Nissan! (ok maybe a GTR!)

horrible build quality - going back when the lease ends in 3 months and I am throwing the keys at them. Going Acura or Lexus.

I own a 1998 Maxi with 133k on it and it runs like new. No rust and very little trouble mechanically over the years (except for the radio that crapped out). Did they go south since then and that's why all the dissing? This is the best car I've ever owned and I was thinking seriously about buying a new one.