Faults:

Nothing besides regular maintenance. Brakes, tires, oil changes. Had to do axles once, knock sensor, battery once, but this thing is the most reliable car I've owned.

General Comments:

I loved this car. It was a huge step up from my early 90s Subaru Legacy. The V6 is powerful, smooth, and very fun to drive with the 5 speed. It will hit 60 in second gear :) Front wheel drive means it's decent in snow too.

Faults:

Routine maintenance only.

Sometimes, in cold weather, I have to gun the engine when I first start it or it will stall. Once started for the day, it has no issues.

General Comments:

I have had this car for 15 years and it's still going strong.

It has a 6 cylinder engine, so it has power.

It has never had any major issues.

I've only used regular gas and I've never had a problem.

It has great visibility. The windows and mirrors are excellent.

I love this car.

Faults:

I changed the knock sensor in the car due to bucking and stalling in neutral, but that seems like normal wear and tear for a car that is 14 years old. Nothing else seems to be wrong with the car.

There is some wear on the leather seats, but everything else works perfectly.

General Comments:

This is the third Maxima I have owned, and I have loved each one. It has amazing power, and is very comfortable for me and my two children under any driving conditions.

Faults:

Air bag sensor (twice).

Power antenna no longer working.

Axle seals (both sides).

CV boots (both sides).

Front and rear brakes (~80,000 km).

New tires (80,000 km).

Two new batteries.

New exhaust system (110,000 km).

General Comments:

This is probably the best car I've owned up to now. I was sufficiently impressed that I just traded it in for a G35 M6. The Maxima is relatively fast (with manual transmission) and has good handling and a very compliant ride (especially compared to the G35). It is also well optioned (SE manual model) with power windows, locks, mirrors, seats and sunroof, leather, Bose stereo, climate control, and so on.

In the 6 years I owned it there was not a single rattle or squeak, and the car always had good power, even though I used regular or mid-grade gasoline. Most of the problems I've had with the car could be considered "routine maintenance" items, including tires, brakes, exhaust, axle seals and CV boots. The airbag sensor warning light ($500 to replace a sensor!) is the one major annoyance with the car, breaking twice over 6 years. Otherwise it is a great car, especially for the price.

Two problems I did NOT have with this car were clutch and throttle body failures, the latter being reported as a recurring problem with this car. The clutch was fantastic and the Maxima was the easiest standard to drive I've had (compared to 7 other cars I've owned with manual transmissions). The shifter is a bit like a stick in a bowl of porridge, but it was still hard to miss a shift.

Cost of ownership is another major feature of this car. The brakes and exhaust are a bit more expensive than North American cars, but are cheaper than the cost of these parts for European cars I've owned (all Volkwagens). The good reliability of the car helped keep costs down. Another advantage of this car is that it is not a true "high performance" car, with insanely expensive tires, brakes and upkeep costs. Gas mileage is also decent (though not great), averaging about 18-22 mpg (imperial).

Overall, I would strongly recommend the Maxima, and particularly the SE with the manual transmission, if a low mileage SE can be found. Such cars can currently be found for $3,500 - $6,000, which is a great deal.