1995 Nissan Maxima GXE 3.0L from North America
Summary:
Practical, reliable, and fun family performance sedan
Faults:
Starter replaced at 93,000 miles.
Front axles replaced at 137,000 miles.
Front brake pads replaced at 109k and 169k.
Rear brake pads replaced at 141k and 203k.
Water pump replaced at 211k.
Accessory belts replaced at 185k.
Radiator replaced at 170k.
Ignition switch replaced at 156k.
Fuel injector (cylinder #5) replaced at 200k.
Front strut (left) replaced at 176k.
Valve cover gasket replaced at 226k.
General Comments:
With routine maintenance, the Maxima has been very solid and reliable over the years.
The repair intervals for the various items are more than reasonable I think. I have done my own oil/filter changes every 10k with Mobil 1 5w30 full synthetic since about 75k, and the engine looked very clean when I did the valve cover gasket last year. The Maxima consumes no oil between changes either.
I sense no decline in acceleration performance, even with 232k on the car. Still have the original clutch.
I wish my 2003 BMW 330i had my Maxima's reliability (91k - valve cover gasket, sunroof binding, front wheel bearing, coolant expansion tank leak, HVAC malfunction, oil consumption (1 quart/500 miles), bad sensors, accessory pulley's bearings gone bad, bad lower control arm bushings). But I digress.
I plan on hanging onto my 4th gen Maxima indefinitely. It shows no signs of slowing down. I feel very confident it will reach 300k+.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th April, 2014
24th Apr 2016, 21:30
The clutch finally started slipping at 255k. I had it replaced along with new front axles (one had a tear in the boot) and the rear main seal done at the same time since it's all related labor. Killed three rats with one stone for $600 labor.
Runs great, steers great, looks decent (no rust - they don't salt the roads here).
A/C and heat both work fine (unlike on my old 89 Mustang GT where the A/C quit at 80K and the heater core blew at 120K).
4th Apr 2014, 13:08
Your experience is similar to my 1997 Maxima 5 speed. It astounds me you have your original clutch. Bravo!
These are great cars and they seem to last a long time with few problems. Good luck in the future.