I have to admit just right off the bat that I am not crazy about the Nissan Maxima and feel pretty indifferent about the 2003 model. For me I was much more impressed with the revamped Nissan Altima 2003 and the Nissan Maxima 2003 needed to be badly updated to the times we were now in. Everyone in Sales knew that the NEW and MUCH IMPROVED Nissan Maxima 2004 was coming out and were more excited about that than compared to the 2003. Yet, we didn’t have the 2004 models yet and the Nissan Maxima 2003 was what we had to work with. And we did or at least we tried but in the time I was there I couldn’t nor could anyone else (50 salespeople in Nissan) sell a Nissan Maxima 2003 model.

I sold an older model but I couldn’t talk him into updating to the 2003 and I can’t blame the guy for not wanting to fork out the extra bucks. The Nissan Maxima is a beautiful car but look at the 2004 models, now that exceeds beauty and luxury. Why not either get an older Maxima model or jump into the top of the line Altima? That is just my thoughts though.

The Nissan Maxima 2003 was designed to aim at the late 40s age group who were mostly married but already had their kids off to college. The Nissan Maxima has always been about performance, luxury and style and for the young at heart. With this in mind, the Nissan Maxima has made its stake in the Nissan line of vehicles and up until the improved and enhanced Altima, the Maxima has also been one of their more popular models.

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Some Interesting Facts about Nissan and the Nissan Maxima

Just to give a few minor facts that I thought you may find exciting:
1) Nissan started the U.S. automotive operations
2) In 1985 the first Nissan Maxima was introduced in the U.S.
3) In 1987 Nissan opened up their testing facility here in the hot desert of AZ
4) In 1993 the one millionth Nissan Maxima was sold
Nissan is the type of corporation that prides itself on high quality in all of their products whether we are talking about the Nissan Sentra, Frontier, or 350Z. Nissan believes in long time durability and check the initial and future resilience on all of their vehicles and much of the time their vehicles go beyond what other companies do as far as standard practices.

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Our Competition

The competition used to be the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry but as the Nissan Maxima has stepped up to the plate the newest competition tends to be the Toyota Avalon and the V6 Volkswagon Passat.

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MSRP vs. INVOICE

The MSRP on the Nissan Maxima 2003 model ranges from $24,900 to about $28,000. The Invoice ranges from $22,500 to approximately $24,800. Nissan also has a program right now with a rebate incentive of two thousand dollars. Also check out your newspaper because in mine I have seen coupons for 10% off the accessories (packages) for any Nissan vehicle. I would say depending on the vehicle always aim for below or at invoice level and keep in mind that there is about $1K-$2K that is hidden from the customer that the dealership will still get from Nissan even if they do go below invoice.

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MODELS Available

The Nissan Maxima 2003 has three models which are: GXE, SE, and GLE which I have put going from base to top.

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The Packages Offered

There were two major changes in the Nissan Maxima 2003 and one of them was the package of the Titanium Edition. I usually don’t go into great detail on packages but with the Nissan Maxima there are only 5 available. The Nissan Maxima 2003 GXE is not able to come with any of these packages; this only applies to the SE and GLE models:

Leather Package : (optional on the SE however you must also have a sunroof and the Titanium Package, and Standard on the GLE)

Leather Seats
Leather Door Trim
Digital Automatic Temperature Control (ATC)
Automatic entry and exit with a 2-driver memory
4-way power front passenger’s seat

Titanium Edition Package: (not available on the GLE but is an option on the SE but also requires a sunroof)

Dark Chrome Wheels
Stainless steel sill plate with Nissan Maxima Logo
Titanium tinted accent stitching on steering wheel and gearshift
Titanium tinted surround for a/c and audio control buttons
Digital Compass Display
Front and Rear Carpeted Floor Mats
Driver and Front Passenger Side Impact Air Bags (SRS)
Bose Audio System with AM/FM/Cassette/in dash 6-cd disc player

Meridian Edition Package: (Optional on both the SE and GLE. However on the SE you must have the Sunroof and the Titanium Package already and on the GLE you also have to have the Sunroof and the Traction Control System)

Heated Steering Wheel
Heated Front Seats
Heated Outside Mirrors

Traction Control System (Okay on the SE Model it is optional but you have to have the sunroof (They are stuck on the SUNROOF thing), the Titanium Edition Package, and the Meridian Edition. On the GLE also optional there is also the Sunroof requirement as well as the Meridian Edition Package.)

Nissan Navigation System (Optional on the SE it requires the Sunroof, of course, Leather Package, Titanium Package, and Meridian Package. On the SE it is optional but requires, you guessed it, the Sunroof.)

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SAFETY
The second change that was made for the Nissan Maxima 2003 was the Driver and Front Passenger Side-Impact Air Bags became standard on the GLE which were previously optional, and as part of the Titanium Package they are available on the SE Model which used to be a single option by itself.

The following safety features are standard on all models, GXE, SE, and GLE and I will describe the necessary ones that may need an explanation:

1) 3 Point Seat Belt Position for all seating positions : In the front compartment there are Emergency Locking Retractor Seatbelt which will lock up under some deceleration. The Automatic Locking Retractor is found on all seatbelts.
2) There are pretensioners and load limiters in the front seat belts basically meaning that on impact the seat is told is withhold you but not to the point where it could cause pain by locking up. There is more controlled motion involved compared to other vehicles.
3) Front Air Bags for driver and passenger
4) Adjustable head restraints with the front seats (I don’t see this as safety but I suppose it could help with whiplash in an accident)
5) Child safety rear door locks
6) LATCH System as well as Child Restraint Seat Tether Anchors for Children’s Seats
7) Emergency Trunk Release that glows in the dark should you ever be caught inside your trunk and can’t get out (see they think of everything!)
8) Front and Rear Crumple Zones so that on impact the car will accordion. There are also safety stops so that the hood will not come inside the front compartment in the frontal impact.
9) Energy Absorbing Steering Column which helps reduce risk of injury in an accident
10) Pipe style steel side door guard beams that go from shoulder to foot rather than vertically across to keep your entire body safe
11) Should you ever have a major front impact, the engine will automatically drop underneath the car rather than shooting towards the front compartment

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The Engine and Various Components

All of the models of the Nissan Maxima 2003 come standard with a 3.5 liter DOHC 24 valve V6 Engine. The engine is made with lightweight elements which improve the performance of the vehicle as well as helping the fuel economy. Nissan uses a “Timing Chain” with the camshafts rather than a belt which requires less maintenance on your vehicle and also provide more precise performance of the camshafts themselves. There are four valves per cylinder providing a more economical output of power with the air flow and gas to help reduce in gas mileage. I believe all of Nissan’s line has “Double Platinum-Tipped Spark Plugs” which allow for a tune up free engine until the 105K mark. There is a Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System that without the correct key for the car, it will respond by not allowing the car to be stolen. The “Fail Safe Mode” which is the Electronic Concentrated Control System will allow you to pull off to a safe place should anything occur with the Nissan Maxima without damaging some of the engine’s vital parts. For anyone who needs a little extra hand when looking at the engine of the Maxima, Nissan made it a bit easier with color coding the important things you would be looking for, like the oil. The Nissan Maxima as well as many of the other Nissans sits on a liquid filled engine mount which absorbs most of the engine vibrations and improves less noise inside the compartment of the vehicle. Should you ever forget and accidentally leave your car door open which my mom loves to do, there is a battery timing device that after 30 minutes will turn off all interior lighting so the battery isn’t drained.

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The Drivetrain

The Nissan Maxima is a front wheel drive vehicle improving traction control on various surfaces. All of the drivetrain components are located in the very front of the vehicle giving passengers more leg room and space. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard on the SE model. The 4-speed electronically control automatic transmission with overdrive has a “lock up torque converter.” The converter decreases any outside noise, and also gives you better fuel economy. As an option only on the SE there is the Helical Limited Slip Differential which senses and distributes the power with better traction control in different conditions. Lastly, the Traction Control System which is optional on the SE and GLE only will give you safety and better performance on slippery or wet conditions.

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Suspension and Steering

1) Independent Strut Front Suspension: As I have stated previously, this is standard on all models and is built with light weight machinery providing a smoother ride for the consumer. The front wheels react independently which makes for a smoother ride and more control on various surfaces.
2) Soft Mount Front Suspension Subframe: The front suspension is joined to the body that helps with bumps in the road for example and keeps the vibrations to a minimum.
3) Multi-Link Beam Rear Suspension: As stated in my Nissan Sentra Article this is “standard on all models as well, and is for enhanced steering and response while trying and I do say trying to keep down on the engine noise as you drive.”
4) Front and rear Stabilizer Bars: In order to avoid crashes or accidents, the design of the bars will help with quick cornering and sudden movements to the side of the road.
5) Variable Assist Power Rack-and-Pinion Steering: Increasing the quantity of power that is used during steering at any speed of the vehicle.
6) Sport Tuned Suspension (Standard on the SE but not available at all on GXE or GLE)

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Brakes

All of the models have standard the power assisted 4 wheel disc brakes as well as the anti-lock braking system. Enough Said.

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Wheels and Tires

Aluminum Alloy Wheels
GXE Model: 16 x 6.2 5-spoke
SE Model: 17 x 7.0 6-spoke (option to get a dark chrome finish which is a new feature)
GLE Model: 17 x 7.0 7-spoke

All Season Radial Tires are standard on each model for the various weather conditions that are out there.

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Chassis

As with all Nissan vehicles, the body undercoating which helps protect the vehicle from such things as rust is also found on the Nissan Maxima 2003. A design that even exceeds the Federal Roof Crush Resistance Standards with the roof steel reinforcements. Nissan uses high strength steel body components for the rigidity of the body of the Nissan Maxima and reduces noise while improving the handling.

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Exterior Features

As with all the Nissans the Maxima was not spared with an advanced aerodynamic body which creates airflow to be directed around the vehicle reducing in fuel economy and the power needed to move the vehicle is also decreased as well. The doors on the Nissan Maxima 2003 are aircraft design. The tight fit and smooth lines make for a quiet ride . The Nissan Maxima has High Intensity Discharge (HID) xenon headlights with replaceable bulbs cutting down on service costs. The halogen fog lights are standard on the SE and GLE but are not available on the base model GXE. As I have previously stated, you can still punch these headlights as well as they have the crack resistant polycarbonate cover. There are side marker lights, power and folding outside mirrors, Ultra-violet reducing glass, Clear Taillight lenses (accent for style), side sill spoilers and energy absorbing bumpers which are all standard on all models. The Cross linking Clear Coat paint will help out should a light scratch occur and will protect your Nissan Maxima. On the GXE and GLE their door handles are chrome-rimmed. The Chrome exhaust tip finishers are standard on the SE and GLE only. The rear spoiler is only standard on the SE and is not an option on the other models. Bear in mind though that the MSRP on the spoiler is around five hundred dollars and the invoice is close to four hundred dollars, you may want to ask yourself if it is worth it? It may help you take a second glance at the other models, GXE and GLE, just a thought.

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Interior Features

It is customary on all models that the front seats are bucket seats with an 8 way power seat as well as the lumbar support. With the GXE and SE the 4 way manual front passenger’s seat is standard. A 4 way power seat is standard on the GLE but optional on the SE and of course not available at all on the GXE. As stated previously in the article the heated front seats are an option on the SE and GLE only. It is an option on the SE and standard on the GLE, the 2 driver memory. The seatbacks are 60/40 split for when you may need extra space. It is standard for cloth interior on the GXE, a velour interior on the SE with leather optional but the GLE automatically comes with leather. Keep in mind on the leather that you are adding on at MSRP an extra $1,500 and Invoice comes in around $1,300. Just another thought to add in. There is a sport styled steering wheel and is leather wrapped on the SE and GLE. The gearshift is leather on all models.

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Maxima Comfort and Convenience

The following is all standard on all models:
1) Tilt steering colum
2) CFC-free A/C
3) Automatic on/off headlights
4) Center Console with a two position arm rest, dual level storage and cup holders
5) Map Pockets in the front on the doors as well as on the seatbacks
6) Overhead console for the sunglasses and also map lights
7) Power trunk lid and fuel filler releases
8) Valet lock out so that the Valet can only drive the car and not get into your personal belongings
9) Power Windows with the keyfob to make them go up and down
10) Cruise control with steering wheel controls mounted on
11) Power door locks with selective unlocking for those that have children or like to be “smart”
12) Rear seat fold down arm rest and rear window defroster with a timer
13) Lighting when the Maxima is opened
14) Advanced Sound Insulation Materials were used to cut down on outside vibrations and noise
15) Auto Dimming rearview mirror
16) Lit Vanity mirrors on the Visors that have extensions to get that one spot of sun out of your eyes
17) Homelink Universal Transceiver can be programmed for your gate or garage doors
18) Remote keyless entry
19) Vehicle Security System locks up when someone tries to steal the car or its cylinders.
20) Fully lined trunk with a cargo net for grocery shopping or to hold other items

The Packages earlier explained some of the other comfort and convenience features that you may want, such as the digital compass. Refer to the packages for other options available.

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Instrumentation
The Analog gauges are large and easy to read and even has the capability of one touch for the setting of your sun roof. There are warning lights for gas and such as with any Nissan vehicle on all models. There is also a trip computer with steering wheel mounted controls.

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Audio

There are two choices:
1) AM/FM/Cassette/CD comes standard on the GXE and SE with 120 watt amplifier and 6 speakers
2) The Bose audio system is optional on the SE and standard on the GLE with AM/FM/Cassette/6 disc CD Changer and 200 watt with 6 speakers and a Nd Woofer along with Speed sensitive driving volume control

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The 2003 Nissan Maxima as I see it

As I said in the beginning of this article, I am not crazy about the Nissan Maxima nor has my mind changed. However, if you are in the market for a Nissan Maxima at this time, they are a hot commodity that the dealerships would love to get rid of, so the bargain is out there, you just have to find it. I think the styling of the Nissan Maxima really needed to be updated as well as some of the controls inside the car which are not always easy to get at for a short person like myself. The Nissan Maxima on an automatic goes from 0 to 60 in a little over seven seconds and on a manual transmission just seven seconds flat. I did not care at all for the six gear transmission as the shifting was uncomfortable and sometimes hard to figure out which gear you were in. It wasn’t smooth at all. The Nissan Maxima also requires premium fuel or is at least recommended and with the fluctuation of gas prices these days, that can really add up in your budget. The gas mileage on the automatic is 20/26 and on the manual transmission is 21/28, not a huge improvement. When I took the car and played around with it a bit I could tell that it didn’t hold its steering very well with sharp turns or a sharp pull over (in order to avoid accidents). The Nissan Altima has a independent rear suspension that I think would benefit in the Maxima, making for a smoother ride. The trunk isn’t as big as the Nissan Altima where my over 6’ friend jumped into to show all the room it had. The Nissan Maxima doesn’t have the same capacity for big items like the Nissan Altima does. It is considered to be a five passenger car but I can’t see how comfortable it would be for three adults in the back seat especially when the arm rest is the middle piece. The Nissan Maxima just didn’t handle like the Nissan Altima did. It didn’t strike me like the Nissan Altima did for the price that they are asking. I think if you are forking out that kind of money, this vehicle better have some major luxury styling to it and I didn’t find that in the 2003 Nissan Maxima. I also think for a sporty sedan it didn’t handle like it should. The nicest model to drive was the GLE out of the three but the price for it is laughable to me. I also find it annoying that you can’t get certain features unless you get this or that feature. It is a way to get the consumer to spend more money and pretty soon you are taking a vehicle into the mid thirties range by the time you get out of financing. The inside did feel luxurious but why can’t Nissan put more thought into their controls for the radio and air and so forth. They aren’t the easiest to reach for one and they aren’t easy to even tell apart on the radio. If you are driving you don’t want to be messing around with that stuff.

I say if you want a Nissan Maxima and are set on it buy the 2003 at the GLE level and give it to them because they want to badly get rid of those. I would just call around like I have done in the past and start a bidding war and pretty soon you are getting prices below invoice. I hope this helps in your decision making and happy driving out there!

Until Next Time,
K Parsons
© 2003

Here is An Article that I believe anyone who is Looking to Buy A vehicle in the Future Should Read
The Ins and Outs, Backwards and Forwards, and All Around on Buying Your Next Vehicle


If you want more information on other Nissan Vehicles, check these out:
The Nissan 350Z from the Former Saleswoman’s Point of View
The Nissan Altima 2003 from the Former Saleswoman’s Point of View
The Nissan Murano 2003 from the Former Saleswoman’s Point of View
The Nissan Sentra 2003 from the Former Saleswoman’s Point of View
The Nissan Pathfinder 2003 from the Former Saleswoman's Point of View
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: GXE, SE, GLE