Used 1993 Nissan Maxima Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Long, Loving Relationship
I didn't like this car at first. I wanted something that looked sporty, something new and shiny. Boy was I stupid. This v6 picks up from 0-60 in no time. This car is 20 years old, 170k when I got it, ran amazingly. 180k now, still runs amazingly. Ice cold AC, good heat. The radio went out before I bought it, but those can be replaced. VERY reliable car. I feel like it might last forever if taken car of, which it deserves. It has a slight gas smell at times, however, though I've been told older cars tend to do this. A few nit picky things about the interior. NO CUPHOLDERS. Then again, who needs cupholders when your car picks up fast enough to spill molasses.
Eveready Bunny of -a-car!
Purchased with 182K on it. Just clicked on 355,555. Runs like the day I got it, 24-33mpg on regular gas. This is the SOHC engine(about 160 HP)but can still run with 75 MPH traffic on the interstates.Nissan got it right with this V6,just keeps going & going & going.A broken timing belt might be the only thing that can stop this engine's running. But the auto transmission is its "weak" spot. Had the dealership flush the tranny and it "broke" in less than 1K mi. Rebuilt..broke, 2nd rebill..broke,3rd rebill(still going@going).DO NOT FLUSH these high mileage cars (just drain and refill) Add a transmission cooler.Sure you will have the parts that can't last forever (waterpump, alternator, fuelpump) but it keeps going @
- GXE SedanMSRP: $3,9951,462 mi away
Miss it dearly
This car far supassed my expectations when I bought it. It came with 85,000 miles on and and ran like new, and over 19 months I put 30,000 miles on it. Fun to drive, very smooth ride even at 90+ mph. Using premium gas the car reached 32 mpg with 3 people and luggage inside. It drives me crazy that I totaled it. Currently looking for another Maxima
My Old Girl Just Keeps on Going
I bought my '93 Maxima from an 84 YO woman. It was 4 years old and only had 17K miles on it. It was the deal of the century. It now has 116,888 and it's just getting broken in. The only major repair I've had was two front axels because the material the boots were made of finally gave out. That was $700. Sure I've had to put a muffler on it -- once. It was 15 years old and the service guys couldn't believe it had the original exhaust system still. I look at new cars from time to time but then I hear all the horror stories from my friends and family about the new cars they've bought. My Old Girl may have a few hail dents, but she out runs most of the new cars hands down.
beware of lemon juice
Where to begin..shortly after I bought my car, I had to replace the exhaust manifold - EXPENSIVE!! Then one of the window actuators broke. Also, new struts and ball joints, and most recently, 2grand for rebuilding the transmission. Car rides very rough, even on brand new tires. radio display went out as well. Oh yeah, a screwdriver and a hammer will give you access to the trunk.
Car Utopia
Most perfect car ever.
The Best Nissan Ever!
Wow, this car blew me away, we got it in 2003 with 100,000 miles on it, and still runs perfect, the air and every thing works! Very sharp car, very fast! Do the maintenance and will run till 300,000 miles guaranteed. Got it for $1,500 in 03 and got into two wrecks. This car is bullet proof. There was more damage on the truck that hit us than there was on this. Very reliable, just the usual things, oil changes etc. The exhaust just rusted off for being so old. My first car by the way, very safe, and powerful. I would say get this vehicle if you can. Very sharp, love the Bose also. Okay on gas but not the best but good for the size of the motor
maxima
this car is afun car! its got great accelleration and a terrific engine. It has avery comfortable and luxurious interior with tons of ametities. drives and feels like an expensive luxury car.
Best 4-Door Sedan in 1993
For a combination of function, form, performance, fuel efficiency, and value there was not a better sedan than the 3rd generation Nissan Maxima. This car is much more fun to drive than my '03 Maxima, and better on gas too I might add. Has never left me stranded, very easy and accessible to work on. The VE30DE engine was prone to VTC failure which is common on '92 - '94 DOHC motors. Was more a noise problem than anything else. But once repaired never gave me any other problems. At a 216K miles it is time to let her go as I need a Mini Van. I wish Nissan was still making this model, I would trade my 5th gen Maxima for it in a heartbeat!
StroMax2
You do the maintenence and this engine will last forever.
Review from a long-time owner
I've owned four cars in my life and this is the only one I never got tired of. Incredible and reliable performance. My next car will be another used Maxima. Only aspects less than superior have been electrical. First alternator went bad after 3 yrs. Second after another 2 years. I had an electronics problem in the security circuity that cost a few hundred. Transmission went out after 140,000 miles which cost $1800. The timing belt must be replaced every 60,000 miles at a cost of about $400. Add up all non-maintenences costs plus the purchase price of the car and this car has cost me about $200 a month over 8 yrs. ($4,000 plus $16,000 over 100 months) or 10 cents per mile.
Maxima Advice
For having 173,000 miles, I have to say it's been quite a dependable car. I had to have some axle work done on it when I first got it, the previous owner wasn't big on maintenance. I've had it about 5 1/2 yrs now, with no complaints. Don't drive through storm flood waters though, the transmission dip stick is low on the car, and will allow water to get into transmission, this is a problem I'm fighting now.
It'll never die... and gets 30MPG @75MPH
Bought my 93 GXE a year ago for $4800 w/88K miles. Put about 23K miles on it since. Had to replace climate control panel ($40/45 minutes) alternator and battery ($150/2 hours) and that's it. Gets 30MPG @ 75 mph and 8-10 hour road trips are easily comfortable. Great performance around town @ 23-25MPG. Big enough to haul the family around. Wish they made a wagon version in the 89-93 body style. My wife says I can but a pickup when this car dies, but I don't think it ever will. Would strongly recommend this car to anyone.
Will this car ever die???
Bought this used, two years old. The most reliable car I have ever owned. I have had it seven years and am now passing it to my son. I tried to sell it twice but folks wanted to get me down on my price. I decided to keep it and don't regret it. New struts at 100K+ but that is about it. Power window slides need redesigning.
Entry Level BMW
Had it since 1994, best car I've ever owned. Being car frantic myself, this car exceed my rigid expectation. Had it's first major repair at 135K miles with water pump replacement. The power window on left rear went bad at 140K then another one on right rear at 150K. Had brake pad/drum replacements twice and third set of tires since then. It's very reliable and indeed a workhorse. My wife and I still fight over on who gets to drive this Maxima to work even though we have another newer model vehicle (toyota van). Am looking for another newer Maxima, unfortuately none looks as attractive as this model (89-94) design.
♥I just love my car♥
Bought it at 103k owned by an Older Woman, so it was taken good car of. So far i have only had to replace minor things and now there is something im saving up to replace 300 to replace some noise of it pooping when it accelerates. this car fits my 3 kids, car seat and 2 booster seats its a tight fit but can be done! I use this car delivering pizza my mileage now is like108k but the car is a champ! Nothing else to really say i think.... but its a good investment
1993 Maxima (+) and (-)
Good engine performance(acceleration), handles (steers) very well, great on highway trips. Have owned car for 5 years. Had to replace(rebuild) transmission at 132,000 miles.
The best car I ever owned
My father bought it new in 1993. Now almost 30 years later it refuses to die. Perfect everyday car, with 270 000 miles, ice cold air. I just repaired the alternator last week for the first time. New upholstery and fixed the transmission a few years ago. This car may outlive me.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Fantastic car, I will miss it!
Bought this car in 1997 with 24K miles on it. Had it for 12 years! Drove it to 275K until the tranny finally went out. Best car I have ever owned. Would recommend a Maxima to anyone. I am currently looking for a newer model that hopefully I will get another 10 years out of. No major problems, just regular maintenance. Fun to drive, looked great, still had umph at 15 years old! Performed better than I do! However, the rust issue was a lot to deal with. Luckily, Nissan fixed this issue in 1997 with new runners. We are sad to see it go to the junk yard, we will miss it!
Everlasting Life? Time will only tell.
Mileage recorded 7-8-09 at 233,708 Currently almost 237,000 as of today, 10/20/09 Its got a slight valve ping but that's what happens in older cars I am told. Sometimes you cant hear it though when its heated. But other then that, this car, is without a doubt, reliable. It seems like it might last forever, who knows. It runs like a champ. It runs... like a champ. No other if ands or buts about it. Its a beast for an older car, those 6 cylinders are real nice. Gets me from Point A to Point B and it picks up real quick if I want it to. Love the white gauges. I do agree when people say it was ahead of its time. Simply put, this cars a CHAMP. Runs like a CHAMP, IS a CHAMP.
Nothing lasts forever
This is my third Maxima ('86, '89 and the current '93). I'm now looking for my next car. I love the styling of the '89-'94 Maxima, which was very classy and copied poorly by Toyota for the '92 Camry. I have great respect for the Maxima V6 engine, which will easily outlive the rest of the car. My '93 has 147,500 miles on it and I just had the transmission . I've recently had an A/C leak and now some trouble with the Bose audio system. Probably time for a different car, so I'm currently test- driving 2000-2001 domestic sedans (Taurus, Grand Prix, Regal, Intrigue) and I'm disappointed. My next car will probably be a 1999 Maxima.
1993 Maxima
I have owned this car since it was new and would consider driving it another 150,000 miles if there were guarantees. I replaced the transmission at 110,000 miles and had a fuel injector go bad at 90,000 miles. Other than that it just needs normal maintenance/wear and tear replacements. Best car I ever owned.
True champ!
Got the car with 135,000 on it. It was clean, clean, clean! This car has been extremely reliable! although the stereo went out the car is running great with 180,000 miles on it. I swear this could get well over 200+ The key is regular maintenance on cars I prefer Nissan, and Toyota over all. Had a mercury villager with a Nissan engine and it was great also!
OK Car
Owned car for over 6 yrs. Had a multitude of problems: brakes (rear wheel cylinder replaced 2x!), manifold (replaced 2x!), transmission (rebuilt @ 177k), constant shimmy at 65 (even after new tires, wheels and struts), window regulator, stereo display doesn't display and keeps shutting off/on at will. Overall, the car has been relatively reliable. Left me stranded twice (once was my fault - needed a tune up at 108k). Total cost of car per mile @ $.25 including gas, maintenance and insurance. NOT TO SHABBY.
WOW
I find this car to be amazing... I'm an 18 year old male and this is my first car... I haven't had so much fun driving since my driving my parents 1999 Monte Carlo Z34... I can't believe the stock items are so amazing... I recomend this to any teen or adult alike.
My car: Alberta
There is one feature that fails to meet my expectations: the cupholders. They suck!
review
sweet ride i like eveything about the car and all it's features rock, runs smooth no coplaints at all. must buy car
Fun car that just runs and runs...
What a great, reliable car! I have just over 175,000 miles and the car runs as great as ever. My father-in- law is a GM worker and didn't like the fact that I had a foreign car, until he HAD to ride in it one day. Since then, he not only praises it, but defends it to others. Every time I begin to think of getting a new car, if I stop at the Nissan dealer, the manager wants to buy the car from me (his has 270,000 miles on it). Love this car!
BEST EVER CAR
As a 66-year-old woman my grandkids tease me about my fast, red, car with the spoiler; and they don't get to drive it. Have had many cars and trucks throughout my life but none like this one. It is a great reliable, comfortable car. Living in the mountains with many curvy hilly roads the power and maneuverability of the Maxima is very important. I always know it will do what I ask of it. I don't ever want it to die so I have always maintained it well and so far so good. (120,000 miles)
One of Nissan's better designs
The 1993 Nissan Maxima is the 3rd Generation of Nissan/Datsun Maxima/810 series. This generation began sale in September, 1988 and continued through August 1994 with very minor body and engineering changes during its six years of production. (Due to the extreme text size limitations here ( < 64MB), my review will be brief.) The car seats four comfortably, seats five tolerably. Has an excellent ride for a car of it's size, six cylinder engine (two types), excellent power and good fuel economy. Well built to survive around 200,000 miles and about 15 to 20 years of use. Good trunk, great engine, very reliable. Arguably a better car than previous or future generations of the Maxima.
Maxima GXE
Bought this car in March 96. Very satisfied with every facet except a few reliability issues. Transmission went out around 130k, both front window motors went bad, exhaust went bad around 110k, and the Bose system constantly malfunctioned. Work perfect, then intermittently, then not at all. It seems to me that Nissan could make this car better, after all Honda and Toyota don't seem to have these issues. Would consider another one but not unless they get the transmission fixed.
as expected
nissan never fails to give what is expected. Same things work as well as they always have, same problems too. this is the third 90's nissan i have owned "92 sentra, 92 pathfinder, and this 93 maxima". In my opinion the 3.0 liter is the best v-6 ever built. The only have had two problems we have had was the fuel line connection to the injectors came loose, simple mechanics fix. the other which happened to the pathfinder to was the window motor cable broke. the fit and finish of all panels in and out is exellent! would recomend this for a good dailey driver or school car
Fantastic All Around!
I love this car! Not only does it have four doors, but it drives like a sports car!
300,000+ And still going........
I purchased this car used in '97 with approximately 70,000 miles on and have have since surpassed the 300,000 miles mark with no major mechanical failures. Other than replacing the battery once I can't account for any other maintenance expenses other than timing belts and brakes. The car still runs like new, doesn't burn any oil and gets nearly 30 mpg!! I haven't driven the new maxima's yet, but given my experience with this vehicle I would highly recommend a Nissan Maxima to anyone.
One Owner Car
The 114,000 miles are all mine except for 1,200 the dealer put on it. It has been garaged nightly and has been serviced every 4,000 to 4,500 miles. The 30,000, 60,000 and 90,000 services were all performed on schedule. Every year in the Fall - after washing, a paint protection by Nissan has been applied and the surface remains like new. We were retired adults when we bought the car - the interior is undamaged in any way.
Great Car!
This is a really nice family sedan to have and drive. The SE engine feels powerful and the handling is pretty precise, although there's more softness and roll than in a true sports sedan, and no exhaust tune to mention. It has a comfortable & spacious interior, good headroom even with the sunroof. I get about 24 mpg overall (17-33 max range). I've had occasional engine problems, perhaps because Max is underdriven: mostly around town and for family outings. (Reason there's also brake dust on its alloy wheels.) The lovely (aluminum?) sheet metal is thin and dings easily, but still no body rust. I had to replace one of the Bose speakers twice.
1993 Nissan Maxima SE
I've driven my Red 1993 Nissan Maxima SE for over five years and have never had a problem with it. There couldn't be a better car for a college student out there. It is very reliable, has a great interior, and the best engine out there. I'm going to drive Maximas for the rest of my life.
'93 workhorse
Bought car in 95 with 50,000k on it, had to change CV boots and exhaust at 100,000K. Power Lock is not working on passenger side and window fell in door once. Other than that it has been an exceptional car and we have no intention of selling it any time soon, even though it is 13 years old, it is still a great car.
Over 194K Miles and Still Going
This was my first car out of college. I bought used with 30K miles and 11 years later now have 194K. Why am I writing a review now? Because I've finally started to look for another car and as I've been reading over reviews on Edmunds - am amazed at the problems reported on the new vehicles out there (Acura TL, Infiniti G35/I35, and New Maximas).
I love this car
Great car. have 107,000 mi and no major problems. Just changed the front struts and all belts. Standard stuff
Can a 13 year old car still compete?
Back in the early 90s, there was no Acura Brand, no Lexus and no Infiniti. You wanted luxury, you either bought a Maxima, or you bought a Cadillac. Show me any American made car on the road that can run as well as 13 year old Maxima? Very high design for basically a 1989 design: independant rear suspension, overhead CAM engines, coil on wire ignition (SE model), variable valve timing (SE) model, and very handsome. These design elements from a 1989 design are still new elements! Compare this to cars from early 90s and show me cars from that generation that had all these elements? Very few can say that. This was what we prize in 2007, never mind in 1989-1994!! Very ahead of its time.
Good Car and Fun to Drive
My mom bought the car in 1996 and the car has been great ever since. She bought it for herself but I drove it alot because it was the best car out in 1996 and she drove my Nissan Stanza another great car from Nissan. The car's ride is very smooth compared to other cars the handling is good. we put 90000 miles on it in 4years with no problems except when the transmission went out. We sold after tranmission went out and my mom bought a Toyota which was not a good idea the nissan had a smoother ride, more feature, and looked better. In my opinion when I sell my Nissan Stanza I will buy a Maxima because nothing compares to a Maxima.
review
sweet ride i like eveything about the car and all it's features rock, runs smooth no coplaints at all. must buy car
93' Maxima GXE
I just bought my Maxima two days ago. It is very nice. I enjoy driving it, but the transmission is bad. We are going to fix it though, so after that it will drive like a dream. The Bose sound system sounds great, except for one speaker's base sounds a little old just b/c it is old. I plan to order a new speaker from the local Nissan dealership, so that will work out too. Also, the display screen on the cd/tape player has gone out, so I don't know what song/station it is on, but I am replacing it with a Kenwood CD receiver.
5-MAN PORSCHE
TOTALLY AWESOME VEHICLE TO DRIVE AND TO OWN.EXTREMELY RELIABLE CAR, NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.