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Used 1998 Nissan Maxima Consumer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
108 reviews

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5 out of 5 stars

Used car best buy

bkiser, 03/19/2002
1998 Nissan Maxima SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

We "traded down" to our 1998 Maxima SE from my wife's dream vechicle- a 4Runner limited so that she could stay home with our child. Originally, she thought it would be a sacrifice, but she has since decided that she likes it more than any car she has ever owned. We looked at several Acuras, Lexuses, etc., but the Maxima offered similar luxury with much better performance. Plus, the car gets 30+ mpg on the highway (at 80mph)! Unbelievable!

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5 out of 5 stars

Best car ever owned!

Jess, 04/01/2008
1998 Nissan Maxima GXE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I have owned my Maxima GXE for 7 years. This is by far the most reliable car I have ever owned. I have never had to have anything major done just normal replacements muffler, tires and brakes. I highly recommend this car to everyone. It's great to drive, comfortable and good on gas. I could go on and on about this car. I will drive it until it falls apart. It drives as if it were brand new and it has 140k miles on it.

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5 out of 5 stars

Nissan knows how to build a great car!

Zingano, 03/21/2002
1998 Nissan Maxima SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I think Nissan has earned a lifetime customer in me. This car is a dream. Performs like a sports car, yet still can haul my family. Just as reliable as any Honda I have ever owned. It has all the conveniences of a premium luxury car. The climate control works perfectly to keep a comfortable interior. Just one great car!

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4.5 out of 5 stars

My Four Door Hot Rod

My98 SE, 03/30/2002
1998 Nissan Maxima SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I just turned 17 two weeks ago and to my delight my perents bought me a '98 Maxima SE with all the options availible that year except side airbags. I am known for having a lead foot and the Maxima handles that well. My friend's and I timed the 0-60 time at 6.8 seconds with the car in power mode. The power mode lets the car rev higher and allows the car to shift more aggressively. The BOSE stereo is one of the best standard stereo's I have ever heard in a car and is far better than the Infinity stereo in my old '96 Chrysler Concord. So if you want a hot rod on the weekend, a comfortable driving car Mnday through Friday but are on a budget than I highly recommend the '98 Maxima.

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4.25 out of 5 stars

Competent sports sedan

tdisalvo, 09/05/2002
1998 Nissan Maxima SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Maxima satisfied many of my automotive needs. I needed a sedan but didn't want it to be ugly. I needed japanese reliability without sacrificing performance. I needed a 6- cylinder engine AND a manual transmission. I also needed an affordable price. The Maxima fills all of my requirements and does it with style. Nissan builts character & personality into their cars, something Honda/Acura should look into. Go test drive a 5-speed Maxima, you'll see what I mean.

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5 out of 5 stars

Maxima SE

Nick , 01/19/2006
1998 Nissan Maxima SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

This is my first car and was only $4000. The car runs like new and has 135,000 miles on it. A great value. I would recommend it to anyone that is in the market for an awesome used sedan,

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5 out of 5 stars

Awesome Car All Around

love my maxima!, 04/20/2003
1998 Nissan Maxima GLE 4dr Sedan
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ive had this baby 5 years and never a problem. The fit and feel are wonderful. Ever try to find a car that DOESN'T have annoying features? This is it. Everything is well designed and thoughtfully placed. It gives a smooth and QUIET ride.

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3 out of 5 stars

Sporty road hugger with terrible cruise control!!

muranoman2012, 03/04/2017
1998 Nissan Maxima GXE 4dr Sedan
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

First, the good parts. This car handled the corners really well (like a sports car). The steering was also good and the a/c vents were flat with a vertical dashboard that brought more air to your knees when you needed it (unlike the newer cars with their aerodynamic dashboards). Mine also came in a deep teal that looked best in the evenings. Now the bad. The rear seat wasn't made to fold down to allow for more storage space. It didn't come with ABS brakes (the SE and GLE do) so stopping ability in snow and ice was horrible. The ride was fairly stiff and without sound insulation rough roads would produce a lot of noise. The cruise control would cause the car to jerk you 2 or 3 times just accelerating up a small hill because it wouldn't constantly stay in lower gear until getting over the hill (so using the overdrive button on the automatic shifter was used a lot to stop this problem). No one seemed to know how to fix the A/C for summer use. Bottom line. Get the GLE for the standard automatic transmission and the SE for the standard manual transmission but either one should be used for a second car since cargo space isn't there best feature or maybe as a gift for a high schooler. These were reliable front wheel drive cars (at least until the year 2000 and on) so 1997's to 1999's were good choices and the standard V6 engines (no whimpy 4 cylinders available) had 190 horsepower which was plenty of power without causing any torque steer that the newer maximas and altimas (with there too powerful V6's) have a constant problem with!

Safety
2 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
3 out of 5 stars
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