2002 Nissan Maxima Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for 2002 Nissan Maxima
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by Ben B
Mar 31, 2015
2002 Nissan Maxima SE, 4-spd Auto. Bought this little gem brand-new in March 02 and still drive it daily 15 years later. This is my everyday commuter car and has accrued 108,000 miles to date. It has seen every type of weather, crossed the entire country thrice and has never left me stranded. Ive probably spent <$1500 in maintenance and repairs over 15 years. Id say that its pretty darn reliable.
//Driving - its a mid-level family car. It does basic commuting and family transpo really well. The low doorsills, large windshield and wide rear window make for excellent visibility all around. Seating in general is well done, with deep seat cushions that yield proper thigh support and accommodate most body types well. Gauges are large, easy to read and have good illumination at night. I have a non-nav setup, so radio and climate controls are easy to use with ergonomically sound button arrays. The interior (black leather) looks nearly brand-new - Im serious. The paint (Dark Blue) has faired very well despite the CA and AZ sun beating down relentlessly. No paint fade or clearcoat peeling is present. //Gas mileage. Not great. Expect about 17 (city) and no more than 24 highway (@75 mph). This particular car is finicky and develops a valve rattle with any fuel less than 91 octane. //Performance. Acceleration, braking and maneuvering are generally quite acceptable, although the turning radius is annoyingly broad. This can make tight parking situations a bit challenging with lots of three-point turns. //Overall. There is a reason I still have this car after 15 years...it just works. Plus,iIf you are at all handy, minor repairs/maintenance are very easy and parts are cheap.Mar 31, 2015
by Mr. KIRAN T
May 09, 2014
Sunroof busted...stuck in the closed position. Other than that, I enjoy(ed) it! Sporty enough without being all Too Fast Too Furious. For a 2002, it still fits in well with all the newer cars on the road these days.May 09, 2014
by Shivon I
Feb 15, 2014
I like this car, it looks and it is very reliable. It can be modified to look better than it looks and the parts can be easily changed if it was needed. I would recommend this car to everyone if I could.Feb 15, 2014
User rating:
by Ben B
Mar 31, 2015
2002 Nissan Maxima SE, 4-spd Auto. Bought this little gem brand-new in March 02 and still drive it daily 15 years later. This is my everyday commuter car and has accrued 108,000 miles to date. It has seen every type of weather, crossed the entire country thrice and has never left me stranded. Ive probably spent <$1500 in maintenance and repairs over 15 years. Id say that its pretty darn reliable.
//Driving - its a mid-level family car. It does basic commuting and family transpo really well. The low doorsills, large windshield and wide rear window make for excellent visibility all around. Seating in general is well done, with deep seat cushions that yield proper thigh support and accommodate most body types well. Gauges are large, easy to read and have good illumination at night. I have a non-nav setup, so radio and climate controls are easy to use with ergonomically sound button arrays. The interior (black leather) looks nearly brand-new - Im serious. The paint (Dark Blue) has faired very well despite the CA and AZ sun beating down relentlessly. No paint fade or clearcoat peeling is present. //Gas mileage. Not great. Expect about 17 (city) and no more than 24 highway (@75 mph). This particular car is finicky and develops a valve rattle with any fuel less than 91 octane. //Performance. Acceleration, braking and maneuvering are generally quite acceptable, although the turning radius is annoyingly broad. This can make tight parking situations a bit challenging with lots of three-point turns. //Overall. There is a reason I still have this car after 15 years...it just works. Plus,iIf you are at all handy, minor repairs/maintenance are very easy and parts are cheap.Mar 31, 2015
by Mr. KIRAN T
May 09, 2014
Sunroof busted...stuck in the closed position. Other than that, I enjoy(ed) it! Sporty enough without being all Too Fast Too Furious. For a 2002, it still fits in well with all the newer cars on the road these days.May 09, 2014
by Shivon I
Feb 15, 2014
I like this car, it looks and it is very reliable. It can be modified to look better than it looks and the parts can be easily changed if it was needed. I would recommend this car to everyone if I could.Feb 15, 2014
by Anonymous
May 08, 2013
Comfortable, tons of power, able to get good mpg. The back seat is big enough for adults. A very reliable practical, fun to drive sedan. The BOSE stereo is nice. I have only had to replace wear items (brakes, clutch and shocks) over 140,000 miles.May 08, 2013
by Michael N
May 06, 2013
In Auatralia this is the Top of the range Model which is the Ti, fitted out with leather trim, power and heated seats, heaps of fake wood trim, sun roof, climate control and the coolest sound systeml.
It's very comfortable to drive, stacks of room inside and a decent size boot (trunk for you Yanks), the 3 litre V6 has plenty of poke and can keep up with the big Aussie cars.May 06, 2013
by Darnell R
Apr 07, 2013
I think its a Great car, has been very reliable. Enough room for me. Love the look & interior in my car & up to date. I am not really happy with MPG. Really don't feel like Nissan has done much to improve the MPG up to date. Apr 07, 2013
by Todd T
Dec 11, 2011
If you commute to work on the highway and need room for passengers on occasion, this is a good car. If you live in a city, the suspension and brakes will take a beating, and the turning radius will annoy you.Dec 11, 2011
by Caleb W
Nov 05, 2011
Christ, this thing is a beast! Nissan's 3.5l VQ engine and the 6spd manual
transmission really get this car going. Its a sleeper for sure. Never have seen a car
that looked good, had lots of room, was comfortable, and performed 0-60mph
times in 5.5 seconds. Nothing like the 5th Generation Nissan Maxima.Nov 05, 2011
by Marc H
Oct 19, 2011
Overall very great car.. I added a lot of extra things to make it unique.. A lot of custom work.. the only 2002 with a five speed manual instead of 6spd.. Very fun to drive.. Im pushing close to 400hp to the wheels..Oct 19, 2011
by Derrick O
Jul 06, 2010
Perfect motor and transmission. Comfortable yet somewhat sporty ride. Great acceleration. Great highway cruising with that 6th gear in the lineup. Very reliable
and great mileage considering it had 255 ponies under the hood. I sold it to get
into an Audi A6 which was one of the biggest automotive mistakes I have ever
made. And I have made some big ones.Jul 06, 2010
by Mark V
Jun 09, 2010
stillen intake, greddy evo exhaust, 20" Helo Black wheels, 245/40zr20 with Nitto NT-555 ZR's tires, all LED lights, ceramic brakes with cross drilled rotors.Stillen strut tower bar, sirius satelite radio. very fun to drive when the cops aren't around.Jun 09, 2010
by Joe A
Mar 26, 2010
Persormance: Dont make alot of parts for this car but when you find them they are costly.
Build: Car is sound.
Appearance: Car has some nice lines to it. Very sharp.
Cost: Gas isent bad its a V6.
Maintenance: Mobil 1 all the way.
Fun: Its not a car to take in the woods but on the streets it handles Mar 26, 2010
by Dan B
Aug 25, 2009
overall love it so far...nice set of balls for a 3.5L and decent gas mileage..roomy too. bose stero system, and power everything...xenon headlights and great handling. i wish i would have owned one earlier its overall a good car.Aug 25, 2009
by Matthew M
Aug 03, 2009
Gotta have 6M, but lottsa torque-steer. Needs stiffer springs and independent rear suspension... its way too soft. Great on the interstate and amazing mileage...I've actually averaged nearly 40mpg with cruise on long trips. Spacious and quiet, but can put you in jail faster than you think.Aug 03, 2009
by Mike S
Jul 09, 2009
Great car with excellent features, good performance in terms of acceleration, 255 hp, good brakes and handles well. No issues with build quality, power window motor and blower motor have been replaced. Looks great, kinda timeless, xenon headlights look great. Low cost to own, change the oil every 5K and drive. It's still fun to drive every time I push the gas. ***Update Got to 186K on the odometer and needed a new cat, so I traded it in, still miss it though, great car.Jul 09, 2009
by Abheek S
Jun 28, 2009
Love this car. Personally, the styling (interior and exterior) are true to the luxury 4-door sports sedan mentality. Exterior has clean, straight lines. The stance is both agressive and refined. Interior has all the luxuries one can want in 2002. It would be nice to have an iPod connection in my car, but would not be possible with my current radio configuation. After 7 years, one of the top engines of it's time is still performing as if it was at its peak. Power matched with supurb fuel economy. Jun 28, 2009
by Brent P
May 03, 2009
This car has amazing overall ability. It's quality is second to none. Performance is outstanding, sporting a 3.5L 255 hp 246 lb/ft torque engine. This car is very fun to drive all over town and especially on the highway.May 03, 2009
by Ryan S
Aug 21, 2008
My first car, most powerful car in the family, love to drive, no work needed so far, brakes great, accelerates like no other, great mileage and $3.59 for a gallon of gas is great. I get around 21-25 miles a gallon and i can't believe that i have such a great car!Aug 21, 2008
by Dave P
Jul 08, 2008
Great car. The only way to describe it is tight. Everything else we test drove felt sloppy and the interior felt cheap. Jul 08, 2008
by Amit B
May 18, 2008
it will blow you mind as soon as you hit the throttleMay 18, 2008
by Chuck K
May 06, 2008
The 2002 Nissan Maxima GLE has a great blend of upscale comfort and
raw horsepower. It is completely fun to drive, comfortable and reliable. I
believe it was the last good-looking Maxima - the current body style is
blah in my opinion. The 2009 looks great though. I would definitely buy
another Maxima.May 06, 2008
by James B
Apr 08, 2008
I love this car. It's probably one of the best cars I've ever driven for the money. I highly recommend it. This one is special because it's the last year that the Maxima was made in Japan.Apr 08, 2008
by Chris T
Feb 05, 2008
Ive owned this car for a little over a year and have put around 15,000 miles on since owning. It is the GLE which has basically every option imaginable except the 6 spd tranny which only comes in the SE. It quite fast, faster than most other sedans, although not sure about the handling it seems to be alright but havent really put it to the test yet. There is tons of space inside and suprisingly it only weighs 3146 pounds... my only wish is that i would have waited to find a 6 spd cuz it would be more fun and a little faster than the 4 spd auto. Traction is kind of an issue, of course i havent tried any different tires on it. ive used a g-tech meter on it and the highest whp i could put to the pavement was 195 and it was a cold day and the tires were cold so... ya hoping it gets better in the summer.Feb 05, 2008
by Philip S
Dec 04, 2007
I really like the interior, find it very comfortable and look forward to long drives. The exterior is awesome, the rear could be better, love the front and side profile. It does have a wide turning radius, can be annoying when parking in a tight spot or making u turn.
Performance is great other than the torque steer from the front drive.Dec 04, 2007
by Anonymous
Jun 11, 2007
The Maxima is a reliable, agile and sporty vehicle. It is well appointed on the inside and spacious. It is very limber, quick and powerful. The only complaint that I have is that it has a wide turning circle which makes parking in some spaces very challenging.Jun 11, 2007
by Andrew V
Mar 26, 2007
I owned a 2002 Maxima SE 6 speed manual and drove it about 90,000 miles in less than 3 years. I bought the base model and had the dealer install leather. I had owned a 1999 Maxima SE 5 speed manual prior to this and loved that one too. The 2002 has a much smoother transmission. The suspension is set up a bit softer than the 1999, which wasn't my personal taste, but my passengers seemed to like it. The interior is also very large. At the time, I had two young children in car seats and could fit three car seats across in the backseat. Not many cars that compete with the Maxima can manage that. Fuel mileage was good throughout my ownership. I see these on the road now and think they are probably the best Maxima that Nissan made.Mar 26, 2007
2002 Nissan Maxima Pricing
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Trims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather
Convenience Features
Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
6 disc in-dash CD · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: HID
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
