1996 Nissan Maxima consumer reviews

Bought used in 2003 and owned for 10 years, with no major issues, then passed on to my daughter who drove it two more years before retiring it after she was involved in a multicar wreck. She was not injured, but the damage to the car was too great to be worth repairing.

I purchased my 96 Max in '01 for around 10K. It was a fabulous car for about 10 years but then the little things started going;cd player,sunroof,window controls. I did drive the HECK out of it and probably could've done better service on it but with even with 241k on it now the motor is still strong. NO RUST!!! I don't know how Nissan does it but there is zero rust on this car...CV joints will need replacing on most models at 100K. I still love this car.

I bought my Maxima brand new in '96. I love this car. It is a tank and also a quick sporty car. I have a 5 speed and have close to 400,000 miles on it. It is in the shop right now getting a complete paint job, it had some wear and tear and damage from a hit and run. I just can't get rid of this car, it doesn't owe me anything and there isn't another car that I want to go in debt to drive.. If you can find one of these cars that has been taken care of, buy it.....

I bought my 96 Maxima SE new and have 160,000 miles on it. Other than brakes, batteries, tires, etc. I haven't spent much money on it. Even though it's 16 years old the paint still shines and the mechanicals are still running strong. I did just have to replace a radiator (which I found out was plastic) and a few other minor items, plugs, etc. I still love looking at this car. I owned an 87 Maxima, 86 Sentra, 90 Maxima, 92 NX 2000 and currently own a 2004 350 Z roadster. The 96 Maxima is my favorite big car I've even owned (have owned Buicks, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, etc.). I'm thinking about selling or trading. I've gotten 22-24 MPG, it's comfortable to ride on long drives and handles well. It still has tons of pickup and speed. I would fully recommend this car to anyone, it's a great car. I haven't driven a new Maxima and I'm sure there are a lot of new "things" on it, but I'm not to sure it can improve on the ride, structural integrity and mechanical soundness I've had with this car.

I like this car. It runs smooth and is very clean and reliable. It looks nice on the outside and inside and it gets a lot of attention when I drove around downtown.

This is a great car for family or young adult as myself. I bought the car in 2005 and between then and now i replaced my alternator, starter x2, waterpump, ac belt, brakes, lasers, cv joints and radiator. yes it was in terrible shape when i got it without oil, coolant or gas... but with effort just like any other car and proper routine maintenance this car will last several years. I recently crashed mine but didnt hardly damage anything but the radiator and condenser. I drove it away from the scene strong as an ox. This is also the top of the sedan for the nissan fastest, most luxury and power in torque 190 hp stock, fuel injected cylinders cant beat it for the price i wouldnt pay over 4,000$ unless its in absolute condition and i mean under the hood which is what gets you from point a to b.

I just love my Maxima! It drives great with over 150,000 miles on it. It's definitely a reliable car and I highly recommend it.

The 96' Maxima is one of the best sedans I've ever driven. My dad bought it new back in 96' and it's still running great today! The engine is one of the best made in that period and will last usually 200-300,000 miles, but if you take care of the car I'm positive you can get better. Mines about at 180,000 miles and it's still running strong. The car has a powerful V-6 engine, which helps if ever you need quick speed. It's a stick shift, and for being such an old car it shifts so smoothly, you'll love it! This is one of those cars that if you do routine basic maintenance it will last you forever! The steering is pretty smooth, it's not too stiff, and it actually helped me avoid a crash the other day. The seats are decently comfortable, I never feel any discomfort while driving, even for long distances so that's a plus. The backseat isn't bad, but if you have 3 adults sitting in the back, it might be pretty snug. The trunk is really huge! Anything you want to fit back there go for it, you wont have trouble fitting it all. The gas mileage isn't the best when compared to todays cars, I usually get 22mpg, but I drive like I stole the car so that may give you some idea. This is mostly city driving, if you drive mostly highway then you'll get maybe 3 or 4 more mpg. The car is supposed to be pretty safe, I've heard of some people getting their maximas totaled and they survive with minor injuries so that always makes me feel better when driving. Overall, the car is very reliable, safe, and it can be very fast! I'd recommend this car to anyone who needs one that is cheap and reliable, and if you need a first car for your son/daughter, get them one of these.

I owned an 86 model an 89 model and now have the 96. When I sold my 89 SE it had 336000 miles. My 96 SE has 350000 miles on it and it still runs beautifully. It's mostly highway miles but the engine runs like a new one. I wouldn't own anything but another Maxima

This is a great car to own: fast, reliable, good mileage. Mine is 178 K and running better than may new cars I tested. The engine is the best in it's class for sure. I simply change oil every 5K and do basic maintenance, and it's running, and running, and running! Nothing outlasts the Energizer Maxima!