Piston Slap: The Nissan Maximum Replacement?

TTAC Commentator Eliyahu writes:

Sajeev,

My 2001 Maxima, bought new, just rolled past 100,000 miles. It’s still a good car, but the mechanic says it has a very slight oil leak from the main seal. While not strictly necessary, the pitted original windshield could be replaced, the radio only gets Click and Clack, and the driver’s window motor sounds tired. The engine control module was replaced six months ago. Apart from that, repairs have been limited to motor mounts, suspension components with bushings, shocks, steering rack, and the usual tires and batteries. Oh, and new front brake pads.

I’m mostly fortunate in that I work from home, so I only put 7,000 miles a year on a car. It might be time for something with a few more airbags and a warranty — or at least the airbags. I’m considering midsized sedans and smaller SUVs — Accord, Altima, Camry, CR-V, RAV4, etc. With the Maxima, I am used to easy freeway entry, even if it’s not everyday that I’m on the freeway. It’s nice to be able to get out of the way quickly if I need to. I thought the Accord manual might be good, but white is my first choice color and it’s not available. The Altima is okay, but has a not-so-good repair rating with Consumer Reports. And the more electronics, the worse the reliability.

The Camry design just doesn’t flow nicely like the Accord, and will likely look dated faster. Almost everything is pretending to be a coupe these days, with the blind spots to prove it. That’s true of all the small SUVs too, except the Forester. I might like that with the turbo, but really didn’t want to drop $35,000 on a car.

Let me know your suggestions or if you need more info.

Sajeev answers:

Your train of thought is how I wound up daily driving a Ranger once my old Lincoln lost that, uh, right. Except I added new car demands like no DLO FAIL, big sidewall tires, plenty of cargo space, fuel efficiency, aftermarket shock options, etc. Somehow, that turned into what I bought.

Here’s my point: We all compromise, no matter how much the new design offends our nature. Progress is still a good thing, even if the greenhouse’s blind spots are shamefully large.

And here’s the advice: Test drive a whole lotta potential matches. Cast a wide net and plant your butt in ’em all. With the number of concerns floating around in your mind, nobody can fit in your shoes.

But since I’m obligated to crystal ball this stuff, my gut says a V-6 Altima — even with the CVT — is your ideal replacement. It’s got the right engine for a Maxima fan, that’s for sure. The size isn’t too far off from your current, true love. However, is it less reliable than a Camry outside of a Harvey Ball analysis?

That’s when I punt and hope the Best and Brightest runs it home.