(First published 6/11/2012) The Maxima has been Nissan’s top-drawer model since the early ’80s. While today it is a sporty large sedan, back in the 1980s, it was a comfortable, right-sized, well equipped sedan that had a bit more sporting intent than its primary competitor, the Toyota Cressida. Oh, and there was a wagon!
The first Maxima debuted in 1981 and replaced the Datsun 810 as the largest and most luxurious model. The new model was actually called an “810 Maxima” for the ’81 model year, but became just plain Maxima a year later. These first models were badged as Datsuns, but in 1984, Datsun was having an identity crisis. Thus, ’83 Maximas (and other US-bound Datsuns) were called both Datsun, as North American models had been badged for years, and Nissan, which was the home market nameplate for the very same cars, as well as the parent company’s name.
1985 brought many changes. First of all, the whole “Nissan Datsun” naming confusion of the prior year was mercifully ended, and all cars were now Nissans. There was also a new Maxima.
image: productioncars.com
As with the first generation version, it was based on the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Nissan Bluebird. These new Maximas had crisp, three box styling, and while not flashy, was nicely styled. Sedan and wagon models were available, as before.
1985 Maximas were powered by a 3.0L V6 (shared with the 300ZX) with 157 horsepower, not bad in an era of 90 hp Iron Duke equipped base model Camaros and Firebirds. You could choose either a five speed manual or four speed automatic to back it up.
As previously mentioned, there was a wagon too. It was slightly longer than the sedan (184.8″vs. 181.5″), most likely all behind the rear wheel. While a rather attractive vehicle in your author’s opinion, I don’t recall seeing many wagons back when these cars were new, but then I lived in the Midwest. The sedans, however, were frequently seen. My cousin had a circa 1986 sedan in the late ’90s, and even then, she was impressed with how well it held together. All the power stuff – windows, locks, mirrors – still worked fine. It ran like a top, too.
Maximas got a mild refresh for 1987, including smoother front and rear bumpers and revised alloy wheels. Unfortunately, they also received the dreaded automatic shoulder belts about halfway into the model year. SE (sport) and GXE (luxury) models were offered, and Maximas continued in similar fashion through the 1988 model year. The 1989 Maxima would be sleeker and sportier (and lose its wagon model), but go on to even greater success. But that’s a story for another time.
Our featured Maxima wagon was posted to the Cohort by frequent contributor Drew Wescott. This is a really clean wagon, and rather elegant in its metallic steel blue paint. A remarkably rust free one too, considering it appears to be an Indiana car!
I love these just as much as the matching Nissan pickups.
I always liked these. The Maxima was a much better looking car than the Toyota Cressida – sort of a broad-shouldered, masculine look. I also recall these as being really expensive. They were rare when new and really, really rare now.
I bought the wagon with every option (“GT-something): “Moon Roof, all around tinted windows from the factory, keypad door locks (or FOB), and LOVED this car. My ex got it in the divorce. I paid around 25k for it new, and have been looking for another one lately – no luck. The 1987 seems to be a high demand used car. Very rare for the fully tricked out model.
Great find! I always liked these, and I completely forgot there was a wagon. Oh, if only more cars looked like this now! We’ve been egged to death with rounded off cars for nearly 30 years!
Ahh, the Nissan-Datsun. Had one of those myself, an ’84 300zx, same color as the Maxima pictured here. I remember taking off the Datsun badge and leaving only the Nissan one thinking that might make it a little more cool. I know…LOO-ZERRR
Everybody knows how crazy it was for Nissan to rebadge/rebrand a popular brand name. It would be like GM putting their logo on every car they make, thinking that was the problem..
The Datsun / Nissan naming story is actually a lot more complex and emotional than I realized, until I looked in the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datsun
Here is the 1914 DAT, named after money men Den, Aoyama and Takeuchi. In 1931 the DAT Motorcar Co. came out with a small car, “son of DAT”. Nissan was formed by merger in 1934.
Quite a complex and emotional story about why Datsun was the brand used after WWII. Datsun’s US leader Yutaka Katayama (Mr. “K”) had quit Nissan in 1939 after seeing Nissan factories in occupied Manchuria. Read about all that in the Wikipedia article.
And now Nissan has brought back the Datsun name for low cost models sold in Indonesia, South Africa, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
On April 1, 1983, executives from Nissan in Japan descended on Datsun headquarters in the USA. They brought the news. The head honchos/fearless leaders in Japan had decided…the entire company would take on the NISSAN name, and it would happen by 1985.
At which one drone exclaimed, “DAT SOON?”
I know…that was awful.
The way I heard it, the punchline is what the quality inspector said when the fender rusted off the car at the end of the assembly line.
I think the “global strategy“ rationale was a marketing Red Herring. Few Americans either know or care about what a company’s products are labeled overseas, even Detroit’s.
“What we need to do is improve our car’s efficiency gradually and creep up slowly before others notice. Then, before Detroit realizes it, we will have become an excellent car maker, and the customers will think so too.“
Beautiful! They understood their Michigan opponents perfectly.
For unknown reasons, the Maxima wagon wasn’t sold in Canada unfortunately. 🙁
I believe these were available with a diesel, as well. Though they might have disappeared by ’87.
I’m probably wrong, but the 81-83 Maxima that was RWD and had straight 6 engines, had a diesel (I’ve seen, maybe, 2 diesel engined sedans), but the model pictured came later and was FWD and used V6 engines, and so NOT diesel engined….at least in the U.S.
I’ve probably seen 2 or 3 of these FWD wagons, usually grey or white….maybe navy blue.
Nice wagon, I keep forgetting these were RWD, the FWD Maxima is the one that sticks in my head… 😛
I think the 84 and up ones are FWD, the 1981-1983 Maximas are the last RWD ones, though I could be wrong, these were followed by the “4 door sports car” 1989 or so versions which were FWD for sure.
All 1985 and up Maximas are FWD.
Japanese cars from the 80’s are very scarce in this condition around here. I was pleasantly surprised to find this wagon hiding out behind a dealership in my home town. Glad you guys appreciate it. I wasn’t very interested Japanese cars myself until I got my own.
In that last picture, you can see my 2001 Maxima, hiding behind the glare from the sun. It’s a solid, well built car inside and out. And very sporty too; both horsepower and handling are at the top of its class. Plus, as common and blandly styled as it is (and without the spoiler I see on almost every other early 2000’s Maxima), it makes an excellent stoplight sleeper. She’ll probably be hitting 200k miles around Christmas.
Had an ’03 Maxima, similar to your ’01. What a great car, I should have hung on to it. Smooth, silent power train and indeed a sleeper. Not the best looking sedan, 2003 was the final year of Japanese production. That car fit like a glove.
I eventually traded it on an ’08 Maxima with the cvt that was somewhat strange in city driving but excellent at freeway passing and cruising. ‘Purists’ like to complain about cvt performance, and I agree around town takes some getting used to, but on the highway cvt is the way to go. No jerky downshifting when passing…just tap the accelerator and off you go.
The 2004 redesign was the end of the Maxima as it’s fans knew it.
What sort of longevity did you get from the cvt. I keep hearing horror stories but am interested if they are overblown. I think this might be the site where you don’t just hear mindless tripe repeated. Anyone got opinions. Physical problems keep the wife from driving a stick now. She was able to when we bought the car. 2011 Cube and I love it.
I had no problems with the cvt aside from adjusting my driving style to it’s performance, though if you read the blogs you would think you were doomed. I don’t think repair stats support those horror stories.
Shortly after I purchased the ’08 Max, I received a notice stating the warranty on the cvt was extended.
Traded the car after 2 years because this Max was not the same as all the Maxima’s up to 2004. The ‘soul’ was gone…
Still a Nissan fan though since with an Xterra and now an Infiniti.
A co-worker had a new, fully loaded 86 or 87 Maxima with 4speed, and IIRC it was pretty expensive for the time. I do remember that when she traded it for a new 95 Maxima she specified no sunroof as the one on the previous car constantly malfunctioned despite multiple repairs.
Never saw very many of these Maxima wagons in SoCal; I think they were outsold by the Cressida wagons that seemed to be more prevalent.
I had a 85 300ZX Turbo and later a new 99 Maxima GLE. The Max of that era was the perfect size, the power/weight ratio on the car was good and it too could move out of the crowd quite nicely. The VQ in both cars was somewhat smoother than the one in my G37 but no complaints about any of them – wonderful cars, thank you Nissan.
I hated when the Maxima starting growing in size – the G is the same width as my 99 and only about two inches shorter. Also, I rented a new Max in 2010 when I was considering it or the G37 and did not like the CVT in a “sports sedan.”
I have two friends with 2001 and 2003 Maximas that are still running strong.
I love the expressive, muscular styling on the most recent generation (I’d say my car’s generation is probably the least attractive Maxima, but I’ve come to terms with that), and the VQ has a few more horses these days, but I’m quite happy with the size and go of my car.
When they did the mid cycle refresh in 02 it really upped the looks of the 5th gen (side sills, new headlights etc) in particular the SE and GLE of 02/03 still look good to me! The 00/01 SE’s look good also with blackened tails with the 17 inch SE rims, love those rims. The least attractive Maxima is the 04-08 with ease, bloated unreliable with a much down graded interior quality compared to all other gens of Maxima’s, it is what has sorta tarnished the Max reputation in recent years!
I think the least attractive generation is the one previous to yours, the ’94-’98 cars. Those just don’t do a thing for me. The ’99-’03 cars, if optioned properly, can look quite sharp.
I almost bought a Maxima in 2001 but really wanted a wagon so made another choice. If Nissan had a Maxima wagon in that era I think I’d be driving a different car now. Drew, glad to hear that you had a good experience with yours.
My alternate choice was a 2001 Focus wagon, special ordered with 5 sp manual and the Street Edition package, which includes Euro suspension bits. I still drive it daily and love it. And it’s distinctive in bright blue (common on ZX3s but only available on wagons with the 2001 Street Edition pkg). It’s the only one in our West Michigan community of 100,000 people. I don’t blend in with the grey/white/black bubbles on the road today.
We had two of these in my family.
Unbeknown to my late older sister, I ran hers at over 100 mph for almost the entire length of the 12-mile, I-10 bridge that spans Lake Pontchartrain between LaPlace and suburban New Orleans (Kenner). I was in college at the time, and she and her husband lent it to me to take a hot date into New Orleans for dinner at the Court of Two Sisters.
Back then there were no turnarounds on the twin spans, and no aircraft monitoring in the evening. It was practically an invitation to speed if there was little or no traffic.
What an evening…27 years ago and I still remember it.
It’s interesting to see this car, it has a strong resemblance to the (presumably) smaller Bluebird and the R31 Skyline- anybody know how they all relate?
The first Maxima we saw in Australia was the 89/90.
It’s identical to Bluebird from the windscreen back – the first FWD Bluebird, that came after the last RWD one (looked similar) that replaced the 200B, and before the one that NZ/Oz got as the ‘Project Matilda’ Nissan Pintara/Ford Corsair twins. But I’m not sure if Oz got the first FWD Bluebird?
As with Australia, NZ didn’t get the featured model Maxima – our first was also the new-shape 89/90 model. But with NZ being the land of the used Japanese import, the RHD version of the 85-89 Maxima has turned up here second hand, so there are some around – sedans though, no wagons, so I’m unsure whether the wagons were ever available in JDM form. Oddly, some of our 85-87 Maxima imports have the shorter-overhang Bluebird nose instead of the longer Maxima nose – the packaging must be a nightmare on the short nose…!
The previous RWD Maxima (also JDM/USA only) was basically an R30 Skyline/C31 Laurel/RWD Bluebird underneath. Nissan had the BMW policy of “same sausage, different length” when it came to their 80s/90s RWD vehicle design – which makes mechanical/panel plug-and-play so much fun with them!
Thanks for that – I think I’m happy with the R31 Skyline we got instead during this period, not that I’ve ever owned one but the SVD Silhouette is a nice car.
No we didn’t get any fwd Bluebirds, the sequence went 200B/810 – 910 Bluebird – R31 Skyline-based Pintara – U12 Pintara and finally the U13 Bluebird – they have not sold a mid-size car since. On the topic of wagons, only the U13 didn’t come as a wagon.
We got the Australian-built R31 Skyline new here but not the Pintara – as we already had the U11 Bluebird instead, which sold very well. My late Uncle bought an Oz-built R31 Skyline Ti new in ’87, very comfy car, chintzy interior but great engine. We got the Silhouette too, which was indeed nice – although quickly overshadowed by the tremendous amount of second-hand JDM R31/2/3 Skylines that arrived. I had an R33 Skyline GT sedan, awesome car (hence my NZ Skyliner screen name!).
When the U12 Bluebird was introduced, Nissan continued selling the U11 wagon alongside it for a few years, and then replaced it with a Bluebird-badged Australian-built U12 Pintara wagon-hatch (was it called ‘Superhatch’?). Wagons are extremely popular here in NZ, so when the U13 Bluebird was introduced without a wagon, Nissan sold UK-built P11 Primera wagons alongside it – and ultimately the P12 Primera sedan/hatch/wagon replaced the Bluebird here. To confuse things though, loads of the U14 Bluebird have turned up here ex-Japan too. Not to mention the W11 Avenir wagon…! But again, the Bluebird/Primera/Avenir are basically the same underneath.
Interestingly, I just read the US Altima is replacing the Maxima in Australasia next year. The fun part is of course the U13 Bluebird was sold in the US as the U13 Altima… So back in the 80s a 910 series Bluebird became a Maxima; then a U13 Bluebird became an Altima. Now in the 10s, the Bluebird-derived Altima replaces the Bluebird-derived Maxima. The more things change, the more they stay the same!
Here’s the U11 Bluebird wagon:
I have no rational explanation for it, but I’ve always liked those fender mounted mirrors. A shame we didn’t get those here.
Those mirrors were seen as kind of dorky here during the early 00s, but now a lot of the JDM-fan crowd are retro-fitting them to cars. My 1992 Nissan Laurel had them – fully electric like door-mounted ones too. They took a bit of getting used to, but proved fantastic when towing a caravan – they were far enough forward that I didn’t need a door-mirror extender like I do when towing with my current car.
Note the FoMoCo-style number keypad on the front door handle. I’ve always wondered why Nissan was the only other manufacturer to offer those… even to this day, I think.
My late grandmother’s Crown Victoria had that feature, and it was the utmost in luxury to my four-year-old eyes. A lot less useful nowadays with the advent of the remote keyfob.
All of the Tauruses in my company’s fleet still have them, AND a remote key.
The fleet manager loves them. If someone locks themselves out of a company car while traveling, one email to him from a BlackBerry and they’re back on the road in minutes.
But you’re right…for most people, the remote fobs have made them less useful.
Nissan also had them on the passenger side door.
I wish more cars had this feature. I have it on the Escape and I love it! Yes, I have the remote (built into the very large and clunky key), but it’s nice to be able to get into the car if you don’t have your keys handy…
I figure if Nissan and Ford cooperated on a automatic transmission ( the JATCO) they did so elsewhere too.
Could’ve been a supplier whom they shared.
True.
Seriously! Those were a great idea–I do wonder why they disappeared. Great if you didn’t have keyless entry or the fob broke, but even useful in conjunction with the fob. Assuming your battery didn’t die, it made it impossible to lock yourself out of your car. My ’96 Mark VIII and ’03 Marauder had the keypads, and when I’d go to the gym or for a run, I’d drop the keys inside the console and lock the door with the panel button. No keys to carry, and use the keypad to get back in when I’m done. Super convenient.
I wish my ’97 Vic had one.
Relatives had an ’88 wagon, which is the last year for it. Then for ’89 was the “4DSC Generation”.
My grandpa had an ’85 Maxima with the voice warning system (and I believe a digital dash). Very ’80s!
My 85 300ZX Turbo had the voice warning system and very elaborate digital dish, all of which continued to work perfectly for years. The disembodied female voice that fairly well shouted “Lights are on!” “Fuel is low!” could be somewhat disconcerting. A neighbor in my underground garage once dropped a bag of groceries when she heard my car shouting its “Lights…” warning late one night. By 87 that feature was gone.
Murilee Martin did a nice write up on the Nissan talking cars. They actually used a record player, which is probably as low tech as it gets. Parking brake is on. Fuel level is low. Lights are on. Left door is open. All came from a record.
I’ll tell you what didn’t work, the Hitachi-sourced radio head unit. Mine went on the fritz after 5 years and I tried to replace it with factory rebuilt head units. I think the dealer ended up installing 4 or 5 of those before I finally got one that worked reasonably well.
I remember driving my 84 200SX Turbo from Califormia to Laredo, Tx. At a service station in Arizona I asked the kid who was pumping gas to check the oil level, He approached the engine, read the “Power by Nissan” script on the valve cover as shouted “WOW!! You put a Nisssan engine in a Datsun”? “I love you California rodders”!!! I still laugh when I remember that! On the other hand, I really, really miss my 93 Maxima. 4-link independent rear suspension, gutsy 3.0L V6, impeccable design. Not much can be said of the following models!
My Dad had a 1987 Maxima GXE sedan just like the gray one in the advertisement. It had gray leather interior, digital dash and power moonroof. It was replacing a 1982 Country Squire with over 100k – (more on that in a different posting!) I suggested we look at a wagon version of the Maxima and he clearly said “No, I’ve had my share of wagons – I want a sedan!” Well that is what he got. Overall it was a nice car, trouble free and well built. I remember driving it once in a while – the V-6 had good power; the radio looked nice but sounded awful! He liked this car a lot, but didn’t really like the firmer ride it gave. In 1990 he went to a Nissan dealer to trade it in on a new Maxima. The salesman was such a jerk that he walked out, went across the street and bought a new 1990 Coupe deVille that he absolutely loved. He passed away in 1993, but I remember him saying he always wanted a Cadillac and he got his wish.
My only memory of the Maxima wagon: One hit me while I was riding my crappy Huffy mountain bike in Charleston, SC. The Huffy’s wheels looked like Pringle’s potato chips and I flew a good 6 feet. Barely a scratch on me though. Lucky!
My parents’ had a 1986 model in dark blue metallic. They bought it in September/October 1985 and had a choice between an ’85 and and ’86 model with identical color scheme. The ’86 cost $1,500 more. We figured that it would always have more value than the ’85 so went for the ’86. The ’86 also was the first year for the 3rd, high-mounted brake light. We also figured if there was any truth to the effectiveness of the 3rd brake light, it might save us some money some day.
The car was great, my family owned it for years as they tended to do. It replaced a 1977 Buick Estate Wagon, that they got used from a friend in 1980. By that time the Estate Wagon had well over 100,000mi. The Maxima lasted at least until 1993 when they replaced it with a ’93 Toyota Camry Wagon. That Camry might be the best car ever made, they still have it and use it with 165,000mi, though it hasn’t been my parents’ primary car for a while now (2007 Honda Odyssey).
I don’t remember what finally kiled the Maxima. I remember that it’s radio failed and that the dealer quoted $1,500 to replace it. My Dad who had no problems driving in silence didn’t do it.
The car became super popular in our neighborhood. Two neighbors bought one and one neighbor bought two, medium blue and maroon.
I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A 1987 WAGON-168K MILES -RUNS GREAT-HOW RARE ARE THEY ?
I’very owned a 1987 Nissan Maxima GXE station wagon for 27 years.My car has 26,000 original miles.I always had a second car for work and chores.I’ll be selling it on Ebay soon.This car is in near showroom condition. I check the web and it’s very rare.Especially the wagon.
IMHO, this was the last generation Maxima that I found to be attractive. After this was discontinued, every other generation up to today as been hideous looking.
Of note: these were Rear Wheel Drive. The Maxima was to go FWD in subsequent generations but the initial product was RWD.
Chris, which Maximas are you referring to as being RWD? The 1985+ models were all FWD and have been ever since. The only RWD Maximas were the original ones from 1981-1984.
You’re mixing this gen2 up with the gen1, which was RWD. We covered that here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-asian/curbside-classic-1982-datsun-nissan-maxima-810-diesel-wagon-bitching-betty/
The RWD version had a much longer front end, for the inline six.
The visual changes between first and second generations (910 and U11) were so minimal that some Japanese buyers didn’t realise that the second generation (U11) had switched to front-wheel-drive. Some of them in the northern Japan attached snow chains to the rear wheels, mistakenly thinking they were still driving a rear-wheel-drive version.
Nice clean wagon. It looks like a supersized Nissan Bluebird we had in the eighties. It was a good and popular family sedan and -wagon.
The front overhang is longer to accommodate the engine, and there are trim differences, but other than that, they’re the same body from the windscreen back Johannes.
Right, that explains it, thanks.
Growing up in Marin County, where the BMW name was comically broken down as ‘Basic Marin Wheels’ there was an odd acceptance of the Maxima. It was legitimately a contender in the category of non-pretentious cars wealthy people had. There, people researched their cars and bought smart- not necessarily for presteige. I guess, if you’ve got it, you don’t have to flaunt it- and the Maxima did that well.
I’ve always liked the looks of these Maximas–angular, but with a sense of style. They also still wore two-tone paint well, which was becoming less common. The wagons never seemed common but they are, to me at least, almost better-looking than the sedans, and useful to boot.
Looking at these Maximas, or even a few generations forward, it’s unfortunate how much of an overstyled, oversized mess the current model has become.