VIEWS AND REVIEWS.(Nissan Maxima)(Brief Article)(Panel Discussion)

OWNERS

I did some laps at Road Atlanta and it was nice to fly into the uphill esses, slam on the brakes, downshift and hammer it. The Maxima is easy to control and sticks like glue. Here's the downside to its drive-by-wire though: I was on my way home one night when under full acceleration the power suddenly died, the tach dropped to 1500 rpm, the ``check engine'' light came on and the accelerator had no response. I shut the engine down and restarted and all was well except the ``check engine'' light stayed on. The dealer said I pushed down the accelerator too far and ``set a code.'' I shudder to think what would have happened had I been passing on a two-lane.

LARRY MANNING, Grayson, Ga.

THIS IS MY THIRD MAXIMA AND I CONTINue to recommend it to anyone considering the Accord or Camry. Mechanically speaking, it is flawless. Nissan's move up-market shows in price and performance, but Maxima suffers from cost-cutting in other areas. The interior materials are those of a car costing half as much. The drive-by-wire technology needs work. Given that I have a six-speed manual, one wouldn't expect lag time between when you step on the gas and when something happens. But there is definitely a brief lag, as if it were an automatic.

PETER VON PAYR, San Mateo, Calif.

the MAXIMA'S REDEEMING VIRTUE IS THE smooth and powerful engine. The way the car accelerates from a dead stop brings a smile to my face every time. Having said that, my chief complaint concerns the lack of feel in the brakes and steering. Brake pedal effort is far too light, making the brakes seem overly sensitive. The steering is overboosted at all speeds, making it ...