'02-'03 (gen 5.5) Nissan Maxima SE - Yay or Nay?

szeis4cookie wrote:

tb wrote:

t25torx wrote: don't even think about a car with a trunk

Can you help me out and expand upon this?

Have you shopped strollers yet? If not, go to Babies r' Us (because they'll let you test fit in the car) and try to fit one in the trunk. That is why you are going to need a hatch.

Exactly. If you can fit it in the trunk then go for it, but you probably won't be fitting much else in there with it. You'll pretty much want the kind you can clip the car seat into so you won't be pulling the sleeping tot out of a stroller to get him in the car, just unclip the seat from the stroller frame and lock it down in the car and go. Something like this.

The SAAB 9000 I had was awesome for this. With the hatch you easily fit the stroller, and all the diapers, and formula you just bought at Costco in there. Her car was a first gen CR-V and my car still beat it for hatch/trunk room. Plus SAAB 9000's are super safe, so get one of those...

Good luck in your search.

In reply to t25torx:

Oh man, it just got real! I absolutely loved my '96 CSE ($2010 challenge car ftw) and am an all around 9000 advocate. It is amazing how those cars just plain do everything right, those who never owned one do not understand the blend of luxury, utility, power and style they possess.

That being said, SWMBO preferred the Maxies we used to own and this is actually an emotionally charged issue for her at a time when emotions are running high. She liked the SAAB but never loved it (never even drove it!)so I will not pass on one if the perfect deal fell into my lap. I am working very hard to satisfy her emotionally while still retaining my "car guy" card; not always easy to do... Le Sigh, "Happy Wife, happy life" right?

Thanks for the stroller / car seat insight. I was thinking a clip in type option like that would be the best strategy and I am glad the hear I am still moving in the right direction.

Thank you to everyone for providing such good information and helping me think through this issue in what is a very confusing and terrifying time in my life.

We used an e30 as a daily with one baby - no worries on space. We did day trips with a 1 and 3 year old in a 964.

Buy the right stroller. ;) We loved our city mini.

We had an Altima at one point for the family: great car!

In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn:

Thanks for adding that, it is good to hear. I will not get rid of the e30 but I am thinking about making life a little easier on us since I am disabled and the wife is a workaholic.

I am completely sold on the city mini; the miata of strollers?

I want to keep the bimmer and give it to our child for their first car, but I know that there are better options for a safe and comfy family hauler. After a couple of years I am thinking the maxie will move on and make room for a 996t.

In reply to tb:

Ha oh yeah dude! I sent you the radiator for the challenge car that you campaigned. I can't comment directly on that gen Maxima, only that I wanted one so hard back in 2005 in SE trim with the 6 speed. I understand the happy wife thing for sure.

On the baby front. If anyone asks what they can get you.. Tell them diapers and Desitin, also Nuk pacifiers are the bomb.

In reply to t25torx:

Wow, I totally forgot that was you! I am much better with faces than screen names and my memory has gotten worse with everything else... That care package was greatly appreciated and made it possible to stay under $1k with that car. It was actually sold onto another GRMer who took it on the babe rally so it had a good life; dunno where it is now...

All baby tips are appreciated, too. I feel like I might be getting in a little bit over my head.

In reply to tb: Congrats on the baby!! You're in for a wild ride! We had an 1999 explorer and a 2001 accord when we had our first one. We went through a few strollers and car seats to find the one that worked best. One of the Graco snap and goes( car seat base stays in the car and the car seat snaps on the stroller ) worked best for daily duty. The accord had plenty of room( interior and trunk ) for baby, parents and "stuff" but my wife prefers not having to bend over and put the baby in the car. The explorer worked better for her in the long term and our current Odyssey minivan has been even better.

The best shower gifts we got were gift cards( walmart, super target, etc ), diapers and wipes. Sign up now for the formula programs through your perferred company. Ours sent out monthly coupons for new parents. And get an amazon prime membership as well. Ours has paid for itself over the years. Oh, and sleep when the baby sleeps for the first few months.

mrwillie wrote: Oh, and sleep when the baby sleeps for the first few months.

On this front we had a basement apartment when our son was born, he slept in a back room that had no windows. It was like cave dark in there witht he lights off, he would sleep all night long as a baby. I attribute this to the dark room, so make your babies room as dark as possible at night, blankets over the windows ect. and sleep through the night

t25torx wrote:

mrwillie wrote: Oh, and sleep when the baby sleeps for the first few months.

On this front we had a basement apartment when our son was born, he slept in a back room that had no windows. It was like cave dark in there witht he lights off, he would sleep all night long as a baby. I attribute this to the dark room, so make your babies room as dark as possible at night, blankets over the windows ect. and sleep through the night

+1 on this. We purchased room darkening curtains called eclipse curtains. https://www.google.com/search?q=eclipse+curtains&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb

We had a sound machine that we played sounds of rain, the ocean, etc... as background noise. We also learned to go about our normal routines( watching tv, vacuum, etc... ). A house that was too quiet made my son jump at the slightest noise.

I must be doing something right; I already have amazon prime, a sound machine and eclipse curtains.

Going to work on the shower planning and registry very soon. SWMBO plans to breastfeed and we already have a breast pump too.

Now, if I can only find some free time I will get some work done on important stuff... like wrenching on my e30 and buying a maxima for her...

In reply to tb:

See?? You're a natural!! You're gonna be great!

Does your hospital have a lactation specialist on staff? Get in touch with them to setup some sessions with your wife. It will help to relieve alot of the stress that comes w/ trying to get a newborn to breastfeed correctly. Also keep your receipt for the breastpump and try to borrow/rent one of the hospital grade pumps. We bought a decent medela, but had suction and flow issues. We talked to the lactation lady and she hooked us up w/ a hospital grade rental. There was a night and day difference. And our insurance even covered the rental.

When you figure out the wrenching time let me know. I havent touched my vw in years.

Fr3AkAzOiD wrote: Don't have any knowledge about that gen Maxima but as far as strollers go for toddlers (6+ months) the City Mini is awesome. You can open and close it in two seconds one handed and easily fits in the trunk of my Cobalt. You can get adapters to lock in a baby car seat to use with infants but my wife and I had a separate infant stroller cause we hadn't found out about the City Mini yet. Even with my daughter being five we used it at Disney this year to haul our junk and tote my girl when she ran out of gas and passed out. http://www.babyjogger.com/product/city-mini/

Wow, someone is living almost the exact same life as me. Wife and I have a 5-month-old, we have a City Mini, and a Chev Cobalt. City Mini is fantastic, and we inherited it off another GRM member. The Cobalt is lacking on space, although hopefully the space requirement drops once baby becomes a little less reliant on us - i.e. less diapers/toys/other paraphernalia. Little people support equipment takes up more luggage room than that for 2 adults. I'm thinking eventual replacement will be some sort of nice wagon. It's a strength and flexibility exercise to get a baby seat in and out of the Cobalt, especially once baby hits 4 months and upwards.