Nissan Maxima · Engine family · 2 offered

Nissan Maxima 3.0L six-cylinder

The VQ30 is the most common engine code the VIN decodes to on the 3.0L six-cylinder configurations below; hybrid variants of the same displacement carry their own code. Rated at 155 hp. We decode it on 12,558 VINs across 19 factory builds, and 29 listings are reported active. The configuration price reference is $5,450.

Cylinders
6
Power
155 hp
Induction
Naturally aspirated
Fuel
Gasoline
Fitted
1987–2001

◷ Updated September 25, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly

$5,450
Configuration price reference
29
On sale today with the 3.0L 6-cyl
1987–2001
Model years it was fitted
19
Factory configurations
12,558
Maxima VINs decoded with it

The price reference is the median of configuration medians, not the median of all active cars. Each configuration has equal weight. Configurations with at least 3 priced listings are used when available; otherwise the reference uses the configurations with a recorded price. Model years, mileage and condition vary. Open a model-year report below for its asking prices across all engines.

Where the 3.0L 6-cyl sits in the Maxima engine lineup

Every engine family this model was sold with, ordered by size. The bar spans the model years recorded for it; the price is a reference across priced configurations, with each configuration weighted equally. Older engines look cheaper because the cars are older — overlapping years alone do not match the vehicles by age, trim, mileage or condition.

3.0L 6-cyl this page
1987–2001
$5,450
155 hp · 29 on sale
3.5L 6-cyl
2002–2023
$6,894
255 hp · 1,660 on sale

2 engine families, one nameplate. Open the Nissan Maxima price hub to compare them side by side, or to jump into any of the others.

Which Maxima years got a 3.0L 6-cyl engine

Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.

Year Share of VINs VINs On sale Builds
2001 3,342 6 2
2000 4,263 12 2
1999 1,461 1 2
1998 1,307 2 2
1996 1,092 6 1
1995 656 1 1
1994 76 — 1
1993 107 1 2
1992 68 — 2
1990 78 — 1
1989 67 — 1
1988 20 — 1
1987 21 — 1

VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full Maxima report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.

19 factory configurations with this engine

Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.

2001

2 builds

2000

2 builds

1999

2 builds

1998

2 builds

1996

1 build

1995

1 build

1994

1 build

1993

2 builds

1992

2 builds

1990

1 build

1989

1 build

1988

1 build

1987

1 build

Every 2001 Maxima build →

The 3.0L 6-cyl Maxima: common questions

Which Maxima years have the 3.0L 6-cyl?

1987–2001 — 13 model years in our VIN decode, across 19 factory configurations and 12,558 VINs.

What does a 3.0L 6-cyl Maxima cost?

$5,450 is a configuration price reference: the median of configuration medians, with each priced configuration weighted equally. It is not a listing-level median or a valuation of an individual car. The year-by-year ladder shows VIN and inventory counts; its links open model-year price reports covering all engines.

What is the engine code, and does it matter?

VQ30 — the code the VIN decodes to on the configurations on this page. It matters when you order parts or read a service history: the same displacement badge on another model can be a different code with different outputs.

3.0L 6-cyl Maxima on the market

Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.