Which car to buy?

I currently drive a '98 Honda Prelude, but I am looking to buy something with a little more room. Several cars that I am interested are the Nissan Maxima SE ('00 or newer), the Nissan Altima 3.5SE (I believe these came out in '02?), and a '97-'99 BMW 540i. I was also thinking about the Lexus IS300, but have not seen any in my price range ($12,000 max). All of these cars would be a stick if I were going to buy it.

Okay, now here is where my questions come in. For the Nissan guys, how does the '00-'01 Maxima versus the '02+ Maxima versus the Altima 3.5SE look in your opinion. I know that the '02 Maxima has the most power, followed by the Altima, and closely followed by the older Maxima. Has anybody driven all 3 cars that can give me some feedback?

As for BMW, i know that the repairs are typically expensive, but how reliable would a 540 with around 100k miles on it be? (since this would be the kind I would have to get for the price).

And to get a few questions out of the way: Snow would not be a factor so I really do not care if it is rwd or fwd. Any other suggestions are welcome, though keep in mind, I am looking for something practical that is a sedan and is fun to drive (I would like for it to be faster than my Prelude as well).

I would be weary of any E39 (96-02) 540i for less then $20,000 or so (give or take). They are amazing cars, but if you are going to buy a high milage one you want some money left over for repairs. Even at 100,000 miles, it will still be pretty reliable, but once you do need to pay for repairs you'll be in trouble. The general rule for BMWs is that they need repairs less often then most cars, but they are pretty expensive when they do need it. An alternative to the 540i might be an E39 528i/530i, or even better yet, an E36 325i/328i. Don't reach too far for power with BMWs with limited money or you will wind up in trouble. The E36 is a great car, as are the smaller engined E39s.

Okay, now here is where my questions come in. For the Nissan guys, how does the '00-'01 Maxima versus the '02+ Maxima versus the Altima 3.5SE look in your opinion. I know that the '02 Maxima has the most power, followed by the Altima, and closely followed by the older Maxima. Has anybody driven all 3 cars that can give me some feedback?


i own a 2000 maxima and a 2002 SE 6 speed. the difference between the 3.0 and the 3.5 is like night and day, plus the 02-03's have more amenities, like heated steering wheel, 6 disc in dash changer, HID's, and it's got a digital readout telling you things like the ambient temperature, your current mpg, and how many miles you have left until your tank is empty. the difference in power and speed between the altima and maxima(3.5) is almost negligible. i prefer the maxima for the 6 speed tranny. i can drive 85 mph at 2500 rpm in 6th gear and average up in the 35+ mpg range on the highway. if you're gonna go with a nissan IMO it's worth the extra $$ to get one with a VQ35.

with the cars on the list, i would drop everything and do whatever it takes to get a 540i. i've driven a '97 540i on several occasions and i can tell you that they are extrodinary pieces of engineering. i really think the extra money for repairs is more than worth it. each time i've been able to drive it i'm more impressed at how much i love the 540. everything just comes together to make a really well balanced, all-around vehicle: power, handling, luxury, class, it's all there.

The IS 300 is going to be about as reliable as a rock. I'd go with that.

The IS 300 is going to be about as reliable as a rock. I'd go with that.
yeah, agreed...it would be my choice on the list but i havent seen one for less than $16k and trust me, i keep my eyes open. they are also hard to find in a 5-speed...

the IS300 is too small since your looking for more space and yeah, theyre expensive. a typical 5.5 gen max is going to run anywhere from 14-19k w/ under 100000 miles. But it is a damn fine car. since your price range is low, i would assume that you dont have the money to pay fro repairs, correct? so forget the Bimmer, although it is a very nice car.

a 2000-01 max is pretty cheap, around 12k, the power is plentiful even though it is VQ30, and they still drive so well. as good as a bimmer imho, for less and longer.

if i think of any other cars ill bring them up, but so far you cant go wrong with a maxima

If you've got 12k to spend, do NOT spend it all on a high mileage German car. I made the mistake once of spending all I could afford on a German car and as soon as things start going wrong, you'll be in trouble. From what you've listed, I'd get the newest Maxima you can afford.