maxima vs altima 3.5 se

I'm thinking of getting a new car...

I decided to go with nissan's v6 engine.

which one should I choose?

maxima se vs altima 3.5 se...

which is faster? which handles better? anything else I should know?

Thank you.

they started putting the vg35's in later 01 maxima's with a 6 speed, 255hp, but altimas only get a 5 speed and the engine is not tuned well only making between 240 - 245< this depends on the year.. the ser altima produces 265 but the maxima which, looks more appealing produces the same hp,now all that matters is the year u want the car in and how much u have to spend.....
(also from 02 and up both the altima and maxima get 5 speed automatics, if this helps)

Altimaracer, your specs are a bit off.

it's a VQ35 not a vg and it was in 02 that they started putting them in the maxima's, not 01. SE-R altima's are 260 hp, the maxima is 265, but they packed on a bit of weight in the SE-R putting it a whole 135 lbs heavier than a 5.5 gen 3.5 maxima. Also the maxima didn't get a 5 speed automatic as standard equipment until 2005, it was only an option in 2004 and didn't exist before that in max's, and the altima never got a 5 speed auto except for in the SE-R, all other altima's use a 4 speed automatic.

as far as the Se-R, i can't see any real justification in buying an SE-R altima over a 2002-2003 3.5L maxima. for the extra $12,000(minimum) you'll spend on the altima you only get 5 more hp and an IRS, other than that the car's are almost indentical.