New Maxima owner in Atlanta

Hi,

I was surfing and found this forum. My wife bough a new car last week. With my help she chose a Pearl/Frost '03 Maxima SE. It's our first Maxima but 5th Nissan (truck, Pathfinder, 280zx turbo and 300zx). I suggested (and she agreed) to get a 6 speed, limited slip diff. It's a nice car for sure. We got the leather and Titanium package, the Bose system sounds pretty good too.
The car rides pretty well, I like the sporty suspension. We wanted a comfortable car to travel in and not too small. I researched many cars a found the Maxima to have the most room and largest trunk capacity of all ther cars we compared.
I thought the pick up was good but I'nm surprised that my Impreza seems to be quite a bit quicker! I wonder if it is only SOP dyno error. What can I expect out of this car in a 1/4 mile? So far we are quite happy with the car. Since this is my wifes' car, I probably will do no mods to it ;)
There is one big problem now, I want a new car too! I wonder if I could swing a new 350Z Track model? On the other hand, I hear that the WRX STI is coming next year for sure:licker: Decisions, decisions.

A WRX will do 0-60 in 5.4(according to Car and Driver) and the Max will do it in 6.0 That doesn't tell the whole story, though, because those are full launches...for everyday useablity the max has a much better engine with a much broader powerband. And i would go with the 350Z over the WRX STi, granted it will be a little slower, but it looks 10x better

Originally posted by thrasher
A WRX will do 0-60 in 5.4(according to Car and Driver) and the Max will do it in 6.0 That doesn't tell the whole story, though, because those are full launches...for everyday useablity the max has a much better engine with a much broader powerband. And i would go with the 350Z over the WRX STi, granted it will be a little slower, but it looks 10x better

You are right about the numbers by Car & driver, etc. They do not tell the whole story and also they tend to be very optimistic. The real world times tend to be considerably slower than those touted in the magazines. I do love the Max, but before saying that it is more useable for everyday driving, etc. It would be very good to actually drive both cars. They are totally different animals. Granted that I'm much more familiar with the WRX, but it really is much faster and quicker than the Max, specially around corners.

While it 's true that the 300Z is a beautiful car, it is also completely different from the WRX STI. There is just no way to actually compare them except in performance. Also, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and as some folks say "pretty is as pretty does". Sure I was very excited about the 300Z track edition. You gootta love the looks and concept of the car! The problem is that the STI promises to be a truly outstanding performer. Also, as nice pretty as the 2 seater coupe is, there is a lot to be said for a very useable 4 door car with lots of room that can kick ass in a major way :cool:

I guess I'm lucky, I have both for now, a new '03 MAX SE plus a WRX, Life is sweet :D

The Impreza WRX weighs in at 2969 (non-wagon), but the Max is 3274 or 3239 depending on the options. I test drive the 2003 I35 which is comparable to the Max GLE model. I liked it alot, but the WRX made me look at Turbo in a whole new way.

Yeah, i will admit that the WRX is more fun to drive, especially through the curves...the only problem is, the thing is built like sh*t. When i test drove the car, everything was fine until i closed the door with the window down, it sounded like shattering glass, it made me shutter. With the Maxima, you know it's going to run to 100k with no problems. Plus, get a couple bolt-ons and you'll be running to 60 around 5.5-5.7 I'm glad i got the Max, that 3.5 mated to the 6 sp is sweet, even though the throws are long and the gears are notchy.:bandit:

Originally posted by SkyTorch
The Impreza WRX weighs in at 2969 (non-wagon), but the Max is 3274 or 3239 depending on the options. I test drive the 2003 I35 which is comparable to the Max GLE model. I liked it alot, but the WRX made me look at Turbo in a whole new way.

According to the published specs in Subaru.com, the WRX for '03 weights in at 3085 pounds, I seem to recall a heavier number when the '02 models came out. Mine is an '02 model. I was totally ready for the '03 Max SE to be very near in performance to the WRX. I had no preconceived ideas and I certainly was not prejudiced. After all, I helped my wife choose and spec her new car. Remember, I wanted a MAX SE. I ordered a SE w/6 speed tranny, limited slip diff, etc. I actually expected to be somewhat disappointed with my WRX after owning the Max. The truth is that I really like the Max, I'm glad we bought it, but I'm more impressed than ever with my WRX. This car really kicks butt.
I don't know if all Subbies are like mine, but I've been in a few other WRX, and they are all very similar in quality, performance, etc. Frankly, my WRX is a very nicely built car. I actually found the construction and quality quite good except for the paint job (the scoop is discolored :p ). Other than that, the car is really quite nice. The Max is a different animal. I have all the options except the heated seats and the navigation. Obviously, the car feels more solid, etc. Anyway, It's not fair to say the WRX is going to last any less than the Max, the Subaru cars are known for their terrific reliability, they are really well sought after cars, it is hard to find used Subbies for sale and harder yet to find used WRXs. If anything, the WRX has a better chance to last longer than a Nissan.

There is no way a turbocharged 2.0 liter Subaru will last as long as a 3.5L VQ powered Nissan. Must i remind you that Nissan owns the company that consistently produces the second highest quality ratings in the world. Granted that doesn't mean all Nissan are high quality, but the Maxima is the flagship. And it is still built in Japan, to my knowledge in the same plant as the I35. My dad has a '98 I30, which has 60,000 miles on it and has NEVER been in the shop for unsheduled maintenance. PLus, turbos by nature put more stress on the engine. :bandit:

Yes, it is still built in Japan. There is a plant opening here in the indistinguishable future. But I could never imagine a WRX in good shape in ten years. It's stance doesn't say attention to detail. You stated the scoop is discolored on your WRX. That is a minor thing, but I own a 5 year I35 in Texas with no discoloring. The sun and heat in Texas is known for fading paint, cracking dashboards, and fading the plastic interior peices in the doors. My car is not in a garage, I park on the street. These are just details, but its the details that separate a 4-year from a 10-year car.

Well sought after? Sure I can see that. Every tuner mag worships the WRX like a minor deity. But that doesn't mean the car is long lasting. Just means the car is fast and upgradeable. A day doesn't go by in Dallas I don't see a Gen3, Gen4 and Gen5 Max. That spans a time frame from 1989 to 2003. Old Subaru's disappear.

it stupid to get somthing with a turbo unless u got some time and or money to put into it keep it running like it should. lot more maintinence involved in that. few of my friends have cars that pretty closely match mine and they r like 97 montecarlos and crap like that, and their paint is already starting to fade, only think i see wrong with mine is all the damn lil chips out of my front bumper and hood from all the rocks and shit hittin it on the shitty roads around here.:smoka:

Originally posted by 97wvmax
it stupid to get somthing with a turbo unless u got some time and or money to put into it keep it running like it should. lot more maintinence involved in that. few of my friends have cars that pretty closely match mine and they r like 97 montecarlos and crap like that, and their paint is already starting to fade, only think i see wrong with mine is all the damn lil chips out of my front bumper and hood from all the rocks and shit hittin it on the shitty roads around here.:smoka:

That is totally wrong, the WRX is built specifically as a turbo charged car. The internals of the engine are much stronger than the N/A engines, the compression is much lower and the computer is tuned specifically to run a turbocharger. The only extra care that it needs is regular oil changes and the use of high octane gasoline. There are lots of turbocharged cars that run hundreds of thousands of miles. There is nothing stupid about getting a turbo. It is not more stupid than getting a normally aspirated car. Many japanese cars have crappy paint jobs and the WRX seems to be one of them but besides that the car totally rocks. The entire drive train is designed to take the abuse of rally racing it is rather silly to say that the WRX is any less robust or sturdy than the Max. On the contrary, it is probably a hell of a lot sturdier because it is built for rallying.
Anyway, what's with the trashing of the WRX anyway? Before one goes putting s**t on a car, one should own it or drive it a good bit. I have and drive a 2003 Max SE *and* the WRX. I also have a 300ZX and have owned a '93 Nissan Truck, a '97 Pathfinder and a '84 280ZX turbo. I speak from experience and I'm not putting the Max down, I'm surprised to read such hostile and uninformed remarks. Try to be happy with the cars you own and don't feel the need to put other cars down, that sucks as well as showing a fairly big lack of real knowledge:rolleyes:

I wouldn't go so far to say turbo kills a car life. Many car makers use turbo to enhance thier cars' performance and make cars that last many years. Mercedes has been making a turbo deisel forever, Volvo has made turbo cars for at least two decades, and Volkswagen has multiple turbo cars in thier arsenal. There's a reason that many makers of cars use small turbo/small engine combination. Space. Cost.

On the flip side. On the list of dependable used cars by JD Powers & assoc, there were no turbo cars. While turbo is an effective way to propel a car, the engines with fewer moving parts seem to last longer. It stands to reason the a engine that need a secondary cooling device has a much higher proabablity of burning up. BTW, I belive there is a better aftermarket intercooler for the WRX. If you plan to keep the car a long time, it might be worth considering.

Originally posted by SkyTorch

On the flip side. On the list of dependable used cars by JD Powers & assoc, there were no turbo cars. ................

BTW, I belive there is a better aftermarket intercooler for the WRX. If you plan to keep the car a long time, it might be worth considering.

There are also a huge number of naturally aspirated cars out of that list too ;) To each his own, I really like my WRX better now after I bought the MAx. I will probably buy me an STI WRX when they become available.
I know about the aftermarket intercoolers and other engine upgrade parts. I'm already running a big 3" turbo-back exhaust, a chip, K&N filter and more :D
The big IC is more for higher performance (more power) than for reliability or longer engine life. The OEM IC is quite good enough for the 227 h.p. The big IC will do wonders wshen the blower gets upgraded and you push more air into the motor. As long as I don't push the boost higher, I don't need to worry about the IC.

I was looking at the WRX, because it is a sweet car for $24k loaded. I wanted the 5speed manual, but since I might have to let others drive it from time to time, I would have to get an automatic. and there is no way (NO way !) I would get a WRX in automatic !! :mad:

it is basically FWD (90% front/10% rear) with the auto tranny until it slips, 50/50 AWD with the manual. I also heard the manual tranny, has trouble if the car makes ~60hp more than stock. I would have loved to have gotten it, but I didn't because of the tranny.

how much was the Maxima ? I was looking for one too (to replace my 97 GLE) and it came out to ~$25k fully loaded

I ended up with a G35, it is similar to the Maxima, but RWD (yes !), roomy, pretty quick, sweet ride, but it only comes with an auto for now which is ok. I also get to play with that "tiptronic" shifting, it is kinda gay, but who cares :p

oh yeah, about the 350Z vs. STi.
it really depends how much you like AWD, I like RWD a bit better, and I don't like FWD. If I had to pick one of the 2, so only I can drive, it would be the STi.

This post hits close to home. I was torn between an 03 MAX SE 6spd and the WRX. Test drove both several times. The WRX is very sweet and goes like a raped ape. However I went with the MAX for the following reasons. 1) Very solid car with proven reliabilty, 2) Magazine tests show the MAX is only .5 sec slower in 0-60 tests, 3) MAX felt more stable at 100+ mph (salesmen still shaking) and 4) As a 6'3" 30+ yr old with wife and kid the car is much more roomy and practical.
No one should knock the WRX over the MAX - they are two different animals but both fun to drive. Performance levels are so close the drivers experience will make the difference in any street fight.
Change oil every 2K with synthetic oil and either car will run till the doors fall off.

It the beat the BMW 330i in the Motor Trend showdown along side the Cadillac CTS. It had better handling and better acceleration. It had more space and it was less expensive, seems to me by $6k. But the G35 has a weird butt. It looks like a big car diaper. I guess that not really important from the driver perspective, when you romp on it everyone else will be looking at the back of your diaper :silly2:

another new member in atlanta. check the SEastern section in max-world.org or maxima.org we hold meets all the times.

Originally posted by MaxRX7
I was looking at the WRX, because it is a sweet car for $24k loaded. I wanted the 5speed manual, but since I might have to let others drive it from time to time, I would have to get an automatic. and there is no way (NO way !) I would get a WRX in automatic !! :mad:
..........................

I ended up with a G35, it is similar to the Maxima, but RWD (yes !), roomy, pretty quick, sweet ride, but it only comes with an auto for now which is ok. I also get to play with that "tiptronic" shifting, it is kinda gay, but who cares :p

oh yeah, about the 350Z vs. STi.
it really depends how much you like AWD, I like RWD a bit better, and I don't like FWD. If I had to pick one of the 2, so only I can drive, it would be the STi.

We looked at the G35 too, it was a very attractive car, my wife and I loved the ride, etc. The deciding factor was that she liked the visibility of the Max and the "feel" over the G35. Also, amazingly enough, the Max is larger inside and more practical. The six speed tranny over the G35 auto was also a big factor for us.

The Max ended up costing around $32K but it's basically loaded with everything but the navigation system. Not cheap, but not too much for the car either.

I'm still a little on the fence about the 350Z vs. WRX STi. It's really a tough choice. In the one hand there is that beautiful 2 seater with the awesome performance from a naturally aspirated engine. I really like the looks and the whole concept of the car. On the other hand, the (still not in the showrooms) WRX STi, promises to be a totally awesome machine. While Subaru is not officially announcing it's arrival, I've been told by several dealers as well as the Subaru reps at the car show that "it's coming next year". Trust me, if it is even close to what I expect, it will be a very easy car to fall in love with. My WRX is absolutely a rocket, the STi will make it look tame :D. Another thing I suspect it that it will also come with the close ratio, stronger gearbox plus new styling. I don't know but it sure sounds tempting......

do you want to hear about reliability. I have two maximas with over nearing 300.000 miles original engine and drivetrains incredible huh. no signs of oil burning or transmission problems.I also have a 2003 nissan maxima se auto and my other car is a mercedes E55 amg both cars are extremely satisfying and bring close emotions and pride. The E55 my wife drives the 2003 maxima se is mine to drive and so on we switch from time to time.


2003 nissan maxima se logbook races.

2000Audi s4
1995 mercedes c36
1997 BMW M3
2003 Acura type S

and so on the VQ35DE is one amazing engine.
1981 Datsun 810 maxima (LD28)
1983 Datsun 810 maxima (LD28)
2001 Mercedes E55 AMG and
2003 Nissan maxima SE :)

do you want to hear about reliability. I have two maximas with over nearing 300.000 miles original engine and drivetrains incredible huh. no signs of oil burning or transmission problems.I also have a 2003 nissan maxima se auto and my other car is a mercedes E55 amg both cars are extremely satisfying and bring close emotions and pride. The E55 my wife drives the 2003 maxima se is mine to drive and so on we switch from time to time.


2003 nissan maxima se logbook races.

2000Audi s4
1995 mercedes c36
1997 BMW M3
2003 Acura type S

and so on the VQ35DE is one amazing engine.
1981 Datsun 810 maxima (LD28)
1983 Datsun 810 maxima (LD28)
2001 Mercedes E55 AMG and
2003 Nissan maxima SE :)

I love chewing up Ponies as much as the next guy or gal, but has any seen, driven, gone head-to-head with the new Mustang Cobra. I have never been a Ford fan and was even less of a fan when I owned an Escort. But when you here about factory blown V8 with 390HP you tend to sit up straight in your chair and take notice. I beleive it available for about 32k, comparably priced to a WRX STI or a 350Z. I would think this would/should raise the stakes when you consider a 30k sports cars - from any continent.

:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Sportscarfanatic


We looked at the G35 too, it was a very attractive car, my wife and I loved the ride, etc. The deciding factor was that she liked the visibility of the Max and the "feel" over the G35. Also, amazingly enough, the Max is larger inside and more practical. The six speed tranny over the G35 auto was also a big factor for us.

The Max ended up costing around $32K but it's basically loaded with everything but the navigation system. Not cheap, but not too much for the car either.

I'm still a little on the fence about the 350Z vs. WRX STi. It's really a tough choice. In the one hand there is that beautiful 2 seater with the awesome performance from a naturally aspirated engine. I really like the looks and the whole concept of the car. On the other hand, the (still not in the showrooms) WRX STi, promises to be a totally awesome machine. While Subaru is not officially announcing it's arrival, I've been told by several dealers as well as the Subaru reps at the car show that "it's coming next year". Trust me, if it is even close to what I expect, it will be a very easy car to fall in love with. My WRX is absolutely a rocket, the STi will make it look tame :D. Another thing I suspect it that it will also come with the close ratio, stronger gearbox plus new styling. I don't know but it sure sounds tempting......

I'm curious in on one thing, does your maxima have rear A/C ?
I had to get the "premium package" to get the dual/rear A/C and it also required me to get a moonroof which I didn't really want. total came out to $32.5 before taxes, etc. I also do not have the Nav. system or the aero package. The dealership was very professional and didn't haggle on the price.

I guess the price will be the deciding factor on the STi, do you know what's the range?
Also, what do you think about the RX-8, I've been waiting for it to come out since it was a prototype and I got tired of waiting :o
I still like it a lot though :)

Originally posted by SkyTorch
I love chewing up Ponies as much as the next guy or gal, but has any seen, driven, gone head-to-head with the new Mustang Cobra. I have never been a Ford fan and was even less of a fan when I owned an Escort. But when you here about factory blown V8 with 390HP you tend to sit up straight in your chair and take notice. I beleive it available for about 32k, comparably priced to a WRX STI or a 350Z. I would think this would/should raise the stakes when you consider a 30k sports cars - from any continent.

:rolleyes:

yeah they can be kewl also if you like: drag racing, going fast in a straight line, and/or "wrastlin" :D

Actually, I like wrastlin (correct pronunciation BTW), drag racing, and go fast in any line, straight or other wise. I still drive a Nissan. But, I don't drink Coors, Schlitz, or Pearl. I don't have a cousin named "bubba", an aunt named "fran" or a crazy one-eyed uncle. But let get back to the car. SVT's and Cobra's don't spin out as legend has it. I have been in a SVT at 100-120mph, in a residential area. Scared the #$$* out of me, but we didn't slide once. Sooo, is there any other muscled up Japanoride in this catergorie?

Sidenote, I don't drive like that - ever. Just so happen that this guy was a cop.

Originally posted by MaxRX7


I'm curious in on one thing, does your maxima have rear A/C ?
I had to get the "premium package" to get the dual/rear A/C and it also required me to get a moonroof which I didn't really want. total came out to $32.5 before taxes, etc. I also do not have the Nav. system or the aero package. The dealership was very professional and didn't haggle on the price.

I guess the price will be the deciding factor on the STi, do you know what's the range?
Also, what do you think about the RX-8, I've been waiting for it to come out since it was a prototype and I got tired of waiting :o
I still like it a lot though :)

Good grief, I don't even know if the car has the rear A/C or not. I know that it has all the options available to the SE except the Meridian Package and the Navigation. I think it came out just under $32K. I am curious about the RX-8 as well. Of course, it is still vaporware :(
I just spoke with a Subaru salesman and he said that the EPA nixed the STi and the EVO VII this year and that they would try again in '04 :( I asked him to call me as soon as they started taking deposits on them, lets see what happens ...... BTW, some folks say that the price for the STi will be closer to $30K than $35K.
I also looked at the '03 Mustang Cobra with the 390 hp supercharged engine and 6 speed tranny. They appear to be awesome performers with 12 second 1/4 mile times right out of the box. I also understand that they do everything better than the Corvette. If that is true, forget about the 'bad handling" rap. They should handle every bit as good as anything else on the road with very few exceptions. The big negatives of it are that the dealers are tacking and extra $5K to the sticker price and also, no matter what they are still a Mustang and will be worth less than half it's price in a year. No, I think I'll stay away from the Mustangs for the foreseeable future.
The '03 Max should be good for at least 5 years before the wife puts 50K or 60K miles on it and we trade again. FOr myself, I'll probably trade again within the next 12 months. If the STi shows up, I'll likely scoop one up. If not, I'll have to look and test drive a lot of cars yet :D

What are you guys talking about, ripping on the handling of Cobra's. They have been known to consitently run extremely high speeds through the slalom and such...show me an article or publication where they say the Cobra has subpar handling. They have always been awesome through the corners.
:bandit:

I've not heard that the new Cobras handle badly at all. I thought they were supposed to be great handling cars. Somebody told me that they were supposed to out-perform the Corvettes and those are definitely superior performance sports cars.