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96 maxima vs 03 altima 3.5L


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99maxse
03-13-2003, 07:46 PM
the tantrums would look sick on your altima.. u getting them chromed out or just silver?:)

Paonessa
03-13-2003, 08:01 PM
better go silver. chrome's heavy. i woudn't put them on my 6 cylinder let alone a 4.

Spaz
03-13-2003, 08:25 PM
Do they make aluminum rims? or is it just not strong enough.

JBL85
03-13-2003, 08:39 PM
Originally posted by Paonessa
better go silver. chrome's heavy. i woudn't put them on my 6 cylinder let alone a 4.

Yep, no chrome for me, I like light weight rims :)

MaximusGTR
03-13-2003, 10:26 PM
Originally posted by JBL85


Yep, no chrome for me, I like light weight rims :)

Wow, I actually agree with Nick this time

JBL85
03-13-2003, 10:44 PM
Originally posted by MaximusGTR


Wow, I actually agree with Nick this time

LOL, if you guys quit flamming on me and didnt cause me to outburst so much, you would see I am a nice guy, most the guys at Altimas.net are friends with me :)

JBL85
03-14-2003, 12:11 AM
Which ones? Give me your honest opinion :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid41/pe46b767f246d80e4e359cfb88bffe7e1/fcf71a84.jpg

http://www.nissantalk.com/registry/users/Voyagerone/images/lg_T8.jpg :D

joeB
03-14-2003, 12:44 AM
Originally posted by JBL85
Which ones? Give me your honest opinion :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid41/pe46b767f246d80e4e359cfb88bffe7e1/fcf71a84.jpg

http://www.nissantalk.com/registry/users/Voyagerone/images/lg_T8.jpg :D

Im up late again,
I like the rims that the black Altima has.

Go with them Nick.:D

JBL85
03-14-2003, 01:09 AM
LOL, they are 300 more then the ADR knock offs, but I think I am.

I CANT FREAKING FIND THE WEBSITE, I saw them for $900, 18x8 everything fit for my car.

Looks like I will be up lal night looking for that website.

Pick
03-14-2003, 05:50 AM
Originally posted by JBL85
Which ones? Give me your honest opinion :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid41/pe46b767f246d80e4e359cfb88bffe7e1/fcf71a84.jpg

http://www.nissantalk.com/registry/users/Voyagerone/images/lg_T8.jpg :D

The ones on the top look too close to stock. Get the ones on the bottom.

Strider Negro
03-14-2003, 06:02 AM
yeah I agree
the ones are the bottom look real nice
:smoker2:

Paonessa
03-14-2003, 09:34 AM
they're so similar it doesn't even really matter. one's six spoke silver one's seven spoke.

Paonessa
03-14-2003, 09:38 AM
Originally posted by JBL85


LOL, if you guys quit flamming on me and didnt cause me to outburst so much, you would see I am a nice guy, most the guys at Altimas.net are friends with me :)
if you didn't outburst so much we'd quit flaming you so often:) . and i bet those altima guys think you can beat a maxima too huh? birds of a feather...

JBL85
03-14-2003, 10:25 AM
Originally posted by Paonessa

if you didn't outburst so much we'd quit flaming you so often:) . and i bet those altima guys think you can beat a maxima too huh? birds of a feather...


noticed I was flamed before the outbursts. I never asked the altima guys what they think, they would probably agree and thats no fun, what else would I do with my time besides irritate you guys with this thread :p


Anyhow, I am thinking I am going with the konig tantrums because they are better qualit, the ones on the bottom have an issue with their clear coat chipping and I want to keep these rims for a few year at minimum since this will be my fourth and finally set of wheels

Thanks for the opinions though

Paonessa
03-14-2003, 10:35 AM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by JBL85
[B]


noticed I was flamed before the outbursts. I never asked the altima guys what they think, they would probably agree and thats no fun, what else would I do with my time besides irritate you guys with this thread :p


not to get back into it again cuz it's kinda nice with no quarrels, but i didn't say anything derogatory until you said we knew nothing about cars and called me f'in' ignorant just for disagreeing.

and either set of rims will look just fine

Strider Negro
03-14-2003, 11:15 AM
fourth set of wheels??:eek: :eek:
damn where are the other three sets?
did they all rust or did they break or something cuz damn fourth set of wheels????????:eek2:

JBL85
03-14-2003, 11:22 AM
1st OEM 16" hub caps, dont really count
2nd 17" 5 Zigen 5ZR $510 then like $540 on my whack tire size
3rd Infiniti G35 Wheels I traded them for the 5Zigens with tires, I could have kept the tires, but they were a fat profile, so they looked bad, then I got my Potenzas for 130 bucks from the guy that took my wheels.

So now, I want to make sure I dont get ripped a new one and I want to do everything right, I've been looking at rims for 2 months straight now and finally brought it down to the Tantrums and GT Sports, but am leaning towards the Tantrums ever since I heard ADR doesnt have a good clear coat :bloated: Ugg thanks for listening

97wvmax
03-14-2003, 02:10 PM
:huh:

JBL85
03-14-2003, 02:12 PM
Originally posted by 97wvmax
:huh:

Exactly

joeB
03-14-2003, 07:13 PM
What what?
:flash:

Strider Negro
03-15-2003, 08:27 AM
I'm with joe b on this one

what?

JBL85
03-15-2003, 10:30 AM
Originally posted by Strider Negro
I'm with joe b on this one

what?

should I explain again in a more simple form?

Paonessa
03-15-2003, 10:35 AM
no.

Pick
03-15-2003, 10:42 AM
Originally posted by Paonessa
no. :rolleyes: :confused: :D

99maxse
03-15-2003, 02:51 PM
the tantrums are nice. but so many people have them.. konig does build a great wheel.:D

StimpsonJCat
03-15-2003, 08:07 PM
I think both of them look too stock. I'd keep looking if I was you.

Note: I didnt make any cracks about the 2.5 vs a max thing in this message.....

mad max 98
03-15-2003, 08:23 PM
when is the frigging race guys, btw nick i'm still keeping my promise as soon as i get to cali i'll race u, i'll be there around the 18th of april . i'm gonna drive from maryland to cali just for u:devil: :p :p :p

99maxse
03-15-2003, 08:29 PM
:silly2: :silly2:

JBL85
03-17-2003, 08:49 AM
Is this thread almost dead :p

Im buying my NOS kit today :eek: Dont know if I am gonna install it though, I think I might just re-sale it. Anyone interested, it was only used a couple of times with a 50 shot, its wet too with a purge on it.

MaximusGTR
03-17-2003, 11:45 AM
Originally posted by JBL85
Is this thread almost dead :p

Im buying my NOS kit today :eek: Dont know if I am gonna install it though, I think I might just re-sale it. Anyone interested, it was only used a couple of times with a 50 shot, its wet too with a purge on it.

You had NOS all along Nick, thats how you beat an Auto 4rth gen Max. Your not fooling us JBL.
http://www.ok-speed.com/forums/images/smilies/new/3gears.gif

97wvmax
03-17-2003, 01:57 PM
jackass :zx11pisse

Strider Negro
03-17-2003, 05:00 PM
don't they make turbo's for an altima?

99maxse
03-17-2003, 07:37 PM
nick with nos:silly2: :silly2:

Maciek
03-17-2003, 11:38 PM
Without question, the 98 or 99 Nissan Maxima SE is the fastest sedan (yes…that means “4-door”) recently, if not ever made FOR THE PRICE (…and I mean ORIGINAL MSRP). I know, the 97 model is practically the same as some may claim, but, surprisingly, it is a little different here and there (go ahead and read about it – specs, etc.) so let me break it to you if you have one – technically, it is a little slower than the 98 or 99 model. Getting to the point…I own a 99 Maxima SE 5-spd (ALL STOCK). Tested it out a few times and obtained an average of 6.5 sec 0-60 acceleration. This is a very accurate measurement on my behalf as other sources elsewhere give the 98 and 99 Maxima SE (5-spd) anywhere between 6.5 and 6.7 (Edmunds.com gives 6.6 for instance). Notice that I emphasize “5-spd” everywhere because stock automatic models are obviously slower and go into the 7 second range. I also think it MAY have the fastest quarter mile time (which to some is more important than 0-60 time) as well, but I have not tested that out yet so I cannot say for sure. However, as I mentioned earlier, no recent or past STOCK sedan with a retail price of $22,019 or UNDER (that was the official retail price of a base 99 Nissan Maxima SE 5-spd) beats a time of 6.5. Prove me wrong! But be legitimate!

bk2kmax
03-18-2003, 02:41 PM
Originally posted by Maciek
Without question, the 98 or 99 Nissan Maxima SE is the fastest sedan (yes…that means “4-door”) recently, if not ever made FOR THE PRICE (…and I mean ORIGINAL MSRP). I know, the 97 model is practically the same as some may claim, but, surprisingly, it is a little different here and there (go ahead and read about it – specs, etc.) so let me break it to you if you have one – technically, it is a little slower than the 98 or 99 model. Getting to the point…I own a 99 Maxima SE 5-spd (ALL STOCK). Tested it out a few times and obtained an average of 6.5 sec 0-60 acceleration. This is a very accurate measurement on my behalf as other sources elsewhere give the 98 and 99 Maxima SE (5-spd) anywhere between 6.5 and 6.7 (Edmunds.com gives 6.6 for instance). Notice that I emphasize “5-spd” everywhere because stock automatic models are obviously slower and go into the 7 second range. I also think it MAY have the fastest quarter mile time (which to some is more important than 0-60 time) as well, but I have not tested that out yet so I cannot say for sure. However, as I mentioned earlier, no recent or past STOCK sedan with a retail price of $22,019 or UNDER (that was the official retail price of a base 99 Nissan Maxima SE 5-spd) beats a time of 6.5. Prove me wrong! But be legitimate!

Maybe you ought to read this even though it's long:

Something all Maxima owners should read: Long (this post)

Maxima.org Dyno Comparisons: Battle of the Maxima 3.0's


Submitted by Steve Pake



Dyno Comparisons — Introduction

One of the longest running debates among members of the Maxima.org community is the classic question of "whose is fastest". In the decade running from 1992 to 2001, the performance-oriented Nissan Maxima SE's were all built with 3.0L engines ranging from 190HP to 222HP. The novice might easily conclude that the 222HP Maxima is obviously the fastest, but there is much more to automotive performance than just peak horsepower figures alone. To get to the true answers, one must look much deeper into cars than this and analyze some factors that are often overlooked.

In the past, Maxima.org members have fiercely battled the merits of their respective cars, all vying that their particular generation Maxima is the fastest overall. Arguing points have been best stock ¼ mile times at the track, best modified ¼ mile times, and in some cases even competitions on the streets away from populated areas. However, there are always a very high number of variables in any of these racing conditions, the largest of which is the driver. As the saying goes, "a bad driver can make a fast car slow, but a good driver cannot make a slower car fast." If a car that's perceived to be slower runs a great time at the track, is it because of the driver, or was the car itself fast? This can result in an endless loop of debates.

The purpose of this article will be to take a new look at an old argument, and attempt to quantify the differences between these 3.0 Maxima's with a more scientific approach using something called dyno analysis. A chassis dynamometer measures the power at the wheels of a car from a low RPM all the way up to the engine's maximum operating speed, effectively measuring the vehicle's acceleration capabilities. An engine's force is not a constant throughout its operational range (it can actually vary quite a bit) so the power curves are very important to determine. Unlike competitions at the track, dyno analysis isolates the driver (the largest variable) from the car, which then allows you a much more detailed and accurate comparison of just the cars themselves.

If anyone has taken a basic Physics class, you'll probably recognize the following equation, "F = ma", from Newton's Second Law of Motion. This equation relates force "F", mass "m", and acceleration "a" all to each other such that you can determine anyone of these variables given that you know the values of the other two variables. The mass of a car is constant, and a chassis dynamometer gives you the force. This is two of the three variables, so now you can solve for the last remaining variable which is acceleration.

a = (F/m).

From this rearranged equation, it is now easy to see that there are two primary ways of increasing acceleration. You can either increase the force, or decrease the mass, and this is the basic principle for automotive performance. Everything else comes second.

Engine Power Curves

Lets take the first step and look at the dyno power and torque curves for the engines: the VE30DE, the VQ30DE, and the VQ30DE-K.

3rd Generation (1992-1994 SE): VE30DE, 3.0L DOHC 24-valve V6. 190HP @ 5600rpm, 190 lb-ft @ 4000rpm. Iron block and heads, variable valve timing, variable intake manifold.

4th Generation (1995-1999 all models): VQ30DE, 3.0L DOHC 24-valve V6. 190HP @ 5600rpm, 205 lb-ft @ 4000rpm. Aluminum block and heads, NO variable valve timing, NO variable intake manifold.

5th Generation (2000-2001 all models): VQ30DE-K, 3.0L DOHC 24-valve V6. 222HP @ 6400rpm, 217 lb-ft @ 4000rpm. Aluminum block and heads, NO variable valve timing, variable intake manifold.

Putting these engines to the test on the popular Dynojet 248 chassis dynamometer will net the following typical peak results below, although your individual car may test out slightly lower or higher:

3rd Gen VE30DE: 164whp/167wtq


4th Gen VQ30DE: 161 whp/174wtq

5th Gen VQ30DE-K: 186 whp/186wtq
Figure 1: Engine Horsepower and Torque Curves



Seeing the power curves for the engines, it's very easy to conclude that the VQ30DE-K with 222HP (186 whp) is by far the most powerful or the three engines. Also apparent is that the VE30DE engine has a bit more power at the top-end than the identically rated VQ30DE engine, most likely due to the VE engine's variable valve timing and variable intake manifold technologies that the VQ engine lacks.

Note that these figures are in wheel horsepower and torque, and that they are lower than the peak advertised numbers. This is because drivetrain components themselves require energy to use such that by the time the engine's power finally gets to where the rubber meets the pavement there is something less than what the engine started with. Typically, a Dynojet dynamometer will record a "loss" of 15-18% for manual drivetrains, and 22-25% for automatic drivetrains. The Dynojet dynos are passive rolling load type dynamometers, so the vehicle is tested while accelerating. Some additional energy is lost accelerating the engine and drivetrain components themselves, so there is not really this much "loss", but that is for another technical discussion. If you have ever wondered why manual transmission equipped cars are generally faster than their automatic counterparts, the difference in drivetrain efficiency is a big part of that, along with the fact that manuals tend to have an extra gear with more aggressive ratios than automatic transmissions.

However, you can't just ride an engine down the track - you need a car too!

Power to Weight Ratio Curves

Now that we have established the force that each of these engines are able to produce at each point along their RPM ranges, now we can figure in the mass that each of these engines are pulling to determine their overall acceleration rates.

3rd Generation: approx 3100 lbs.

4th Generation: approx 3000 lbs.
5th Generation: approx 3200 lbs.
We know that the 5th Gen Maxima clearly has the most overall power from the previous section, but it is also by far the heaviest of the three, and as you can see in Figure 2 below, this has a very significant impact on the vehicle's performance.

Figure 2: Power to Weight Ratio Curves



Now that weight has been accounted for, our calculations show that even with all of the extra power, the 5th Gen Maxima does not have much more, if any, acceleration potential than the 4th Gen Maxima until after 5500rpm. Otherwise the cars are pretty close, although the results indicate that the 5th Gen will edge ahead at the top of each gear. Also, one might not have thought that the 4th Gen Maxima with the same 190HP as the 3rd Gen would be any faster. However, because of the added torque and the reduced weight from the aluminum block VQ engine vs the VE's heavier iron block, the 4th Gen now has a clear advantage against the 3rd Gen.

So if we end the comparison here, it's a pretty close race overall with the 5th Gen Maxima taking a slight lead, the 4th Gen Maxima just behind, and then finally the 3rd Gen Maxima nipping at the heels of the 4th Gen VQ.

However, it doesn't end there.

From discussions with fellow Maxima owners on the Maxima.org Forums, it has generally been concluded that the 4th Gen Maxima's are actually slightly faster than the 5th Gen's. Stock vs stock, and modded vs modded, the 4th Gen's tend to put down slightly better times at the track, and they also tend to do slightly better in informal street competitions. Even members that have owned both 4th Gen and 5th Gen Maxima's have said that their 4th Gen's felt a bit faster, although their 5th Gen's still had better highway pickup thanks to the better top-end. So what's wrong with this picture? The dyno comparison shows that the 5th Gen should be faster overall, yet it's generally agreed upon that the 4th Gen's are the faster overall car. What gives?

As it turns out, there is another very significant variable still not accounted for, and it isn't the driver (not yet at least :-))

Wheel and Tire Weight !!!!

Wheel/Tire Weight vs Vehicle Performance

Professional and enthusiast cyclists know all about this, but it's often taken for granted among enthusiast circles in the automotive world. The heavier your wheels are, the more rotational inertia (drag) they'll have which means they will be more difficult to accelerate. To understand this concept, imagine that you have a small children's bicycle up on a stand. One of these small wheels may have about the same overall diameter as the wheels on your car. You can easily put your finger on one of the wheel spokes of the bicycle and get it spinning easily. Now try the same thing with one of your car's wheels. You'll probably end up with a very sore finger!! Even though the diameter of the wheels are the same, the wheel (and tire) on your car is significantly heavier and requires many orders of magnitude greater force to get it accelerating at the same rate as the bicycle wheel. It's not just that the wheels and tires themselves are heavier, but rather that you must accelerate this weight around and around in circles that makes it more difficult to accelerate.

Without going into the equations too much (I = mr2), the lighter your overall wheel and tire combination weight is, the smaller the moment of inertia will be for accelerating them, which will allow your car to accelerate faster. Also, the closer the center of mass of the wheel and tire combined is to the axis of rotation, the smaller the moment of inertia will be, which again will allow for faster acceleration. A good approximation for this is to just assume that the center of mass of your wheel and tire is equal to the radius of the wheel itself. If you have 18" rims and low-profile tires that in total weigh about 55lb and then switch to much lighter 15" rims and taller tires (while keeping tire diameter the same) for a total weight of 40lb you now have a two-fold benefit. First, you reduced the moment of inertia by reducing the weight of your wheel/tire combination by 15 lb. Secondly, you further reduced the moment of inertia by keeping the center of wheel/tire mass closer to the axis of rotation. So in the process of doing this switch, you lightened your car by 60lb, but also reduced the moment of inertia of your wheel and tires by 50% which will in turn allow for better acceleration.

So how big of a difference does a low moment of rotational inertia make? Well, the actual equations and algebra needed to show this directly get a little complex for those that are not engineers or mathematicians, so we will not do that here. However, a good approximation has been discussed and widely agreed upon that states that every single pound you add to your wheel and tire combination is equivalent to adding eight pounds to the curb weight of your car. However, you don't just have one wheel and tire. You have four of them, and all four wheels require energy to accelerate. In the above example of going from 15" to 18" rims and vice versa, that represents a difference of 480 lb of curb weight!!!! Now it's very easy to see how significant just a few extra pounds of wheel and tire mass can become. So now lets take a look at our Maxima's to see what the differences are.

Both 3rd Gen and 4th Gen Maxima's were shipped with 15" rims that weighed approximately 40lbs. including their tires. In 1997 the 4th Gen's got slightly larger 16" rims with a 2lbs. increase to 42lbs. for the new wheel/tire combination weight. Initial 5th Gen SE's were shipped with 16" rims as well (approximately 42lb) because the 17" rims were late availability. Once the 17" rims became available, all further SE's were shipped with 17" rims weighing 50lb including the tires. 17" rims account for the majority of the 2000-2001 Maxima SE's. Since the 16" rims are the middle ground, we'll use that as our baseline and then adjust the other curb weights from that point.

Vehicle Wheel Size Approx Wheel/Tire Weight Curb Weight Adjustment from 16"/42 lb Adjusted Curb Weight
3rd Gen 15" 40 lbs. 3100 lbs. - 64 lbs. 3036 lbs.
4th Gen 15" 40 lbs. 3000 lbs. - 64 lbs. 2936 lbs.
4th Gen 16" 42 lbs. 3000 lbs. n/a 3000 lbs.
5th Gen 16" 42 lbs. 3200 lbs. n/a 3200 lbs.
5th Gen 17" 50 lbs. 3200 lbs. + 256 lbs. 3456 lbs.


A 3100lb 3rd Gen effectively becomes approximately 3036lb. A 3000lb 4th Gen with 15" rims becomes approximately 2936lb. The 4th and 5th Gen models with 16" rims maintain their respective 3000lb and 3200lb curb weights. However, the 5th Gen with 17" rims takes a whopping 256lb hit to its effective curb weight. Now if we revisit our previous calculations the picture suddenly becomes MUCH different!

Figure 3: Power to Weight Ratio Curves, Accounting for Wheel/Tire Weights



Figure 4: ZOOM



Taking wheel/tire mass into account, we now have two completely different pictures for the 5th Gen's depending on how the vehicle is equipped. The 5th Gen with 16" rims is perhaps one of the fastest 3.0's, yet the 17" equipped models are perhaps the slowest. By now you should have a basic understanding of what you're looking at, so these charts should be pretty self-explanatory. Figure 3 shows the overall power and torque curves, while Figure 4 shows a zoom of the peak horsepower range at the top-end on the left, with a zoom of the torque curves for the low/mid-range on the right.

Final Results

Now that we have something that's more or less close to the "whole picture", we can finally make some objective conclusions about all of these different Maxima's. However, everybody has their own definition of performance which can vary greatly from person to person. Some of us are after flat-out top-end power, while others of us want strong low/mid-range punch for slicing through heavy stop and go traffic, and for pulling away from stoplight after stoplight. And then other people just want a car that performs well all-around and will be up to the challenge no matter what the task. So instead of trying to declare an overall winner that without a doubt would draw flames from the other two generations of owners, what I will do instead is categorize the results and then let you make your own conclusions based on what your specific needs and desires are.

Overall Performance (2000-6500rpm)

Rank Model FWHP/(Weight)
1 Gen5/16" 86.3
2 Gen4/15" 83.0
3 Gen4/16" 81.3
4 Gen3/15",
Gen5/17" (tie) 80.1
80.0


Top-End Performance (4500-6500rpm)

Rank Model FWHP/(Weight)
1 Gen5/16" 108.5
2 Gen4/15",
Gen3/15",
Gen5/17" (tie) 101.0
100.8
100.4
3 Gen4/16" 98.8


Mid-Range Performance (3000-5000rpm)

Rank Model FWHP/(Weight)
1 Gen4/15",
Gen5/16" (tie) 86.5
86.5
2 Gen4/16" 84.7
3 Gen3/15" 81.5
4 Gen5/17" 80.1


Low-End Performance (2000-3000rpm)

Rank Model FWHP/(Weight)
1 Gen4/15" 52.5
2 Gen4/16" 51.3
3 Gen5/16" 50.4
4 Gen5/17",
Gen3/15" (tie) 46.6
46.5


Overall Summary - Fifth Generation

Depending on what kind of wheels you have, you could have either one of the fastest 3.0 Maxima's ever built, or one of the slowest. The models with 16" rims are at the top of every category except for low-end performance where the 4th Gen's still have an advantage. If you love to tear up the highways, you will seriously love a 5th Gen Maxima. The GXE owners with the 15" steel wheels may be even faster. To owners with the heavy 17" rims, don't feel too badly. Your cars have a lot of potential, but most of it is being eaten up by the rims when you try to accelerate. If you're displeased with the performance you're getting, seriously consider switching to some lighter rims.

Overall Summary - Fourth Generation

The 4th Gen Maxima is a good overall performer. It may not be first in every category, but it's never too far behind, either. It excels in low/mid-range performance which is ideal for regular driving and ¼ mile performance. The fastest all-motor 3.0 Maxima in the ¼ mile is none other than a 4th Generation model, and those of you that spend your days in stop and go traffic below 3000rpm and pulling away from stoplights will love the car's performance in this area. However, top-end is not this car's strong suit. If you love highway passing power, and taking an engine up to redline in each and every gear, the 4th Gen is probably not for you. Even a 5th Gen Maxima with the heaviest 17" rims will be able to match or beat the 4th Gen's performance on the highway. If you're a 4th Gen owner and you desire greater highway performance, you do have options. Search for posts about the "MEVI" in the "4th Generation" Maxima.org Forum, and you will be enlightened.

Overall Summary - Third Generation

Although the 3rd Gen is not the best in any single category from the analysis here, it still manages to put down a very respectable level of performance. But to the 3rd Gen's credit, it is the oldest car in the comparison. Despite this, a 3rd Gen is still fully capable of running right with or even beating cars from the other two generations once the revs are solidly up in the high-end. Not bad for a car that's over 10 years old, eh? This is yet another testament to the true greatness of the 3rd Gen's.

Final Thoughts, Discussion, Arguments, and Disclaimers

About Drivers

In the end, the leveling factor for all of these cars are the drivers. Individual driver skill can make a big enough difference that any one of these cars could beat any of the other depending on the driver. Despite the various advantages and disadvantages of the cars, drivers from each respective generation have been able to come home with 14-second timeslips thanks to good driving. Good physical hand/eye skills are just one small part of this. Understanding the technical merits of your car, learning to maximize performance where it's strong, but yet respecting its weaknesses are all part of being a good driver.

About Dynos

In the course of putting this article together, I spent many long hours searching member's webpages and threads within the Maxima.org Forums trying to find the best representative stock dyno charts from each generation. No "ringer" dynos were used, and I have tried to do the best job possible in ensuring that the playing field remained level at all times. It may just so happen that your Maxima could be quite a bit stronger than the other cars of your type. However, the opposite may also be true. In the event of this, make adjustments to the results seen here based on your individual car.

About Wheel Weights

Determining wheel weights for each car was also a tedious process of searching through many Maxima.org Forum threads trying to find the overall consensus on how much each type of wheel really weighed. There is a high amount of variability in this however, because scales themselves have their own error, and people are often using non-OEM tires which can also sway results. Your individual wheel/tire combination weight may vary slightly from what was reported here. If this is the case, make your own adjustments to the results. Also, the 8 pound of curb weight for every single pound added to your wheel and tire mass "estimation" is exactly what it is - an estimation. In the process of translating a very complex concept down to something very simple like this, a degree of accuracy is always lost. It is by no means set in stone, and it's entirely possible that you may have very heavy rims yet have put down very competitive times at the track. Also see "About Drivers" above. Also see "About Dynos" above.

StimpsonJCat
03-18-2003, 04:06 PM
Great article!

What I got from it - in one sentence or less - was that its all about wieght to horsepower ratio - hmmmmmm, who posted that 3 or 4 times in this thread....

Paonessa
03-18-2003, 05:44 PM
i know i said it a billion times

Maciek
03-18-2003, 07:46 PM
WELL NOW, I'M PROUD! Here is a short summary of what (...or should I say who?) I RECENTLY raced and beat (all were from a complete stop, good weather conditions, fair, etc. and did not go past 70 mph) ...

My car = 99 Nissan Maxima SE-L, 5-spd, ALL STOCK

1st victim (Friend - good driver) = 97 Ford Probe GT, 5-spd w/ intake

2nd victim (Friend - good driver) = 2002 Nissan Maxima SE, automatic w/ intake

3rd victim (Friend - very good driver) = 98 Ford Mustang GT, 5-spd, ALL STOCK

4th victim (Friend - ok driver) = 97 BMW 328i, 5-spd, ALL STOCK

5th victim (a guy from school - unknown to me) = pretty sure it was either the 2001 or 2002 Acura CL 3.2 Type S Coupe, 5-spd, don't know if he had anything in it

6th victim (...ME...) well...and here a little twist - I raced a 6-spd AUDI S4 (NOT A4! Don't know which year but pretty sure that all are same - performance-wise) and I LOST. The reason I put this here is because, to my surprise, I kept up with it and at around 60mph I was only 1/4 car-length behind the S4! That really excites me because the S4's 0-60 time is around 5.9, 6.0, 6.1 (obviously faster than my Max's) and the driver SEEMED like a good one!

As you might imagine, I love to race. Racing cars is my passion.

Let me emphasize here that all of the above-listed cars, except for one, were 5-spd (S4: 6-spd), just like mine.

GOTTA LOVE THOSE MAXIMAS!

Strider Negro
03-18-2003, 09:14 PM
nice kills dude
too bad you couldn't beat the audi(freaking germans!)
maybe next time!

thrasher
03-18-2003, 11:50 PM
actually, s4's run closer to 5.5, and the cl type-s (no 6 speed until 2003) runs around 6 flat

Spaz
03-19-2003, 05:25 AM
1000th post

JBL85
03-19-2003, 12:23 PM
Hey guys whats up, I never got a email saying any one responded to this thread. I have been pretty busy with work and shit but I am back.


I just bought my 18 inch konig tantrums for $600 with tires. Two of the rims are scratched and need repairs, but oh well. I also uninstalled my friends nitrous kit from his 2k1 Civic, I doubt I will install it in my car though.

I will read your posts later

JBL85
03-19-2003, 12:26 PM
Originally posted by MaximusGTR


You had NOS all along Nick, thats how you beat an Auto 4rth gen Max. Your not fooling us JBL.
http://www.ok-speed.com/forums/images/smilies/new/3gears.gif

I didnt know having an empty tank of NOS will help me beat a Maxima, I guess the extra weight :rolleyes:

Paonessa
03-19-2003, 12:39 PM
i haven't been getting my emails from this forum either

97wvmax
03-19-2003, 12:49 PM
empty becuz u used it all on the max?:D

joeB
03-20-2003, 01:28 AM
I havent been getting any emails for this post either.

Did you get your rims put on yet Nick?

Can you put a pic of your car on here with the rims
so we can see what it looks like?

joeB:)

MaximusGTR
03-20-2003, 02:06 AM
Hey Nick, I know someone that would buy the rims you have already. Hit me up PM.

JBL85
03-20-2003, 07:00 PM
Originally posted by 97wvmax
empty becuz u used it all on the max?:D


hahhaa, funneeee guy :bloated:

joeB
03-20-2003, 07:20 PM
pics pics:D

JBL85
03-21-2003, 04:14 PM
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid56/p57d1503b3c024ad9490e6762e87cb0ea/fc78e7b4.jpg

doesnt look muhc difference then my older rims. But I liked how it looked before so its ok with me.

I am getting them powder coated, my options were matte silver, ford grey or mercedes silver.

I went with matte silver since ford grey (dark silver) looked like it might not go good with my car and mercedes silver was really glossy and I didnt want the finish to wear away. $250 on powder coat hopefully it turns out good.

99maxse
03-21-2003, 07:44 PM
nick those 18" wheels. ? looks good

Paonessa
03-22-2003, 01:22 PM
yo,i'm sorry but you guys gotta let this thing die. i'm sick of seein' it. but yeah nice rims

JBL85
03-22-2003, 06:47 PM
Originally posted by 99maxse
nick those 18" wheels. ? looks good

Yeah, thanks

Originally posted by Paonessa
yo,i'm sorry but you guys gotta let this thing die. i'm sick of seein' it. but yeah nice rims

Probably should, but oh well, I still need to race. I had opportunity to race a guy from the .org today, but we were in Irvine California = cop city. So still waiting for an opportunity....plus we had no cam. :(

Paonessa
03-22-2003, 09:36 PM
dude, i honestly, could give 2 shits anymore about who wins. i never really gave a shit in the first place, i drive a 5 speed.

JBL85
03-23-2003, 12:02 AM
Originally posted by Paonessa
dude, i honestly, could give 2 shits anymore about who wins. i never really gave a shit in the first place, i drive a 5 speed.

LOL, well you sure posted a lot. But you can un subscribe from thread by clicking unsubscribe :cool:

Paonessa
03-23-2003, 07:50 AM
yeah i haven't even been getting my thread update emails anyway. ok keep it alive, you'll run out of shit to talk about eventually

SkyMax97
03-23-2003, 07:52 AM
I think 1,000 resposes is more than plenty.

97wvmax
03-23-2003, 03:21 PM
agreed:jumpie:

joeB
03-25-2003, 04:23 PM
nice rims JBL. You gotta nice Altima.:)

JBL85
03-26-2003, 10:12 AM
Originally posted by joeB
nice rims JBL. You gotta nice Altima.:)


Oh wow, the thread was dieing, hahaha, just playing. Thanks Joe, they are getting powder coated, should have them on in a week or two.

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