You may want to wait and look into the new Infiniti G35 coupe due this fall. My guess is that's the car that forced the 6-sp introduction in the CL-S so quickly.

Supposedly the car will have higher output than the G35 sedan, ie north of 260HP and 260 TQ, plus a 6-sp. The horsepower wars are just beginning. Let's see what the Greman's due to match the onslaught of these cars.

The Maxima is fine, but you will really need to get the heilical limited slip differential with the 6-sp. Good luck.

 

43K for the 2003 CLS ? Maybe I missed something, but I thought prices where going to be very close to the auto, and that dealers did not evcen know the price ? Please enlighten me.

 

Canadian prices

 

43K for the 2003 CLS ? Maybe I missed something, but I thought prices where going to be very close to the auto, and that dealers did not evcen know the price ? Please enlighten me.

 

New to the board. I bought my 99 CL 2.3 about 2 weeks ago and the other cars I was looking at were the new Maxima and the new Altima. Then I walked into an Acura dealership, saw the CL, payed cash, and drove it home. The key factor was it just felt better driving the CL (not to mention cash).

Altima: The motor is the same as in the Maxima with 15 less horsepower. The exterior is completely redesigned and looks pretty good. The interior is GARBAGE. I have never seen a cheaper looking interior. The leather seats they have are garbage also. The six speed is fun to drive and actually feels faster than the Maxima, but I wouldn't be able to drive around looking at the damn interior. Also, the radio is NOT a standard DIN size.

Maxima: At first I liked the way they look and then I saw the CL. The manufacturer's warranty along with the additional year of bumper to bumper gives my CL the same coverage as a NEW Maxima. Plus I also have 7 years/ 100,000 powertrain. Throw in the fact I saved about $5k and the choice was easy. The 6 speed does not shift as smoothly as the Altima. The interior is much, much better though. However, this is a heavy car and doesn't take turns nimbly.

CL: With the $5k I saved, it's time to make this perform better than the Nissans. I drove a gold TL with Navi and absolutely loved it - except for the handicapped transmission. I need opinions on this list of items: AEM CAI, DC CC 4-2-1, Venom 400, strut tie bar, and Neuspeed short throw shifter.

Please no advice to swap an H22 or put in a T4. Those days are over for me, I just want a little more performance to make it even more fun to drive. Let me know how your combinations worked out for you.

Thanks!

 

Nissan has a 5yr/60k powertrain warranty

 

Are the HID's on the new Maxima HI&LO beam ???


One thing I've never liked about the current generation
Maxima is the beam axle rear end.


The '03 Maxima's chassis should be all independent.

Actually I'm anxious to test drive the rwd G35 with that
3.5L VQ

 

Nope they are not bixenon headlight, low beam HID only for new Maxi...

 

Welcome to the board - I hope you enjoy your new CL. I just wanted to point out a couple things:
First, I agree with you, the interior of the Altima is Fugly. I'm not sure if you meant to say five speed, but that's what the Altima gets. No six there, only in the Max. Also, the Max and the Altima have (supposedly ) the exact same curb weight. I have a hard time believing this, but that's what th publish.

Either way, enjoy your CL. I can't wait long enough to get the 03CL at a reasonable price, otherwise I would try. I can't offer much advice on mods - I never modded my Acura or Honda.

I look forward to some objective comparisons - even driving a Max, I'll still be an Acura fan first.

 

If anything, I think the Altima should be a good 100lbs lighter. It has an all aluminum chassis. Then again, the rear beam axle should be lighter than a true IRS so that could contribute to the Max's lightness.

 

According to some published specs, the Altima is 1-2 inches longer and has 1-3 cubic feet more interior volume. Maybe the Max should be lighter?

 

1000 views! Woo Hoo!

I guess I'm a post whore now.

 

According to the publicity booklets for the Altima and Maxima, they are:
3191lbs Altima
3221lbs Maxima

respectively for manual SE 3.5L engine.

Exactly 30lbs.

 

Crippen, you have over 11 hundred posts, and I don't remember ever seeing one. It's a shame, because you're posts are actually legible compared to the standard banter here. Furthermore, I agree with everything you've said. Particularly:Enjoy the Max, I've test driven the '02 GLE. It's a great car, much faster than it looks. The stereo is great, the seats are comfortable, and I think you can get one with a heated steering wheel.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the kind words -- I've been a member pretty much since Soopa put up the board, but I rarely post (unless it's to whine about my car woes :p ).

I look forward to getting the 02 Max and posting unbiased feedback on it's capabilities and shortcomings

 

But the Max has basically the same chassis since 1995. Although the 2k chassis had modifications, the basic design was never changed (multilink beam in back, struts up front). The beam is not made of aluminum thus heavier. However, the beam is still lighter than a true IRS suspension car and that is why the Maxima has been a little lighter than the Camry and Accord. The Altima is different though. The chassis makes heavy use of aluminum and the body itself uses aluminum abundantly. It has been touted that the new Altima is only about 50 lbs heavier than the old one!

 

How about if Crippen and I form a little rouge panel here to compare the Max to the CL? Anyone that wants to provide a CL or CLS for comparo's, I'll gladly show up with my Max (uhh, well, when I get it!). Unibiased reports, straight from the strip!

 

How about you don't.

 

Truth hurt?

 

Crippen - Sorry about the cls...... I have a question for you. The max 6spd that you are getting, Is it FULLY LOADED or half ass? I can't imagine that the CLS cost 6k more that a FULLY LOADED max. A 6spd max with with nav, spoiler, mud guards, heated seats, visor, the limited slip, leather trim can easily match the cls price or even surpass it. I am amazed at canadian pricing. I too looked at a 6spd max and test drove one, but the dealers weren't trying to budge on the price and it was actually more than what i paid for my cls. Anyway, happy shopping and enjoy the max! (I would rather get 6spd CLS)!

 

I don't think so I doubt the z will be that fast. The s4 will smoke it mods are no mods! :P j/k

 

Hi,

Yes, the prices I quoted were for fully loaded in each car.
Maxima, 37K Canadian comes with the "Leather Package" so that includes the spoiler, 17" rims, HIDs, heated seat/steering wheel/outside mirrors, 6-disc in-dash changer, Bose "premium" (lol) sound system with 7 speakers, Cruise control, trip computer, electronic adjustable seats for driver/passenger, Driver memory position, Steering-wheel controls (actually better than CL-S cause you can move forwards AND backwards) for Cruise/Volume/change song/station, helical limited slip, and whatever else I may have forgotten.

Oh, no Navi .. There is no Navi option in Canada for either the Maxima or the CL-S.

Yes, if the CL-S were the same price as the Maxi, i'd go for it too. But since it is $6K more and doesn't give me any added benefit apart from it's questionable "refinement", I'll try the Max out.

 

Here in MD, a 2002 6-speed SE stickered at just over 30k are selling for what amounts to under invoice (yes I know the math is wrong) with the $1000 rebate.

Basically a loaded non-navi Max is like $27,300 + T&T.

 

For that price, you could add a supercharger ($3000 w/labor) and be around the same price as a CLS

 

Have you seen any forced induction kits for the new Max yet? Just wondering cause I doubt you can bolt on a turbo/supercharger for that car without bottom end work.

 

I don't know what dealer you are looking at but, Tischer Acura/Nissan MD the 6spd max completely loaded (not missing anything) goes for 33,212. NO CLS there goes for that much! And buy it being such a rare demand, they are not negotiating that much of a price drop.

 

I think Stillen is coming out with a supercharger for the new Max. The old Max had a bolt on supercharger that fit pretty well. Although the new Max engine is a bit bigger, there is room for the same supercharger (although I imagine it would have to be a little modified).

 

That is a total ripoff. In So Cal, you can get a FULLY load new Max for around $27k. That is below invoice. The CLS sells for around $30 without Nav!

 

From what I've read from Nissan and Maxima.org, the engine is identical btwn the 2000/2001 and 2002, with the obvious exception of a bored cylinder to create the additional displacement. The supercharger is supposed to attach to the 2k2 same as it does to a 2000/2001. Question becomes how much boost will the head/head gasket handle with thinner walls?

 

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I don't know what the compression was on the old motor, but I think the new one is 10.5:1 and requires premium fuel. Detonation would be extremely hard to avoid if you boost anything over 4psi for a supercharger or 6psi for a turbo. It's not like everyone can just go to the local racetrack and fill up with race gas every couple of days.

 

The VQ has never really been tested to the limits. Maxima.org has plenty of supercharged engines and none have blown. Usually the transmission blows up first

 

Hey crip...haven't talked to you in awhile. I have been lurking like you. Good luck with the Max...I like the new Altima myself. Haven't driven one yet but the visuals are cool. I know the interior is supposed to be cheap but that's all relative. Living most of my life in rental cars, anything is a step up! Keep in touch.

 

Thanks old-man, long time no speak :p

Now if only i could decide: lease or buy ...

 

I've been a lurker on this forum for about 3 months and I must say this board is one of the more unbiased ones especially compared to the TL board. Crippen you made a great choice by going with the Maxima. What interior/exterior color are you going with?

I own a 2002 Majesti Blue SE w\Charcoal leather. My car has every option except Nav, and some of the features you forgot to mention is the automatic Headlights, and auto sliding seats that slide back when you open the doors and slide back to there previous position when the key is placed in the ignition.

As for the Max rear suspension w/stillen's rear sway bar the car will out handle most cars with IRS. The bar does a better job with the beam setup.

I get a lot of positive feedback on my Max's exterior and interior the car is beautiful one thing that is good about the Max is you can get leather w/out the fake wood, and heated seats, mirors and steering wheel w/out getting leather.

In Sept. 2001 I paid 28K for my Max. W/rebate now you can get the same car for 27K.

Sorry for the long post but I believe in posting helpful stuff instead of my car is better or faster. We have some of the best cars on the market so lets all just get a long.

 

According to NIssan News.. the altima is 1 lb heavier..

maybe they weren't comparing both Manual Tranny and Trim levels on the other booklets..

Altima

http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/200...ma/specs.shtml

Curb Weights (in pounds)
2.5 Man. 2,999; 2.5 Auto. 3,048; 2.5 S Man. 3,046;

2.5 S Auto. 3,095; 2.5 SL Man. 3,052; 2.5 SL Auto. 3,102;

3.5 SE Man. 3,225; 3.5 SE Auto. 3,273


Maxima

http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/200...ma/specs.shtml

Curb Weights (in pounds)
GXE 3,218; SE Man. 3,224; SE Auto. 3,261; GLE 3,275

 

compression on the old maxima is the same.. and people are running 11 PSI on Stillen Superchargers on stock internals.. what are YOU talking about?