I just purchased a '97 Maxima SE spd fully loaded blk on blk for my second car. Paid $7500. My first car is a 2000 Acura TL NBP...completely stock except I have Yokohama tires. Here is a brief comparison based on my impressions after driving the max for 2weeks.

Acceleration:
The engine on the max revs up very easily but its sounds like its working alot harder than the TL. The max is a stick and its mated to an all aluminum DOHC engine that has 90% of its peak torque available just off idle (~1500rpm). Its peak power is lower than the TL but it has a very flat HP curve. The peak torque is only off 10ft.lbs from the TL. Plus it seems to have some pretty aggressive gearing and it has fatter tires than the TL. The maxima is also 500lbs lighter than the TL. 0-60 is a no contest the max kills the TL easily. At higher speeds its a little closer but I dont think the Tl could make up any lost ground on the Max except at 125+. Which i would never drive either of these cars at that speed.

Braking:
Well a manual really helps in day to day braking. You can downshift (well you can do that in manumatic also but you cant modulate the downshift) and you not constantly fighting the idle of the engine. It impossible to say which has the shorter braking distances without measuring...which I havent. But the Maxima's brakes never feel like they are working hard...and it doesnt feel like you have to modulate the brakes to prevent a nose plant. The car just stops without much fuss. The TLs brakes are easy to modulate but you need to modulate them so you dont do a nose dive at every stop light. The TL's brakes feel inadequate especially at highway speeds. In 47k miles of driving the TL in So.Cal I have had the rotors turned, rotors replaced under warranty, and the rotors turned again.

Handling:
Im not even going to try to compare potential handling abilities just stock for stock. The Max outhandles the TL. The SE has a stiffer suspension and fatter tires. I can take turns in the max at speeds I cant take in the TL. The max is 500lbs lighter and feels it. But I would bet that with sways and better tires/wheels the TL could handle as well as the Max, maybe better. I dont know.

Overall Impressions:
When I get into the TL after driving the Max it feels like Im in a Mercedes. No joke. The Tl can and does everything feature wise better than the Max. It is 3 years newer though. The TL is scary quiet inside compared to the Max. The interior blows away the Max. The feel of the steering is much better (speed sensitive)...gets stiffer at speed. The steering wheel of the Max shimmies quite a bit...Im still trying to fix this if possible. The TL is buttery smooth at everything but it feels stragely underpowered and underbraked when I get on it. You cant feel the speed in the TL. When you are going 90 it feels like 45. Another thing worth mentioning is the paint. Both cars are black. I religously Zaino'd the TL since purchase. I was the only person who washed the TL and always by hand. The Max was probably washed in coin washes and by the dealer...yet the paint barely has any swirl marks. I can tell once I clay bar the Max and zaino it the paint will look far better. Sad but true.

 

nice comparison!

 

Ahh yes...I forgot to mention a very important aspect of the Max. It has a ridiculus amount of torque steer. Its almost scary at times. Where as the Tl has none that I can detect.

 

I had a '96 Max SE (5M) prior to getting my TL-S in March. I do have to say that the Maxima never gave me any troubles and had few, if any, squeaks or rattles after 6.5 years and 99,000 miles. The brakes on the Max were phenomenal -- the original pads lasted for 75,000 miles and the original crappy Goodyear RS-A tires lasted 72,000 miles. Plus, the BOSE stereo sounds just a bit better than the TL-S.

This was a '96 not a '97, so it only had 190hp, but it was definitely slower than the TL-S and had a bit more body roll. Overall, I was sad to see it go when I traded it in for the TL-S, but I didn't want to keep it too much longer for fear that it would start to need alot of servicing, since it was getting up there in mileage.

 

Thanks for rendering this comparison. Before I decided on the TL, the Max and the I30 were very close 2nd. It ultimately came down to comfort and that "buttery" feel.

 

A 97' Max SE standard "Kills a TL-p EASILY"...? Hahah, dude, I don't know where you're racing, but I pull on Max's all day long up here in NH. Modded and un- Standard and Auto. Don't get me wrong, I love Nissan. It's my fav next to Acura. I would kill for a new Maxima. But, I think the TL is in a different class. You're right about one thing, I'll be going 90+ on the highway, and it only feels like I'm doing 55. =) All and All I like this car. If I was a Honda designer though, I would give it more HP. I mean, how can this car compete with a 5 series Beemer, if it has 100+ less horses? I dunno, I think they have alot of thinking to do....


Nice comparison man. Wish I could do one. Lol, I'm 18, and the only other car I've owned was a 94 lifted Jeep Wrangler Sahara... I'll say, the ride quality on the Acura is alot nicer. ; )



Peace.


-Paul-

 

Smoke my friends 98 se 5 sp all day long when i was stock and i have a 99. Now with the mods he doesnt even bother anymore.

 

i had a 98 max gle, and that thing stood no chance against a tl, type s or not. the only thing i really miss about that car is the brakes, i definitely noticed that the brake quality on the type-s doesn't have the same confidence-inspiring feel.

and as for the bose radio, that was total $hit. no subwoofer, sounded like crap

 

well my comparison would state that the TL-P would be faster htan a 97 maxima and the handling stock for stock the TL would whoop ass... (aside from the bad tires). the handlign on the max seemed too loose to me and very little feedback. the TL-P did a better job

thats my 2cents

 

Interesting. I obviously cant race myself. In the maxima I can roll up to about 20mph from a stop and gun it and peel out all the way to redline. Its fun. My impressions are based on driving them back to back. The TL and the maxima represent the 5th and 6th cars I have personally owned, respectively. The Tl has really good throttle response but it feels like it has no lower end compared to the max. Steering feels more predictable in the TL but I can definately take turns faster in the max. I have been making the same turns to and from work for years. Its a toss up between the two stereos. The max has tweeter separates and the stereo appears to have more power.

 

Yea... maximas are good cars, but I blew one away on the highway that was tryin to race me. It was the 2000 body style, SE. I killed that thing. He couldn't go past 120-25.... I was doing 155mph ---- yes.... 155mph. A slight downhill grade on the interstate helped me out. previous record was 150-151... and that was before I installed the CAI. My father has a 00 maxima, and I prefer the TL over it ANY day.

 

yeah i raced a 98 with stillen exhaust and a CAI. we were about even to 50-55 then i started pulling strongly. Best competitor yet. I killed a v6 mustang, and accord after riced out accord all day long.

 

it would be fair if we compared tl 1997 vs max 97,

 

Well, i dont blame you of thinking Max 5sp is quicker...

first off, its a manual, and the gear ratio will sure make you FEEL faster...

Secondly, Nissan have torque down low and 5spd shines the torque even better....

Third, a stock TLP do FEEL sluggish if you dont mod it, you cant even feel the vtec kicks in, unless you CAI it or something......

But dont let this FEEL fools you, cuz pretty much all can feel were torque, cuz you cannot feel horsepower... Honda has a thing is, not feeling fast, but its fast.... If you go out and race with a stock TLP, you probally will even up with one thats IF you drive it good... Maxima 5spd aint slow at all, but youve gotta know how to drive a Nissan....

Since Nissan has most torque down low, floor it, you will be sitting there and peeling out... and also, you better hold on to the steerling wheel, cuz if not, you might end up on the sidewalk....

Maxima is a great car, especially those 95-99 model... why soo good? cuz they are great used car, and CHEAP!!! they have low resale value (sorry max owners), so, its great for buyers to get one....

Dont forget you can do TONSSSSS of stuff to them without breaking anything, at least not tranny!