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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,431
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,431 |
Originally posted by ZoomZoom Diva:
I have to say no Maxima has been worth it since the early 1990's.
I won't hide my offense, but I am also curious to ask why you feel so? Certainly they're not the most exciting aethetically but I stand behind its drivability, responsiveness and comfort.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,193
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,193 |
Compared to other cars of its day, the 1994 Maxima SE was a total package. It combined the room and amenities of a luxury sedan with the driving experience of a sports car. It truly liked up to the 4-Door Sports Car it advertised itself to be. Taut, responsive, and quick it's a joy to drive while providing the leather, moonroof, and power features to pamper.
1995 was a disaster, like every other design Nissan brought out in that generation, it was a pale shadow of its predecessor, cheap and boring. Ride and handling were both ruined by a cheapened suspension (particularly in the rear).
2000 rolled around, and this is the beginning of soft and ugly. Power increases, but luxury is emphasized over sport, even in SE trim lines. It's a soft near-luxury car that tries to pass off a sporting model. More power is added later, but the softness issues aren't even peeked at.
2004 rolls around, and it gets bigger, uglier, and softer. The SE wallows like a Buick. The interior cheapens again, though it's still trying to place itself as near-luxury.
I want to see the Maxima return to the "4-Door Sports Car"
Brad "Diva": 2004 Mazda 6s 5-door, Volcanic Red
Rex: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Vert, Harbor Blue.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,423
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,423 |
James, if I were gay, I'd have to marry you. Too similar preferences in automobiles. Mmmm, the 4 door sports car. Maximas and E36 M3.
Sigma, what's your loan balance, payment and # months left?
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 172
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 172 |
James, what do you think about the Infinity G35 sedan?
And since I own a V6 manual Lincoln LS, I can honestly say...it is what it is, a 3600LB. sport luxury car with an underpowered V6. Looks great, drives great, RWD and with the sport package and upgrades that come with it, I don't complain. Price tag was solid at 8K, and it is flawless (8 outta 10).
Acura TL a possible option!?
No more CSVT 3L
2000 Lincoln LS V6 5-speed
Silver Frost, dark gray leather
Sport Package
Rollin' 17's, 6-disc Alpine
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,037
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,037 |
Originally posted by 00LS5spd:
And since I own a V6 manual Lincoln LS, I can honestly say...it is what it is, a 3600LB. sport luxury car with an underpowered V6. Looks great, drives great, RWD and with the sport package and upgrades that come with it, I don't complain. Price tag was solid at 8K, and it is flawless (8 outta 10).
I wonder if the Duratec turbo kits that our guys play with would work on the LS 3.0L?
"Think of it, if you like, as a librarian with a G-string under the tweed." Clarkson on the Mondeo.
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 443
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 443 |
Originally posted by ZoomZoom Diva:
Compared to other cars of its day, the 1994 Maxima SE was a total package. It combined the room and amenities of a luxury sedan with the driving experience of a sports car. It truly liked up to the 4-Door Sports Car it advertised itself to be. Taut, responsive, and quick it's a joy to drive while providing the leather, moonroof, and power features to pamper.
1995 was a disaster, like every other design Nissan brought out in that generation, it was a pale shadow of its predecessor, cheap and boring. Ride and handling were both ruined by a cheapened suspension (particularly in the rear).
2000 rolled around, and this is the beginning of soft and ugly. Power increases, but luxury is emphasized over sport, even in SE trim lines. It's a soft near-luxury car that tries to pass off a sporting model. More power is added later, but the softness issues aren't even peeked at.
2004 rolls around, and it gets bigger, uglier, and softer. The SE wallows like a Buick. The interior cheapens again, though it's still trying to place itself as near-luxury.
I want to see the Maxima return to the "4-Door Sports Car"
The max is no longer targeted in the same market segment, the Altima now plays where the Maxima once did. Nissan's problem is that too many of their vehicle platforms don't line up well from a marketing/pricing perspective. The high end V6 Altimas, Max's, and the G35 sedan's all price out very similarly at this point, or within a few thousand of each other, which is right around 30k. Granted the G35 is a base model, but is still very well equipped just w/o the sport options and so forth. The SE-R Altima is now the "four door sports car" variant within the Nissan line-up, at least at the current time.
I think the Max should be designed and built off of the G35's underpinnings (RWD), basically a less expensive G35 sedan with less luxury emphasis (similar to the Camry versus Lexus ES330 but RWD instead). Currently the Altima and Max share the same frame and much of the same design, which makes them too similar in features and price points (at least with the V6 Altimas).
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,193
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,193 |
I have never been fond of the G35. It's not nearly as sporty as it promises to be, with an overly soft ride/handing and ladies-who-lunch interior ambience. Too steered towards luxury and not enough towards sport.
I would be shocked if a MTX Acura TL was anywhere near the price range Sigma's looking at.
While I like the Altima SE-R, it does not fill the shoes of the 1994 Maxima SE very effectively. It simply lacks the class, style, and near-luxury ambience and amenities the Maxima delivered (relative to its peers) while also deliverign the 4 Door Sports Car experience.
Brad "Diva": 2004 Mazda 6s 5-door, Volcanic Red
Rex: 1988 Mazda RX-7 Vert, Harbor Blue.
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