flyry110

ok, why does everyone think altimas handle so well. I'm sorry, they are JUNK! i've never ever ever been beet by an altima! If i was i think i'd go home, and put a bullet in my max and put it out of it's suffering. I've never seen an altima outhandle my max, and i pray to god i never will. that would be so embarrassing. I race my buddie's 99 GXE and ROAST AND I MEAN ROAST it. Come on, i've never seen an SCCA altima run well. i dunno, just venting a bit i guess.

Czar

I have a 91 stanza to drive while I fix my Max (its looks kinda like one from the front). And I will say that it handles better than my max. I think that that is what became altimas. I had an Integra before my max too and that was the best handling car I ever had. I didn't buy my max for handling, but because it had kick-butt power and torque. Now I hate the caddy-soft suspension and intend to improve on it. This suspension almost killed me when I went over a bump at speed and lost traction. I know my integra would have never done that. In stock form, I would think that an altima could take a max in handling because an altima is much lighter and has less weight up front. I have driven the 2k max SE and it has a way better suspension than my 3rd Gen. I don't think any points can be made for the stock 3rd gen susp. beyond that it is 4 wheel independant.

JDwyer2821

Those stanzas are pretty dam god cars. My brother had a 5 speed one and beat the hell out of it and it last trhough three accidents and 230'000 miles plus. He junk it a while ago just because the steering broke but the engine was still strong.

Foo90SE

I like the size of the early 90's altimas...i just dont like the fact that they're 4 cylinder. If a VG or VE motor could be swapped into one they'd be cool though. Probably mor work than its worth tho

brubenstein

I had a 91 Stanza for 6 years. They have the same suspension as a 3rd gen Max, with a few differences: 4" shorter wheelbase, 250 less lbs on the front end, quicker steering (fewer turns lock-to-lock) and firmer suspension. A stock XE Stanza will lose a stock GXE on back road twisties, in terms of handling. A GXE might keep up, but only because of motor. The Altima, certainly the 1st gens, had the same chassis setup as the Stanza and handled very well. My Stanza with 120K handled better than my GXE with 40K. Put decent struts in a GXE and everything changes, but with stock struts a GXE handles like a POS.

chris92gxe

I gotta agree with you guys on that. If you take a stock max and a stock altima the altima will destroy it in handling. The only advantage the max has is the extra power it has. Because of that they might be pretty even on a road course. But if they both had the same power and acceleration stock than the Altima would definitely toast the Max on the track. I have no idea why flyry110 beleives that Altima's handle so terrible. I guess he's never been in a stock maxima. In my oppinion it would be hard for a stock max to outperform a towncar. Mine had roll like crazy.

Foo90SE

Iv throw around my max a good bit...stock SE suspension...my car is VERY stiff...i feel every dam bump in the road. I think the struts were replaced soon before i got the car though. I have seen a GXE and i bounced on the fender and its like 2x as bouncy as my SE, so maybe a SE max would keep up with an altima, while a GXE would be left behind.

flyry110

i was underneath my car today and i noticed my shocks are tokiko! (how do you spell that?) anyway, i figured they were just junk shocks, i never really noticed em before. I remember the guy that i bought it from had mentioned having the suspension adjusted before, but he didn't know what he was talking about. anyway, on the tok's, how would you adjust them if they are adjustable? I'm hoping they are. As far as altimas go, i thought they understeered alot worse than my max, my max rolls too, but not as much as you'd think. the guy that owned it before me replaced the bushings and i think he used a polyurethane product. kinda cool. also, i am going to measure my sway bars, what is stock size? i think my rear looks slightly larger than what i'd expect. i dunno, i've driven a 99 GXE altima through the twisties and i was VERY unimpressed, it really didn't inspire any sort of confidence and it felt a bit out of control. My max seems like the front end tracks much better and is a little more predictable. It all depends though.

91 Max

i would have to say if someone put a 3rd generation maxima and an altima in front of me i would have to go with a MAXIMA! i mean the maxima is bettter looking and the engine is bigger maybe the altima is better at handling but the maxima has such good pick up...the altims seem so light and junky