I don't know why this just hit me but I just discovered how pitiful my GXE is compared to most of your SEs. In your guys opinion is it pointless to put any money into performance mods because there is no potential for a GXE? I'm not really in the position to get a SE or sell my GXE so it looks like I'm stuck with her for a while. I've put a little money into a good paint job and some nice wheels so it doesn't look bad by any stretch of the imagination, but its always nice to have a little bit of go to compliment the show.

 

yes.

GXEs, to me, have always been more apt to be show cars. SEs to be the modded out performance cars. Mostly because you can't get a manual in a GXE and that, to me, is essential. i suppose you could put some money into a 5-speed swap... but then you have to ask yourself, would it better just getting a real SE? Maybe with a VE?

 

Let's face it. These are 12-15 year old hobby cars. Great hobby cars. What do you want out if it? If it is fun and makes you feel better about the car then go for it.

 

There is potential for fun... it starts with a 5 spd manual swap.

 

Personally, I have a VE5, which is about as good as it gets for a 3rd gen and I still have a hard time convincing myself to put money into it. Aside from the standard maintenance, which is costly enough.

 

unless you plan to turbo, no it ain't worth it... =( it's sad, but i drive a GXE.. and i'm getting to the point of saving up to move on.

 

What a bunch of pescimists!!! You asked if these cars have potential, not if they have out-of-the-box power. Of course they have potential! When it comes to performance, a GXE has the same engine as pre-92 SEs. Add a UDP and exhaust, that'll bring your power up quite a bit. I am putting a stick in mine before the end of the month, and a host of other goodies including a full suspension setup complete with structural reinforcements shortly thereafter. Go see what 4-door you can buy right now for the price of a decent 4DSC with some mods that will keep up, especially when you kind some nice s-curves. These are cult cars with everyday driveability and practicality built in. And GXEs have the same potential for handling prowess as an SE does. I love my car because it is fun to drive, is big enough to carry stuff or have fun with a girl w/o being a contortionist, and when done right these cars look damn sexy! If you don't like your Max, fine...Sell it to me and go buy yourself a Taurus or Neon.

 

I have a gxe Its my boo my hoe my **** and the one that takes car of me when i gotta go somewhere and i love her.Im trying to fix it up lil by lil .Try to make it look good and be proud of it. I bet if you sell it somebody WILL buy it and youll regret it like other people.You have options. Or just go for a SE.

 

I agree with most of what you said. However, any power short of a turbo is a waste of time. I have a VG auto and a VE 5spd. The VG has every bolt on but a UDP. It got smoked by VE when it was stock.

Also, in answer to your question about a 4 door that keep up, I hate to say it, but a SHO most certaintly would. My VE would have a challenge against a very lightly modded one.

 

You know, you're not the first person to ask that question. I always, ALWAYS asked myself the same thing. I'm not puttin in big money in my car, just fixing EVERYTHING that I can afford and what I cant I will save up for just to have it running how it should be, and once it is running properly if nothing else goes bad and I have money I will invest in small things here and there. As long as my body looks good and mechanically stable I'll add simple stuff. Look at it that way.

If things go the way I plan, I will most likely be getting a 5th gen. That way I'll have 4 special ladies in my life.

 

If you like your car,then it's worth putting $$ into...Period...

 

i think there are a few nicely modded GXE's out there, i think itll be worth it, check for the rust recall and go from there... if you have a big rust problem, get nissan to buy the car and maybe buy another max

 

One of the big reasons why I consider my car worth modding is because it spent it's whole life in Miami until I bought it 21/2 years ago. And it has been garaged by me in winter up until now. there is not a spot of rust or corrosion ANYWHERE on the body or underneath and once I paint the bumper covers the paint job will be almost perfect. I would never invest money in a car that had a history of driving around the rust belt, like every other car I have owned. My next car will be a GTO, which isn't more than a year or so out of my grasp and I'm pretty sure that will smoke any max out there.

Oh, and Pervis, how many SHO's are still around that were driven on a daily basis?

 

Damn thats a good question...I've only seen 1 or 2 SHOs in the past year or 2.....last one was at work when some punk kids came looking for injectors for one. Go ahead Pervis tell him how many you've seen

 

You can get very good handeling, braking, looks, and power from these cars. For a price of course. They aren't overweight either. If you like it, throw down. First go 5spd, then go turbo for seriose performance. Be ready to throw down $3k+ just for those two depanding on how mechanically inclined you are and what routes you take.

Probably not in the bends though.

 

I think there isn't much of a problem modding GXEs, I would just not go crazy thinking it is fast. Doing a 5-speed swap is a pretty big and somewhat costly job and going turbo is something only a few guys have even attempted. It is plausible, but not practical at all.

Maybe put on some nice rims, lower it, improve the suspension with sway bars or something. Some inexpensive bolts ons, like intake, y-pipe, exhaust will help performance and you mpg a little.

If you take care of the car (wash, wax, change fluids, clean and protect interior) the car should serve you well and look good. There are a lot of nice looking GXEs. Other than the turbo guys, you are not going to outrun a VE 5-speed. Accept that and enjoy your car.

3rd gen Maximas, even the VE-5, are not really that fast in the grand scheme of things (unless turbocharged). Just be happy you have a car that is fairly quick, very comfortable and not that expensive.

 

I don't know i have always liked 3rd gen maxs. obviously a SE will be faster but what is it that you really want a good looking car or a fast car? You have already put some money into your body maybe do some in the engine now. How fast do you need to go to be happy with your max? I'm my opinion 3rd gen maxs look good stock or modded and for performance my GXE eats up Honda's all the time... with exception of a few i have raced. but lets be honest it my daily driver I'm not looking for a 10 second car for a daily driver. When i need to go it take me where i need to go when i want to race it works fine and as far as performance the only thing on my GXE is CAI upgrade Y-pipe upgraded CAT 2.5" mid pipe and a Metrix muffler and i do just fine against most these kids in my area. So to me my GXE is worth every penny i have put in to it!!!!!!!!! and i wouldn't sell it for anything. If i wanted a really fast car i would buy a old car gut the insides put a beefy engine etc... but thats not all i am looking for... what are you looking for?

BUT THAT MY 2 CENTS

 

sell it before you put money into it and buy an se 5 speed, then put money into that. because if you're asking yourself this, then obviously you want one. so unless you want to do a 5 speed swap and se parts swap, i'd sell and rebuy.

 

clean the car a clean car is a mod in itself lol

 

If you are looking for your first mod, jump on this TODAY
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....10#post4720410

Biggest bang for the buck there is. Well the Y pipe comes a close 2nd.

Best thing is if you buy another 3-gen iel.. 5sp VE, you can just transfer it over.

 

like everyone says: its up to u if u want to dump money into it or not. if u really like ur car go for it, if not sell it and get something better. i have a GXE and so far i swapped in a low mileage motor, did the 5-speed conversion, bought the stillen kit, added a Warspeed Y-Pipe and Carsound Cat, added Matt's Big Brake Kit with the '06 front Maxima rotors, '94 SE tails, and some other goodies which i have on my cardomain page. to me its not the greatest car out there but i just c it as a hobby and i want to be different from the crowd cuz everyone out there has nothing but Hondas. i am currently sellin' my '89 SE and am lookin' to get a 5th gen or a G35 coupe or whatever i decide.

 

If I had an SE, I'd dump it and get a GXE. Reason: cost to do a complete swap of all GXE trim/accent components (chrome trim, body color mirrors, black guages, *touchpad* keyless entry, etc)..I hate most of the things that others like about an SE..

That was all a round-about way of saying no, its not pointless to put money into a GXE..IMO anyway

 

Have you ever driven a stock or a modded VE 5spd?

 

Judging from his response, I don't think the performance difference is the issue.

 

Nope, really doesn't matter to me, but if it did, I'd still opt for the extra time, cost, and trouble to swap a VE into a GXE if I really wanted a VE. The touchpad keyless entry would be AT LEAST as big of a pain to swap over, if not worse, with the amount of wiring that you'd have to move over, and a remote keyless entry would only last me about 2 days before I'd manage to destroy both remotes..IIRC, while you still have to transfer a TON of wiring in a VE/VG swap, its in much more accessible areas, especially if you have a hollow engine bay to work with for awhile.

I suppose its all a matter of opinion though. I don't really care whether a VE has more power or not, I avoid driving faster than interstate averages anyway. Its mostly about convenience, comfort, and reliability to me. Which is also why I kinda like my auto..

 

Or you could just make your life easier and by an SE without the swap attack you have in mind. The only thing that you would be missing out on is the keyless entry, since all the other things you said you like about a GXE can be easily transfered over to the SE. Not hard at all. But again you mentioned the performance doesn't matter to you, so enjoy your GXE

And about the reliability.. I hope you weren't talkin about the auto.

 

The touchpad keyless entry is 90% why I'd rather have a GXE than an SE...if it has no touchpad keyless entry, I don't want it. No ifs ands or buts about it..

Eh, my auto hasn't caused me any trouble yet but the auto is a LOT more convenient, especially with the crappy drink holder options for a max..the taurus/saab drink holders are kinda junk, imo, and the stock one..well..its worse. And no well located flat surfaces to mount a decent one..I end up holding my coffee cup all the time. But, the reliability I was referring to was a VG in general..

 

My car has an SE swaybar in back, a 5 speed tranny, a comfort/power switch, and keyless entry.

 

I bought my '91 VG auto in February of 2001 with 111k. 83,000 hard miles and 5 years later, the tranny still shifts fine.

I put a cooler on the tranny when I first bought it and changed the fluid maybe 6 - 8 times during the time I have owned it.

 

So what does the comfort/power switch do now?

Probably the cooler did the trick.

 

i was gonan say the same thing


how does that power/comfort switch work with the 5-speed?? i am curious

 

I want to leave the switch in mine and use it as a switch for my sub or fog lights or something.

 

leave the switch in the car for a "kill switch" if when it is in the automatic mode, the car will start, when it is in the power or comfort mode, itll pevent it from starting...just an idea

 

I'm guessing no thief would figure that a button would do the job to have the car start when its on a certain option...I kinda like that but I think this thread is going OT pretty soon..

 

Nothing now. Maybe a kill switch soon.

 

that a damn good idea!!

 

Master of the Obvious....

 

 

I was looking for that...

 

Beat ya to it