I've come to my senses and I'm putting a halt on my mods. I had a couple more thousand dollars in mods that I wanted to do (nitrous, springs, KYB AGX, spoiler), but I don't see the point in doing them on my Salvage/Rebuilt title 96. I'm going to start saving for a new car, which my parents will help me buy when I graduate from Univ. of Texas in the spring. I'm thinking of getting a 2k2 or 2k3 Maxima 6-speed. I'm also very interested in the Infiniti G-35, but I'm disappointed that it doesn't come in a manual tranny. What would you guys get if you were gonna get a new car? I think my limit will be somehwere in the neighborhood of $25K.

 

G-35 will have a manual tranny by the time you go to buy it. If your looking for "bare bones", I think you would be satisfied by the 5spd 3.5 SE Altima, I drove one a while back and I loved it (though people here seem to hate it). If you want a pretty interior, a cushy ride and a 6spd, then the Maxima will fit nicely. I would probably consider a used 2K2, but thats just me, I'm not a fan of new cars, at least at this age.

If I were you and had some extra cash, I'd be hunting and saving for the first used G35 MT in my price range, but I'm cheap and patient (relatively anyway).

 

I would go with the cheapest one no matter which way you go your still getting an excellent car either way!!!

But that's just my opinion..

 

If you have around 25K...Get a used 97-99 Maxima with 50K on it for $15,000, then use the $10,000 to mod the hell out of it...GGGEEEZZZZ, I can only imagine the possibilities...

 

Wait it out for the G35 six speed manual

 

Screw it man.....if you have $25K just buy a sorta baseline 350Z....so you won't have the 18 inch rims and brembo brakes....you still have the suspension, 3.5L 287HP engine and a 14.0 track time!

 

youre all wrong.

 

sorry sent by accident...

anyway youre all wrong!!!

25 g's i would be driving a 96-97 twinturbo supra bout 50-80k on it. like new then from there you start saving and u hook that baby up... thats just me and thats just if u want a FAST car. otherwise go wit the max. god i love the new ones but get the 2k2 because i like the silver lights in the back rather than black.

p.s. anyone seen the maxima commercial when the guy chases the sunset... the guys at maxima marketing got some nice ideas. that might be my favorite commercial right now

 

How come everyone on this board loves the G35 so much? I would not even consider it compared to a fully stocked 350Z Track edition. I love the 350Z, and I have hardly seen anyone recommend it or even praise it. Maybe its just personal preference, but c'mon guys, give the Z some credit!

 

I have been thinking about this same topic. I test drove the 02 Altima 3.5 and 03 Maxima 6-speed and liked them both. I am waiting for the G35 manual to come out. Then I heard the 04 Maxima will be re-styled so that may change my mind again. But my next car should be either one of the three.

However, a friend of mine is thinking about selling his 97 540i so that may become an option too..

dilemma dilemma..

On top of all these, my wife challenges me on whether I should even be considering buying a new car..

 

300zx TT's look much better.

 

The 350Z is not really an option for me because it's so impractical (too small). I need room for my golf clubs and my woman The Altima is a possibility, although I don't like the look of it as much as the Maxima or G35. I'm definitely not buying a car that was made in the 90s or one that has more than 20k miles on it. I'm ready for a NEW-ish car. What other possibilities are there? Remember...I do have a need for speed

 

300zx tt is slow as EVER.. my friend has a 89 mustang with a 50 hp chip in it and he tore ones A**Hole inside out!

 

What are you smoking? They're almost as fast as the Supra (.1-.3 off times), and up to 1993 they even had HICAS 4-wheel steering. They are just as nice as the Supras of their days were.

As for your choices Major, I would take a G35 6spd. The reason I pick G35 over 350Z is because it is more practical and in my opinion much better (classier) looking. Not to say the 350Z isn't an awesome car, it's just in another game.
-Cyrus

 

i would go with the G35 MT as well. i love the look of the car and plus i like fast and luxurious family cars.

 

Hmm... I'm guessing either the 300zx was not racing your friend or it wasn't a TT

 

G35 (preferably coupe), 6-speed...but with $25k I don't know if that's gonna get you there.

BTW, I much prefer the G35 coupe styling to the 350Zs, at least from the pics of the G35 at the motor shows, inside and out.


You could always go with an 03 Spec V w/a turbo kit and still come in slightly below or around $25k

 

I like it

I't just sounded like he was looking for a sedan... if you want a coupe 350z all the way. I want a G35 just because i do... though i'd take a 350z anyday.

 

hows that 50HP chip doing buddy?? goodluck finding that... especially on an 89 rustang

 

...have you considered the lexus IS300, the newer ones come in standard and look really nice, i think stillen might also make a supercharger kit for them...not sure. Anyway, good luck, all the cars mentioned are really nice so you can't really go wrong.
Dan

One thing my friend is considering is buying a 300zx non-turbo with all the options (his theory is that the non-turbos wern't beaten as bad) and installing a large single-turbo to boost power. The car already looks sweet.

 

 

Everyone, hold on here for a moment. You are graduating from college in Spring and your parents are still helping you get a new car? Some nice parents!!!

With the economy going right now, save your money, get out of college, find yourself a good job first, settle down and then think about a car. Unless you already got a nice paying job already lined up. My $.02

Tifosi

 

STICK MAX YOU'RE AN IDIOT...YOU'RE PROBABLY DRIVING SOME PEICE OF $HIT 5 SPEED 95 THAT YOU GOT FOR 5 G's THAT COULDNT BEAT A PASSAT WITH NO WHEELS

 

ummm...who are you talking to?

 

to stick max

 

I had forgotten about the IS 300..... It's a definite possibility because it fits right into the type of car I want to get: luxurious, good-looking, enough space, and FAST. I really have no idea on the price range (for a new MT), but I think it might be a little high.

 

300ZXTT slow? 50hp chip?

 

 

If you don't care about the room in the car get a WRX. I don't think that you will be able to get the 350z with 25,000, but if you can then go for the Z.

 

Yea WRX is cool and fast, but too small for my liking. Same with the 350Z and G35 coupe... very cool cars, but I'm a 4 door kinda guy.

G35 6spd is probably next on my list.

 

If I had parents like that, I might just get an S13 and swap a red top into it. That sounds like an incredible amount of fun to me. Hmm... I wouldn't mind getting an SVT Focus and turbocharging it, either. But I digress, that is definitely not what you are looking for.

I say used Z-car. Then G35 MT. Then used BMW 330. Then used IS300.

By the way, MajorMax, have you seen the woman who drives that m3 and parks by the UTC? Kinda disturbing...

 

Let's not all get the idea that I'm some big-time spoiled brat; I do have $8k of my own money that I'll be dumping into my next car. I'm only a small-time spoiled brat I haven't seen the M3 lady....is she hot?

 

That's what I would say
Buy a used MAX and used the xtra $$$ for the mods.
That's what I did...except not a whole lot of xtra $$ left over. OH WELL!!!

 

About that M3 woman; my roommate says that she is fairly attractive but the fact that she has an m3 makes her hot.

Anyways, I say that you should get a new rear-wheel drive car.

About the newness quality, I have this to say, and this isn't a diss to the max, I think that given my college student situation, my parents and I would be happier with a new Focus ZX3 rather than my 98max with 80k miles on it. I wouldn't have had to pay for replacement of the bald tires the car had on it, or want to upgrade from hubs to rims, or pay for the repairs I've had to do. And it would get better gas milage, something that I really feel the effects of. Newer cars can sometimes be a lot less on the maintenance.

And about the RWD, it is just sweeter to drive something with a real sports-car feel to it. I have friends who prefer driving their 12 year-old 5-series BMW wagon to their 96 T5 860R b/c of the feel. Being young yourself, I'm sure you would like something closer to a sports car than FWD has to offer.

I guess it all has to do with your major though. If you're liberal arts, you should probably get a regular focus... or a civic or corolla. Business, you need a Z-car. Engineering... That's tough, a new altima or perhaps the new maxima, though I could see an engineer getting away with a Spec V...