My car Black 97 Se, is just georgous to me style/performance everything. I just love it but I'm gonna be getting beat by Neons soon the 2003 r/t has like 150 but it's alot smaller never matched up but still and then they got a srt-4 with 215. I need turbo or something and being an auto don't help, well just venting. These new cars are all pretty quick but I love the 4th gen body style so im gonna have to suck it up I guess.

 

when push comes to shove it is still a NEON.

and yes cars are getting more HP.. but the styling sucks.. and a turbo will solve most of this problems.. but you will not be the fastest on the road. there is always another car that can beat you

just make yourself happy

 

Don't forget either, even though the *gasp* NEON haha is pushing 215 horses, it's still a lousy four cylinder.

 

neons suck. 215hp of crap.

 

i must say..

i rather invest 4 grand towards a turbo on my 7 grand max than buy a 215 hp 16k Neon which will probably die sooner than my max with 123k more miles and being 6 years older.

besides
We all know the only cool Dodge to drive is a Viper and a Caravan

 

i think his point about the neon is that so many cars are getting faster, and better...including even the measly the neon. I too, feel that my max's performance is being made more and more "average" or "mediocre" with all these new cars coming out!

 

Yes there sure is a HP war going on between car companies these day. Just like the 60's muscle car era, they are all trying to out do each other. I just have to remember there virtually no car in my class, within 4 years, that is faster. It is not fair to my car to compare it to a 2003.
This sudden race between manufacturers for the fastest cars wont last forever. I think the 2K-2k5 models will be the fastest most saught after cars for a long time to come. In the not to distant future, alternative fuels, electric cars, oil shortages will cause a lack or high powerd cars. Everything goes in cycles. Remember after the muscle car era, we had 25 yrs of boring cars. Now the cars are starting to be fun again.
I just remind my self that in a few years I will be able to afford these new cars I am drooling over.

 

Yeah the 200hp-300hp < $25K market is heating up. SRT-4, GrandAM/Prix, Accord, Protege, Altima 3.5, WRX, maybe that new Jetta.

Bring on the SRT-4 and Lancer! Let's see if they handle AND go fast.

 

yes, there is certainly HP war going on out there...And sad to say, I will be soon outclassed by the all new V6 Accord.

Why don't they produce $2500-3000 supercharger like available to accords???

I'm thinking to get one of those and convert to maxima use as soon as I land on some dough. But thank God! I drive 95 without warranty so I can mod all the way without worrying about dealer work
And praise the Lord b/c I don't have to face those dealers.

One thing I hate...that's dealing with dealers.

 

The Lancer is coming out next year. With 280 HP or something like that.

 

So the newer cars will beat you. Comfort yourself with the fact that you can still hang with them, and even make them work real hard for their win somtimes. I raced a CL-S just when it came out. This guy was so cocky looking at my 98 SE. He's like, "I don't know, there's 260 hp under the hood" I said "I know." We raced. Up to 80 mph we were neck in neck, he was totally shocked. Then I backed off b/c the road got really curvy. He was so keen on winning that he took the curve at too high of a speed and trashed his car. Totalled. He walked away with no injuries though.

DW

 

The Max actually stacks up pretty well with newer competition (looks and performance wise), cars for the last pat 5 or 6 years really haven t made major leaps in performance. It is tappering off, but stuff like that Neon they can have it who cares if it gets to 60 in 4 secs its a Dodge.

 

Yea, the new cars, and all those darned old 60s-70s big engine cars...


Think of it this way: circumstances could cause you to drive a Geo Metro.

Then what's the deal? If you love it, then you love it, who cares what else comes out. If you think you love something more and can afford it, you go for it. But I think if you're really satisfied, just treasure what you have.

 

Well said!

 

Yeah cars are getting crzy know, but you have to remember, they make mods for us now...and they wont have any for a while...yes the 2004 maxima will be fast, with 4wd, but performance companies probably wont make performance parts for these newer cars because there just getting bigger and boxy.

-Chris

 

Jeeps are pretty cool too and the 1st and 2nd generation DSMs (Eclipses GS-Ts and GS-Xs only, Talons TSi, 3000GT/Stealth VR-4), but other than that, every dodge I've ever come in contact with sucks.

 

My last car was a dodge and completely fell apart on me. I dont think I will ever go back.

SuDZ

 

Nissan has responded to HP wars with the 3.5L engine they now have with Max's.

And "yes the 2004 maxima will be fast, with 4wd, but..."

Really? Are the new Max's coming out with AWD? Where can I cet more info on this? Or am I missing something all together here?

 

Neon, Ford focus, contours svt,new cavalier, its all the same, they are all ugly little girl cars. Reminds me of this saying, shakepeare i think, " You can't polish a turd."

 

All these new cars may have 150 horse but horsepower doesn't win races tq wins races ya the neon might beat you off the line because of the weight but it just like the sunfire (ecotech) and the caviler you will get them in the end and thats all that matters. Plus for the amount of money it would take to get out of your car and get into a new car and make it look even half as good as a max you could easily put that money into your car and just tear those cars apart. well that my 2 cents.

 

All these new cars may have 150+ horse but horsepower doesn't win races tq wins races ya the neon might beat you off the line because of the weight but it just like the sunfire(ecotech) and the caviler you will get them in the end and thats all that matters. Plus for the amount of money it would take to get out of your car and get into a new car and make it look even half as good as a max you could easily put that money into your car and just tear those cars apart. well that my 2 cents.

 

New cars are getting faster but the Max is still one helluva car. For a car that is about 4-5 years old, it looks better than most new cars and can keep up with/or beat many of the newer cars. Just like any technologically advanced product, cars will continue to get better until a limit is reached. In my opinion, this limit will come within the next decade. In the mean time, enjoy your max and be glad it's not a Neon!

 

Some of you are in total denial.

1) "in the end, it's a Neon". Well in the end, you just LOST to a NEON.
2) "Well it's fast but it's ugly". Well after the 3-gen, it's not like Maximas are in the "good looking" category either.
3) "torque wins races!". How dumb is that? The NEON still has over 200 ftlbs torque?? Besides, the NEON is only 2800lbs max. The 4-gen is well over 3000lbs. Do the match. Even if it DIDN'T have that much torque, it would still beat a na maxima.

Yes, I think neons aren't that great looking but stop making excuses to justify your X-gen maxima. A new era of automotive engineering is emerging for the sport compact car sector. Ford is considering turbocharging the Focus to the tune of about 200hp also though their SVT division. Considering the Focus has a big following though Europe and though it's WRC racing, SVT could do this quite easy.

 

lost what? a race? it's not always about how fast you get there.. but I like style

2. your the one with the 3rd gen.. do I hear jealousy?

3. I can't say a word .. I agree 100%

and yes I am happy that the sport compact car market is coming up and the fact that turbos are coming back from the factory.

I am looking forward to a nice little project car to SCCA with

jeff- do you need or want a hug

 

 

bags533

 

i also feel a little crappy about the output of certain newer cars coming in the modding scene. but i love my max, thats why i bought it, for speed, look, reliability there was no better choice for the money i was willing to pay for a car. and as for newer cars becoming faster my remedy is a 5speed conversion in spring.

 

well I really don't care if the new cars are etting fater than my 97 SE. I still love my car and I don't have to worry about paying off 20+ K for a new Neon. Besides not all neons are gonna have that kind of power it will only be the special edition. Is just like the new sentra SE-R spec V I still haven race one but I reasearch on the net and they have a stock 1/4 mile of 15.3. I think that it would depend on my shifting skills to beat one of them. Some day I will be able to buy a newer and faster car!

 

I thought about dumping the maxima for a new neon just because they are really quick but then I was reading Car and Driver and they said yea it was nice and quick but its just annoying as a daily driver. It's uncomfertable and the lack of mufflers gets really annoying. So even if you do lose to a neon who cares atleast you'll be losing in comfort.

 

True, but torque tells the story. HP is always a peak measurement. The VQ has 190 HP and 205 ft-lbs of torque. Like they always say, 80% of the TQ is available from such and such rpms to such and such rpms, not HP. The wide torque band is always what's touted. I guess you can quickly convert it to a wide hp band, but since hp is a function of rpm, the low rpm hp numbers don't show the capability of the motor as much as the TQ does.

DW

 

I have to agree with dwapenyi. But this is stupid subject for us to even be talking about, if everyone is so worried about getting beat buy a stupid Neon then sell your maxima and buy a neon i'm sure there are others that would enjoy the privlage of owning a Maxima.

But don't get upset with me I'm just trying to make a point on how stupid this is and how everyone is makeing such a big deal about I know what you all mean it does suck but this is stupid were talking about a Neon here remember it ugly, it a dodge, and number one its a domestic it won't last. Just had to put in my 2 cents again.

 

just because you think it is stupid does not make it stupid.. if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything

 

i dunno bout u guys, but for the price of 4th gen, the strong engine (had manual tranny option too), rooooomy interior cabin, and "fairly" reliable car the maxima is well worth it. I bought the car mainly for the ride and convenience... if i wanted to be hardcore and race alot or something, i wouldda bought a smaller faster car. We're just gonna be oldschool lol

 

Yeah, I love the 4th gen. It's got the perfect inside and outside dimensions. Very big and practical on the inside, not so big on the outside. And a killer motor. Just right for an aspiring sports sedan. The 5th gen got a bit too big for my liking, more limo like.

DW

 

Don't worry, the New Maximas will take care of those other
newer cars.

Ha HAAA!

 

Eh, sorry to burst your bubble, but the Evo VII is gonna rock so damn hard. I mean youre complaining about "handling" with an EVO? Sure the crappy *** Lancers out now do a 0-60 in 11 something, but an EVO... ****... Id take an Evo over a RX-7... 4 doors of drifing goodness... yeah... anyway.

And for dodge... it really wasnt dodge back then, but Id take ANY car, being a Geo or a Yugo if it had a Hemy... I mean seriously... youre not that stupid are you. But ne way. Imma lose the Max soon, so bleh. Ill prolly get a cheap 240 and pop a SR20 in that *****, or some other 4 cyl car.

Hell, if i win the lottery ill buy a skyline and give all you a ride... for a price that is... hehhe. Ok...

End rant.

 

I agree with you. A lot of people don't realize that Horsepower is simply a derivation of Torque and not something entirely separate. I totally agree that torque and rpm are the critical values when evaluating performance.

 

That must be the "modding scene" where people just want to go fast, beat other people in races, and talk smack/get in fights afterwards.

What about the "modding scene" where people care more about getting under their hood, learning about cars, and make friends in the process regardless of what it is they have?

People are so competitive and edgy, not to mention spiteful. There is a such thing as friendly competition, you know.

 

You also have to think about it this way. Yeah, these newer cars are pumping out more horsepower over us, but compare that to their torque ratings. Like the newer Accords have like 200+ hp, but compared to their torque, there is like a -40 difference. And you also have to remember, torque is acceleration, not horespower; HP is just a factor determined from torque.

 

Please explain why Acura Integra type Rs and Honda S2000s are fast. They have no torque right?