I know some of these questions have been asked before, but please bear with me.
<hr>
Either way; here's the story:
<br> When we moved here (the US) in 1993, our first big purchase was (surprise) a <b>Silver 1990 Maxima SE AT</B> with 50 or 60K on it. This car ran perfectly and we never had any trouble with it. In fact, my brother was driving it up until 1999, when he bought a 2000 GS300 (400 was too much for him). We sold the car for about $3000. But not before we bought an <b>Eggplant/Black 1995 SE AT</b>. </br>
<br> The biggest reason we sold it in 2000 was that it was involved in a nasty crash. It was broadsided by a Continental. Amazingly, there was no damage to the engine or frame (outside of crumplezones and body work). Looking at the Continental and the then at the Maxima, I was absolutely astonished. The Continental was totaled. I mean really ripped apart. The Max, however, looked as if it bumped into a shopping cart at 40 MPH.</br>
<br> It was fixed good as new, but we still decided to pawn it off. Mostly because my dad had just bought a Loaded 1996 Q45. So we sold it for cash ($12000) with about 87K (as I remember). About a month before the sale, however, I discovered Maxima.org. I was sad to see it go, seeing as how the '95 are apparently faster than other 4th Gen's. I guess it doesn't show up as much in an AT, though. </br>

<hr>
<br> Which brings us to now. I'm turning 16 in late April, and I'll be getting my license soon afterwards. I've been saving up for the car for the last two, maybe three, years. Right now I'm definately in the market for a 4th Gen AT (I don't want to bug with a manny, especially in the city). I have in the neighborhood of maybe 13-14K to spend and about 6-7K cash down. As I figure, the optimal thing would be a <b>1996 SE</b>. It's inexpensive (10-14K, depending on mileage), easy to mod, and, of course, terminally sporty. </br>
<br>That's one of my questions, do you guys think I should go for a 1996, or something newer/older? I realise the 97 looks better, but you don't get a Maxima for looks, right? Because of the nature of my questions, I'll just tell you what I'm really looking for and the Mods I've decided on, and am still mulling over.</br>
<br>I <b>DON'T</b> want a noisy car. I'd opt for a much more subtle and classy delivery. I <b>DON'T</b> want a speed demon. Most of the mods I'm thinking about are handling or cosmetic. I <b>DO</b> want to retain some of the original parts and the 'stock look'. So here we go:</br>
<p> </p>
Definite Mods:
------------------
-FSTB (likely Stillen)
-Rear Sway Bar
-Clear Corners
-I30 Doorknobs and Kickplate
-CD/MP3 Player/Changer:
AIWA Mp3
-Eibach's
-New Muffler Tip:
The stocks look so damn puny, it's painfull to see
-Stillen SMX Grille (the old Pontiac-y one)

Plausable:
------------------
-Tires (Probobly not rims):
I'm thinking Pilots on the stock rims
-RSTB
-Aluminum Dash Kit
-2000 Muffler and Piping
-Audio Upgrade (new speak's, woofers):
Not too extreme, hopefully something that'll run on the one battery, and <$600-$800
-High-Flow Intake
-Front Lip

Doubtfull:
------------------
CAI
Y-Pipe

Definately Not:
------------------
Supercharger
Cat-Back
N2O
Anything Extreme
</br>
<hr>
<br> Right now, my biggest question is this: <b>Should I fork over the money to buy new rims, High-Perf All-Seasons, and put Snow's on the stock rims and get 'em changed every year, or just get after-market High-Perf's onto the stock's?</b> I like what the '96/'97 sport rims look like, so I don't have a problem keeping them. I should mention that I live near Chicago, so I need something to do for those heavier snow days (other than public transportation).</br>
<br> Any comments at all are welcome and greatly appreciated.

 

If you put rims on the car, you might as well take em off for the winter. Salt can do damage to those nice rims, not to mention the potholes from the snow plows. Your're not going to see the true beauty of the rims anyway in the winter with all that gray salt film on the side of your ride. Put the rims back on in the spring after the poleholes are filled and the spring rain washes all the salt away.

 

for the first question i would say dont worry too much about they year. once you find a max you like just buy it. you have mad money to spend you should be allright.

for the whole tires/rims things i dont know. i like in nj and plan on getting rims/and some nice all season tires in summer. i dont have the patience to take out winter tires and stuff so im just going with all seasons. i may not even take my rims out. youre in chicago though so...

 

Here's my worthless opinion:

Buy some lightweight 16s if you want some looks and slightly better performance (less unsprung weight). I'm very happy with my light 16s over my slightly heavy 17s.

Get a Y-pipe and wrap the flex section with header wrap. This makes the y-pipe nice and quiet.

Get a Courtesy B-pipe and keep the stock muffler. I've got the Y-pipe, B-pipe, stock muffler, and a different tip. My car is slightly louder than stock (~10% louder).

Modify the stock airbox. I had been running a POP style intake, but I got sick of the excessive noise anywhere from 3000 rpms up. I reinstalled the stock intake, removed the two intake resonators, added a K&N filter panel, and ran a under the nose intake that plumbs into the stock air inlet. My butt dyno can't tell the difference in power and the car is much smoother and QUIET!!

As for suspension, unfortunately when you modify it, the ride gets pretty firm...possibly harsh. There's no way around it. I'd say buy some H&R springs (softest of the springs-still handle great) with Tokico or KYB struts. Get a rear sway bar, but set it to one of the softer settings. Get a front strut tower brace.

For exterior/interior mod, the skys the limit. I prefer the subtle and low key mods. I removed all my emblems, smoked out my taillights (black car), painted my fog lights yellow (like the Lexus GS400), added leather Prelude seats, alum pedals, alum floor mat plates, alum shift ****, and a small 3"X1" shift light. I'm still saving up for a leather I30 rear seat. Under the hood I hand polished the valve and timing chain cover. Painted the coil cover red.

Dave

 

Who's gonna pay your insurance? the older the car, the less expensive it will be. A 96 is now 5 years old but should still be reliable if it was taken car of. You can pick up a 96 SE for around 10-11 in Chicago if you keep your eyes open. I'd recommend getting the vehicle inspected if you don't buy from a dealer. All 4th gens are about the same with only minor differences so just find the best deal you can on the best car you can and ....enjoy the ride....

 

This applied to much to me so I had to reply. I live in the chicago area and had a 96 se, I picked it up for 14.5k with 47k back in june. Personally I would suggest getting the 97 se, not only because it's a year newer, but also because it has the 16' 5-spoke alloys. You said the 97's look better than the 96's, the only real visible difference is the alloys, other than that I believe they are identical. In 96 they had the 15' ugly swirl ones on the se.

I also ditched the stock tires, but not the stock alloys (didnt have enough $$) and got pilot xgt v4 ( ultra high performance all season tires ), these are some of the best tires you can get for the chicagoland area ( in which I also live, oh & imo ), they are average in snow, but in rain ( which is mostly what youll be dealing with anyways due to rain 9 months and mostly slush during winter ) they are great, you always feel a really good grip on the road and it makes the ride a lot smoother. I was the same as you on mods, I only wanted cosemetics and stuff like handling. Personally I wouldn't get eibach's, I heard to many people complain about the bumpy ride after changing from stock.

Also the 96 is also a very safe car, I was in a head on collision at 50 mph back in november and the interior was perfect, the crumple zones, airbags, seatbelts, seats, and safety system all worked perfect and I walked out without a scartch or bruse on me. Insurance was 860 ever 6 months (not a month sorry (full coverage)) for me in which I was an unmarried male under the age of 21 with no tickets, good student discount, and watched a safety video which lowered it 20%. Although 860 seems like a lot, I mentioned that I paid $14,500 for it in june, and when it was totalled in nov with 8,000 more miles on it, I was given $15,200 by the insurance company. So paying for good insurance is worth it. Hope what I had to say helped your decision out a little, oh if you get a leather interior, make sure you get tints.

-Nate

[Edited by nforg on 01-22-2001 at 10:24 PM]

 

Huh? $860 a month?!

 

He meant over six months, he did say right after it 'not a month'.

 

<br>Thanks to everyone who replied. Right now I'm thinking about the 97SE with the nice rims and Pilot XGT V4. Maybe the Y-pipe if I can get it to run under emission specs (without having to warm up for 20 mins first).</br>
<br> Also, I am thinking of getting the muffler from a 2000 MAX and putting a different tip on it 'cause the stock one looks downright tiny and puny. Then slappin' the ***** on the 97. The new muffler is variable release/regulated release; meaning the higher the pressure, the wider it opens, so I can be mucho-loud on the highway and quiet as a mouse on the side streets. </br>