Are the 1995-99 Maxima(s) faster than the 1993-94 Maxima SE(s) with Twin Cam? Any other thoughts about 1993-94 Maxima Twin Cam reliability?

 

Go do a massive search in public Library.
Hint: There are many Sticky on this site....

 

The 3rd Gens Have the option of the 160 hp engine and the 190 hp as the fourth gens. i would say the 4th gens (95-99) are faster because their alittle newer.

 

try the 3rd gen forums for that answer

 

i would say...maybe the 3rd gen is faster...
mainly becuz of this entry
https://maxima.org/modules.php?name=30_comparisons

 

4th gen has more low-end power
3rd gen feels nicer to ring out to redline

 

The 95-99 engine is 108 lbs lighter than the earlier year 93 and 94 thus producing more power and reving quicker and smoother

-matt

 

cant go by that, a 2001 camry is newer and also has more hp but i still took one on. if comparing 5sp to 5sp i think the 4th gen did come out on top, there was a huge forum and comparison on this comparing 3rd,4th, and 5th gens (2k and 2k1) and they were all close. hopefully someone can find it. my guess is the 4th gen is faster only because of weight differences maybe, as far as reliability you'd ave to check the 3rd gen forums.

 

Keep posting your thoughts...

I have posted this question in both forums. I am in the process of buying another Maxima -- as a younger sibling to my 1984.

Please give me reasons to buy a 1995-99 over the 1993/94 SE Twin Cam.

 

I know that the 1995-1996 Maxima's are faster than all of the 3rd gens and some 4th gens and maybe 5th gens. I heard the the 1997-1999 are more restricted. Someone correct me on this. I heard the fastest max is the 1995 GXE its ligther than the SE's.

 

If you want speed go with the 1995-1996 Maxima 5-speed and GXE.

 

IBTL .. can of worms offically opened... Read the stickys you've been here long enough.

 

Quad cam ... not twin, twin/head X 2 heads ..= 4 ...

 

As you can tell from my ignorance, I am a first-gen guy. Actually, I am a Gen Zero guy, because I once drove a Datsun 810 -- the father of all Maxima(s).

So Quad-cam it is.

I don't wish to open any wounds or sores. I want 1996-99 guys to give me reasons to buy a 4th gen. I want 1993-94 guys to give me reasons to buy a 3rd gen SE.

My father purchased my 1984 Maxima new from the dealership. I inheirited the car from him. It is still going strong -- over 185K miles. So, maintenance problems won't really scare me away from either 3rd or 4th gen. It is just that 3rd and 4th gen are nothing like 810 and 1st gen. I am totally ignorant about 3rd and 4th gen model years.

 

Drive them both, I much prefer my 93 over my 96... I can list why even though that might cause riot

 

if it were me, IMO, I'd have both a 3rd and 4th gen, the 3rd gen being a daily driver

 

I'll stick with my 1995 SE, 5-speed, with 15" sawblades and a Budget y-pipe anyday. And by the way it has DOHC and LSD. I don't know what all this talk is about twin cams, both 4th Gens and 3rd Gens with 190hp have dual overhead cams, but the 4th Gen is lighter and has more torque. I like the 3rd Gen body style and have never driven a 1993/1994 Maxima, but will gladly stay with my 95 grocery getter as its barely broken in.

 

Will98--

But I'm actually one gerenation ahead, meaning I have a 4th and 5.5g and use the 4th gen as a daily driver.

 

I would gladly have the performance of my old 93 se back but before I got rid of it I was having a funny ticking noise coming out of the engine. Third gen reliable? Who knows, nissan got rid of variable valve timing for a reason.

 

Thats gonna be me soon. I'm getting a '97 SE 5-Speed soon & it will soon after be Forced Induction BTW: I think stock vs. stock VE 5-speed vs. VQ 5-speed, The VE would come out alittle on top, seeing as how everything is functioning properly.

 

The 1995 GXE is a whopping 9 pounds lighter than the SE, transmission for transmission, with the 5-speed tranny being about 60 pounds lighter than the automatic. The GXE stock also has 205 tires vs 215 on the SE.

 

What? The DOHC 93-94 Maxima's had 190 hp, the same as the fourth gen. Being newer has nothing to do with it. They also have LSD. This has been discussed so many times, and it comes down to a very close race, almost negligable.

 

and se's have a sportier suspension that also might help with traction.....

 

as far as 4th gens go id prefer a gxe over an SE, mainly because it will prob be cheaper, SE has the spoiler which i like, but other than that i dont care too much for its other upgrades, sure it has better tires, that is if the owner decided to replace them with similar size/performance based tires, i dont care for the stiffer suspension cause more than likely id swap it for performance suspension/drop, other than that what really makes the difference? if you plan on modding id rather save the extra 1-2k you would spend on an SE and get the bare bones GXE w/ 5 spd, unless you wanted leather and i believe gle's dont have 5spd so an SE 5sp w/ leather would be your best bet, good luck finding one of those tho.

 

SE 5 speed with leather . . not hard to find

Try maybe black/black SE 5 speed with leather a LITTLE harder.

 

most people dislike the chrome trim and door handles too...

 

dont know much about 3rd gens , but what i know about 4th gens i like. reliability, the body style, and the ride.

 

I had confidence in my 3rd gen that it could easily take any 4th gen when i drove the streets of Tucson. I had a 5th gen (VQ30) auto guy on 20s trying to keep up with me the day before i crashed, and he was way behind. I would love to find a 5 speed VE again, but its nearly impossible. I'm looking for a 4th gen VQ 5 spd as we speak, you can't beat the aftermarket potential and the claimed one of the top ten engines ever. My friend bought one with nitrous and it was decent, but I was sure i would win (he never shot it though). BTW my VE never ticked and was faster than all hell. Only lost to a newer Audi S4, but he pulled on me pretty easily. I miss owning a powerful and fun max.

 

I own a 4th gen, but I would ****** up a 94 SE 3rd gen in a heartbeat if I could. They look great, have nice power, and are probably alot more fun on the highway stock for stock.

 

WTF... I POSTED in this thread last night, even read the post after it was entered, and now it's gone? This happening to anyone else? I've noticed it a few times.

Anyways back to the topic at hand. Both cars have their advantages and disadvantages. It sounds like you are interested in speed/power/performance in which case you will want the 4th gen. The 4th gen is a little quicker stock, more torque, less weight, and keeps this advantage until speeds reach 130ish mph. 4th gen VQ has more power, more mods available, is newer, no VTC problems, and has more modding potential based on the amount of mods available for it, etc. I don't know how common VTC problems are on VEs, but from the reading I've done on here they seem to be pretty common.

In conclusion. If you want power you probably want the 4th gen.

 

And who cares how much power they have beyond 130mph. About 8 years ago, I wound my 95SE, 5-speed, out for the first time to see if it could live up to Road & Tracks assertion that it could go 143mph and found out it could achieve that and more. After I filled my pants I shut it down and will never attempt that again.

 

Internetautomart would agree with me, VE ticking isn't as common as alot of people make them out to be. I don't even think I've heard a VE tick before and alot of time, the ticking is due to the owners not changing their oil at more frequent intervals or using a POS oil filter and develop sludge in the passage ways that lead to the VTC assemblies and starving it of oil during startup.

 

Thanks for all of your replies...

I was not aware of...
https://maxima.org/modules.php?name=30_comparisons

The variable timing of 1992-94 SE interests me -- something that I could tinker with. But, I am glad to hear the 1995-99 are just as quick -- I won't lose anything by moving up a generation.

Now back to shopping -- find out which car I enjoy driving the most.

 

They are quicker, and once modding starts the gap only widens.

 

Advance timing for a DOHC 3rd gen is just a turn of a **** away

 

hmmm..my aunt sold hers....94 SE for like 1500bux lol n got the 04 nissan quest last year