Click on the link to see what the Acura guys are saying about the Maxima.
http://www.acura-cl.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/006279.html

 

wow acura people seem dumb, they all had so few mods that they included a radar detector in almost every list, which brought average mod total to about 5 things

 

juss gonna say..
i see tons of Acuras laying around then Maxima's
we are more Rare ^^
WE THE SHIET BABY!!!

 

Why do they think that they can still hang with a 2002 maxima in their 225 hp cl-s's? they are negative 35 hp out of the box, and you know that no one that has a max that would race them would leave it stock. They must just be jealous I guess...but d@mn its fun to read their posts...very entertaining too.

K

 

hmmm the regular Cls have 225 hp, the Type S has 260hp, perfectly matched up with the '02 Maxima...
you know what the problem is? next year there is going to be a 6spd manual CL Type S, atleast thats what i heard... and well... i duno... but we dont seem at any kind of advantage... 0-60 for a '01 TL Type S is about 6.2 thats damn quick
i dont think the 'o2 max has a chance

 

the new max comes with a 6spd too........

 

Well, here's something to think about. Even with 227hp, an automatic Maxima is still not even close to being as fast as a 225hp TL/CL. A standard TL (225hp) does 0-60 in under 7 seconds, and in a recent Edmunds.com test, the 2001 I30 does 0-60 in 8 seconds (I think Edmunds also tested an automatic 2000 SE at 7.8s). And the TL-S is even faster, 0-60 in 6.4-6.6s I think. I don't think the 260hp Maxima/I35 will even come close. Maybe 0-60 in 7 seconds at best. Nissan has recently produced vehicles with good horsepower, but not the acceleration numbers to match. Look at the 2002 Q45. It has a 50hp advantage over the LS430, weighs less, but is still slower.

So before you go ranting about Acura owners saying this, and saying that, realize that the TL is an unusually fast car. It doesn't give up much to the Maxima in handling either. In fact, when I drove an I30t and TL at Edmunds Live, I thought the TL had great handling. It was very progressive and easy to control, whereby the I30t was a little more aggressive but didn't feel as polished as the TL.

 

if I was wrong.. The '02 Altima (240hp) is claimed by Nissan is doing 6.3 in 0-60 then how could a '02 MAX [bold](260HP)[/bold] do any where in the 7' ????

 

Nissan also claims the Q45 can do 0-60 in 5.9s, but the quickest the mags have gotten is 6.5s. Go figure. I don't have much confidence in manufacturer's ratings anymore. The IS300 was supposed to do 0-60 in 7.1s, but the fastest I've seen the mags get is 0-60 in 7.5s.

BTW, the 6.3s was for the manual transmission Altima. Since we are comparing automatic Acuras, it is only fair to compare it to an automatic Nissan, which is much slower.

 

I'm not scared... Acura=

 

Oh my bad...
Anyway I personally don't like anything in Acura except for some luxury options...and a few other features

 

I don't think we should be ripping on the Acura boys for this. It seems like they're having a level-headed discussion about how much Acura needs to step up to go mano-a-mano with the '02 Max.

One poster said the Max wasn't in the same class as his CL - less luxurious. I agree with him. I think Acuras and Nissans are targeted toward different demographics. Another poster said his friend's 3rd gen is falling apart. Come on! It's an 8-year-old car! Cars weren't designed to last forever. Finally, another poster commented on the questionable build quality of the 5th gen. Just looking in the 5th gen forum makes me shudder. A sticky for TSBs, paint problems that are so bad that they warrant petitions and websites dedicated to dealing with the issue, fuel cut-off issue, missing parts (fuel filler cover), etc.

And as for which car is faster, the bottom line is that magazine numbers never tell the whole story and the only way to find out is at the track.

My 0.02.

 

Uh the TL is faster than an auto Maxima because it has a 5 speed automatic transmission. The gear ratios don't have to be so wide in the lower gears, hence the better acceleration. Uh, and if you read www.acura-tl.com , very few people can get their 0-60s and 1/4s as low as the magazines are.

 

It's tough to get the mag's numbers on a Maxima too. Once and only once did I beat my car on acceleration runs (brake torque) and I managed the mags 0-60 in 7.6s. But with normal street starts, I can barely manage 0-60 in 8s. It might be different for manuals, but with automatics, you really have to be beating on the car to get the times the mags quote. I like my car too much to ever brake torque again. When I drove the TL at Edmunds, it felt noticeably more powerful than the I30t.

Basically, I don't think people should be talking smack about either the Maxima or TL until they have driven both. I have driven both through the autocross and must say the TL is an impressive vehicle for how much it costs. Yes, a 330i would eat it for lunch, but that would also cost $10,000 more. An SE Maxima might be $5000 less than the TL, but it doesn't feel as refined as the TL. But both are great cars.

 

What a bunch of BS

 

Actually, the TL guy is right. Sit in a TL, then sit in a Maxima. The TL feels more luxurious. It's kind of like how an I30 feels more luxurious than a Maxima, even though both cars are very similar. The interesting thing is that even though the TL is based on the Accord, from my drive, it handles much better than an Accord.

 

no sense in getting worked up over this, the acura is a great car, lets leave it at that...
the acura with the 5spd auto whups this years manual max's, i dont think we will have a clear cut victory... only consolation is that the car is alot more expensive... and with us'97 GXE 5spds and alll 5spds we have the best performance bargain except 4 that darned !@#$ speed limiter... and the slushy stock handling...
my car cost me 10Gz!!! i'm not complaining i'm happy!

 

Why does everyone argue about a few tenths of a second when it comes to performance? I think both the newer Maxi and the CL-S/TL are very nice cars. Personally, I don't like the styling on the new maxi's (nor the spy cam pics of what might happen to the maxi in the future), but I think it's a well-engineered automobile. Not to mention if you're mated to a manual transmission, you kind of strike out with the CL and TL (one post said they were coming with a 6-speed CL-S, I haven't heard this, but I wish they would. Acura has a trend in some models of only putting sticks in the base/lower models, ala new accord, early CL, etc...)

To me, life on the roads is not about 0-60 or a quarter, or mods, etc. It's about the car when you're daily driving out there on the streets, and everything that encompasses that. I think all the people that laughed at Acura in this thread should respect that they make a reliable, well-built luxury car with modest styling...we all know hondas have the tendency to have no low-end (I drive an integra), but in the CLs and TLs, low-end is fine. And I think any acura owners that laugh at maxi's need to respect the maxi for its good points, regardless of how much the mfgr pads the 0-60 times, etc.

 

In Road and Track 2001 car review they compared the Maxima SE, Grand Prix GT, Accord, Tauras etc. They choose the SE #1. However, the Grand Prix with 200 hp and a bit more torque that the SE had better 0-60. Handling Nissan was better. So, it seems that good hp rating doesn't necessary mean good off line acceleration. The 2002 Maxima might have 260 hp and 246 ft/lbs, which is as good as most in the category. And as it is lighter than the Acura counterpart, why is it not any faster? Drag? Gearing?

I have a 99 SE and am quite happy with it, except for ugly butt. My lease is due and I am doing some research to decide on the next vehicle. I ruled out the A4 cuz of possible reliablity issues, cost, and only one unhelpful dealership in town. I am ruling out the IS300 cuz of bang for the buck, and RWD. I like in Western Canada and RWD can be interesting. It was fun to drive however, but for $43,000 Cdn it is a big small and 'econo' inside.

Not looking at Toyota cuz they are boring. I had 4 previous Toyota and they were very reliable and unenjoyable.
They do seem to be not so exciting car producer of late.

Went to Subaru twice and both times had shabby service. Plus, the WRX is small and unattractive.

So, I am down to 2002 Maxima, Altima V6, and TL-S. Of course I can buy out my 99 SE, but I don't have the cash in the bank :-( I also like to drive a new vehicle every couple years, that why I went with the lease. I am considering getting financing and buying one of the above vehicles. For now, waiting, reading, and contemplating until August.

PS: I do find folks here very helpful, and not so childish.
TL forum is not bad, but it seems CL forum isn't as classy, and people are more profane. IS300 forum is good, as is the AudiWorld forum.

 

Actually I think IS300 has a very high "bang for the buck ratio." Well, when compared with its intended competitor, the 3-series, the IS is a bargain. The TL is good value as well.

 

Motortrend says that coming this fall the CLs will be available with a 6spd manual...

 

I owned a 99 Integra GSR and after a month new I had bought the wrong car. The ride was terrible and uncomfortable. The VTEC is cool when you are racing but during normal driving its as big a dog as a regular 4 banger Honda. I traded it on a 96 GLE with 84,000 on it and happy I did. The Max is a special car. Rides great, good gas mileage and up to 109,000 miles and not a single problem. I plan to run this Max into the ground. When it is done I'll buy a new Max. The 2002 Max with 262hp must be out of this world.

Acura is a good car, very reliable. I am just just much more comfortable in the Max. I owned 5 Honda/Acura over the last 13 years and they dont cause many problems but were never comfortable. The 96 GLE reminds me of our old 78 Chrylser Newport, with its big car ride.

 

I did, we shopped for 3 months drove the TL three times, checked Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, etc. The lasting impression from the TL was that the seats were too soft and i did not like the auto stick. The Max SE seats are great and I felt that the Max was the best value for the buck. Luxury and all that is very subjective, I get no charge from wood trim etc. However I would not criticize someone who went to a TL for equally subjective reasons.

 

I don't agree with BeltFed. Well, what do they know, they drive Acuras.

I really do think when most people try out most of these cars, they pick the Max/I30 because of the roominess and reliability. I speak for the 4 gens anyway.

 

Bottom line is, the Acuras are very impressive cars. The new Max that will come out soon, in 5 or 6 speed manuals will be faster than the CLS/TLS. The current Max is only 0.3 seconds slower (according to different sources, an average you can say) give or take a few tenths slower than the CLS/TLS. But the point is, who cares. I like the Acura but I like the VQ better. I love the VQ. I want so badly to own the new Max but decided to wait for the G35! And yes, that also comes with the VQ

 

Last fall I considered buying an Acura CL-S. I read many a post and asked a few questions myself. The Acura CL-S is not without it's share of problems. There are some build quality issues like rattling sunroofs, seats the literally fall apart, misc. interior rattles, and poor paint.

What really changed my mine was when I went to the local dealer on Sunday and checked over some new unprepped arrivals. The bottom quarter panels seem to be made of plastic. Many of them were actually loose. One had a six inch piece of clear plastic sticking out from between the lower quarter panel and the rear fender.

I checked some prepped cars in front of the dealership and about 1/3 of them still had a loose panel.

For $30 grand I have higher expectations than what I observed and read in the forums.

Just my $0.02

 

maxima anyday of the week over the rest

 

welll i was looking at TLs, but i didnt want to get a '99 cuz they only had a 4spd auto... and the $$$$ well i would have got a used '98 Cadillac STS wahaha
and for the money i had at that moment, the Maxima was the best car

 

Why didn't I buy the Acura? I LIKE to shift and being 6'5" I do NOT want a sunroof. Acura's are made for small people. Very nice car with lots of goodies but I'll buy the boxy Maxima or even the boxy Accord over the Acura b/c of the darned standard sunroof! Oh and I just can't bring myself to pay MSRP for any vehicle!