Which one do you think is better? I dont want to start arguement or anything like that, but I just want to know this. Both cars are nice and fast. I do believe maxima is more luxurious and mazda 6 has better handling, but could ya give me some advantages and disadvantages of both of the cars: 2000 Nissan Maxima and 2003 Mazda 6.



Thanks in advance

 

I was seriously considering for a Mazda 6 before I bought my 2k2 Max, but I couldln't wait. (It was back in Septemper when I bought my Max)

Couple things I liked about Mazda 6 over a 2000 Maxima.

-Style
-Sport design of the interior
-Capable engine (219HP/202TQ)
-5spd Manual Available
-Nice sport suspension

CONS:

-Same 3.0 Duratec used in a Ford Taurus but tuned by Mazda
-Altezza Light?!

Overall, I would pick this car over a 2000 Max, but still a test drive is worth a thousand words.

 

our other car is a Taurus station wagon with that 3 liter DOHC Duratec (an option over the standard engine) and at 43k miles, dat thing has been flawless. I've seen several of these engines at way over 100k miles which are perfect so it's definitely durable.

BTW, it's snappy as hell; I pulled some 0-60 runs on the car (with a G-Tech) and got 7.6 seconds not bad at all for a funky wagon. I've left many 4 cylinder Accords and other assorted 4 cylinder cars in the rear view mirror with that car, which is the last thing anyone expects out of a Taurus...dat's more fun that doing the same thing in the Maxima!

 

The looks, room, and Nissan quality are enough for me to take it over the 6.

 

I'd put looks as a maxima CON.

 

cool.

 

Actually, the block is the same, the head is different.

and your 2002 has the same ugly altezza design taillamps.


The Madza 6 is getting RAVE reviews for it's sportiness that the Maxima has long lost. the Madza 6s with the sport package looks very very nice... and the car does low 15s with the 5 spd. Not too shabby. On par with an average 2000-01 5spd Maxima, handles better, looks far better...

only problem is, you can get a 2002 Maxima w/ 20K miles for $19K...
or you can get a brand new Madza 6s fully loaded for $23K.

 

whatsup with all the excitment re: new Mazda? Mazda always had looks, but resale values are lowest among imports.

Personally, I would not buy anything that has FORDs name on it...even if it is tuned by Mazda.

 

Kinda funny someone mentions this comparison because I just got a 2k2 Maxima SE and my good buddy is looking at the Mazda 6. I just test drove the sport model and then I let him drive my Max. He says it handles AWESOME - even tighter than my Max. He's also driven an IS300 and says it's very similar to that car (we both think the IS is way overpriced considering it's so-so performance).

The Mazda 6 doesn't have the low end torque that the Max has but once it's moving it's pretty decent.

I agree that the resale of Mazda's isn't the best. I'm really surprised my friend's even considering that car after owning a mildly-tuned '96 Z-28.

The Mazda 6 looks pretty cool - but it'd have to have like 240-250hp and have 0-60 times closer to 6.0 seconds for me to consider it. Right now the Maxima's can be had for a pretty good deal because the Altima 3.5 has been stealing the Maxima's thunder. People also know that a new Max is due in for 2004 so sales are kinda slow. I personally don't like the new Max so I'm happy as a pig in ****e with my purchase (lease really).

Matt

 

Right in front of Nissan?

Like i said, you can get 2002 Maxima SE's used (20K miles) for $20K or less. hmm, $7K in about a year and a half...

There's one Maxima in cali for $15K with 15K miles!

 

What in the hell are you talking about listing the 5-speed manual tranny as a difference between the 2k3 6 and a 2k Max...The max was available with a 5speed manual tranny in 2k and 2k1, and a 6 speed in 2k2 and 2k3.

I agree with y2ksesteve, the looks, room, and quality would make me turn towards the maxima.

 

"looks far better..." I'd say that's a personal preference call. I don't like the 6's looks and mazda doesn't have a very good reputation for building vehicles that last. That's why they depreciate just like a domestic brand.

 

...but Mazdas are really poor in the build quality department. I have a 1993 MX-6 LS and it is pretty peppy, but what a POS. My sister owned it before me (gave it to me for a station car ) and that poor girl replaced just about everything that could go wrong with a car but the clutch (knock, knock, knock).

It's now cruising with about 130K on the ODO but that's only because the car is essentially brand new with all the parts that were replaced. So far, since I've had it I had to replace the driver's side window switch ($170!) and it was having problems starting which I figured out was a combo of bad battery terminals ($6) and a faulty clutch interrupter switch (dealer wanted $30, I jumped it with a wire for nothing. Now the car can start without the clutch down ).

Working on my Max this weekend I must say that there is a lot of attention to detail in the way the car is designed and put together. Now granted, its 10 years younger but I've worked on old Toyotas around the same year as my Mazda and they were built much more solid.

 

It's funny what you guys are saying about Mazda's as far as quality goes, because according to Consumer Reports and JD Power, Mazda's overall are supposed to be pretty reliable. At least the ones that Ford hasn't had a hand in. Those tend to be MUCH worse. Maybe you guys just had some bad ones.

As far as depreciation goes, that could be due to the cars just not competing very well with the other cars in its class. The 626 has never been a very competetive car. All the people looking for a used car in that class flock towards Camcords, sending the 626 resale value plummeting.

Same thing with the Maxima. It's more expensive to begin with, but because consumers place no more value on that car used than a used Camcord, the Maxima's resale goes south rather quickly. A used car is only worth what the general population is willing to pay for it.


As for the Mazda6, it looks like a pretty nice car. From what I've been reading, this is pretty much a Mazda product (minimal Ford intervention) so it *should* be pretty reliable. The 3.0 Duratec is a Ford, unfortunately, but this same engine is in many other cars as well. Performance is about on par with a 00-01 Maxima 5spd, so that's pretty decent. But more would always be better

 

The Mazda is interesting but not truly a Maxima competitor. When I test drove one the sales guys had been all geared up to knock the Altima. When I told them I was thinking Maxima they had no idea what to say.

The Maxima definitely out classes the Mazda. Having said that the Mazda felt like it was a car you could really throw around. Not overpowering but very quick and light.

 

100k makes it durable? So, every car on the road is pretty durable then. I don't think there are too many cars that quit before 100k. Even my Cavalier was well into 130k when I ditched it, and it was still running strong. My co-worker has a bimmer with over 350k, now that's durable.

 

i think all of you still seem to miss the "fun factor".


Madza 6 wins hands down over the Maxima. Ever drive a Mp5? that car may be gutless, but it's an incredible handling car. The Miata has it's national awards to prove it works.

The 6 is following that idea.

Whether your speculations of it being unreliable, poor quality, underpowered, etc... I'm willing to bet it beats the Maxima in every comparo test, short of acceleration and interior feel (as it should, since it's a $6K less of a car).

Don't get me wrong, the Maxima is a GREAT car, but it's just "sporty", like it use to be. The Madza 6 has found that magic.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....5&pagenumber=1

 

i totally agree

 

I test drove a fully loaded Mazda 6 with the sportshift tranny just the other day. I like the style but I was kind of dissapointed by the interior. Like someone mentioned, it's very Altima like (a lot of plastic). I liked the way it handled but it lacked power. They should of thought ahead and increased the HP to atleast 240. The torque is lacking also. It's a nice looking car, turned a lot of heads while test driving it. The other problem I see with it is the stock head unit, how is an aftermarket head unit supposed to fit?
Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/mazd...m/photo_5.html

They should of had an MP3 deck instead of the 6 CD changer.

All in all, I would take a 03 6speed max over the 03 6 anyday

 

get the max...IMHO

 

maximas used to be sorta unique here in NY.......but now you will see atleast two of them parked on every block, not as easily spoted as a civic or accord, but its starting to get there. i'd rather go for the mazda 6

 

Sorry to ask a silly question but what is a Camcord?

 

Nickname for the zillions of Camry's and Accord's on the road

Camry + Accord = Camcord

 

The 6 kinda reminds me of an Intrigue or Alero.

 

I'm sure the designers over at Mazda would be hanging themselves if they heard that!

The Mazda 6 is cool - but I wouldn't buy one just because Maxima's are so popular and are everywhere. Give it some time, there will be 6's all over the road too. Being popular isn't exactly a bad thing.

I purchased this motorcycle some years back and part of the reason was that no one had them. It was cool to be one of the only ones riding it for a year or so, but when I wanted to hop it up it was impossible because NO ONE made any aftermarket parts for it! I've since traded up to a bike that has a following like you wouldn't believe.

If the car grows in popularity you'll see some performance bits for it come out, but for the most part all you'll be able to do is drop in a lousy K&N panel filter...whoopeee!

 

It's going to be just like the Altima I'm sure. At first the Altima was cool. Not many of them out their and they looked good. Now they are everywhere. I'm not trying to poke fun at the younger crowd, but that is generally who you see in the Altima and will see in the Mazda 6. Then you'll see us Maxima people passing the 6 on the road

 

This is also a problem with the Maxima crowd. A lot of older (30+), family type people who own them (except for the 4, which i find is a lot of teenagers).

I really haven't seen "younger" type people driving the Altima. There's a good mix. oh well.

 

I saw the nastiest Altima yesterday. It was beige/gold color with a fabric fake-convertible top on it in black (with snaps around the window too!). ACK!! It also had these gross chromed pimped out rims on it with tires that had a thin gold sidewall! The finishing touch was the leopard pattern steering wheel cover.

To top it all off a lady in her 60s got in it and drove away. Yikes.

Sorry to be a little off topic but I HAD to tell someone about this car...it's been giving me nightmares!

 

Thats weird, cuz last night I saw a 3.5 altima with Stillen body kit, lowered, stillen exhaust and 19s. It looked so nice. One of the nicer cars I've seen souped up lately.

 

Whats 0-60 and 1/4 mile for automatic 2000 nissan maxima GXE? And also, is that ford duratec engine reliable or not?

 

Paul got a 15.4@90(ish)mph pass in his stock 2000 GXE. Thats like what? around a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds?

 

I drove the Mazda6 5-spd, did a write-up on the CL forum:

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=89812

I've never driven an '00 or '01 Maxima, so I can't compare handling, but the Mazda6's handling wins HANDS DOWN over my '03 SE .. and I test drove it in sorta slick conditions.. the Michelin MXV4's were very stable. There is very minimal body roll and the suspension is tight all around, and there were NO rattles anywhere in the interior (don't know what 10,000 on the ODO will do later on .. but at least there were no creaks or anything from day one).

The power was tucked way high up in the powerband.. reminded me of the 'tegra GSR... sounded just like it too, lower pitch though.

 

Went with a friend yesterday and he test-drove one. He's looking at trading his Protege for one.

Nice car, the interior is a little plastic-y (?!?), but overall, besides being a little smaller than the Max, it was nice. I, personally, love the exterior of them. Sporty looking in my opinion. The exhaust does sound nice, as PeterUbers mentioned in his write-up, but to me, it also sounded like it would be a little ricey sounding with an aftermarket exhaust. Seemed to buzz just a little when it should have growled. Acceleration with me (230lbs), my friend (210), and salesman (250?), was sluggish off the line, but I'm sure without the load (!!!) it would have been better. Top end almost reminded me of my cousin's Civic Si. It was nice when you got it there, but you would definitely need to keep the 6 in the powerband if you wanted to play with an Altima or the like.

The other thing that's been mentioned is how they are unique and nobody has them yet. Well, to me, any sporty car that is also offered with a 4-cylinder, is a car that is about to FLOOD the market. In 6 months, you won't be able to turn around without running into a "Mazda4".

All in all, I liked the car, and if it was available a year and a half ago, I would have looked at them, BUT... now that I've been in one, I wouldn't trade my 2001 Maxima (automaGic ) for one.