my dad is looking for a new car... he doesnt know whether to get a I30 or a 3.2TL...

i dont know either... i like the 3.2TL power and 5spd auto tranny but i dont like its styling... i think the I30 looks a lot nicer inside and out...

there is a chance that he will get a GS430 so if that happends then the other 2 are def out... but most likely it will be a 3.2 or a I30..

what u guys think which is better?

 

its all preference, but i would get the tl since you already have a max, and an i30 is very similar to the max, its almost like buying the same car but at a higher price. just my 2 cents though. and yeah, the tl does have blah styling, but that manumatic tranny is pretty cool.
last thing, i never heard of a gs430, i heard of gs300 and gs400, and a ls430 and the new sc430, but never a gs430. i'm not putting you down, i just want to know which car you actually meant (like it really matters, any of those cars will blow the i30, tl, and max away)

 

well actually the GS430 came out before the LS430 did... about a month or 2 before it... the body is basically the same just engine is different... it still produces 300hp... and a max will kill a GS300... my cuz has one... they are nothing... but ye i really love the GS430... it is soooooo sickkkk... the only thing i really like better is a m5 i think...

 

s4

 

s4 + chip + exhaust =

 

 

Consumer Reports likes the I30 better. I think I like the TL a little better, due to the 5 speed. A test drive will definitely help make the decision.

 

The TL is ugly imho.. unless you get the spoiler and a bodykit. An i30 is just an overpriced maxima.

 

I already thought of both of these cars.

The I30T is not an overpriced Maxima, no more then the TL is an overpriced ugly version of the Accord.

Now many people say this about the I30, but they must not have driven both of them back to back. This is a common assumption because the side profile of the cars are the same.

However, interior is about 99% different, as are all body panels except the windows and roof line. Few extra HP in the engine, Limited Slip is also nice. Amenities you’ll wonder how you lived with out, and the rear sun shade is perfect for posting a kill sign on. The I30 is now closer priced but more different from the Maxima then ever before. Not to mention better paint selection over the Nissans

Anyhow, to answer your question, between the two cars, the I30 is more car for your money, and looks hands down better then the Acura. Quality and service should be good among both.

 

Well.. I'm not really interested in the luxury aspects of the I30 the max interior is fine for me. So with very little performance gain there isn't much to justify it for me... plus the luxury look I don't care for either (chrome grill.. etc). I'm not meaning to bag on your ride or anything. Tonight I noticed how very similar the 3.2 is to an accord as I was following one home. I'm not impressed with them either. At my age if I'm gonna plunk down extra cash... I want extra performance, not cush.

 

I test drove both the acura tl and the infinit i30 before buying my max. I could have afforded the more expensive models but thought in the end that max was a better value. Also the Nissan dealership is on my way to work while the other two dealers were in the opposite direction. I would factor the convenince of the dealer's location since your father will likely take the car in at some point. The I30 seemed to have a roomier back seat, which was a very important difference in my particular situation. The dealer seemed willing to negotiate more on the price of the I30 than on the TL which is another issue. If I had to pick I would go with the touring edition of the I30. Your father is fortunate to be in a position to choose between these cars. I would skip the Lexus for being overpriced with the possible caveat that relative resale value for the Lexus would be higher than the same model year Infiniti or Acura.

 

TL + mods..........Is the way.

 

basically the car wont be modded because it will be my dads and it will be leased... so this is pure stock... i think im leaning towards the I30t... i dunno im not really feeling the styling of the 3.2tl and the only i like about it that it has is the 5spd tiptronic so i dunno if thats enough to sell a car... but we just got one step closer to the GS

 

I test drove the TL before I bought my 2K Max. The back seat room is definitely smaller. Head room too. If no one is setting in the back, don't worry about it. For my situation, 4 ppl family, this was an issue. I think Acura is upsizing the TL in a year or two.

Location of dealership is important too. One nice thing about Nissan is that I have my choice of 2 local dealers and 2 more that are a little further away. There is only one Acura dealer nearby.

 

I like the I30T. man thats a sweet car. U can get one fully loaded for about 32-35 depending on where U go. Not a Honda fan so I won't comment.

 

These were the three cars that I made my final choice from this past October. The Max was easily the most car for the money.

Price 01 Max GLE wSunRoof & cd changer 26,300
01 TL 28,000 - no changer
01 I30 28,500 - no changer
00 I30 27,500 - no changer, no steering controls

But the I30 & TL were much quieter (less road noise)

The TL was the fastest and had the best steering feel of the three (honda double wishbone & 4 wheel independant suspension), but it had the cheapest looking interior, and the least appealing exterior - including ugly rims.
Also, I was trading in my 98 Accord EX, which was by far the least reliable of the four Honda's I've owned. All the others were made in Japan. I'm suspect of the component quality of Honda/Acura.

Other than the fact that the I30 was quieter, and seemed to have a slightly better grade of leather than the Max, I couldn't find any other significant difference, and so I couldn't justify the price difference in the 01 I30 vs 01 Max. $2K is a significant difference. The 00 I30 didn't have steering wheel controls and all the 00's had demo miles on them.

So the Max won by default- and I love it!!! The perfect blend of sport, luxury, and economy. And there is plenty of room for the family.

 

I really like the way the TL looks to me on the outside. I wish the did a little more on the inside to set it apart from the accord. I have been driving a I30 rental for the past week and I like the car but I dont think it is 6-7 thousand dollars better than my max. I like the max interior a lot more than the I30. Plus I dont like how the front looks on the I30...kind of looks like the hyundia (sp?) or one of those other cheap cars and the rear looks like the mazda 626. I also think that infinity does not get the same respect as a lexus or a acura. This is just my opinion people...I would go with the lexus just because everyone doesn't have one. I have been in Southern Cali for the past week and I am sooooo sick of seeing TL's and I30's. They are all over the place....also I don't like the idea that you can go to enterprise and get the I30.

 

we had to make the same decision last april
we chose i30, and i dun think it is a very wise choice
i30 certainly looks better than TL, but it drives too much like a maxima. however, i30's are made in japan while TL made in usa. i30 got alot of prob and doesnt drive like a 30k car to me. so i would suggest u get TL instead of i30.
test drive them both and see if u agree with me
TL is more for ur money, bigger engine, 5 speed sportshift transmission, HID light, heated seats, and 4 wheel doublewishbone like someone moentioned b4. defintely more sporty than rear beam multilink suspension on the i30's

 

Well some like and don't like the style of the maxima (i.e. tail lights, front grill), but love the car. This is where the I30T is another check mark for many buyers. The maxima after all, really is a great car.

These people may also enjoy the Limited Slip, quieter ride, higher shifting points, 5 more HP, rear sun shade etc and so on. Another check mark.

Another thing, you might like Nissan but hate the service, so this is where you win again with Infiniti. As far as price, I got mine for 30800 fully loaded with every singal option, even a CD changer. So were are not talking a huge difference here. To me, the improvements on the car and look is worth the $10 in your monthly payment!

This topic will go on forever, both cars are in the same market and should be considered. To me, style says a lot, and the TL doesn't have much, and anyone over 6 feet won't fit well. Before you drive the car, you look at it, and if its ugly, its ugly. The I30T looks good, and gets looks. There are not that many which is also a plus, at least around here where the Maxima is a dime a dozen.

Needless to say we all love the VQ, another check mark in my book The TL was not noticable faster by the way, and having a larger engine, it still puts out slightly less. CL Type S is another Story, but also FUGLY.

And as for its "just a Maxima" or Drives like a Maxima, if the above doesn't say enough, most of us already know that. And if your like the Maxima, this is a suped up one, with sport and a touch of class that I think many will enjoy. I do.


I'll have much better photos this weekend.

[Edited by TexMaximum on 02-08-2001 at 01:14 AM]

 

Engine is bigger, but has less HP than the I30.
The I30T has HID.
I30 has heated seats too.
The TL has a softer suspension and the I30 handles better.
The TL 5 speed auto is really nice. Maybe the 2002 I30 will have the 5 speed auto.
The I30 interior is nicer.