Adding SE options to a GXE
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Adding SE options to a GXE
Hi all, new here .. *waves*. I've read the site from time to time before but never registered until just now. I have a couple questions I thought I might throw your way.
I have a 2000 GXE/automatic. My dream car is the '02-'03 SE (manual, I might add). (Sadly, the 2004 redesign demoted the maxima from "my unconditional favorite car" to "great car I wouldn't mind owning if I really needed four doors and a car that size -- which I don't -- and if I didn't mind the front-wheel drive.")
Anyway, without reigniting my-favorite-generation-Maxima debates (just expressing my personal opinion) ... at some point in the near future, if I have some extra cash lying around, I'm interested in either trading up for my dream car if I can find one used or, if the free cash pile is a little smaller, making some modifications to my current beloved vehicle to make it more like said dream car.
I wanted to run some of these proposed changes by the experts here, and welcome input as to whether any of them are impractical/impossible.
* I want to replace the headlights with the '02-'03 HIDs, and the taillights with the '02-'03 clear-lens ones. The newer lights appear to be the same size and shape as the '00-'01-style ones I already have -- can anybody confirm this?
* I want the optional rear spoiler! The Maxima has always looked so much better with one. I already checked with a Nissan dealer, and they said the part could be ordered and installed. Has anybody ever added one after the fact? Are there any potential issues? (I want the authentic Maxima spoiler .. not one of those gaudy things you see on tricked-out Civics.) And are there any subtle differences between the '00-'01 and '02-'03 spoiler? They look the same to me, but I want to make sure I'd get the right one.
* My car has the plain wheels-with-hubcaps (16", I believe). This is one area I'm a bit confused, and here's why ...
From what I read on Edmunds.com, the blah-blah wheels I have are 16", the alloys offered in the '00-'03 models are 17", and whether the car is an SE or a GLE can be determined from the number of spokes. It just so happens that my apartment complex has a number of Maximas in the garage, and I went around with a tape measure tonight (yes, I know that must have looked strange, but I was curious). There are two '00-'01 SE Maximas here (confirmed by the black-surround taillights and stick shifts .. those lucky bastards!). One of them appears to have five-spoke 17" wheels, and the other -- this is where I got confused -- appears to have 18" six-spoke wheels. I'm not aware of 18" wheels
having been offered on pre-2004 Maximas. I know they're available on the '04, but I've seen those, and if memory serves, the spokes are more rectangular and sharp-edged. These ones looked rounded just like every other '00-'03 Maxima I've seen, and it did say "Nissan" in the middle, so they're not third-party.
My plan is to replace my wheels with the alloys when I replace my tires. I'm looking for optimal handling and I'm not terribly concerned with ride comfort, so naturally I want the biggest wheels, and lowest-profile tires, I can get. But I want authentic Maxima wheels, not the gaudy flashy chrome, you know, tricked-out-Civic-adorning variety. And I just need to figure out what to order from the parts department, especially if the dealer's only constructive input turns out to be "you have wayyyy too much time on your hands." Can anybody demystify this for me? I'm not sure if the sharper look of the '04 18-inchers would be right on my car.
The rest of my questions below are pure fantasy, and nothing I'm seriously considering doing (I'd be better off just trading up to the Maxima I want), but I'd be curious to know if anybody has attempted any of the following, and what sort of difficulties they might have encountered.
* Removing the entire 3.0 engine and replacing it with the 3.5, assuming one can be bought from Nissan.
* Replacing the automatic gearbox with the manual (again, I want authentic Maxima parts, no 3rd-party stuff). Do they both fit the same cutout in the center console? Is there a receptacle for a clutch pedal?
* Modifying the suspension of a GXE or GLE to make it more like the SE's suspension. I don't care for my car's floaty ride. It's not well-matched for the kind of sporty driving on curvy roads I'd like to do. It's a lot better than my previous car ('96 Buick Skylark, a surprisingly potent little V6 devil in its own right), but still leaves something to be desired, especially compared to a G35, 325i, and A6 I've been in (the latter two of which didn't even have the optional sport suspension). I know my Maxima is limited by its non-independent rear end, and could probably never outhandle the aforementioned rear/all-wheel-drive cars, but still, I feel there's room for improvement.
Out of curiosity, can anybody compare, from first-hand experience, the difference in ride-feel -- and handling capability -- between a GXE and SE Maxima? How hard would it be to change the underlying components from one to the other?
I have one other question. Kind of a silly one. How can I tell which color my car is? Edmunds.com has a list of the available colors for my model, but the names alone are a bit whimsical and ambiguous. I'd describe my car as silver, but not really the light, shiny silver of most silver cars .. more of a muted, pewterish grey. I see lots of other Maximas with the same color, although I've seen a few
'02-'03s that look like a truer silver, which I wish mine was. In any case, my best guess from the Edmunds list is "Gray Lustre." I figured some fellow fanatic out there knows the colors well enough to yay-or-nay that guess from my description.
So hey, if you've made it through all my questions, thanks so much! I'd love to hear some input on the things I'm wondering about. Also, if anybody does have some answers to my questions, I'm wondering if I could ask that they e-mail them to me (mrw11@cornell.edu) as well as posting a reply here. That's only because this is my first time posting here, and I don't want to miss anything if I screw up. Or maybe the thread subscription automatically notifies me? Sorry for my confusion..
Thanks!
~Mike
I have a 2000 GXE/automatic. My dream car is the '02-'03 SE (manual, I might add). (Sadly, the 2004 redesign demoted the maxima from "my unconditional favorite car" to "great car I wouldn't mind owning if I really needed four doors and a car that size -- which I don't -- and if I didn't mind the front-wheel drive.")
Anyway, without reigniting my-favorite-generation-Maxima debates (just expressing my personal opinion) ... at some point in the near future, if I have some extra cash lying around, I'm interested in either trading up for my dream car if I can find one used or, if the free cash pile is a little smaller, making some modifications to my current beloved vehicle to make it more like said dream car.
I wanted to run some of these proposed changes by the experts here, and welcome input as to whether any of them are impractical/impossible.
* I want to replace the headlights with the '02-'03 HIDs, and the taillights with the '02-'03 clear-lens ones. The newer lights appear to be the same size and shape as the '00-'01-style ones I already have -- can anybody confirm this?
* I want the optional rear spoiler! The Maxima has always looked so much better with one. I already checked with a Nissan dealer, and they said the part could be ordered and installed. Has anybody ever added one after the fact? Are there any potential issues? (I want the authentic Maxima spoiler .. not one of those gaudy things you see on tricked-out Civics.) And are there any subtle differences between the '00-'01 and '02-'03 spoiler? They look the same to me, but I want to make sure I'd get the right one.
* My car has the plain wheels-with-hubcaps (16", I believe). This is one area I'm a bit confused, and here's why ...
From what I read on Edmunds.com, the blah-blah wheels I have are 16", the alloys offered in the '00-'03 models are 17", and whether the car is an SE or a GLE can be determined from the number of spokes. It just so happens that my apartment complex has a number of Maximas in the garage, and I went around with a tape measure tonight (yes, I know that must have looked strange, but I was curious). There are two '00-'01 SE Maximas here (confirmed by the black-surround taillights and stick shifts .. those lucky bastards!). One of them appears to have five-spoke 17" wheels, and the other -- this is where I got confused -- appears to have 18" six-spoke wheels. I'm not aware of 18" wheels
having been offered on pre-2004 Maximas. I know they're available on the '04, but I've seen those, and if memory serves, the spokes are more rectangular and sharp-edged. These ones looked rounded just like every other '00-'03 Maxima I've seen, and it did say "Nissan" in the middle, so they're not third-party.
My plan is to replace my wheels with the alloys when I replace my tires. I'm looking for optimal handling and I'm not terribly concerned with ride comfort, so naturally I want the biggest wheels, and lowest-profile tires, I can get. But I want authentic Maxima wheels, not the gaudy flashy chrome, you know, tricked-out-Civic-adorning variety. And I just need to figure out what to order from the parts department, especially if the dealer's only constructive input turns out to be "you have wayyyy too much time on your hands." Can anybody demystify this for me? I'm not sure if the sharper look of the '04 18-inchers would be right on my car.
The rest of my questions below are pure fantasy, and nothing I'm seriously considering doing (I'd be better off just trading up to the Maxima I want), but I'd be curious to know if anybody has attempted any of the following, and what sort of difficulties they might have encountered.
* Removing the entire 3.0 engine and replacing it with the 3.5, assuming one can be bought from Nissan.
* Replacing the automatic gearbox with the manual (again, I want authentic Maxima parts, no 3rd-party stuff). Do they both fit the same cutout in the center console? Is there a receptacle for a clutch pedal?
* Modifying the suspension of a GXE or GLE to make it more like the SE's suspension. I don't care for my car's floaty ride. It's not well-matched for the kind of sporty driving on curvy roads I'd like to do. It's a lot better than my previous car ('96 Buick Skylark, a surprisingly potent little V6 devil in its own right), but still leaves something to be desired, especially compared to a G35, 325i, and A6 I've been in (the latter two of which didn't even have the optional sport suspension). I know my Maxima is limited by its non-independent rear end, and could probably never outhandle the aforementioned rear/all-wheel-drive cars, but still, I feel there's room for improvement.
Out of curiosity, can anybody compare, from first-hand experience, the difference in ride-feel -- and handling capability -- between a GXE and SE Maxima? How hard would it be to change the underlying components from one to the other?
I have one other question. Kind of a silly one. How can I tell which color my car is? Edmunds.com has a list of the available colors for my model, but the names alone are a bit whimsical and ambiguous. I'd describe my car as silver, but not really the light, shiny silver of most silver cars .. more of a muted, pewterish grey. I see lots of other Maximas with the same color, although I've seen a few
'02-'03s that look like a truer silver, which I wish mine was. In any case, my best guess from the Edmunds list is "Gray Lustre." I figured some fellow fanatic out there knows the colors well enough to yay-or-nay that guess from my description.
So hey, if you've made it through all my questions, thanks so much! I'd love to hear some input on the things I'm wondering about. Also, if anybody does have some answers to my questions, I'm wondering if I could ask that they e-mail them to me (mrw11@cornell.edu) as well as posting a reply here. That's only because this is my first time posting here, and I don't want to miss anything if I screw up. Or maybe the thread subscription automatically notifies me? Sorry for my confusion..
Thanks!
~Mike
Mike:
first things first, please read around on the forums before posting such lengthy questions. I will try to answer some of your questions:
1. hids from the 02/03 maximas will indeed fit your 2k
2. if you want the spoiler just tell the dealer what yr car you have and thats the end of it
3. you have to be out of your mind to buy stock wheels from the dealership. Attempting this whether 16's, 17's, or any stock variation will run you at least $500 per RIM. Might as well go aftermarket (later on after more reading around)
4. Look around the for sale forum for used springs/struts from a SE that other owners are trying to sell
5. Your car is Sterling Mist color
i recommend doing things in steps, welcome to the community but please make sure to read around on other threads and FAQ's and stickies next time.
first things first, please read around on the forums before posting such lengthy questions. I will try to answer some of your questions:
1. hids from the 02/03 maximas will indeed fit your 2k
2. if you want the spoiler just tell the dealer what yr car you have and thats the end of it
3. you have to be out of your mind to buy stock wheels from the dealership. Attempting this whether 16's, 17's, or any stock variation will run you at least $500 per RIM. Might as well go aftermarket (later on after more reading around)
4. Look around the for sale forum for used springs/struts from a SE that other owners are trying to sell
5. Your car is Sterling Mist color
i recommend doing things in steps, welcome to the community but please make sure to read around on other threads and FAQ's and stickies next time.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24
sounds like alot of work man
i may be a
but all that work sounds expensive
why not just sell the maxima you have now, and instead of upgrading your current maxima, save up for a newer one. its less work and probably sounds like the same amount of money
.
i may be a
but all that work sounds expensivewhy not just sell the maxima you have now, and instead of upgrading your current maxima, save up for a newer one. its less work and probably sounds like the same amount of money
.
What a first post. 
Welcome!
To answer your questions:
1)Yes (headlights)
2)Yes (spoiler)...but be sure to remove the one behind your rear seat. IMO, two rear brake lights look bad.
3)Ebay has some 17" Nissan knock-offs. They look just like the originals but cheaper. If I were in the market for those wheels, that is what I would get.
Out of your other three requests...two are not to bad.
1)Don't even try...too much to take care of ECU, wiring, etc.
2)Replacing with a manual could be feasible. Others on this board have made the swap. I'm assuming you could probably locate one and pay someone to do it (using the directions on the board). Would probably cost a hair over having your automatic overhauled/replaced.
3)You can certainly modify the suspension. Others will chime in...but I beleive all that is involved are some new springs/shocks.
Good luck and keep us informed!
Welcome!To answer your questions:
1)Yes (headlights)
2)Yes (spoiler)...but be sure to remove the one behind your rear seat. IMO, two rear brake lights look bad.
3)Ebay has some 17" Nissan knock-offs. They look just like the originals but cheaper. If I were in the market for those wheels, that is what I would get.
Out of your other three requests...two are not to bad.
1)Don't even try...too much to take care of ECU, wiring, etc.
2)Replacing with a manual could be feasible. Others on this board have made the swap. I'm assuming you could probably locate one and pay someone to do it (using the directions on the board). Would probably cost a hair over having your automatic overhauled/replaced.
3)You can certainly modify the suspension. Others will chime in...but I beleive all that is involved are some new springs/shocks.
Good luck and keep us informed!
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 207
Personally, and this is just me, I don't ever plan on going to anything bigger than 16 inch wheels, I don't want to lose anything in the go department because of larger/heavier rims.
As far as suspension, one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve the handling of your Max is to get a rear sway bar. It's a night and day difference on how the car leans into corners.
As far as suspension, one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve the handling of your Max is to get a rear sway bar. It's a night and day difference on how the car leans into corners.
Speaking from experience!
1. Buy the spoiler anywhere and get it painted for aprox. $300
2. Buy some aftermarket wheels and keep you 16's for the bad weather.
3. Buy the tails used, and the HID lights new (to many stolen HIDS on e-bay)
4. Get some springs! your car is a 4 x 4 right now!
5. Matto357 is right geta sway bar! A FSTB(front strut tower bar) is a good idea too.
Any questions or help locating any of the above mentioned items or my opinions on things like springs feel free to drop me a line!
1. Buy the spoiler anywhere and get it painted for aprox. $300
2. Buy some aftermarket wheels and keep you 16's for the bad weather.
3. Buy the tails used, and the HID lights new (to many stolen HIDS on e-bay)
4. Get some springs! your car is a 4 x 4 right now!
5. Matto357 is right geta sway bar! A FSTB(front strut tower bar) is a good idea too.
Any questions or help locating any of the above mentioned items or my opinions on things like springs feel free to drop me a line!
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