Nissan COO interviewed yesterday in the USA Today. The 02 will get the 265-275 Hp & the 03 gets a complete makeover just as everyone thought. I would imagine huge incentives for 01 buyers to come. Their has to be 300+ 01 Maximas just sitting on the dealer lots around me. Somebody say the Majestic Blue AE is hard to come by? Not around me(Philly). There has to be atleast 12 at one dealer alone.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/covers...11-bcovwed.htm

Ed

 

They are suppose to have a vspec option......

 

I read that article you posted. It just says new engine...it doesnt list specs.

 

The hp spec for the I35 is 260. Assume the same for the Maxima. I think the Maxima will become the high end, luxury Nissan (think Avalon), and the Altima the sport sedan.

 

Not everyone agreed the 2003 would be redone. Some said that Nissan would wait until the 5th year. Some ppl live in denial.

I was all ga-ga over the new Altima yesterday. I'll wait and see what Nissan will do with the 2002 Maxima. If they put limited slip, 6 speed, and 270 HP in it, it should kill the Altima. The only downside will be the beam axle.

I want to trade in this fall for either a 3.5 VQ Altima or Maxima. Price and options will determine move.

 

It doesn't matter when or which one you buy a better one is always just around the corner. Nissan's doing what they have to do to remain viable. There's nothing any of us can do about it so just open the sunroof, turn up the tunes and go for a drive. Its still a kick-*** car.

 

Is bigger really better?

Just trying to keep the euphoria alive from getting my new 2K1.

 

I agree!!!

Mark

 

A V spec would sound nice, though it's sounding more and more expensive. a VQ35 Maxi will be more than a VQ30 and a VQ35-V will be even more.

The Maxima will have to do at least 270 to be competitive in the market but with the announcement of the 260hp in the I35 it's sounding unlikely.

 

True, but the computers that some of us use don't cost $25,000... They should have held the design for more than 2 years!!!

 

AGREED!!! there is no way you can keep up with technology unless you're bill gate and can buy a new car everyday.....i'm happy with my new car and wouldn't ask for anything more.

 

One of the things that nobody ever brings up. What if the '02 Max has a 3.5L 275hp option and its only available in an automatic???? Sorry boys...I'll stick with my 227hp 5-speed and mod the sucker until it outruns the '02.

I think this is the reality of the 3.5L...manual tranny is less likely.

 

This is just my 2 cents, but just think of the bigger engine this way. More power means more money to spend on gas.

 

Maybe we will get lucky and they will bring back the IRS.

 

All true words boys, there is one certainty, and that is progress. They HAVE to keep making it better. Otherwise we would still be buying Maxima boxes with 130 hp like in 85. If they stop making it better, Nissan will turn into GM

Though there has to be plateaus along the way. I mean, what is next? 350hp? Then you have to go to RWD. Or develop one hell of new transaxle. (more likely) I think we are just seeing a development frenzy right now. Sparked, probably, by Acura's Type S. Now Nissan is frantic. So they have to give the I30 a comparable option. And since they are cousins, it makes sense to make it available on the Maxima. But I WOULD NOT hold that as a certainty. They still may not put it in the Maxima.

And yes, if they do, probably means the end of the manual. They dropped the standard from the I30, could they do the same to the Maxima? And if they are making it bigger and better, that means more money. And lesser fuel economy.

My question is, if the Altima is moving up, and the Maxima is moving up, what is going to compete against Accord and Camry? Am I missing something?

I like my 00 Maxima the way it is. Progress doesnt always mean better. Because I still miss my 97 Maxima.

 

nissan already has the 5 speed for the 3.5. Its used in the pathfinder.

 

That is exactly what Nissan is doing by moving the Altima up a notch (or 2). Now they will have a 4 cyl and a 6 cyl to compete against the Accord and Camry offerings...except more powerful than both.

 

I'd rather nissan puts in the 25gt sport sedan 2.5l neo inline 6 280hp into the maxima!!!

 

If the VQ35 is better than the VQ30, why did Wards not select it over the VQ30? In fact, they said that about it "Gritty around the edges. Pushing the displacement envelope?" I sure hope Nissan refines it before they put a truck engine into the Altima/Maxima. Another point: for those hoping for 270+hp, forget about it. If the I35 will have 260hp, Nissan will not put more than that in the Max, and most likely a few hp less. I hope they use the 6 speed tranny from the Sentra Spec V, the current 5 spd tranny has been around for at least 10 years.

 

I agree, the max needs a new trans. The current 5-speed has to be the worst in its class. Although, now that I am used to it, I dont know if I would want a different one...

 

Since the 3.5 VQ is based from the 3.0, I don't see how it's a truck engine. They are using it in the New Z as well, but it will have at least 280 HP.

Since the Altima is the little brother, there's no way Nissan will detune the 3.5 for the Maxima. It will be at least 260 HP. The rules are changing as far as Nissan and Infiniti are concerned.

99% of people said forget about the 3.5 in the Altima. Guess what? They were wrong. Russ was right.

SCC said that Nissan was planning on using the same 6 tranny from the upcoming SE-R V Spec Sentra in the Maxima. I hope they are right.

 

I said a few months ago the new Altima would have the 240 hp engine and several on this forum said no way. Well, I guess I was right huh! These non believers said their sources told them no way. Okay, I am going to let you know what the new 2002 Maxima will have. It will have the 3.5 260 hp engine. They haven't decided on the 2003 yet but some say as stated above around 275 hp. Believe it or not. I have been on here a year now and there is so much negative attitude here. When I was on the LS1.COM forum and had a 99 TA WS6 there was absolutely no negative attitude. I am actually thinking about trading my Maximum for a 2001 Pathfinder. Not because of this forum. I actually took off my Stillen y this morning and am thinking about selling it. Oh well, thats life. I still work at Nissan in Smyrna wheather some believe it or not. We will be building the 2003 Maximum here in Smyrna also. Believe it or not. Once we launce the 2002 Altima we will begin work on the 2003 Maxima. I get all the perks just like I did when we started building the Altima. First views etc. Depending on the responces to this post.

 

Hey... are you Russ' source?

I remember that you took some flack over the 3.5 info. People were all over that. I had my doubts, but I knew it was a good possibility.

So... the 2002 will have the 260 3.5 VQ. I would say that would be good for mid 14 1/4. Any changes to the rear suspension?

 

I agree, enjoy what you have right now, its still a kick a$$ car, all you have to do is look around at everyone who's looking at it

 

I have one thing to point out. Even though nissan is planning on putting bigger engines in the maximas, does it mean that they are still aiming it towards us? If the 2003 model is to compete with the Avalon, then will they offer all of the same sport goodies like they currently are? IMO it seems that the altima is supposed to take the spot of the current maxima, and the maxima goes bye bye for us and joins the slush box/soft ride enthusiasts. Does anyone else see this? We may have the best generation maxima which can still be known as a sport sedan!!!

 

The problem is that the VQ35 is basically a stroked VQ35. Stroking the enging increases piston speed. Increased piston speed reduces responsivness and makes it harder to ballance.

That is how a VQ35 got the 'gruffness' remark from Wards.

Any news on the 6SP in the 2002 Max?

 

But Wards goes on to say, "although we must reserve final judgment until the engine can be evaluated in a more civilized package."

 

But regardless of wether the engine is in a "truck" or a "car", it's the same engine.

The test drives will be fun!

 

There are a few people on this forum who have a Pathfinder and 5th gen Max. Maybe they can be of some insight.

Is the 3.5 only stroked? or is it bored too?

I'm searching the net for more specific information on the differences between the 3.0 and 3.5. I found this interesting tidbit from Autoweek.

Autoweek, March 13, 2000:

"….the new V6 weighs 460 pounds, 35 less than the old engine." (3.3)
"Nissan says the 3.5-liter V6 is more than a bored-out version of the Maxima/I30 3.0-liter. The 3.5 also uses a combination of the Maxima's variable intake system and the Nissan Continuous Valve Timing Control System. Torque is up 9 percent at 2000 rpm and another 3 percent at 3200 rpm by better volumetric efficiency through maximizing timing control, relative to engine speed and intake manifold length."
"Nissan claims the 3.5-liter V6 is as powerful as many V8-powered SUVs that compete with the Pathfinder. It certainly makes a difference in 0-to-60-mph times: Nissan estimates 8.8 seconds for the 4x4 automatic and an almost scorching (for an SUV) 7.6 seconds for the 4x2 five-speed….Given the increase in fuel prices recently, it's significant to note that the new engine's EPA numbers match the old engine's, drivetrain for drivetrain: 15/19 mpg for 4x4 automatics and 17/19 mpg for 4/2 sticks."
"The exhaust also has been tweaked for efficiency and a throatier sound."
"The '01 Pathfinder also has more than 100 improvements in noise, vibration and harshness control, and new front liquid-filled and rear double-cushion engine mounts help reduce vibration…..The '01 model carries through the '99 1/2 model's facelift, but gets a restyled instrument panel and center console."
"Nissan says that with the new engine for'01, the Pathfinder, existing in its current form since 1996, is on the "backside" of its product life. We should see an all-new version in about 2004. But before that, we'll probably see this smooth, powerful engine make its way into the Maxima, as a high-output version set to take on the 260-hp Acura 3.2CL Type S."

 

Nissan has already announced that the 2002 Maxima will come with the 3.5L engine. As far as saying that bigger means more money and less fuel economy, we will have to wait and see. But if we look back to the 2001 Pathfinder, it got the bigger 3.5L engine without increasing the cost or decreasing the gas mileage.

Your last question regarding if the Altima is moving up and the Maxima is moving up, what will compete with Accord and Camry, The Altima will continue to compete with the Accord and Camry. The Accord and the Camry have been moving up in size so the Altima will be approximately the same size or a little bigger.

Nissan's 2001 lineup, the Altima did not compete effectively with the Accord and Camry. For 2002 Nissan will have two sport sedans, the Altima and the Maxima?? The lower end Altima will directly compete with the Accord and Camry, the SE with the 3.5L engine will compete with many other sport sedans including the Maxima. In 2003 the Altima will be Nissan's Sport sedan and the Maxima will move up to what appears to be a full size luxury sedan. We will have to wait and see how Nissan markets the bigger Maxima next year.

It sure will be exciting with all the changes that are coming. I can't wait to test drive the 2002 Maxima and Altima this summer/Fall.

 

who knows, maybe when it is time to replace my maxima, I will be ready for a larger, automatic luxury sedan.
I doubt it. But there are other fish in the sea.
I keep hearing great things about the Saabs...
Nothing against the altima, but if it looks anything like the pictures I have seen, bye-bye Nissan.

 

The 2002 Altima I saw had me begging my mom to trade in the max for it. Everything about it is nice. Especially the brake lights. Total 360 for Nissan. From ugly to beautiful. A 240 hp engine just drives it on home.