With my current GLE lease being up in 2003, I’ll be looking for a replacement. I can’t see myself in an Altima, and the new Max may be too big, like the Avalon. Alas, my Maxima days may be over. Looking ahead, what do you guys suggest for a Maxima-like car that’s no bigger than the current models? For example, will the Infiniti I35's retain their current size?

 

from what i am hearing, i hear the new maxima will be along the lines of Q45 instead of an I 30. go with the I 35 if you think the max will be too big!

 

so I think that my maxima days may be over also (unless i decide to buy my car or if I get used to and actually really like the new altima's styling)... but I'm hoping by then I can afford a new M3 or M5...heh... but I have no clue what I'm gonna do either. oh well. maybe we could win the lottery or something.

 

Mine will be paid for in 2002 and I am going with a 530iL or 540iL 6sp. II've already purchased some AC Schnitzer tuning products. That is how positive my next move is a 5 series Bimmer unles I strike it big and I can get the 750iL(V12) black on black in either series!

 

Is it the Altima name that everyone else is caught up on or the styling?

 

Assuming the Maxima goes gargantuan, my next choice
would be that Acura TL Type-S.

 

I am having a hard time getting past the Altima nameplate for the car. I mean, Altima just hasn't represented much in terms of excitement or performance. Seems to me it's much harder to take an existing run-of-the-mill car upmarket. Seems it would have been better just to create a new car name. Is that weird? I mean, you tell someone you have an altima, and it's like, oh, nice. Maybe in a few years after the new models have been out a while, they'll get some respect. Maybe I'm just tired right now, cause I really don't care. I've seen the pics, and I'm not really that taken with it. Has a front end like a Jetta sort of and a rear like the Monte Carlo. But it is an improvement over the current hauler.

Just think a new name would have been more appropriate, that's all.

srm

 

I totally agree with that! The name just does not seem to live up to the next gen Altima... I think a new name would have made us all a lot more excited about it (and possibly attract more buyers.) Knowing it's an Altima just does not cut it. It's like buying a Ford Pinto that has a new and improved engine...

 

Hmmm... we do just have an auto GXE, but my Altima SE is a lot more fun to drive than the Maxima, so I'm not having that problem. However, I will agree that when I tell people about the new Altima and its 240hp, they still don't seem real interested (except for the Honda crowd, who are very 'concerned'), so I think Nissan does have an uphill battle where that is concerned. But like you said, once the models have been out for awhile people will see it like they do the Maxima now, and they may start looking at the new Maxima like an Avalon (Japanese version of a Buick).

 

What if the 2003 Maxima is a 6 speed rear wheel drive car with 275+ HP? That would not be a Japanese Buick, right?

 

 

They should make some sort of skyline inspired maxima...that would be bad @ss.


Someone mentioned the SER, What is that all about? Which platform is that based on?

 

I agree with most of you that the Altima name is a turn off. Let’s face it, as Maxima owners we are somewhat elitist. I would be ashamed to tell people I have a Neon, Kia, Escort, Beetle, Sentra or Corolla. But I would accept nameplates like Infiniti, Lexus, BMW or Jaguar. I may be a snob, but at my age, I deserve a better car.

 

The general public assumes that an Altima is an "alternative" to the Maxima which most assume is the "ultimate / maximum". I also thought that a new name would be better. So what if a 2002 Altima SE "might" outperform a 2000-01 Maxima...the general public will probably never know that...except for us Maxima.org crazy people.

When the first gen Altima came out it had the name "Stanza" (which was a Maxima based car before the Altima existed) also on the trunck in small letters. If I remember correctly, Nissan only did this the first year of the Altima or for only a few months. So heck, maybe it isn't too late? Maybe Nissan will rename the Altima..but I doubt it. How about "Haulin'assima"?

 

Shouldn't the end of that name come first? That way its "ImaHaulin'***"...

 

crackin' me up!

Anybody else have ideas for a crazy or serious replacement for the Altima name?

 

First, let me apologize because I certainly don't intend to offend current altima drivers. They are a good car, but they just don't enter my vocabulary when I'm thinking about sporting performance sedans. I think we are somewhat of a proud bunch. Can you imagine telling someone you traded your max for an altima, even if it is the new and improved version? Most people DONT pay attention to cars that much, but Altimas have been around long enough for people to know that they are relatively inexpensive point a to b transportation. They'd think you were crazy, I can hear it "...you did what? why would you step DOWN?", etc. etc.

Yep, I think the marketing team must have been out to lunch on this one. A new identity would have been much more appropriate. Yeah, I tend to think of the Pontiac Lemans...what a joke, sort of ironic, eh. That's where the car went the other direction, but can you imagine if they tried to resurrect the nameplate on some fine car??? Not likely.

ok, back to work...srm

Oh, no one last comment. I rented an Avalon a few weeks back on business, and when someone asked me how it drove, I told them "...like a Buick" How funny that someone on this thread has the same observation...i.e., it is the Buick Buick wishes it could build! It even reminds me of the Buick with that expansive dash...kind of like Buick Regal meshed with Lexus LS 400...weird.

 

dude, where did you get that bra, it looks pretty sweet, how mcuh it cost too, thanks

 

www.saddleman.com. It cost around $47 with shipping. I ordered just the hood cover (entire bra won't fit the AE body kit). I've had some other threads on here about it. I had previously tried the Nissan version which just would not fit. After having had it, then comparing to the Saddleman (LeBra) product, the LeBra is much better and so much easier to put on and off. I think it looks, sharp, too. Thanks for the compliment. Sort of a necessity with the crappy paint we have to put up with...you should see the chips that it is hiding!!!!

srm

 

boy... do you really think nissan will release the Z car?
AND... did you know that the nissan SKYLINE R 35 will be the Z car's alternitave?
pretty cool huh?
but i doubt that skyline will make it

 

I love my Majestic Blue AE I dont think a bigger maxima is what they need! Plus there is no 530 or 540 iL there is only the 7 series in the long version. plus there is no 530i six speed only the 540i. just keepin you informed.

 

I hate both the Altima name and the styling. Both are stupid to me. I don't want to drive an "Alt"ima. I like the "Max"ima. Way to go Nissan!

You fools could have at least come up with a name change for the Altima. Something with an edge. But no, you have to move the next Maxima up to an Avalon Luxo-boat class and waste a perfectly good name.

Why couldn't you keep the Maxima where it is, do away with the Altima and come up with a new name for the bigger car. Or, give the Altima name to the bigger car. No one cares about the Altima anyway.

Okay, I'm still highly annoyed... but I believe I have a valid point.

Sorry if any Altima owners are offended but I'm just being honest. And from reading this post, maybe the Nissan Marketing/Product Development team would have been better served to consult with current Nissan Altima and Maxima owners, with extra focus placed on Maxima owners, to get their thoughts.

Oh, how I hate it when a company goes too far with reinventing itself. Someone always goes too far and stupid things happen as a result. This new Altima release is a perfect example of that. I bet no one behind this idea even drives a Maxima.

 

I think the biggest travesty of all this is that the Maxima is being stripped of it's heritage, namely an affordable sports sedan. Nissan was there before anyone else, and they should have found a way to stay there.

The new Maxima, the Q45 brother, will loose it's affordability. It may be as sporty in terms of power but an extra 300-400-500-600 pounds can only hurt the handling.

I know my next car won't be the 2003-4-5 Maxima. I'll probably look at options like M3 and S4 (chipped of course!)

 

Why does everyone think the next Max will be "like" the Avalon? Just because MT mentioned that it would be similar in size? For the record, the current Maxima is 190.5 inches long vs. 191.9 inches for the Avalon. So what if the next Maxima is almost 2 inches longer!!!

I don't think any of us bought a Maxima because it was a small pocket rocket. We bought it for it's combination of performance, roominess, and sporty styling.

My lease is up in early 2004, and as long as the Max keeps its sporty heritage in a slightly roomier package, I'll soon be driving my 3rd Maxima! Go Nissan!

 

Ok, think back to the Altima's introduction. Was it not almost the same size as the 3rd generation Maxima that shared space with it on the showroom floor? That same Maxima, that just a year or two later, became a larger 4th generation Maxima? What were all the naysayers crying back then?

Give it a rest. IMHO, the 5th gen Maxima is still going to look better than the Altima, and remember the high powered engine is an option for the Altima, whereas our power is standard. I don't think we are all going to be considered 2nd class citizens overnight!! If Nissan can boost the reputation and respect of its car line, then why not? The Altima is long overdue for a makeover, inside and out. At the end of the day, I think we all benefit from a more robust car line.

And the more I think about it, why not share the Q's awesome new platform in a more affordable arrangement, i.e., the Maxima? The Q is an awesome car! As long as there will be a manual transmission option, I will probably be standing in line for the next Maxima...assuming they've worked out their paint problems!!!

I once thought the 5th gen was too big, until I drove it.

Guys...haven't we whined enough???

srm

 

I have to agree to what srmtn said. In addition, from what a dealer told me(although he did not seem to knwo much...), the new Maxima will not have an engine that is weaker than the Altima. I am not sure what kind if power the new I35 has, but the Maxima is not supposed to change much on the outside, porbably as much as from 95-97 models to the 97-99 ones, having all the change in the engine(the I didn't change tha much, did it?). This should be sweet, although it would be even sweeter if we all got that upgrade under the hood too...

 

Yeah, it would be cool and that's good that you're thinking of the new 6th gen. max on the good side. The size won't matter that much, just do some major sports handling mods like major suspension change, new racing tires(or something with better race potential), weight reductions(to be on the extreme side), or control systems(also a little extreme).

 

My lease is up in 2003 also. I will take a look at the new Altima, but I would like to lease something different next time around. I need a little break from Jap cars. I am leaning heavily towards the new Audi A4.

 

Has anyone heard any more on the SE-R that's rumored to come out for 2002?

 

4.2 liter 300hp V8 and quattro!!! The Coupe (actually a four door) is due out spring 2003. I love my Max, but I miss AWD!

 

I went through the A4 series with a fine tooth comb. It is/was one of my favs.... The A6 is Fine as Wine to me but I must tell you a little story..
Went to the San Diego Auto show to check them out. I could not believe the wear and tear they suffered compared to other cars. Now I am no expert and have no idea how many people were getting in and out of those cars, but the interior was trashed. The plastic scratched and it seemed the seats were not holding up to the abuse of people getting in, playing with the gadgets, and getting out. So many other cars took the abuse so much better.
I still love the lines on them and think they are sound cars, but was so very turned off when I saw that. Actually amazed. The A4 was a little to small for my tastes so the A6 was my goal (2.7 TT or 4.2).

I will keep the infinity and when time is up, I will go through the grinder of finding exactly what I want. For now, I am saving for a Viper (the sports car side of me).
Of course that will probably be stock to...

 

SE-R is no rumor. It will be out this year. Out of anything nissan is bringing out, i'd consider an se-r over anything....stick a turbo in it and go wild

 

Well said! Let's stop the whining!