I get sad when cars age.

Their lines become passe. Their design styles gravitate toward vanilla.

They become also-rans.

However, I've seen something in my office parking lot lately when returning to my white '00 max that has put a big grin on my face.

When I walk to the car, all automobiles in the parking lot are facing me. including an '07 Camry, a Saturn SL, a new 128i, a Trailblazer...

And an '05 Altima SE 2.5. White, nice spoked 16's, fogs...

I know the Altima's changed since '05, but still, that model year to ME represents basically this (current) generation of cars. To me it's new-ish. lol

Well, my '00 GLE sits off to the side of this Altima, and when I see both cars, I see such derivative styling on the Altima... so many lines are just tweaked 5ht gen Maxima lines... the angle of the windshield, the look of the air dam, the headlights... and a lot of other stuff. Haha, it looks like it did a great job ripping off the Max, and just slightly evolving the style.

Damn, my car doesn't look so old at ALL! Heck it looks as modern as the '05 Altima, and ya know what, I like the Max's lines better... a little more stately, just a bit of euro or something (ex: eyebrows of 5th gen max's).

When I see an '08 CTS pass me, or see pics of the new Taurus SHO on AutoBlog, I'm tempted to feel bad for my aging Maxima... but knowing that its styling cues were used in Nissans for years after the 1999 The Who themed ad campaign, and its design influence (high-sided, wide-stance... & other elements not present in other sedans of the same category around '00, Millenia, Avalon, etc...) also affected plenty of other makes of FWD sedans throughout the decade... I don't feel so bad to be still paying for this car and a black GXE as well.

Maxima FTW.

/rant

 

I came.

 

The thing that made me smile today was.
I was fueling up at the gas pump, i see a nice car at the next pump, did not think much, then i noticed the huge slotted rotors, i look closer, I see a F on the side... i walk behind it, Its a 2009 Lexus IS-F i came a little after i heard it start and rumble. man a 5.0 motor 416 hp never sounded so good, now iam all depressed.

 

Sometimes I get to thinking like that, But I know my car looks good aswell as most maximas on the road. I was talking to my dad outside the firehouse and one of the guys pokes his head out of the window and is on a complete rant that he needs to step his game up and get a better lookin car, I look what he jumps into a cadillac deville. So I mean they are a sharp car no doubt about that regardless of age.

 

This is what put a smile on my face today. Stopped by the dealership and sat in one. Fasted production Sedan ever made. 556hp

 

"ever made" being the key words... GM's HPVO (high performance vehicle operations) no longer exist which means no more "SS" or "V" models...pretty sure nissan still makes Maximas

 

Really...this is 5th gen discussion?

 

As long as I keep getting compliments on my car....then I'm smiling.
The A/C repairman came by yesterday and had a fit over my car. I could see if he was younger, but he was an older gentleman, probably in his 60's.

 

5th gen, 4th gen, terd gen. They all imo have very modern styling when they were produced. My 95 looks just as good as any mid class sedan on the road of the same age. Almost every time I walk up towards my car I smile. My corolla before that would make me smile.....when/if it started in the morning

 

I just love when kids get out of there spray painted black saturn with there orange wheels and all gawk at my car as they walk by squating looking around it at the brakes and they always ask if the hella horns are turbos

 

+ 1. That would do it for me.

 

I like when I park my AE beside anything newer than '05 and my AE looks better.

 

I agree...I love the styling of our 5th gen maximas..when is the AWD model coming?

 

I disagree that the 5th gen styling is modern or that the altima stole its design.
IMO the 5th have a classic look or an old skool look or whatever u wanna call it. They dont make cars like that any more. Most new cars look too futuristic and have too much chrome and look overdone. The 5th looked simple and elegant but sporty at the same time.