Looking to purchase one of them. Has anyone driven both and can tell me the differences or similarities comfort, acceleration, handling etc. I own a '99 se right now and looking to upgrade. Thanks

 

altima has more room, iirc has an IRS, so it handles better, comfort features the same, acceleration prob very similar, the alti might weigh a little more to offset the additional power..

 

SE-R looks better IMO... cost a lil bit more though... the SE-R does have a IRS so yes handling is better... if i had the extra $$$ to spend i would get the SE-R

 

I have an 03 6mt but if both were the same price when I got my car, maybe I would have gotten an SE-R. The 5.5 Maxima is starting to look a bit dated now. I still love it and will keep it but the SE-R still has that "new" appeal to it. They are very similar cars so you cant go wrong with either one. I do believe the SE-R is a 100lbs or so heavier and the whp and wtq for both cars are very similar.

But now that I have my 03 6mt, I would NOT trade it for an SE-R.

 

best put

 

I believe the se-r has a smaller exhaust manifold. I BELIEVE, correct me if i'm wrong. IMO the center console for the altima looks very cheap compared to the max. The altima can look better easier though(already looks good) than the maxima can. Handling it handles better iirc. Either way they're both great cars. I don't regret getting my maxima, but i wouldn't regret getting an se-r either.

 

i think the SE-r

 

I aagree about the center console, also the whole interior of the Max is just much better thqn the Altima. Its has a better design, higher quality materials and offers features not avail able on the SER including memory seats, heated steering wheel etc. Styling is a matter of preference and I for 1 still thinks the 5th gen and 5.5 SE still looks quite good and sporty and better than alot of sedans made in 09/10, actually had a guy last week comment on how good my car looks and that this is the model Max that he likes. Power/accelleration is a wash and 1 last note Altimas are every where...........being one of the tope sellers those years I see them almost as much as Camrys and Accords...

 

This. I see at least ten Altimas every day. Now, I don't see SE-Rs that often, but Altimas are a dime-a-dozen where I am. I'd be lucky to see 3 5th gen Maximas in one week.

 

does the max your talkin about come with HLSD? that could be something to look at.

 

go with the maxima...steal the SE-R wheels

B

 

all se-rs have LSD,... only some max's have LSD

(limited splip differential)

ser has better interior style in terms of seats and their color combos..

but i love my max,... se-r will carry a higher resale value most likley,...

stock for stock.. se-r will prob drive better in terms of car feel... but with mods its a tough battle..

cant go wrong with a 02-03 6 speed max..

 

If price isn't an option, then I say go for the SE-R...overall those cars are 100 times more sporty than the Maxima's, your getting the same performance power wise, better steering, better looks, better interior, I mean there's not really to much the Maxima has over the SE-R besides the price...

If I had a choice between my Maxima dnd an SE-R as much as I hate to say it I would take the SE-R, they just overall seem to appeal to me more. Now, I'm not saying my Maxima is a bad car, I love my 5.5 gen, but I just find the SE-R more appealing...

 

the se-r does not come with lsd, the few that do have it got it installed from the maxima 6spd trannies. stock vs. stock you get a lot more with the se-r as far as handling goes. they have a nice sounding stock exhaust, 2-tone leather seats, and slightly different(sportier) exterior styling vs. regular altima. some cities seem to be swimming with se-rs while in other cities you would be hard-pressed to see one...I think where I live there are one, maybe 2 that I only see on occasion. Like stated earlier, straight line performance is a wash, although around a track the se-r will drive circles around a max stock vs. stock. Looks are in the eye of the beholder and imo both are very nice looking cars as both take a somewhat of an aggressive stance. One thing to consider now though would be the fact that you are looking at(rounding up to 2010) a 7-8 year old car vs. a 4-5 year old car. other than that good luck with your choice

 

 

I vote the SE-R, Looks evil imo.

 

I would take the max the SE-R is cool to see on thos rare ocations but IMO The max is way more sexy with just a drop. its way more sleek looking and has a very large base for modding. for under $1000 you can get almost 60whp gained. I would garantee you would have a faster maxima than an SE-R and Still have put in less than it would have cost you to buy and SE-R.

I had dreamed of owning a 5.5gen for a while and once I got it. it was even better than I imagined. Also My dad is a VP at a bank so he drives a 08 TL and drives customers around a lot(we'er talkin multi-million dollar customers) and once I drove my car up for him to see it for the first time. he was Really Really impressed and said he would use it for work. You may not care but it takes a lot to impress him with cars and all that I have done for looks is 08 max wheels, maxspeed springs, and tint and he liked it

Get the Max

jake


All

 

im not to sure about the 5th gen being sexier than the SE-R have u seen a cleanly modded one, especially in red. Those cars look pretty fcuken sharp.

 

yeah they do especially in red but I still am more of a fan of the maxima. Tho I do feel like Nissan impresses me with the awesome looks of all there vehicles and that even tho they look great they are still very simple thats why I love Nissans.

 

SE-R for me. they are nice cars. and handles better.

and here in sac, i saw 4 of them on my 7 mile drive home today.

 

The a$$ end of a car should look just as good as the front (not unlike a woman) and the Altima's rearward view is beyond ugly. If you want IRS step to the 04 and beyond Max or do like I did (which I doubt) go classic. Just snatched an 1989 that I plan to stuff an 02 into. Say project car.

 

SE-R looks bigger and more bulky...thats the only thing about it I dont like

 

My cousin has an Altima SE-R, it's a 5AT though. I've driven it and its a bad a$$ car that you really don't see everyday. I've also owned an 03 Maxima SE 6MT and I freakin loved that car! The SE-R styling and 03 Maxima styling both look great but I think I would lean a little bit more towards the SE-R only because as someone mentioned the Maxima does look a lil dated compared to the SE-R (just a little though...lol). If price is not a biggie - go for the SE-R.

 

ive been in a few 5.5 gens and an SE-R as well i would lean towards the SE-R for sure, the max interior is to me much better looking but other than that id go for the SE-R. u dont see many of the on the road either well in my area anyways.

 

How can you get 60whp for $1000?

Headers, piggyback, intake, catback?

 

Excellent question, cause you can't. Don't know what he was talking about. The only exception would be nitrous.

 

SE-R, more modern looking and rare around here. IRS doesn't necessarily means its handles better...But the SE-R was meant as a performance sedan.

 

Get the Max! make sure it has HLSD

 

I've got a 5.5 gen with an automatic, so I'd take either to get the 6 speed!

However, the 5.5 gen interior uses much nicer materials than the Altima or the 6th gen Maximas. Layout is fine but the plastics look really cheap.

For my money, I'd take a low mileage 6 speed 5.5 gen and with the money I saved over the cost of an SE-R, I'd probably get headers, intake spacers, TS reflash and do some suspension work.

 

I'll say get the maxima... reason being is the altima se-r is gorgeous but it's not really going to look all that different once you put your mark on it... I googled and looked at a few fixed up se-r's and they almost all look like they did factory...

Yes I don't see many Se-r but nor do I see many modded maximas... :-/ N I'm in Dallas, TX...

But once you get to putting your flavor in/on a maxi it you will have the wow factor of my creation, which I feel is the key ingredient of being a car enthusiast/modder... But none the less, do you...

To those who said that it looks outdated... Well spruce it up... Come up with some ideals... as George Washington Carver said "Take what you have with what you got... Make something of it... and NEVER be SATISFIED"... there's always room for growth my friend...

I can't wait til I get some modding money... It's going to be crowned beastliness of the beast... and better than any cars I've owned or had to pleasure to look at... cause its going to be my creation...

 

2.5" ebay exhaust $130 shipped
OBX H/Y $400 shipped
Intake spacers $235 shipped
Block off plate $45 Shipped
Ebay intake $30 shipped
Dyno'ed and tuned $depends on the shop
Total $840 + dyno and tune costs

about 1000 bucks.....That will give you close to 50 or 60 HP gains

 

True. Odd, and funny, but true. When the 5th gen was first released, I used to think it's tail lights looked like an upscale design similar to the Dodge Neon... which is kind of an insult to Nissan. The Neon has since rusted away into the trash heap, so we're good to go now.



Scott's right on that... the 5.5 Max has a more upscale interior, if that means anything to the OP.

 

Tough call, I'd lean towards an se-r

 

50 or 60? more like 25-40whp after a reflash this is not a FI car its still a great gain for an N/A.

 

despit th SE-Rs IRS the alti is a lil nose end heavy end very azz end light ive found the max is a little more balnced than the SE-R, but i will be the first to admit the alti dose look mighty good, but my max has this tendency to make a point to prove when i race in alty thats its still king of the nissan food chain.

 

stock 6spd max on a dyno does what, 205whp? i gained almost 40 with just I/H/E

 

i disagree... it is most possible... i would drop the spacers though... only 1whp gain at the most... 20whp through midrande but it tops out to be 1whp when the dyno is said and done...

lets see, 50-60whp
Homemade intake $40 4-7whp
OBX headers- $400 20+whp
TS reflash- $375 15-20WHP
Cattback- 130$+ 10-15whp
V/SAFC2- 150-$180 used
used the change to dyno

its really easy to get the 50-60whp from a couple bolt ons... its from there where it takes a lil bit more thinkin

 

I was just gunna quote your dyno run in this but you beat me to it.

So see you can also add springs and struts, RSB and such. for still under price of alti

Get the max you'll love it

 

6spd vs. 6spd is completely a drivers race when talking straight line performance.

 

if thats the case then the max is a better choice cause its cheaper and after some mods way faster