I'm guilty of this. I've put well over 14k in the car (Talon; over time) and I'm going to sell it this year.

I NEVER modify a car in order to recoup money down the line. I believe folks do it simply b/c of the will/want to do it.

 

...i beg to differ...

...heck ill say it....a 370 (or more) fwhp maxima is insane and a waste of money....you have to be carefull making turns,(no auto X for you), you cant launch it without appropriate tires (annoying), only a handfull of aftermarket support for it (means you're pretty much on your own)..and the list goes on.....
...and besides everyone is entitled to their opinion....you dont want me to make an opinion about you max...


...words of wisdom right there...and the exact reason i bought my maxima (not to mention the fact that it gets great MPG)




....please

so why may i ask is that a dumb move? ....because a friend of a friend said that his brother's girlfriend bought a modded car from this other friend and it was all f'ed up?

...buying a modded car (depending on how much $ invested of course) can be a VERY smart move. why you ask?
..well lets say (for example) you find a kid that invested 10k to turbocharge his 4th gen max and now wants to let it go for 4-5k.
Are you telling me you'd rather outright spend around 8-10k in parts and labor on top of buying a stock 4th gen?
..and who cares if the car wasnt built to your liking...id rather spend some xtra cash to get it running the way i want, rather then spend a fortune starting from scratch....

...and im speaking from experience here....

 

Not for nothing, but while $2k may not be much in the Max you're starting out with either 222 or 255hp. That's not a bad starting line.

Evo's, Dsm's (I have one), S2k's are great cars but there's always the trade-off. Dsm is no friend to passengers, Evo's aren't nearly as smooth a daily driver as the Max IMO (and still more expensive)

And a Civic? Sure you'll have better 'gains' w/ $2k, but a 255hp Civic? You'd have to do a lot more work.

---------------------------------

Someone can say modding a Max is a waste of money....but then you have to note who is the person saying it. I was told over and over again that modding my Talon was a waste. You could almost say that about anything. Different strokes for different folks.

 

YES to first and "huh?" to the second...

what year max are you comparing the evo to?

 

The average Evo I find to be more expensive than the average 00-03 Max (rightfully so since it is the newer car; in the US at least)

I wanna sell my dsm and I've been looking at Evos/Wrx's

 

i wudnt do that....unless you're planning on financing of course....but if you have a nice lump sum of cash, a DSM is a very good choice. if i had $8k, id get myself a dsm and have enough money to bust 10's on the street. a half a dozen dsms around my area are doing that

 

buying a modded car is never a good thing.. bolt on's possibly depending on what they are.. but when you buy a modded car you have no clue what shortcuts the previous owner has made.. what they cheated and you wont know till something breaks. I'd much rather buy relatively stock because i get the peace of mind knowing exactly whats done to my car

 

Talon's here have earned a reputation for a long time. The few remaining heavily modded Talon's here no one messes with too much, even the Evo/Sti guys. Before our 1/8 mile strip closed, no car could outrun them short of a mini tubbed built muscle car running lots and lots of spray.

 

Same here where I live... Alot of them are running Sheptrans parts and are wicked nasty! As far as I know, John Shep's Talon is still the record holder for the world's fastest AWD 4cyl. Last time I checked it was 7.70 @ 190ish in the 1/4 mile!

 

A stock or modded Max against a Civic? Surely you jest. Just the ride, comfort and power advantages of the Nissan cancel that comparison. In my opinion, of course.

 

Getting back on topic... I like my Maxima. It rides and drives good, it's fun to shift gears and reminds me alot of my old 89 SHO in that respect. The pearl white/black leather combo gets alot of comments, and I picked it up dirt cheap cause the owner thought the transmission went out cause the clutch pedal was on the floor... Turned out to only be a leaking line coming out of the slave cylinder. My 2000 is now 11 years old, yet the styling of the car IMO has aged well, and still looks modern. And the Max crew I meet up with is small, yet we still have good times and they aren't a bunch of young punk kids itching to go out and street race and get into trouble, like so much of the other crews here with other makes of cars that constantly get busted.

 

 

...when i say modded..im not talking about the exhaust tips from autozone, or the custom winshield wipers...im talking HEAVILY modded (aftermarket full suspension, aftermarket turbo, etc)
...and you mentioned you dont know what shortcuts the previous owner made.
that right there puts you in the same situation as the guy buying a used car off a dealership lot.
you dont know HOW the car was maintained, WHAT shortcuts on maintnence were done etc.
so your basically in the same position as the guy buying a modded car.
explain to me what is different?

 

with the economy and soaring prices i m keeping my maxima till the wheels fall off

 

Well I have a bit saved up that I can use for another car (selling the Talon would give me the rest), but I'm definitely not getting another DSM in the near future. I considered an Evo b/c of my familiarity w/ the 4g63 and newer, but unsure just yet (I'm def not doing 10s in my Talon lol) But damn you guys are making me feel I should keep it lol.

However...on the other end of the spectrum...

the Max stays for now. It's only my second Max, but it's by far the best DD I've ever had.
----------------------------

Curious question raised from the responses here. Would some of you guys not mod a SE-R Alti? (literally curious b/c it's not 'too' far off from a 5.5)

 

Civics also weigh hundreds of pounds less, parts are cheaper and are usually easier to work on, and the aftermarket is bigger so there are more options. I would never own a honda but I'm just saying. A maxima is an ok balance of comfort and performance, which is what led me to buy one. It's not a horrible car at all, I was just stating that maxima's aren't the best things ever.



Ride and comfort, I'll give you that. The maxima's make more power but also weigh a lot more and handle worse, and also maxima's are a good 8k more as well so you get what you pay for. A civic with 8k in mods would smoke a maxima all day.

 

Well, you'll get no argument from me in the weight category, and the fact that parts are cheaper and certainly a bigger aftermarket economy.

With that said, you kind of 'have' to do a lot of modding on a Civic to get there (not so much Evo/WRX's and such though Maxi's can certainly get into the 13's). Perhaps I'm biased though as my Max is my play around DD and not necessarily my toy.

Maxima definitely isn't the best out there, but it's high on the bang-for-buck list

 

 

I kind of have to ask: how are our cars 8k more than Civics? (maybe the 07-09 Maxi's?)

Plus, a car w/ 8k in mods better be able to more than smoke a Max lol

 

I've modded everything I've ever owned! I just can't see dumping all that money then selling it within a few months.....To me that sounds like either thier mods/workmanship sucked and it degraded the car entirely in a roadworthy sense, where the car now has all kinds of hiccups, higher NVH that make for a horrible road car. Or there were issue/problems they didn't what deal with now....For myself I've got a couple more mods then that's it for me.....We'll continue to roll until we feel it's time for a newer car....Once that point is reached I'll remove all the mods and sell them to those who want them....

 

maintenance is one thing..an oil change filters plugs ect and you can have a poorly maintained car back on its feet in no time. Theres not much that can go wrong with that except for the intervals..

But say for example you buy a turbo de-k ( keepin it maxima related) and the previous owner didnt put in a 255 fp but said he did... soo when the car runs like crap and you hafta spend hours trouble shooting someone elses work it becomes a headache..

I know its not always the case but a lot of times it is. when the car is stock its much easier to pinpoint a problem and fix it.. whn there's a lot of aftermarket goodies it means there are a lot more potential causes for problems.

 

QFT

The Maxima is in different territory than civics and certainly much different than the EVO/Sti crowd.

Using a 5.5 Gen Max when thinking of the below comparisons;

A civic is much cheaper to acquire and can go "fast" for "X" amount of dollars. Still, you end up with a tin can, fwd and not much in the way of comfort.

An Evo/Sti is MUCH more expensive and although it will benefit more from the same investment of money put into the maxima, that is mostly irrelevant since the initial purchase price is so much higher. Even if the result is a much faster car.

There are many cars out there that are better, faster and more attractive but they all cost 2-3 times as much before you start tacking on the mods.

I don't modify my car to make it compete with anything, I modify it to make it better...and it is.

 

Precisely, spread the word to the guy I quoted! lol

And for you 5.5 guys, H/I/E are pretty damn good gains for go-power. Hell, even the 3.0's do decent for bolt-ons.

 

I hear ya on that. Mine is paid for and so far has been pretty reliable. If it gets to where I need an engine and/or transmission, that can be accomplished with lower mileage used parts for maybe $2500 tops (both engine/transmission and labor) which is less than a year's worth of car payments. My paint looks good (it ought to, right?), interior is holding up well, and while it might not handle well on an autocross course, it has decent real world grip, good enough mileage, HIDs, big trunk, etc.

 

I just want to be able to rip a car in half if I have too. :-D powwwwweeerr

 

I drove a S2000 and it was slow. Drove a DE 350Z & DE G35, both 6speeds and they were slow. I didn't like their ride/handling/space either.

Drove a few Rx8s, I can barely fit in one (6'1"), I'll never get used to that clutch and throttle response, torque, power, etc is hardly shocking.

And I've pulled modded WRXs, an STi, and several other cars that are considered "better" than a Maxima.

I doubt I'll find something I like for awhile...

And if the offchance I do, I'll buy a stock one. The modding itself, people all have different reasons for doing it, everyone has a different answer.

 

Thats why i said demod before selling. Why would you pay a bunch of money for a modded car when you can buy the same car stock and mod it to ur own taste you get me

Its a dumb move because a person selling a modded car is going to ask an outrageous price because of the mods when you can buy a non abused stock vehicle and mod it to your taste if you guys can't understand that then you're just retarded

Exactly that was my point. Plus a modded car loses value in the eyes of the market since it may be missing stock components or may be altered thus losing value. So if selling a modded car demod first is the best option and sell it stock. If buying a modded car unless somehow its perfect to your taste and its for an appropriate price which is unlikely it would be dumb. Most modded cars sell for outrageous prices because the modder wants his money back so why pay that outrageous price when you can purchase the same vehicle stock and mod it to your own taste with probably the same amount.

 

some people get tired of the same car for a couple of years or someone gets tired of fixing them. Im planning on selling my 01 20th anniversary because ive had that iacv burn out my computer put in the new one and now still having problems

 

I would think an enthusist would be more likely to do maintenance than the guy who doesn't even know how to open the hood. I know people like that, nice people but they don't have a clue.

 

I see.
So it's both expensive AND has lost value, all at the same time!

Fantastic.

 

I can't believe I missed this. LOL!

Meh. It's a hobby, and hobbies are personal. The Org let's us share that little bit of us that most people here have in common.

OP, if you're thinking you're going to miss watching Roy continue to mod his Sin City Max, well, I'm right there with you. But he's OK, he's just moving on is all.

 

This.



Even my G35 with a bad wheel bearing and nearly shot tie-rods handles better than my Maxima.

 

really? I chased an AP1 down a windy road and he never got away. We was goin hella fast. No slower than 50.

Also raced an AP2 I lost but only bout 1 car.

Not sure bout tha AP1 but the AP2 was stock. and all I have is the GAB

 

Get out.

The G35 I drove felt like a skyscraper. Wallowing in the wind and rode terribly.

The Maxima suspension is pretty archaic, but a peek in the advanced handling section shows a lot of possible solutions. Not about buying every brace but in order to make any car handle well you need to analyze how the chassis reacts in turns and correct undesirable reactions with the right parts. I'm doing some now.

 

This.....

If you can afford to do it, step up your game.

 

I couldn't agree more.

I love reading all the assumptions in this thread by people that have never been there, or even knows what it takes to accomplish such a build on any vehicle to this extent. However, stands in the peanut gallery and bench wrenches to try to justify what others have or have not done, and how it should or should not have been done.

Why can't people just appreciate what others have done to try to lead a path for future ventures and be happy that someone else expended their time and money while saving the onlookers everything?

 

Really? I don't know. The G35 just feels very...responsive? I guess. For its weight/class.

I've noticed the G actually has a bit of oversteer when taking hard corners...especially with a little throttle lift. It's actually pretty thrilling when you compare it to the dull feeling of "your car wants to plow through the corner" thing you get from the Maxima...or most factory-spec cars for that matter.

 

The maxima is a great family sedan and quick for the class that it is in.. I truely believe though that a RWD car has the proper platform for what a lot of people want to accomplish when modding. I feel that this car is what you would have as a family car and if you have a need for speed then get a side car with the right platform and mod that.. Nothing wrong with modding any car you want because if that is your passion then go for it, but to me personally it seems like a waste to mod a car (and im saying $6k plus) and 6 months later sell it..

 

For what I paid for my maxima and what i have put into it, i am happy, i got it knowing i wasnt going to be drag racing everyone and i have a 3 year old i wanted to make sure was safe in my car which is why i did get the maxima, that is what my project car is for. But the car i had before my maxima had all sorts of aftermarket parts on it that my wife had done when i met her, aftermarket turbo kit, stand alone management, upgraded brakes custom paint and body work. I can look at the folder i had for everything that was done to it and easily total up 12-15k. the car was a 97, the shop that installed everything butchered the sh_t out of the car, to the point where the shop was so poor at all of its installs they closed up because of the lawsuits.

After all that was spent on the car, i pulled the turbo kit out, and after a year of it being out i finally rewired the car so it could pass emissions for the buyer. i sold the car for 1200 with a rebuilt motor in it. I could have taken that 15k and put it into our house, but it was spent on things my wife and i enjoy doing is just making a car our own. now we are working on our other project car which does get put on the back burner a lot, but that is what happens when you get older i guess. I have a buddy who runs 8.9 in the 1/4 with his shelby 1100 hp at the wheels and 3 years of testing different things, he wont get back what hes got into it.

ive done all of the maintinence on the car, and in 3 years after ive enjoyed it, more than likely my step daughter will be driving it as her first car.

 

.....bunch of money???
what are you talking about??? have you even been to the for sale section in the org. ??? heck there's at least one guy a month selling a built/swapped VQ35 or turbocharged 3rd/4th gen for a fraction of what was invested into it!!!


so lets recap:

with your theory, one would (for example) buy a used STOCK 4th gen for about say... $2500.
then spend around $8-$10k in parts AND labor (cause the average joe doesnt have the hookup) to either do a built VQ35 swap or turbocharge his 4th gen.

total cost for that project (give or take) between $10-$12k including the price of the car.

or......

..one could just buy one already modded (heck there was a turbocharged 10sec black 4th gen SE last summer) for $5000! and it needed minimal work!


so lemme get this straight: you'd rather blow outta your a$$ an xtra $5-$6k just to build the car the way YOU want it???? rather then buy a car already modded? and keep in mind, this is 2011 and not 199x where nowadays we can hookup datalogging software to know how and what is going on under the hood without having to guess anymore.





omg...


again...HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE MAXIMAS FOR SALE SECTION?????

there is AT THE VERY LEAST 2 ( i repeat since you may not be able to hear me being that you're all the way in IL) awesome deals in the maximas for sale section where some kid just went overboard on his max; and is now selling it and asking usually 1/3 of what the parts/labor went into the vehicle.

please stop talking outta your a$$.





who are you? Charles Schwab???

investment??? right there shows the amount of intelligence the good Lord has bestowed upon you (which isnt much)

modding a car is NEVER an investment!! it is a HOBBY!!!

now with the sole exception of classic cars (which unfortunately maximas havent reached that point yet) you dont invest money into a car to get something back except the satisfaction of accomplished something that you made and are proud of!
you want to invest into something? buy a house, a duplex, a condo, stocks...etc. not a car!!!






NO! i already explained to you why...


wrong again... see first quote as to why.



wrong one more time...and if you come across someone who does want to recoup what he put into the vehicle , 99% of the time that car will not sell because car buyer enthusiasts know what they are looking for and know if a seller is out of his mind.
at that point the car will just sit and sit and over time, you can literally watch the price drop slowly but surely down to where the seller winds up recouping only what the car is worth WITH ALL MODIFICATIONS ON IT!!!
unless you're an impatient moron who has to have that particular car right there and then...heck...you deserve to get ripped off!

i highly suggest you spend more time in the for sale sections for auto's not just on the .org , but on other carsites as well (which is why im right and you're wrong).
i constantly browse the cars for sale section and love to watch some kid asking $14k for his 511hp SRT-4 (with which he has more than twice that invested) , and then watch a month later sacrfice the car for $8k cash
..happens all the time...