Seriously now...would you guys get the 3.5 Altima over the 04 Maxima? My brother has an 02 3.5 Altima SE 5-Speed and it kicks ***. I don't know but right now I'm not ENJOYING the new look of the 04 Maxima and I'm sorry to say but I think I would pick a new Altima over the 04 Maxima (If I were to buy a new car at this point) It just hasn't grown on me I guess. And from the Car and Driver tests results...it seems like the Altima is fast too.

What do you guys think?

 

I would chose an 03 Maxima over both, that just my personal preference!

 

Gotta agree on the 03 Maxima over both. The 03 can be had for VERY cheap - less than comparably equipped Altimas. It is still built in Japan, has MUCH better build quality than the Altima, and is lighter than the 04.

 

If you can live with the Altima's interior then go for the Altima but If you want a better interior and more refinement I would wait to see what the aftermarket has in store for the exterior.

 

Of course most people would pick the 03 Maxima...but I asked about the 04 Maxima and the Altima 3.5

Answer as if all the other cars have dissapeared off the earth and you could either pick the 04 Maxima or the Altima 3.5 (no G35s or 350z Please cause I wouldnt doubt one popping up )

Alright...Now ima ask the Q again : What would you guys/gals pick either an 04 Maxima or an Altima 3.5?

 

Ok...whats so bad about the 3.5's interior? I keep seeing people rank on the 3.5 Altima's Interior...sure it just a plain single color but all it needs is a little dash kit

 

What is wrong with the Altima's interior? Sorry i know you said your brother had an Altima, but I THINK the interior screams......CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP, couldnt believe it when i test drove a 2K2 Altima and i soon made my choice in a 2K2 Maxima....just my 2 cents.....dont mean to flame your brother 's car......

 

in a way, both the '04 Max and the Altima 3.5SE share a common problem.... torque steer

They're both nice, but....

Since seeing the '04 Max up close at Cobo 2 months ago I did ged used to the front end of it, the back & inside look sweet too. However after giving some sudden thought about it, the rear is a reminiscent of a saturn Ion and the front headlights still look like an Altima's.

Therefore I choose the Altima 3.5SE - Why? Because.... [list=1][*]I can live w/ the interior[*]Torque Steer would be very little because I don't "floor" it all the time (except on my dad's cars, lol)[*]245hp is more than enough for me[*]I had a '98 Altima GLE before and had very little trouble w/ it even though it suffered 2 accidents[*]I didn't feel the same way about the '04 Max as I do w/ 3rd and 4th gen Max's[*]It's equally fast anyway and has the same 3.5L VQ we all love, despite a 20hp. difference[*]It just looks better[*]It doesn't have that stupid "skyview" roof (no offense to those who like it)[/list=1]

 

Well, lets put it this way. My wife was the primary driver of the car we had before the Max ('99 CSVT). She drove the 3.5 Altima and said "That's a pretty nice car". She then drove the Max, and as soon as she closed the door, she said "Wow, I can't believe how crappy the Altima felt compared to this one, and we haven't even gone anywhere". She doesn't know much about cars, fellas, but even she can see the difference between ****, and Shinola!

 

Not anything new that people havent said.

If you want value for your buck.. get the 03 maxima.. they are getting rid of those mighty quick.. i think i saw one at 24 or something at the dealer i was just at. Thats a altima price you are talking right there.

Altimas are good for performance. Nothing can beat that thing .. damn fast =XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

if you want plushness with performance 2004 max.. totally cool

 

for the price - i'd rather get a TL - but out of the choices you offered, i would rather get the alty

 

[opinion]

I just can't stand the exterior of the Altima, and I think the interior is even worse.

[/opinion]


So in spite of being slightly larger and heavier, and probably not even any faster, I'd still go for a Maxima over an Altima because it's a much more refined and classier car.

 

04' Max , now seeing it in person parked next to Altima, and my car AE. Classier by far, it had a presence, and the grill is forgotten pretty quick(or changed) 99.999% of the car is much better.

It depends if you want the semi "boy-toy" look of the Altima. Speed will be clearer once more test are done in different climate conditions.

 

You can get a regular sunroof in the car if you want. I certainly would.

 

I'd do everything I could to wait for the 2004 Altima and see how the new interior looks and feels (confirmed at the recent NADA meeting).

Back in 2002 I was very excited about the prospect of the new Altima to finally replace my Maxima, but the interior was a HUGE letdown and deal killer. The rest of the car is a homerun, but I cannot see myself spending in the mid 20's for something that has such poor interior fittings.

I've seen the 2004 Maxima in person and I can say that it too is a step back from the 2003 in interior appearance and feel. There is no contouring of shapes and the immense amount of shiny silver looks immature, and the wood trim they now install is horrific compared to the Gen5 in looks, fitting, coloration and sheen. VERY disappointing. And the dash texture is now exactly like a rubber basketball, NOT like the leathery texture from every previous generation.

But, since the Gen6 Maxima was already in the can before the current Altima began to get hammered by everyone about it's cheap interior, there is hope that Nissan will rectify the 2004 Altima's less than stellar furnishings (not just make it different, but demonstrably better, please).

I really like the Altima 3.5SE and I see it as the 4DSC of the Nissan lineup now. If the interior can be given the once over and feel more Honda/Toyota-like, instead of Isuzu-like, the 2004 Altima could easlily be in my garage next year!

2004 Maxima OR 2004 Altima??... probably the Altima 3.5SE with the promised better interior, better handling, more honest styling, better acceleration, and cheaper price (do you REALLY need Electric tilt, power fold mirrors, etc?)!

 

A..MAZING. I didnt think so many people would reply to this thread

As of right now it seems like more people would take the 3.5 Alti as of this point. This morning I (once again) looked at my brother's Altima's interior and yea its no 03 Maxima interior, but it could be fixed with a simple Dash kit. And thats one of the reasons the Maximas is a few grand more than the Altima...More Luxurious.

 

The Altima's interior appearance is cheap and lacks the substance of the Maxima's. Yes, a dash kit might help (I believe the 03's now have a grained center stack heater vent unit), but that still doesn't cover up the acres of hard thin plastic, nor that is do anything to the "vinyl" door inserts that look to be something from GM.

If the 04 Altima gets an upgraded interior and extra insulation from NVH to be on par with the Maxima's, along with regular taillights instead of the boy racer tails, I might, just might consider it.

 

The '04 Altima interior will most likely be, at best, the equal to the '04 Max in quality. They woulnd't put a better interior in a lesser model car. The Max is STILL the flagship, afterall (well, what they should do and really do are always fuked up, so we'll see!)

 

Hey! That does it... I'm throwing the 4th gen brochure in the garbage. No brochure for Steve! There's no middle ground for you Steve. Are you going to the Infiniti meet this Saturday?

I think the exterior on the Altima is one of the best on the road. Most people agree on that issue. You are the first to say you don't like the exterior. The interior layout is really nice on the Altima. It is much more comfortable than my 5th gen Maxima and the stupid hump in the middle of the Maxima that knocks your right knee is not there. The placement of the controls and the ergonomics is very good. What sucks is the quality of the plastics and lack of good sound insulation. If interior is your most important factor, go for the Maxima for sure. At least the 6th gen got rid of that lame-a$$ rear beam axle! I sure don't miss that.

 

To me, the Maxima looks better, now than the current Altima. I like the styling of this new car afterall. I saw it in person on Monday night, and I sat inside two of them today. Personally, the Maxima has better materials, the dash is much softer, the quality is better, and in the SL, the wood trim looks so much better, even though it is FAKE! I really like the Elite pkg., but I don't like the Navi system. The car just seems much better than the Altima. The doors close with a Heavy "THUNK" sound, unlike the Altima with it's "TINK" sound. I also favor the rear end styling of the Maxima more, because it doesn't have those clear taillights. I would pay the extra $3000 just for the Maxima IMO.

That might change around late 2003 when the facelifted Altima debuts.

 

After seeing the 2004 Max in person today this question is a no-brainer. The Maxima is flat out better looking than the Altima. It caught my attention immediately as I passed a local Nissan dealer and decided to stop by and take a look. As I was gasing, I happened to notice an Altima owner salivating over the Max much like I was as he slowly drove past me on his way out of the dealership. Obviously the Max is my choice... and from the looks of things at least one Altima owner must agree with me.

 

Maxima. I just drove an SE 6 speed tonight and posted on the thread "Got a 2004 maxima" or something like that. The car is plain awesome, and I could easily move out of a 5th gen into it. I have to disagree with the person that said the interior is a step back. All the materials that I could touch, see, move are an improvement over the 5th gen. Even the air vents now have a nice rubbery rotary *** to move the panes as opposed the hard plastic cheapy thing that is in ours. The interior of the 6th gen will be a very nice place to spend time. It is modern without being flashy, airy, and comfortable.

And the drive of the car is improved over the 5th. I'd say you need to spend some time in one. I can't imagine anyone choosing altima over maxima if financial issues aren't at play. This new Max is going to do well. And I will admit I was one of the largest critics. I think I need to do a purge on all the posts I've ever made to date on this car. I was so wrong and in hindsight, it wasn't the smartest thing to do basing opinion on pictures and other editorials. I'm convinced after my hour in this car that Nissan has taken it in the right direction. It is most definitely Maxima.

srm

 

Ive been planning on getting the Altima, but now that ive seen the Maxima, with out a doubt i am getting it... Stock, you get 5 speed automatic, 18in wheels, lcd screen and a whole lot more than the Alty comes with...

 

what? that world would not be fun no offense
i say 03 Max unless u have a problem with the car its a great deal
altima is very cheap just look at the stitching on the seat ull rather have a Max that gives u the same thing and is the same price or less

 

i take what i said back.....i saw a black on black maxima today - i loved it - definitely would go with the 04 maxima

 

Well, the 2002/03 Maxima interior was way better than the Altima, and fitting of a 30k car. This new one has a cheap Altima like interior. And it has 25 more hp and is slower. Though were Altimas are a dime a dozen, Maximas will be less so, though they now both look very similar.

I'd wait to see how the Maxima sells it's first year. If it's slow (like I think it will be) then get a MAxima with a discount.

That Altima interior is ridiculous to be a family car. I'd be scared the kids would cut themselves (if I had kids).

 

Hi !

I did ask myself the same question a couple of months back, I did then a drive test on the Altima 3.5SE, it is a great and powerful car, but look at noise reduction, new Altima is not that good exterior sound proof. When you pay over 20 KU$ for a car, you want it smooth and perfect. For same $ , get you an 03 Max, they are gonna be bargained soon as 04 max is coming on market.

 

I liked the exterior when they first came out. But it already looks sorta dated and the clear-lens tails are so "last year" if you ask me. I thought they looked good on your white though, so maybe it's just the other colors that they don't seem to blend well with. Plus from seeing them on the road side-by-side with other cars, it just seems like the paint is already getting weathered a lot because the finish looks worse on them than a lot of 5-6 year old Honda's. If it seems like they've aged 5-6 years in only 1 year then that would make me very nervous about how they would look after 5 actual years. How is your white holding up? Could just be the metallic colors also...

I sat in a 2003 and the interior fit/finish and materials seemed to be better, though, so maybe they made some subtle improvements. Improve the paint/finish a bit and drop the clear lens tails and I could consider one again.

 

just read the question on the subject line...

my answer is:

what can you afford, what do you want to spend.

-vq

 

... just so happens, I currently own a '02 Altima 3.5 SE, and absolutely love it!! Just yesterday I went for my first look and test drive of the new '04 Max SE.... having the prior notion that I'd probably want to trade in my Alty right on the spot.

The verdict..... Undecided!!! The '04 Max SE is truly awesome!!! but.... to my surprise, I did not find myself immediately wanting to get out of my Alty for the Max.

 

I felt pretty much the same, although I just sat in two different cars and didn't actually test drive.

 

muy interesante.

-vq

 

 

"I just can't stand the exterior of the Altima, and I think the interior is even worse."

----

thank you. i absolutely cannot stand the Altima either. it is so absolutely ugly. may it rot in hell. long live 2nd - 5th gen Maximas. the 6th gen Max is better looking than the Altima. but not much.

 

altima 3.5 sporty look ...the o4 max while sweet is heading off in the wrong direction .. this year its the:

1. 350z
2. altima 3.5
3. maxima se

 

If you are still bashing the 04 Max, you haven't spent any time in one. We picked up our 04 last night and the car is light years ahead of my 02 (and the 03 we traded). It is Maxima, without a doubt.

srm

 

Get used to it people are going to bash it just like they did the 4th and 5th gen which they still bash, the car isnt going to appeal to everyone even after they drive it like it did nothing for me at all. As long as you like it thats all that matters enjoy your 04 and 02.

 

Oh, I didn't mean to SOUND mean in my post. Just matter of fact. My wife and I both, heck, the whole family, were probably the most committed 6th gen haters! Now look at me, I feel like a traitor (grin). Seriously, I understand the comments and also that some opinions won't change. I didn't particularly care for some aspects of my 5th gen either at first but I looked beyond the funky tail, for example. Same goes for the 6th. It is such a revolutionary change, it just doesn't go down as easily as the previous evolutionary transitions to a new generation Maxima. And honestly, I'm having trouble finding a negative with this car. The grill, for example, is what threw me initially. But my gosh, when I saw my friend's black maxima coming down our street, it looked as though some beast out of Revelations had been unleashed onto the pavement! The car is friggin' awesome! And the suspension changes are oh so badly needed and pay off huge. Anyway, I'm rambling now 'cause I'm tired! It was a 7 hour round trip driving to pick up my car last night and a 12 hour day today doing "stuff" with and for it. Now I gotta pack my bags and get on a plane to Pittsburgh tomorrow night. Joy.

Talk to you gentlemen later!

Scott

 

I'd probobly get the maxima because I like the power and the V6 altime ain't worth the money. My cousin was supposed to get a V6 altima but got the 2003 SE Max

 

"... We picked up our 04 last night and the car is light years ahead of my 02 (and the 03 we traded). It is Maxima, without a doubt."



--- i don't doubt you, really. the car is new. it has the newest technology going for it. yes. i should know that. yes. the redesign is radical for the maxima. i mean, nissan cannot stay the same with the maxima, especially since it's sales of that car were being eclipsed by the altima (the maxima was in danger of not really being the "flagship" anymore).

it is just not a direction i like. if you or anyone owns one, and it is great, then f**k what i say. or anyone else, as there is no better a place to comment on something than from first-hand account. i just cannot handle the aesthetic choices made on the new one. it may look better lowered with Nismo wheels. or maybe that would just ugly it up. who knows.

congrats.