ivorton23

I want to get me an upgrade. Had my 4th gen(96 5speed) since 09 and its time to move on. I love my car though..its a great, fun car but the body is just rustin away...that's what I get for buyin a car from Minnesota. I looked at 6th gens, audi a4s, Subaru legacy, infiniti g35s,altima ser and bmw 540i. I read that the bmw and audi have astronomical maintenance costs so those are off my list for now. The legacy and g35 are out of my price range(want something for about 9 grand). So I narrowed it to a se-r or 6th gen...only thing is I heard the 6th gens have a lotta issues with trannies and whatever else. so what should I go with? The Altima's a bad *** lookin car but I like the maxima's dash but I figured I can always install an aftermarket gps headunit if I get the se-r. what u guys think? Lookin to get 6 speed cars btw

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

Se-r for sure. 6.5 gen would be a toss up imo aesthetics wise

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

Ohh btw hehe

mrjasonlyrics

I would say the 6spd 6thgen but the SE-R might be a better looking car. They have the same engine, most parts are the same but I think the Maxima have more features like rear motorized shades, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, power seats and windows, the elite package which is a unique feature and the transmission is really good. I can't speak for the Altima because I don't own one. It's more of a preference between them. Oh the Altima's cost more than the Maxima's

ivorton23

I think I like the ser too because its so rare. I've never seen one in person. I love the red ones...they look so bad ***.I seen one on autotrader 2 weeks ago and instantly fell in love with it. also saw a nice white 2004 6 speed max. Its hard to choose between them...im givin myself until the end of summer to get something.

DAlastDON

Looking for a 6spd....the 6.5 gen is out of the question then. I miss my old 5 speed but had to get an automatic after my left knee started giving me problems from an old injury. The CVT is as smooth and silky as my ole ladies skin but it lacks the ***** that the 6th gen autotragic's and 6spd's have. But it will get you up to speed quickly once you get past the 20mph mark.

01bluemax

I'd go with the SE-R. I used to see them all the time, but I haven't seen one in a while.

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

I would go SE-R also....

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

That is true. 6.5 gen conversion would be ideal for me. But still, I'd probably go se-r anyway. Dude I work has a silver one that is a DD warrior it pains me to see it, Dented front bumper, scratched rear bumper and some gnarly rash on the 18' se-r wheels.

ivorton23

well se-r it is!! interior may not be a good as the max but the se-r has better looks...I love the aggression. I just have to decide if I want a red or a silver...im leanin towards the red.

MIKERNM1990

I have altima se r (55K mile) and my bro have 6 gen maxima (150K mile). both have auto and color gray. We've never race on before. I'll saying neither.

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

Get the code red one if you can. Silver is such a boring color. I wanted to get mine painted but the white grew on me.

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

I would go red if can find it, would be more Rare...

04BlackMaxx

SE-R all the way, if they were available in 2003 when I bought my 6th gen it would have ben a very easy decision but if memory serves me right I dont think it was on the market yet when the 6th first went to market. Its much more rare and its faster, duh!

aarong0921

^^That was totally a fair race.....
They're both modded the same & they both took off @ like the EXACT same time!

tosheto

iTrader: (5)

I would get SE-R with a manual. The SE-R is much sportier. The Maxima is more luxury. I guess you have to decided which features you prefer, sport or luxury.
I have driven both cars and I like both. If I had to choose and wanted something sporty I would go with the SE-R.

ivorton23

Yeah I want something sporty so the se-r it is. I originally wanted an rb or 2jz swapped s14 240sx. But I decided I wanted something fast and fun but still practical. The 240sx I just wanted as a fun toy but I already have my chevy truck for that...I'll still get a 240 one day though. Not givin up on that dream.

Shift_A32B

iTrader: (14)

SE-R

A34 in mt

You know I felt the same way until I drove them. The Maxima feels so much more solid, better quality interior, and drives better. I say test drive both and then make your choice.

turq57

I second all of that. Drive them both and then decide. I drove them both and ended up getting a 6spd Max. The SE still handles awesome, the build does feel more solid, the price point is generally lower, and it doesn't stand out to the cops. Also, consider insurance rates. How much more will you pay for the "sportier" SE-R? Just food for thought.

As for the SE-R being faster, test specs put the SE-R only a couple tenths faster to 60mph. Is that faster? Obviously yes, but it's negligible to daily driving. Personally, I chose the solid build and comfort instead of the couple tenths to 60, so maybe I'm biased. Besides, I prefer a sleeper, so that I don't have teenage ******* in Hon-duhs trying to race me all the time.

You also mention looks, but what part of the car will you see more of? Personally, I see more of the inside of my car... but if you drive from the roof with a remote control, then I guess it's different. <== (That's meant to be funny. I like my cars to look good too.)

But, these are my opinions. To each his/her own. You have to make the final choice. I still second "drive them both and then decide." Good luck with it!

BTW, as for the video link above... that's a joke. Look at the SE-R's exhaust and ride height. What else is modded? If you go to YouTube and read the video description, it says that the Max only has a CAI and the SE-R is modded (no details, but to me that means more than CAI and the aftermarket exhaust is obvious in the video). I'm just saying...

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

I know bro. I just threw that up to further sway OP's decision.

ivorton23

lol I still prefer the se-r and that's what im goin with. btw did the 6 speed maximas come with navigation? I was searching online but cant find any. I don't like how the maximas without nav just has that dark ugly screen there...to me that screen should be a nav screen...that's just me.

MIKERNM1990

My bro has smoke 05 Maxima auto and I have smoke 06 Altima SE-R auto. We plan to take race w/ video soon. Unfortunately, I won't post a race story on here because org isn't allowed on it. It's TOLERATED. Sorry.

carsnwomen91

SER...and get the red one. its still a comfy car but already sportier from the factory. who cares about gps, your phone is a GPS lol

UniqueMax

You're right..that dark screen IS ugly...But it can be changed to something custom and unique.Aftermarket Navi looks so much better but thats just me.I like the aftermarket but still "stock" look..Thats why i went with the 6.5 center console.I wanted the indash double din,and not the motorized one that sticks out..but thats just me...A lot of work and patience for a clean look..But in the end,it pays off

ivorton23

wow that looks really good! got any pics of it in the light??

Diablo2424

Definitely drive both, then make your decision...

But you know what my choice would be

T_Behr904

SE-R 6-speed

ivorton23

saw some sweet lookin se-rs on autotrader....man I cant wait to get one!

MajorReflexes

i found a great deal on a se-r locally if you guys want to check it out http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/3576640459.html

po8pimp

Can you please tell me how you got the shift lights and the cup holder lights? where to buy and how to install would be awesome. Would go great with my leds. Thanks

DrewSER

When I got rid of my 350Z 7 years ago I started shopping around for my second Maxima. Test drove a few (6th gens) and one day I was driving through an area for work. I knew I would pass a dealer that had an SER so I stopped to check it out and one test drive made the decision easy. I've been very happy with my choice ever since and to give you an idea how happy I've never kept the same car this long. The only thing I wish I could change would be my feelings towards the red inserts all those years ago.

I would encourage anyone interested in this comparison to drive both but if as is performance is what you seek you will come to the same conclusion I did.

ivorton23

nice input bro!

ivorton23

I like the se-r because it's a car that will definitely stand out from the crowd. I like havin something unique...something different. I just hope I could find a nice code red car.

T_Behr904

At the car dealership I used to work at, we had an SE-R on trade with low miles. I drove it and I really liked the car, but I passed on it because it was an automatic. Several months later, I ended up buying the current Maxima I own that was also traded in at the dealer I used to work at because it was a 5 speed and I was looking for a 2nd car.

DrewSER

No problem man. Its not perfect but what car is.

Completely agree. I always enjoyed having the only one around for a long time but then a Smoke one moved in. At least its a different color haha.

twentyeggs

performance wise.. The maxima is quicker in a straight line. The Altima will run circles in the bends.

I know it doesn't make sense that the Altima is slower, same engine, less weight but it is. My neighbor has an Altima SER 4 years younger than my max and 50,000+ miles younger. we very regularly cruiz up to the canyons and spend a few hours hitting the twisties a few times a month. I always catch him in the straights, he loses me in the bends. We both have the same mods, he has more in suspension than I do but not enough to make the difference in performance between the two. I have also had many run-ins at Irwindale speed was with different SERs. Both the coup and 4 door. They end up kissing my bumper at the end of the 1/8 mile every time, even if I get a bad start. about half a car length if I get a good dig. There was one night in particular that the SER i raced couldn't believe it, so we matched up 4 separate runs, he kept giving excuses but by the 4th one he straight up said, "alright I give up, your car is faster." I had to convince him I didn't have a secrete dry setup, hiding under my intake lol I've had some trouble once with a manual SER because the guy was incredible at shifting, he is a regular at that speedway has a 8 second mustang with wheelie bars (so he said) but that night took his moms car (SER) to see what it would do. We match up 2 runs, both times it was close but he never took first (that SER was bone stock, my max only had a CAI then) He would always take the lead but i reeled him in towards the end by about a bumper both times. Our maxes are faster than g35s too btw.. and convertible 350z's.

DrewSER

You're right. Initially it doesn't make sense since every publication showed quicker 0-60 and 1/4 times for the SER so something is either special about your car or not so special about the other drivers.

Couple other things stood out worth mentioning.. Below your name you have a 2004 Max listed so the SER could have only been a year or two younger not 4. So unless you were driving an A33 that doesn't make sense. The other comment was the "coup and 4 door" line since there was no SER coupe.

I am by no means claiming that stock for stock the SER is some rocket ship and blows the doors off of the A34 in a straight line. When I say performance that includes handling and I'm glad to see that we agree on that.

VQMagic

iTrader: (1)

Well said. 6 speed se-r trap right around 99-101 with a good driver Stock. Average driver around 96 or so. They're a drivers race between 5.5 6 speeds though. I'm pretty sure most Altima 3.5's edge out the 6th gens especially the 5 speed manual SE's.

twentyeggs

dude, when i say 4 years younger I am saying the car is younger, his was made in 2008 making his car 4 years younger than mine, not 4 years older. get it? And yes there are 2008 altima coups even though in the sentence I wrote that in, i wasn't specifically talking about coups made in 2008 but rather any year.

Let me tell you something about magazine drag times. They are 100% wrong, and if they happen to be right every once in a while, the author made a mistake lol they say the dodge charger can do 0-60 in high 4's seconds, when that is bull. Our cars can give a dodge charger a HUGE run for the money. So tell me, how can a 4 second 0-60 car have difficulty with 6th gens? because the mag times are crap and they built the car too heavy srt8 or not. They say a Camero SS (auto) can do 0-60 in under 5 seconds, 4.2 (manual) . I drove around a auto SS for a week and a half and never got better than 6.4 ect...

All i can attest to is what I have seen and experienced in person. I have no problem with the SER being faster, because it should be faster IMO. But if you didn't know they come tuned DOWN from the factory. So the power coming from the crank is lower in the altima than the maxima (not by much) The power and torque reach peak power at lower RPM and doesn't drop off too much at redline which explains why the acceleration is more efficient. So when you look at it, the specs tell all, and they explain why the maxima stock for stock is faster than the SER. i don't know whether or not the max and alti have different drive trains, I would bet they do, so there is another factor in the case the alti's drive train is less efficient.

There is something car manufactorers term (i can't remember the word) but basically they don't make their cheaper cars faster than their flagships. The maxima is the flagship, the altima is the downgrade. They would never make the altima faster for business purposes. when porche made the Boxter, their first prototype was too fast and didn't leave much difference between that and the carrera. So they tuned it down. Business my friend. Nissan would rather sell a maxima than an altima any day.

Maybe my maxima is special, maybe not. If you took 10 maximas straight off the factory line and had them run a quarter mile, each one will do a different speed. Test them in a year and 10,000 miles, the differences will be far more drastic. So maybe I got an unusually fast maxima? maybe Altimas are just slower? who knows..