aright guys i know this is a maxima forum but im looking for some unbiased opinions here. do you think it would be worth it to sell my 96 max with 63k miles on it and buy an 03' wrx, or should i just drop about $5k into the maxima. the reason im thinking about selling is that with the 6th generation(?) maxima out the ressale value of my car has dropped alot and i want to get rid of it while its worth something. besides, the '03 wrx's are cheap now with the 04's rolling in.

 

Do you have a car payment on the Max? If not the question for me would be whether I wanted to pick up a car payment @ $400-$500/mo. Also, do you have passengers often? I test drove the WRX before I bought my 2k1 and the performance was awesome, but you would be hard pressed to get you and 3 friends in it comfortably. In the end I went with Max for the added room and comfort, but there's no denying the power of the WRX.

Just my .02

 

Get the WRX

 

If it is a '96 I assume you have the pink slip. If so, put $5k down on the WRX, keep the Maxima and you are set up. Or even more better yet still, $0 down on the WRX and $5k mods on it!

 

i would go with the wrx if u don't take passenger alot...this car is one of my choices beside the IS300 a year from now when i sell my 98..

 

Put the BMW 3 series on your list also.

 

I drove the WRX, the VR6 jetta and a new A4. I'm keeping my Maxima.

 

Get the WRX.. It don't take that much $$ to get that car running 12's

 

DO IT! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

 

All right you hard core Max fans, sit down and listen to what I'm about to say!

You should KEEP the Maxima, because 63k is child's play on this car. Yes, you may have the MIL indicator on, air bag lamps lit, and a clutch chatter (4-3) that you can't stand, but again, 63k, that car is just starting to break-in. If you got a 5-spd you probably haven't even needed to do your front brakes yet, which will take all of 15 min.

At least ride the Max to 95k, then think about new cars. Good luck.

 

Nah... AWD and stock turbo =

 

get a bottle, ure max will run 12's also

 

No need.. 13psi and slicks will do just fine

 

I passed up a new 2002 WRX in favor of a used 1999 Maxima 5spd.

The WRX is an awesome car, but just too small and no lux features. There is *no* backseat with me driving. Plus I like my nice leather/heated seats, premium Bose stereo, moonroof, etc yadda yadda. Some days I wish I had gone for the WRX, but it's just not my style. I'm glad I got the Maxima.

 

Gee a 2 litre engine that is impossible to upgrade any further than facory and has inherent turbo lag combined with a awd system that tends to handle similarly to a fwd car and all in a sub-compact design.

or . . . A 3+ litre v6 near luxury sporty sedan that looks great and can be capable of both being a highly convienient daily driver and a faster car overall.

 

If you don't like the turbo get a bigger, faster one....My friend has a 03 WRX wagon and with about 5 grand he can run with about anything....It's not the max, but they are two different kinds of cars....I love to drive my friend's Rex it puts a smile on my face everytime but after the ride I'm glad I have my Max

 

Hmm the aftermarket for the WRX is much bigger than that for the maxima, and the WRX will crush the maxima with the right upgrades in all handling and power aspects. I do love Maximas but don't say that the WRX is not upgradeable and trust me you can get rid of that lag real easy.

 

WOW! your a fricken idiot.

to orig. poster: it depends what you want and need. for me, i am still young, dont really need a big backseat, dont even like the leather on my max, and want something sportier for cheap, and easy to upgrade. hence why i am getting a 2k2 WRX next summer. i love the refinement of my maxima, and its a great car all around, but i want something, quick, good handling, VERY upgradable, fast from the factory, and manual, and looks good. for me this spelled "WRX".

for the money, i just dont see a better choice than an allwheel drive turbo.

 

TurboXS Stage 4 UTEC for WRX, 368 bhp, $4000





Impossible to upgrade, eh?

 

wow..... that has got to be one of the most ignorant statements that i've ever heard. do you have any idea what you're talking about?

 

You tell us what is important to you in a car and we will tell you if you should keep the Max or get a WRX.

 

You tell us what is important to you in a car and we will tell you if you should keep the Max or get a WRX.

For all of you

 

go for the wrx! 4 doors, turbo and awd - what more could you ask for!(sunroof )

 

ater reading this post I can tell who used to eat paste back in elementary school...

 

The WRX is actually biased towards the rear wheels, so it is AWD/RWD. Don't make the mistake that it is FWD because it is not. The only argument for the Maxima besides lower price when it's used is passenger room. Pop quiz--how many $12 resin chairs can you fit in a Maxima? The answer is zero, not even one. So as far as being convenient I would hardly say that's true, there is very little you can pick up from the Home Depot in a Maxima. From your description above, you are talking about a Honda Odyssey.

 

What kept me away from the WRX is this:

1) Subaru is NOT modification friendly. They will deny your warranty on the whim. Sure, it's not really legal (Magnesson-Moss law), but do you have the money to go to court about it?

2) The WRX's speed is all about the launch. 5000rpms launches are necessary to get the stellar ETs. The lack of wheelspin and high launch rpm equal shredded 1st gears and smoked clutches.

3) Running is NOT easy in the WRX. It takes a good bit of cash to get there. Mid 13s are easy, anything after that then you really need a different turbo and such.

4) Mods like aftermarket up-pipes and downpipes cause lots of headaches for WRX owners in terms of install, exhaust leaks, noises, etc.

5) Suspension wise, once you add springs the ride quality diminishes significantly just like in the Maxima.

6) A 96 Maxima 5 speed with the MEVI/JWT ECU/Y-pipe/Intake ($2000 in mods) is capable of low low 14s at nearly 100mph. This same setup with slicks is capable of 13.6s@101mph. Pretty much from a stop is the only place the WRX has the advantage. From a roll, a stock WRX would get owned and the typically modded WRX would slowly get walked after 85mph.

7) If I got a WRX, the only verison I'd get is the STi. It's built for the punishment the standard WRX isn't and it's MUCH faster.


Dave

 

Dave, WELL spoken my friend, very well spoken. And on that note I give my opinion

My friend Brett has a 03 WRX and let me tell you, its sweet... Here's a link to it: Brett's Suburu But its slow as all hell in my opinion, but I also have a turbo max, so I guess its not really fair to compare them. It's a nice car though, but it seriously lacks after 40 mph in my opinion... Course it does have awd sucking lots of power (aka drivetrain power loss) so... I would say maxima, you can make the maxima faster with less money, and you still have more car, as in bigger interior to fit 5 people in, and more luxurious... Both cars have their ups and downs... I would say go drive the two cars... By the way, if you're really going to compare cars, drive a 2003 maxima 6 speed... I would trade my turbo max for one any day... that 3.5L engine with an intake is the best sound my ears have ever heard... I literally get goose bumps when I hear them in video's and stuff.

Bryan

 

Mods all depend on the dealership we have one in NC that is very mod friendly....all of the mechanics have them and they are all modded to some point or another

 

If its teh STI id go for it, but Id rather sell the Max get a 350Z and the new Greddy twin turbo kit

 

+ the 2k3 WRX are ugly-*** girl cars. The headlights are the reason why I drive a max and not an impreza. You might think that's silly but if you talked to as many chicks as me and hearing how "cute" they thought the car was, you'd feel the same way...

 

Yeah, get the STi! I saw a blue one at the TGIFriday's parking lot a few days ago. Big wing, big gold rims.. It was gorgeous!

I'm surprised that I saw one of those before seeing an EVO.

 

save your money, and turbo the hell out of the max. Do something with the max. You have low mileage, and you seem to have a good car there. I love the WRX, but for the price you'll pay, you might as well just drop 5-7 g's in the max. Very reliable car. Just keep it maintained. Do what you will, though!

 

In my opinion, keep the Max. Save the $500+ a month you would be paying on the WRX and throw some mods on the max. Save some of that cash for a couple of years for a great down payment. If you are worried about value, your Max has already taken the biggest depreciation hit. It's probably worth about $5,500 on a trade-in and will probably only depreciate by another $1,000 over the next year. The WRX will probably depreciate by around $7,000-$8,000 in the first year alone. Cars are not an investment. Their value very rarely goes up. It sounds like you have a good car, with low miles for a 96... my 96 has 93K on it and will easily make it to 180K.

Just my $.02

 

Neon SRT-4 w00t! Then the bad Dodge quality will make it so your power steering fails and you are soon surrounded by military personnel armed to the teeth

AWD + Turbo + room for 4 is nice. Aren't most turbo engines easy to upgrade? Are there even any current stock turbo engines that are unpopular???

I'd say wait for the Legacy sedan (or are we just getting the wagon here in the states?)

 

keep the max, get a turbo kit = go past wrx

 

It all comes down to what you want and can afford. If you dont mind the small interior and basic fuctions then you are fine with the WRX. If you want something more "luxurious" then go with the Maxima. If you want unlimited perf options, then go with the WRX. The WRX is like a Mustang/Camarao/Honda/etc. They make everything for that car. There are guys who just have a boost controller running 13.5's all day.

 

What?

How can you even say FWD and AWD are similar?

 

alot of you are saying to just turbo the max and all. and how the wrx needs upkeep when u start to mod it. the wrx was made for a turbo, the max wasnt. i am thinking a turbo max will have more reliability problems than a wrx. and it would require more money to upkeep as well. so that argument is really going against the max.

dave b brought up several good points, and if you have the money for a wrx, look into a 2k2, or 2k3 6speed max. i would say test drive both and make the decision for yourself. but a decision cant be made without a test drive.

i myself are waiting another year to get a wrx, because i am pretty young and dont want huge payments going into college. not only will a 2k2 wrx be cheaper, due to 2k4 redesign and sti, but that gives me a year to save. i plan to put down a 5-7k down payment.

test drive both many times, and in as many conditions as you can, then access both cars, and the decision should hit you like a brick wall

 

Two words, three syllables. Drivetrain loss. Stock WRX's dyno at only 168. There advantages lie in there ablility to launch (given an abusive launch) and not all people live their lives a quarter mile at a time. I'd much rather have a car that performs well from a roll. Up to you though. It's all about WHP to weight baby!!!

 

Its been proven that hard launches on WRXs completely strip 1st gear! wow. I want one of those!