Which one should I get ?? I'm not sure what the +'s or -'s of either are. If you could give recommendation I'd appreciate it.

 

With a good driver altimas are faster, however..i personally dont think they look as good..thats about it..what do you want, a car thats slightly faster or one that looks slightly better.
-Brian

 

Why are they faster? I thought they were heavier?

Do they have more HP? Different tranny gears? Rear end?

 

2002 Altima 3.5 Curb Weight - Manual (lb) - 3225
2002 Maxima 3.5 Curb Weight - Manual (lb)- 3224

http://autos.msn.com/vip/specificati...=10135&src=vip

 

The Altima has a slight advantage in the 1/4 mile due to the gearing. The 5MT in the Altima can go through the 1/4 mile still in 3rd. The 6MT in the Maxima needs an extra shift to 4th which costs you time. And both cars have the same power. The "extra" 15HP in the Maxima never existed.

 

I am glad someone else realizes that about the 6th gear, I really dont think that it benefits these cars in the acceleration dept but that it hinders them a tad.

 

 

The six speeds are just a big marketing thing. Personally, I'd take the Altima over the Maxima assuming that the Altima has the black/black leather interior (so it doesn't look so cheap). I think the Altima looks better, is slightly faster, rides better (independant rear), and handles better however the interior isn't as nice nor does the car feel as substainial.


Dave

 

3.5 Altima - 240 HP v6
3.5 Maxima - 255 HP v6

 

.............

 

he must not have read your post... sometimes I don't read the whole thread before I post either.. Also, he drives a GSE!!!

 

....

 

Altima just for the IRS. A custom interior would help with the cheapness.

 

Altima IRS
Maxima 6-speed HLSD

Both are pretty ugly.

 

...or maybe he just was quoting known numbers and not just taking steVTEC's word on it.

I'm not saying that the 15hp does exist, I have no info on that one way or the other, but you shouldn't flame a guy just b/c he doesn't neccesarily trust a statement made by another org member. Nevermind that you guys are picking on his trim.

Oh, and on the 6-speed thing, I like it for the gas mileage when cruising on the highway - but there's definitely not advantage to it when it comes to pure speed/acceleration.

And I don't see how anyone can thinking the 5gen Altimas are better looking than the Maxs? The 6gen is a tad better without that tooth, but the 5gens are damn purty IMHO.

 

The difference between my girl friends 2k2 Maxima and my dads 2k3 3.5 Altima is night and day. The Maxima is definatly faster. I don't know what they had done to them but VQ power.com used to have a vid of a 2k2 Max 6 speed going up against a 2k2 Altima 3.5 5-speed. The Max walked him nicely, both drivers took off at the same time and the camera was in the Altima, he did not miss a shift.

I would say get the Max.

 

most def get the maxima.. "it's bigger, better, stronger and much faster." EPMD

 

If a moderator on this site says something, chances are good that you can trust that information, and that they have evidence that backs such information up.

Stock 02 Maxima 6spd dyno: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/stevte...anceMagcom.jpg
Stock 02 Altima 3.5SE 5spd dyno: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/stevte...anceMagcom.jpg

Practically no differences whatsoever in the overall performance. The automatics also dyno pretty much identically.

 

Got timeslips?

Was there also a passenger in the Maxima to keep the passenger weights fair? Was it from a roll or from a stop? This is why street racing really doesn't prove much. At the track you get solid numbers and you know exactly what happened. You can compare R/T, 60', 330', 660' etc etc etc.

 

My Dad and Girlfriend don't frequent the track, but I have raced both of them and driven both of their cars. The max feels like it has much more low end torque, and when I race both of them the Max pulls on me but I pull on the Altima (from a stop a couple of times.)

The altima had one passenger (not sure about the max) and it was from a stop.

 

GSE is a joke w/ me and Ramius...

Anyway....yea I didnt read Steve's previous post about that 15 extra HP.

I'd still go w/ a maxima...altimas =

 

Sounds like people are saying that the Altima is faster then.

So where are the time slips?

 

So...they're the same weight...have the same power...the Altima has the gearing advantage, but the Max has the locking differential...

IMO, this all adds up to a very close race. I'd get the Maxima...The Altima will always be the Maxima's little sister. (whether it be for speed or style)

 

Don't get me wrong, SteVTEC, I usually take your word as law 'round these parts. But this kinda topic tends to draw out bais in people... and yes moderators are people too.

And since my bias clearly lies with my beloved Max I'm having a hard time coming to grips with this suggestion that a stock Altima is actually a tad faster. According to those dynos you posted, the Altima clocked in with around 230 max torque, while the Max's best was a mere 219.5. That just doesn't seem right. We all know that dynos, like time slips, and just about everything else, have a lot of factors to consider... and it's tough comparing two different dynos from two different sources for two difference cars.

Differences in dyno aside, the Max appeared to put out 205.5 max whp, while the Altima came in just under 200 - say 199.5. When you put that back through the drivetrain (roughly 15% loss, right?) you come up with 241.7 for the Maxima and 234.7 for the Altima. So the difference is small, but it's there.

I know I'm always on the lookout for another 7hp

Of course who knows, if they had been dyno'd under the same circumstances, the difference could've been more or it could've been less.

My vote: get the max.

 

3-5 fwhp and tq is almost within the measurement accuracy (variability) of the dyno. They were the same dynos, just different display formatting if I'm not mistaken. Both are from www.nissanperformancemag.com

If you compare stock manual dynos to each other and stock auto dynos to each other from each of the cars and average them all together, you'll find that there really isn't any difference between the two cars. One Max may be a tad stronger than the Altima and vice versa, but overall there isn't really any difference.

 

Yep this is true. I get 30+ mpg on the hwy regularly. Even at 75 mph. At 60 mph its like 32+ And yes I have checked manually in addition to what the computer says. Lowest mileage I have ever gotten on a tank in mixed driving was 26 with my 6 speed.

 

I think Nissan should be offering credits/rebates for those that bought 5th gen Maximas because it's pretty clear that the Altima has the same exact engine. I think the same should go for those that have bought 287hp 350Zs and 287hp G35 coupes because the 260hp 6 speed G35 sedans are a mere .1 seconds slower in the 1/4 mile (14.1@99mph). It's beyond me how Nissan is getting away with this yet Mazda/Ford/Hynudia get in trouble and offer rebates/credits.


Dave

 

If I'm not mistaken, the G35s, G35c, and 350z engines are all the same and that the engine really does put out about 287hp, but is just under-rated in the G35c/s models. That's okay.

The Maxima case is the opposite. The engine was definitely over-rated a tad which is where you can get in trouble. Have the Ford/Mazda and Hyundai cases been spurred by complaints, or was it voluntary? I think the Mazda ones were voluntary, but not sure about Hyundai.

The 6s 220hp/192tq appears to be more like 210hp/202tq. And the Maxima 255hp/246 tq appears to be more like 240hp/26xtq. Maybe there is some leeway on how manufacturers are able to rate their engines. i.e. advertise a little more peak horsepower as long as they under-rate the torque a bit. I know there are many ways to rate power, all SAE approved, but am not sure of any of the specifics. Anybody know?

 

I agree as well, that Maxima seems faster than Altima. I went up against two Altimas V6 not sure if they were Auto or 5-speed and pulled pretty nicely on them both times. Last time it was actually yesterday and we were getting on the highway I was behind him. He had outofstate plates, tints and spoiler. So I was thinking he will floor it as we will get on the highway
So he did, as I see him take off I was already in 3rd gear about 3 or so cars behind him, I floor it too. By end of 3rd gear I was even with him and pulling past him, then went in 4th and it was pretty much over. I slowed down and saw him going kinda slow far behind me. He was upset I think.

I am not really sure if Altima is faster or the same or Maxima is faster, but two times I raced them, I pulled pretty nicely.

 

What about drivetrain efficiency. Should that matter?

 

There was some debate back in the day about variable parasitics between the 5spd Alty and 6spd Maxima. So that's what the auto vs auto comparisons were about - same exact tranny. And they still dyno pretty much the same.

If the Maxima really had 15hp more, that would translate to about 12 more at the wheels, and it just isn't there.

 

I am not sure either. But now it makes me wonder what the 6th gen did to have 265 hp. This is what they advertise I think? Did they make 10 more hp then the 5th gen 3.5, or 25 more since it was overrated? Will they have to keep overrating the Maxima engine since they lied about the 5th gen 3.5?

 

Revised intake manifold, and obviously a different exhaust system. I think that was about it. But just look at the 4th Gen MEVI FAQ. The intake manifold has a very large impact on how the engine will perform.

5th Gen 3.5 = 240-245 HP

I don't believe the 6th Gen is over-rated. I suspect that it really is putting out about 265 HP, meaning it's cranking out 20-25hp more than the 5th Gen 3.5. A 6th Gen auto guy just ran a 15.1 @ 92 or 93 in poor weather and with not much traction. That is the same trap speed as a 5th gen 3.5/auto despite being 200 lb heavier and despite having incredibly large 18" rims to spin up. The shorter gearing helps, but I think the new 3.5 definitely has a lot more top-end.

Just waiting for somebody to dyno and then we'll know for sure.