As it happens from time to time with org members, I too will be departing from the Maxima.org family. Not to say I'll never drop in from time to time, but I no longer own a Maxima and don't plan on getting another one any time soon, so I can't say I'll be frequenting here with any regularity anymore.

I guess I'm still psuedo-related with a G35 Sedan in the driveway, but my point here is just a big thanks to all the veterans who taught me so much. I won't name names for fear of forgetting important ones, but you all know who you are.

And for those who remember the days of MaximaFreak.com, I am sorry I didn't keep that site going ...

If you need me, you can find me at E46fanatics ...

 

nice. congrats on the buy

 

and i was just gonna say that at least you're not one of the 2305974 people that got an infiniti!

 

G35 is my wife's car. 05 330Ci ZHP 6 speed is mine. 14k miles on it, free maintenance until 9/09

Being so psyched about a car ... priceless.

 

and what's wrong with Infiniti??

 

more specifically a g35 because thats what everyone on this forum has been getting as of late.

 

car looks good man, still wish i coulda seen your 4th gen

 

I miss it too ...

 

One more ... my favorite and how it looked right before I sold it:

 

New car looks nice, congrats on the HUGE step up.

 

congrats! I frequent E46 so i'll prolly run into u there ...

 

Thanks Zargon. Patience pays. I know guys who went too big too soon and wound up selling to lower payments.

One guy had a 2001 S4 (a few years back) then went to a new FX35. Now he's in a used Accord. Other guy went to the FX35 too (go figure) and wound up trading it on an Xterra because the payments were too high.

Lesson is: always keep your car payments in the 12-15% range of your monthly gross income. It's a good rule of thumb. Until, of course, you make SICK money. Just because you CAN spend it, doesn't mean you have to!

I've been waiting for a car like this for about 10 years now ... and I really feel like I deserve it!

One more of the interior:

 

M45 > G35

 

Is there a 6MT you can mate to the M45? Even the older ones (real Jap carry-over) would be great with a 6MT ...

 

Not that I know of. That's the biggest drawback. If you absolutely MUST have the 6MT (which is completely understandable), then G35>M45.

 

I always did want to find a manual that would fit into the 1st gen M45 because you can get them SO CHEAP compared to what they MSRP'd at. However, in all my research, I also came up with nada.

So, in that case,

330Ci>G35>M45

 

Yes I agree but that wasn't my point. G35 is the bandwagon car as of late that everyone on this forum seems to be getting after they sell their maxima.

 

I think it's funny that the G35 is looked at negatively as a "bandwagon" car around here. So many maxima owners are getting the G35 because for the most part, it is everything they wished the maxima was. I don't think people are running out and buying a G35 just because everyone else is.

My 2 cents.

 

The G35 is, in fact, an EXCELLENT car and the only real competition for the Bimmer (IMHO). The ONLY reason I don't like it that much has nothing to do with the way it drives, looks, handles etc ... I just hate that everyone and their mother has one.

 

I agree with ya, I love the G35, I like the looks, interior.... everything and it's not because everybody else has one... I feel no need to buy something like that bacause of what other people think or don't think. I would do it for me.

 

I wasn't making/trying to make it look negative if you were directing the first sentence to me. I was just trying to solve the confusion of post 5. It's a awesome car for an adequate price which is the ideal replacement of a maxima since it's a higher step up in every category. Just because it's a bandwagon car doesnt mean it sucks right

 

Nah, I wasn't directing those comments to you, rather to those who bag on people for getting a G35.

 

oh ok I see what you did right there.

 

joellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

 

It's no 350z TT ... certainly not. Mr. SprintMAX.

 

nothing, I LOVE INFINITI, it's just that tons of ppl are going from a max to a G 35

 

aaahhhh I see. I love them too!

 

agreed .. man it's not like we have 22-45k just sittin around to go out and buy a car that everyone else wants to get

o well, the bimmer is a sweet ride .... that was my other option from the G.

 

wrong forum + who are you?

good choice in the beamer. 330ci has a steering that feels like rails.

 

Me?

Thanks

 

bahhh.. doesn't carry the class of a BMW

 

What does the ZHP mean? I've always wondered about that.

 

This is from SilverStreak on Bimmerforums ...

The Official ZHP Thread for the E46 3 series Forum.

Here is a link to Car & Driver's article and road test on the ZHP when it debuted as an option package on the 330.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

Some Tech Highlights from the C&D article:

2004 330i ZHP- Car & Driver 9/03

Displacement: 182 cu in, 2979cc
Power (SAE net): 235 bhp @ 5900 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 222 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Wheelbase: 107.3 in
Length/width/height: 176.0/68.5/55.1 in
Curb weight: 3285 lb
Zero to 60 mph: 5.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.3 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 6.4 sec
Standing 1/4-mile: 14.3 sec @ 97 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 152 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g
EPA fuel economy, city driving: 21 mpg
C/D-observed fuel economy: 20 mpg


"ZHP" = the ordering code for the "Performance Package".

The package consists of:

-Sport suspension
-Double Spoke (Styling 135M) cast alloy wheels, 18 x 8.0 front, 18 x 8.5 rear;,225/40R-18 front, 255/35R-18 rear performance tires
-Aerodynamic package
-Matte stainless steel, 35mm dual exhaust pipes
-High-gloss shadowline trim
-8-way power front sport seats with 2-way manual headrests and thigh support; 3-driver memory for exterior mirror and seat positions; automatic tilt-down of passenger’s side-view mirror when vehicle is shifted into reverse gear
-Alcantara/cloth upholstery
-Anthracite interior headliner
-M 3-spoke Alcantara-wrapped multi-function sport steering wheel with fingertip cruise, audio and accessory phone controls
-Aluminum “black cube” interior trim
-Tachometer with 300 rpm-higher redline and red needle
-Short, sport gearshift lever
-3.07 gears in rear differential
-.5 degrees camber all around
-No 128mph governor (155mph top speed).

I myself, as a ZHP owner, have managed a 14.008 at 97.49 mph at Atco Raceway in April 2004, stock, no mods, on OEM tires.

 

Maybe not as much class, but way more *** than my stock ZHP ...

My 2003 Maxima HLSD is up in Danbury CT now ... if you see her, wave.

 

That C&D link is dead, so I pulled the mag out of my library and scanned it.

Linky to PDF

 

i will be sure to cut them off the road

 

Now THAT is class

 

82 pics for those interested ...

http://www.angryjacks.com/330Ci/album/

Most are similar, but I'm still looking for a favey.

 

wow, sad to see you go. However love the ZHP. It's a beautiful car. Hey can you give us your review in comparision to your 4th gen btw? Interested since most of us see our 4th gen Maxes as the "reference range" to compare other cars to.

 

Interesting you ask. For those who don't know, I went from (in my early days) a 1990 Honda Accord Coupe (5 speed, FWD) to a 1998 Maxima (5 speed, modded engine and suspension) to a 2003 Maxima (6 speed, stock). I can tell you, I never gave the 330 the proper credit due to it's semi-disappointing HP numbers.

As for straight line speed, I honestly think my '03 was faster. It wasn't faster by much, if any, but there is definitely a noticeable difference in the amount of torque that the Bimmer has to offer. That being said, the Bimmer powerplant is much like the VQ in that it does offer excellent low end torque that doesn't make you downshift to 2nd to make a right hand turn ... 3rd gear and 10MPH is something this car does quite smoothly. Compared to the VQ30, this car is faster, I think. It depends on the driver, but as I posted earlier in this thread, there are people running stock ZHPs to almost 14 flat in the 1/4 mi ... so it's definitely closer to the Nissan 3.5 than it is to the 3.0.

Now, onto handling. This is where it's not even a contest. The steering is weighted PERFECTLY (always thought Maximas were light on steering) and the car is so predictable and easy to drive. Corners on rails, soft-ish ride, definitely not something I would describe as harsh - even with the 18's. Almost exact same tire size as my 4th gen and the ride is much more comfortable and more spirited at the same time.

Transmission ... this is a no brainer too. The tranny in this car is smooth like silk. I never liked my 6MT too much ... it was very notchy ... same with the 5MT in my 4th gen. If I was travelling at 45mph in 3rd and then a light turned red, I would abruptly pull my foot all the way off the gas and the car would lunge forward for a second while the tranny caught the car ... the BMW is MUCH more forgiving. It's a no-contest.

Fit and finish are also superior. I went to go set up my FM Modulated Sirius really quick and found out there was NOWHERE to run wires! Not literally, but even under the steering column is a piece of trim to hide all the nastyness. The trunk liner is AWESOME covering anything that could be an eyesore. The car is out and out at least 4 steps above a 4th gen Maxima.

If you ever get a chance to check a Bimmer out for an extended period of time (one that hasn't been ragged out) I think you will find the same things I did. I hope this helps.