Test Drove 2K2 Maxima Today!!!
08-08-2001, 03:56 AM
#1
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 792
I was over at Stevens Creek Nissan in California. I was about to pass the Nissan dealership when I saw a banner saying 2002 Altimas here now! So I pull through 3 lanes of traffic to get to the dealership. As I'm walking up, I'm looking or the Altima, and wonder of all wonders, there's a brand new 2002 Maxima there!!! This really nice sales person comes up to me (Alex L, you can reach him at 408.557.5500) and I ask to see the Altima. He informs me that they're not here yet, but the Maximas are in. He asks if I wanted a drive, and I noted I wasn't ready to buy, but he tells me to hop in anyway. I say ok.... and here goes...!
The Max SE auto 3.5L VQ is beautiful with a plastic cover on top. Some changes look like composite valve covers, composite upper intake manifold, what appears to be variable volume intake system as in the 3rd gen VG engine, drive by wire (no throttle cable). The Alex noted that ABS has been improved with faster pulsing (something like 22 times a second now vs 18 time a second), and the braking has been improved with larger brakes. Upon driving the car, the brakes do seem to haul the car down from speed much quicker. Don't know if it's through the use of different pad materials, larger rotors, or a different booster.
Wheels are 17" wheels similar to the 5th gen 17" wheels except the lugs are now exposed. There is insulation on the inside of the trunk lid like in the 4th gen cars. Xenon lights as well. The controls are slightly changed, for the better. There are now radio, cruise and trip computer controls on the steering wheel. The feel of the buttons is nice and tactile. The control stalks (signal/headlights) and wiper are now BMW style, short stubby stalks with rubber boots on the bottom. The action is nice, and it appears that the overall placement feels the same as my 4th gen.
Driving impression: I though the car was going to accelerate like a 4th gen or 5th gen and didn't want to bother driving it. Was I wrong! The car still pulls hard to red line with a creamy like smoothness and silence, but now, there's a newfound thrust involved. From a slight rolling start of 2-4mph, I nailed the gas and the tires lit up for like 15-20feet. This was the auto box! The autoshifter is now gated, like a Mercedes. I don't know if I like it, but it's kinda neat. The brake pedal feel is much bettter and there seems to be less ABS kickback. Steering feels slightly tighter, and rear suspension tuning seems to have been improved (less yaw feeling).
The seat of the pants says the auto feels like a 15.4 second 1/4mile car or 6.8s 0-60mph car. But that doesn't tell the whole story. The midrange pulls, pulls, and pulls, even more so than the 4th/5thgen VQ. I feel that a 6sp with LSD and 260hp instead of the autos with 255hp will be able to pull 1/4 mile times of 14.7 or so and have a 0-60 time of around 6.2 seconds bone stock.
-V
The Max SE auto 3.5L VQ is beautiful with a plastic cover on top. Some changes look like composite valve covers, composite upper intake manifold, what appears to be variable volume intake system as in the 3rd gen VG engine, drive by wire (no throttle cable). The Alex noted that ABS has been improved with faster pulsing (something like 22 times a second now vs 18 time a second), and the braking has been improved with larger brakes. Upon driving the car, the brakes do seem to haul the car down from speed much quicker. Don't know if it's through the use of different pad materials, larger rotors, or a different booster.
Wheels are 17" wheels similar to the 5th gen 17" wheels except the lugs are now exposed. There is insulation on the inside of the trunk lid like in the 4th gen cars. Xenon lights as well. The controls are slightly changed, for the better. There are now radio, cruise and trip computer controls on the steering wheel. The feel of the buttons is nice and tactile. The control stalks (signal/headlights) and wiper are now BMW style, short stubby stalks with rubber boots on the bottom. The action is nice, and it appears that the overall placement feels the same as my 4th gen.
Driving impression: I though the car was going to accelerate like a 4th gen or 5th gen and didn't want to bother driving it. Was I wrong! The car still pulls hard to red line with a creamy like smoothness and silence, but now, there's a newfound thrust involved. From a slight rolling start of 2-4mph, I nailed the gas and the tires lit up for like 15-20feet. This was the auto box! The autoshifter is now gated, like a Mercedes. I don't know if I like it, but it's kinda neat. The brake pedal feel is much bettter and there seems to be less ABS kickback. Steering feels slightly tighter, and rear suspension tuning seems to have been improved (less yaw feeling).
The seat of the pants says the auto feels like a 15.4 second 1/4mile car or 6.8s 0-60mph car. But that doesn't tell the whole story. The midrange pulls, pulls, and pulls, even more so than the 4th/5thgen VQ. I feel that a 6sp with LSD and 260hp instead of the autos with 255hp will be able to pull 1/4 mile times of 14.7 or so and have a 0-60 time of around 6.2 seconds bone stock.
-V
08-08-2001, 09:41 AM
#7
Originally posted by gtr_rider
That would remove 5hp from a car???
That would remove 5hp from a car???
Beware of the cold plug on the N/A VQ!
Medic lost about 15 HP on his dyno test at Maxus. I have a stock 97 Auto GXE and he has a 95 or 96 Auto GLE. We dragged and I killed him off the line. I looked back and he was like 2 car lengths behind me when I did my switch from 1rst to 2nd gear. Then and there, I knew something was very wrong and he kept complaining that he couldn't spin his tires in first after the plug replacement. He switched back and now the car is back to normal.
He bought the cold plugs for his NOS install which he didn't have when we went to Maxus. Ask him what happened.
08-08-2001, 11:14 AM
#9
Originally posted by deezo
Beware of the cold plug on the N/A VQ!
Medic lost about 15 HP on his dyno test at Maxus. I have a stock 97 Auto GXE and he has a 95 or 96 Auto GLE. We dragged and I killed him off the line. I looked back and he was like 2 car lengths behind me when I did my switch from 1rst to 2nd gear. Then and there, I knew something was very wrong and he kept complaining that he couldn't spin his tires in first after the plug replacement. He switched back and now the car is back to normal.
He bought the cold plugs for his NOS install which he didn't have when we went to Maxus. Ask him what happened.
Beware of the cold plug on the N/A VQ!
Medic lost about 15 HP on his dyno test at Maxus. I have a stock 97 Auto GXE and he has a 95 or 96 Auto GLE. We dragged and I killed him off the line. I looked back and he was like 2 car lengths behind me when I did my switch from 1rst to 2nd gear. Then and there, I knew something was very wrong and he kept complaining that he couldn't spin his tires in first after the plug replacement. He switched back and now the car is back to normal.
He bought the cold plugs for his NOS install which he didn't have when we went to Maxus. Ask him what happened.
ok....
HEY MEDSONIC!!!!
WHAT HAPPENED to your NOS??
08-08-2001, 12:07 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 792
re: 260hp vs 255hp. I'm just relaying what the dealer said. I personally care either way as I don't believe you can feel 5hp on the butt dyno.
Something to keep in mind though, is that the 3.5VQ in the auto Pathfinder makes 240hp while the 3.5VQ in the 5sp Pathfinder makes 250hp, so to me, it' seems possible...
-V
Something to keep in mind though, is that the 3.5VQ in the auto Pathfinder makes 240hp while the 3.5VQ in the 5sp Pathfinder makes 250hp, so to me, it' seems possible...
-V
08-08-2001, 02:08 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 119
Thanks for the detailed review!
I'm still waiting for the HLSD-equipped 6spd
manuals to come out.
Looks like I'll be waiting
until the end of this year. Is there a realistic
chance that Nissan will actually have them out
sooner (say November or even late October)?
I'm still waiting for the HLSD-equipped 6spd
manuals to come out.
Looks like I'll be waiting
until the end of this year. Is there a realistic
chance that Nissan will actually have them out
sooner (say November or even late October)?
08-08-2001, 03:05 PM
#16
Moderator running more PSI than all the boosted Maximas... combined
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,345
With all the power, does the 2K2 come with traction control?
I hope so or else there are going to be tons of them in the junk yard. I might have to do an engine swap. 
Too bad not as many GXE are going to be made. Enterprise rental car usually have Maximas for rent. I wouldn't mind renting one and dog it for few days on my next business trip.
Too bad not as many GXE are going to be made. Enterprise rental car usually have Maximas for rent. I wouldn't mind renting one and dog it for few days on my next business trip.
08-10-2001, 02:51 PM
#17
I test one yesterday myself. Alot quicker than a stock 2K or 2K1 Max. I prefer the bronze taillights then the Alteeza style ones. I know that the Stillen front bumper part of the body kit wont fit the fog lights seem a little bit bigger than mine. Memory seats, now thats cool. I'll stick with my modded 2K and wait for the 2003 to come out.
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