I will probly be picking up one of these two cars this weekend. I have seen both listed at a few different dealerships and had a few questions/concerns. These are both automatics by the way. I know the i30t has VLSD and a beefed up suspension but how much better is it? Also I have read about people putting 250k miles on their maximas on here, I am wanting this car to last a long time, say 200k. Will the LSD hold up that long or is there a chance it might break? Also will all of the bolt on performance parts that fit the maxima fit the infinity as well: i/h/e/udp/suspension. thx

Oh yea also what features does the Infinity have on it that are standard that you cannot get on a maxima, thx again.

 

The differences are merely cosmetic. Any I30 will last as long as any Maxima. They're the same cars in different clothing. If cost being the same, I'd get the I30 simply because the interior is a bit nicer and generally there are more standard features. I'll leave the differences to the A33 I30 guys, because the I35 is a bit different.

And yes, all bolt-on parts will work. Engine mods, suspension mods, etc. Pretty much everything that's not appearance will work between the two.

And it's InfinitI

 

put it like this in yur head
maxima its an actor before he makes his big debut
Infiniti after that big debut and nice fat check

 

If I have a problem with it do I have to take it to an infinity dealership or would a nissan dealership work on this car too? Also I have looked around a lot and am not able to find info on how much the lsd helps the car with traction. From my understanding it would help more in turns and such but would the lsd help in straight line acceleration from a stop? I am really thinking of picking this up, the lsd intrigues me the most out of the differences between the 2 cars. Other than that I cant seem to find any differences other than suspension and styling.

 

No, you don't need to take it to Infiniti--that's the beauty of having a car that is the same mechanically as a Maxima. In San Antonio, I take my car to Nissan because Infiniti here sucks ***** and are unprofessional. The LSD basically prevents overspinning of the wheels/wheel hop and helps the car handle better, especially in turns. I'd guess that in straight line acceleration, benefits were minimal, especially given the tourings slightly higher weight.

My touring edition handles pretty well for a FWD..loves to be driven fast.

Personally, I'd take an A33 Max 6-speed over an A33 I30.

 

You would go to the InfinitI dealership. The lSD helps because it puts equal power to both wheels instead of one during a sharp turn. I would get the I30 simply because I thik it looks better

 

Take it to either dealership. It's the same company, and as stated before, the major difference is the skin. The drivetrain is the same as the Maxima.

The difference between an open differential and an LSD is as follows:

An LSD shifts power to the wheel that is spinning less relative to the other wheel. For example if, your right wheel is spinning faster than your left, then the LSD shifts power to your left wheel, in order to add traction (turning or not.)

An open differential keeps power to the spinning wheel. If your right wheel is spinning faster than your left, the open differential LEAVES the power with the right wheel, thereby not adding any traction.

I had VLSD in my 240sx and there was a significant difference in handling in turns compared to a 240sx with the open differential. With my I30t, I've noticed the VLSD.

But I've also noticed the shift from RWD to FWD. Now I know what torque steer is

 

What model Maxima are you comparing the I30 to? The 2000 I30t has everything the 2000 Max GLE has plus:

HID headlights
Cornering lights
Rear power sunshade
Better leather seats
Better suspension

That's all the options I can think of.

 

Nice I didn't know about the HIDs. I follow what the lsd does but would it help my quartermile as opposed to if I didn't have it, and if so how much 3 tenths, more less? thx

 

Also, if you're going to be buying the car, it's good to know the name: Infinitiiiii

 

HIDs will only come on the car is it's an I30t. If it's a regular I30 (no t) then you'll have halogen headlights.

The LSD will help very little, if any, in a straight line.

 

Is the LSD an eaton type? Do you have to replace the clutch packs every so often? On my last RWD car with LSD I had to replace the clutch packs about every 100K. Not a big deal, but more maintenance.

 

If you want to be fast in the 1/4 mile, don't get a 4-door family car, for the same $ you can get a Mustang or some other V8 American car.

 

Well duh If all I wanted was cheap speed an american V8 would fit the bill nicely. The infinity seems to be the best blend of luxury/performance/reliablity for me though. I had been looking at maximas but the infinity has a bit more to it for the same price used. All I am trying to do is get someone to quantify how much the lsd helps out. I was guessing that it may help my 60 foot by .1 or .15 which would give me .2-.3 in the quartermile but this is all guesswork which is why I ask. I am looking at an I30t at a nearby dealership and will probly be picking it up soon I just want some more solid info.

 

why do you keep calling it infinity?

 

 

I believe the LSD is not a clutch type, but viscous. With hard abuse, the clutch-type properties wear out. So the maintenance would be replacing it with a Quaife or Kaazz unit.

As for the quarter mile questions: It helps with your launch. Rather than leaving one tire mark, you'll leave two. So two wheels will have traction, not just one.

 

What you should be more concerned about is the standard ABS these cars offer. This truck in front of me came to a sudden stop and I was going about 40. Had literally 3 seconds to react, thought I'd hit the truck. Stopped within inches.

 

Ha nice to see I'm not the only one disturbed when someone spells Infiniti wrong

 

maxima = side brake on the side
I30 = side brake is on the floor (pedal)

 

3 seconds is a heck of a long time to react, grandpa...

 

Yeah 3 seconds @ 40 is quite a long time to react... 174ft of room to stop, which is what, like 8 or 9 car lengths? I'd be more worried about your driving ability than ABS if it takes you that long to stop.

 

Dont know if this is very obvious, but the Infiniti motor is turbo and the maxima is not. Then again that is what the T is for.

 

PLEASE tell me you're not serious.

T is TOURING, not TURBO.

 

i hope your kidding too.....

 

I was serious. I should really stick with the maxima lol.

 

I meant 3 seconds total reaction time between me noticing the truck, hitting the brakes, and almost plowing into it. Chill the f out and off my back.

 

If you are worried about brakes, you should be more worried about how closely you follow then if you were so close. No excuse for following too close if you rear-end them.

 

Listen up you little ****:

1. I explained the situation to you.
2. It's not a concern of yours.
3. You obviously need to get a life










Loser

 

taken from your own post

then you say

i think 8 or 9 car length is not close. i guess you drive like 20 car length away from everyone else. Just leave the kid alone.

 

Never said how far I drive, he only mentioned he was
a) going 40
b) had 3 seconds to react
c) inches away when it stopped (which is too close)

If he can't react and stop within 3 seconds to that situation then he should consider increasing his stopping distance. What is he going to tell the cop when he rear-ends the person next time? That he *thought* it was enough car lengths? Won't stop him from getting a ticket for following too closely whether it was 9 or 20 car lengths.

 

Can we please keep this thread on topic. And for the record there is a little thing known as driver distraction. I am assuming you all know what that means and do not require further explanation.

Get off the guys back and keep this on topic.

 

I have a 2000 I30, a 97auto Max SE and a 93SE 5 sp which I'm currently fixing. Before purchasing the 93 5 speed I looked at a 2000 Max 5 speed but the deal never came through. I love the InfinitI. You dont see many of them around, or they are not as ubiquitious as the Maxima in NYC.
I think the I 30 is better looking even though some will disagree. Some of the little things I love about the Infiniti that I dont bel. the Maxima has are:-

Rear sunshade, rear cig lighter(between the seats), cup holder on the far right where the cooling vents are. It slides out! Theres ANOTHER cup holder which can hold a 1 liter bottle between the seats. To do this you must remove the cup holder on top and lo and behold there is the other one below! Very ingenious. The I30 also has a couple of differnt light settings on the front which I dont bel. the Maxima has. It's like you can get this really dim light to go on in the headlamps. Not the bright, park, fog or your regular lights. Infiniti owners would know what I'm referring to. Dunno what's it's called.
I bel. the car is roomier, has better seating( comfort, feel) and the over all finish is a tad better. OThers have mentioned features which I wont reiterate.

Some of the parts are interchangeable with the Maxima (I bel. most of the mechanical ones are). I had to replace the MAF about 9 mnths ago and my mechanic works at the Nissan dealer. He bought the very ones for the Maxima for less and installed it and never had a problem since.


Lastly, if you were going to purchase these cars brand new and had a tight budget I would say Maxima.If the Maxima and Infiniti were equal on every aspect one wouldnt exisit. Infiniti's are marketed to a different segment and are more prestigious. Everyone and their dog has a Maxima where I'm from, not so with the Infiniti! With all things being equal in this situation I would say get the Infinity. My BAD InfinitIIIII.

 

Another GOOD reason to get the Infiniti is the service, much better than Nissan from the stories I keep reading here. All I know is, anytime my car needs service, I get a G35 loaner and free car wash for big stuff, free coffee/tea, donuts/bagel, newpaper in a nice room with a TV for small stuff.

 

i guess when the choice comes, it's gonna be if you like the maxima's look more or the i30's look more

 

How is that a good reason? Dont most of the people on this forum do their own work on their cars? The stealership costs too much money but I digress, I picked up a maxima afterall. There were more available so it was easier to find what I wanted.

 

Congrats on your car.

I think what he was saying is that Infiniti is known for a industry leading dealership/service experience. At Sewell Infiniti in Dallas, I get free carwashes (everyday if want), free coffee/drinks/food, two waiting rooms, PS2 and XBox play stations, am able to check e-mail, and an extremely courteous staff. Not to mention a big glass service bay so you can observe your car while it's being worked on. .

Infiniti is known for that service.

 

Wow that is some serious service.