I put my Max in the body shop today to get some hail damage and door dings taken care of. Anyway my rental is a 2001 Ford Tauras SES. I think its 200 hp but my "butt-dyno" says otherwise. It is such a dog but I know its bigger and heavier. My point is if you ever have a chance to drive another sport trimmed family car, it will remind you of how nicely the Max engine revs and how much power is actually used and put to the ground. Our 190 hp goes a long way and I can't wait to get my car back!

 

My brother has almost the same car (1999 though) and I know exactly what you're talking about. It's wierd... usually Japanese engines are lacking on the bottom end, and the Ford 3.0 24V is okay on the top end, but a dog down low.

 

My fiancee drives a 2000 SES as her company car, and thought it was so much nicer than the 1998 Taurus that kept crapping out on her (the company car they replaced with teh 2000). Then I bought the 1998 Max SE. She's driven it only twice, because she doesn't have car insurance on my policy, and she doesn't need her own coverage because her company is self-insured. Now she hates driving it and keeps begging me to drive the Max. I'd like to let her, but an accident with no insurance can haunt you your whole life.

 

You'll feels the same way about the big Chryslers too. Dogs that don't want to get up.

 

Oh yea, I drove an Intrepid once, it was around a '96, older body style. It had the 3.5L, 214 HP engine. I looked forward to driving it cause I thought it would have some decent pickup....umm...NO!! It was slower than hell, literally. You'd think with 214 HP it would get up and go, but it didn't. It took forever to run thru the gears. I just don't get that. How can you put that much power in a car and it be slow? I swear stuff like that makes me love my car-with only modest output-even more.

 

I used to drive an LHS for a sedan service and the best thing about it was the back seat and the mileage. Man, those cars sucked. You say it was slower than all hell, what about the braking. I know a lot of my partners who drove the LHS who had front end accidents because the car doesn't want to stop. We had enough. This may sound crazy but we switched to the Mercedes S500 and Volvo V70. These cars will cook with gas. Chrysler sucks. I think the best thing going for them is the minivan.

 

Dude i exactly understand what you are saying. Me and my friends were going to Houston on a trip (in one car) and we rented Taurus. So i was happy that i'll beat the crap out of that car. looked very huge and muscular. When drove it, it was retarded. i was so disappointed. It didn't have any rush. Absolutely nothing!.
Missed my baby maxima. Does anyone know if rental companies have Maximas??? Alamo says so, but you don't get 90% of the time.

 

Gentlemen,
I just got back from a trip to Australia.
My rental was a 2000 or 2001 Ford Falcon.
This is the same body style as the Taurus, but it has rear wheel drive and an inline 6 cylinder. I think it was about 200hp.

I was very impressed. It had very good pull, the shifts were strong and it seemed like the top end was way out there. I had it up to the speed limiter and it was still pulling.

I compare this to my 96se 5 speed, which I love...but I swear this bear bones Ford Falcon was awesome. Its hard to say because the V6 is so smooth, but I would bet they are pretty close.

Anyone know where to find specifications for cars online.
I wanted to look up some advertised specs.

They also had a Type R that had a 5.0V8. Lowered with factory mags that look sweet.

 

For the Ford Falcon, try this:
http://www.ford.com.au/showroom/pass...Fact_Sheet.asp

For the ITR, try this:
http://www.honda.com.au/typer/splitter.htm and click on "specifications". I don't see a V8 application.

 

This is actually Sweet lookikng...
http://www.fte.ford.com.au/mainFrame...p?menu=tseries

I wish ford would bring some of their euro cars over here...
there a hell of a lot better than the $hit they sell here...
apparently they are built better too...
i'd drive one of those----------------------^

 

Speaking of cars that don't want to stop, try driving a Grand Marquis or a Crown Vic. Those big beasts DIVE into the braking and then slide. I almost smashed square into the back of brand Lexus SUV... Not a good feeling.