I have had a Toyota Tacoma for about 6 years now. I am looking at new cars. I just bought my wife a GREAT Maxima SE '01. And I think I want a car this time. I have always had trucks, jeeps, etc. I want it to be fast as hell, but I don't want to have to pay 50K. And it doesn't have to be 4 doors either. I was thinking about another Maxima or a Skyline. But I think another Nissan might be a little too much. Can anybody reccomend something?

 

Subie WRX
Any Audi or VW with the 1.8t and a chip
Audi s4 if you can spend 40k
Used m3
The new max or Z when they come out
Chevy Metro

 

Chevy Metro...Nice suggestion...definitely leaning towards the budget consideration.

Being that this is Maxima.org, I'll suggest with bias the 2002 Max if you want mid-size or 2003 Max if you want larger and you need more time to save $$$.

 

Nothing wrong with 2 Maxes!!!

 

True! It'd be like an orgy!

 

Hmmm...sounds good. I have never had 2 of the same car. But then my wife will keep stealing mine! I am looking to spend around 25-30K. I am also willing to wait a year or two.

 

Your wife may like the 2002 Nissan Altima SE with more horsepower and space than our current flagship Maxima. Then you could mod the Maxima and keep it for yourself.

Drive the new Lexus IS-300. Wow what a car......and I hear it will come in a stick for 2002. Needs some additional ponies though but handles 1st rate in stock form.

 

bmw 330ci.. handles like its on rails, and good performance ratings.

 

I agree with all of them (including the Metro) but do not get a VW 1.8T. VW has the worst warranty in the biz at least in Canada (2 year 40K KM warranty...crap I say!). Trust me as soon as you hit 2 years +1 day something will go wrong and you gotta start paying VW big time.

I've owned 4 VW in my life so far and just got tired of putting out money all the time to get them fixed. The Max is the first Jap car I have ever owned and I also had a 1993 5spd SHO (half USA/Jap).

 

I thought an orgy required at LEAST 4.

 

The 2/24 is the bumper to bumper warranty. Powertrain is 100k (better than our maxes). You also get free maintainence during the first 2 years. We just got a 2k1 golf. I'm not concerned. There are also the extended warranties if you are really worried.

 

i agree with the bimmer comment

get a bmw 330i or 330 Ci...you will not be sorry

 

what about the Audi TT? I want one of those when my max falls apart...(after 150k+)

 

Come on 2 year 24K? That is lousy and gotta be the worst! My Max has a 4 year 60mile Bumper to Bumper! 100K powertrain is good but I never heard of any powertrain issues on Max anyways (i'm sure there are like any other car). My Max will be long gone before I get to 100K miles. Get the extended warranty for sure if you plan on keeping it for more than 2 years. I myself would never buy a new VW again and don't care how fast they can make a 1.8T (void warranty, works that lil 4 banger too hard etc). You gotta do some serious suspension work on them if you are going to chip and exhaust one of those. Stock 1.8T golf/jetta bounce all over the place (does not feel solid) especially around 90mph and higher.

 

Transmission is part of the powertrain right? I had my transmission replaced at ~13k and so have others. Not to mention all the shift solenoid and problems/replacements. All cars have problems. The 1.8t is the same engine audi puts in the a4 and the TT. If they put it in a TT that can run up to 30-40k you know its gotta be a good engine. 2-24 is short for bumper to bumper, but you can always get the extended warranty.

 

I know this is sort of anti-Nissan, but you have to consider the new TL Type S. Great car with nice options being stock and decent power and speed (0-60 in around 6.2)
For around 30K(unless you want the Navigation) i think is a great deal. But then again, wait to see what the numbers are going to be on the NEW MAXIMA! Looks like might have better performance and better price...
As far as the 330i or 330Ci or 330Xi they are truly amazing, but you are looking at spending over 40Gs, but a well worth 40Gs!!

Good luck

 

No way don't get a CL-S or TL-S. The 5spd Altima will be the best bang for the buck out of all the cars mentioned in this post.

 

why does everyone think bimmers are so expensive? the 325 starts at 26 or 27k and the 330 starts at 33k...in my opinion, one of the best values around...but most people think bimmers are really really expensive

 

What... a Skyline? Where you live?

 

WEll the base 330i retails for over 34,600. Now, one would probably want leather, metalic paint and xenons which will be an extra 2,500 so you are at over 37K, but it would also be nice to get teh sport pacjage with the phat M3 style rims, and don't forget taxes... So one is looking at over 40K in the end, unless you are willing to get it base, which after taxes is still in the high 30s.
But it is a great car!

 

I live in southern California. I have family in the car industry in Japan. They have assured me that getting a Skyline is possible but expensive. And I am not sure if I want one. I was hoping for a more sleek look. The skyline looks kinda boxy to me.

 

You didn't offer much in the way of limiting criteria other than that your Wifes Maxima is great

If it were me, I'd wait for the new Maxima SE-R 6spd or the new Altima w/240HP, but that's because I want a sedan with stick shift.

As far as _fast_ goes, the Mustang, Camaro, Firebird are plenty fast for the $$.
For a supercharged FWD car, the Grand Prix GTP/GTX and Bonneville SSEi are there.
Acura CL-S and TL-S certainly have enough HP, but how fast is it?
Chrysler 300M - Enough HP
Lexus IS300 - RWD

Small cars - Subaru WRX, Audi 1.8T, Jetta/Golf 1.8T, Mercury Cougar, Mitsu Eclipse. But are they _fast_?
As far as VW warranty, if you get extended warranty (from what I've heard, it's cheap) that's 6yr or 7yr b2b, 10yr drivetrain.

BMW 325(any) will push the budget with any "normal" options
Saab 9-3 SE is pretty fast, and Volvo S60 T-5 should be faster, but both push the budget envelope

 

The WRX certainly is!

 

My wife and I agreed that I would not get a Maxima So, what's left. I don't really want to spend over 30K, it has to seat two, and be fast. Maybe I should just get a used car and fix it up. My friend just bought a Porche 911 for 15K and a new engine for 8K. Maybe I should do the same.

 

If you're down with Rally cars and turbos... test drive the WRX. Or wait for the WRX STi if its not fast enough for you.