Well guys, as much as I love my 2k1 Accord V6, I'm drooling over the 2002 Maxima 6-spd with 260HP (gaa gaa....), and I might have a plan to get one, too

My gf/stb-fiance (stb= soon to be) is going to need a car in about a year. She's going into her last year of med-school so she gets by without one for now, but that'll change when she graduates. Now, she already talks almost non-stop about how much she looooooovves my Accord whenever she's in it, and especially when she's driving it (and that's putting it mildly) so I was thinking maybe I could convince her to take my Accord V6 (which she oh-so-loves) while I get an 2k2 Maxima 6-spd next spring/summer!!!!!!

This time around the timing (3.5 in 2k2 and not 2k1) worked out for me getting an Accord and not a Maxima, but this next time around it might work the other way - because the 7th Gen Accord (hopefully with a manual tranny) will still be a few months off, thus "forcing" me to buy a Max - hahaha.

I wanted this first car to be an auto so that she could drive it if she needed to (she could drive stick in an emergency only!), but this second car - if I can convince her to do this - would definitely be sportier and more for me!

Of course, the spoiler here is that she might want to get a Stupid Useless Vehicle, or some other sort of AWD car. As a medical resident, she'll need to be able to get to the hospital whether there's a foot of snow or not. My Accord has traction control and 2nd gear start capabilities, but it's not as good as AWD so that could kill everything!!! In that case she'd get a Stupid Useless Vehicle and I'd keep the Accord.

But with this little scheme there might be a 2k2 Max 6-spd in my future...heh heh heh.

What do you guys think?!?!?

 

I knew we'd win you over from the dark side sooner or later Steve!

I like it. Sounds like a plan my man!

 

Nice plan...

Remember, the trick is to make sure she knows you are doing this for "her" benefit and that you're willing to make the sacrifice to make her happy. Good luck...

Some lines you can use...
1) Honey, why don't you take my Accord, I've already broken it in for you.

2) Man, those SUVs sure are gas guzzlers! With the cost of gas nowadays, why don't you take my car.

3) I want to make sure that my baby stays safe when she drives. I will not allow you to drive one of those SUVs with the high center of gravity. Nothing but my beloved V6 Accord for you my love.

Hope the wife doesn't ever get around to reading the .Org, I can get into some serious trouble.

 

Hehehehe

 

hehehe....I like the plan....

 

You have definitely been spending too much time at this Forum...

Good luck.

 

Just hand her over the payment book!

 

Good plan. I think the Accord will do very well in the snow. People think SUV's do better than anything else in the winter. In several bad winter driving situations this past season, most of the first vehicles to get stuck or crash were SUV's. People don't realize that a lot of these SUV's have much longer stopping distances. If you want great winter traction, go for snow tires. There was a recent article in Road and Track that showed that cars with winter tires did as well as AWD cars without.

I'm trying to hatch a plan upon my wife. I'm trying to get her take my 2000 Maxima and I'll get the new Maxima or Altima.

 

Go for it Paul! Sounds good to me.

 

hahahaha!!! Thanks for the extra tips!

Nah, she'd see right through that and KNOW that I'm trying to scheme something...hehe.

This would definitely work! She already thinks that my Accord eats up gas (it's really just my driving style ) so I can tell her that "hey hun, you think my Accord is bad...well an SUV is even WORSE!!!"

Well, kiddies are still a few years off, but the safety line might work, but the "beloved" line sounds way too fake - she'd probably see right through that..hehe.

* * * * * *

I think my best chance is plugging that fact that "well honey, I *already* made a sacrifice for you by getting a car with an automatic transmission, because I wanted you to be able to drive it too...but now I want to get something a little sportier for me because I've *already* made sacrifices. heh heh heh

Well, we'll see. The next time the car subject comes up I'll gently hint at this scheme and see where it leads and let you guys know. Heck, I could even go for a 2k2 automatic Max. I bet those suckers will put down close to 200whp, as much as the "invincible" CL-S, and they'd probably be as fast as a stock 2000-2001 Max 5spd. I want the 6-spd though!!!! I can't wait to see some mag performance numbers on the 2k2 in both manual and automagic form.

The scheming continues

 

Glad we can be of help in your relationship.

 

Get a set of Studded Winter tires (which are legal during the winter months in virtually all states that get snow), with them the Accord will have better snow traction than any SUV with regular tires and will also be safer since it weighs less and will have less of a tendency to skidd dusing turns and braking, you have to remember all that 4wd/awd in an SUV is only good for getting you moving, once you have to turn or brake the 4 wheels work the same in all cars ... everyone has 4 tires, 4 brakes, and turns with the front wheels ... then all you get with an suv is double the weight that you are throwind around which makes it twice as unstable, plus the Accord with studded tires will actually dig through the snow down to the ground because the studds will work like miniplows which will get you out if you're stuck just as good as 4wd, also as a bonus you get real ice traction/braking with studded tires so you can brake on black ice. So if your gf/stb-fiance asks for an suv you can quote me and tell her the Accord is safer!

p.s. did I mention I really like Studded winter tires

 

nm, you da man! I need to start loading up on my anti-SUV ammo, and this will definitely help!

Thanks!

 

Yup... it's 99.999% about the tires in the snow... (weight itself doesn't matter... I won't explain why.. just trust me on that one)

In fact, by their very design, an SUV would be LESS stable (weight distribution)


Invest in a pair of good winter tires, and your accord will do better in the snow than most stock awd vehicles!!!


-Tom Z.

 

...and he took me for a ride in his Maxima. I could say that I like my Accord's interior better, but that wouldn't really be a fair comparison because mine is a color that I like better, and I have leather. I think I'm spoiled

The biggest thing I liked was the extra leg/knee room up in front. I could have sworn I sat in a 5th Gen Max at the 2000 Philly auto show, but I guess it was a 4th Gen - I couldn't even fit into one of those. I thought the one I sat in was a 5th Gen but I guess not because it was worlds difference. My Accord is definitely a bit more "cramped" but the driving position is still comfortable even with knee room at a premium in it - I'm 6'3" and it's all leg.

So before it was just performance that I was after, but now it's performance and a more comfortable and more flexible driving position that I could get from the Maxima too. I have been having increased lower-back discomfort lately, probably as a result of the more upright driving position that I'm forced into in the Accord in order to have enough knee clearance. I usually like to slouch a little bit but the Accord doesn't let me do that - but the Maxima would. I didn't have any problems when I test drove the Accord, but when you drive 30k miles/yr the time in the car can really add up and little things that you didn't notice before (like slowly building back discomfort) start to come into play. Unfortunately, you don't notice things like this early enough.

Even if I had realized the extra room in the 5th Gen Max when I was shopping for a car, I still probably would have bought an Accord V6, but not if I knew I would be having lower back discomfort from the cumulative effects of all of my driving in a slightly non-optimal driving position in my Accord 6 months down the road. It's not bad, but I think it's slowly but surely getting a little bit worse.

I checked the trade-in value on a 2000 Accord EX V6 and it was pretty good even with 30,000 miles. I'd still take a bit of a hit if I did any trade-in but not too badly.

I think there might be some sort of change in the future for me. The 2k2 Maxima, 7th Gen Accord, TL/TL-S, and even the new Altima will all be contendors. I haven't sat in the TL recently, but it has the same front leg room as an Accord, and less rear passenger space, so that might not be a good choice. But the extra inches of leg and knee room in the Maxima is something I might seriously need.

Before it was just my enthusiast in me calling out for more performance with an evil grin, but now my lower-back is starting to have a bigger and bigger say in things, and I think that's a wee bit more important than any performance needs. Maybe I can have my cake and eat it too

Well stick around, guys. After UMD_MaxSE took me for a spin in his ride and I experienced all of the front passenger room for my long-a$$ legs, a 2k2 Maxima might be a little closer to reality for me now

 

hehe...one more step closer in convincing you to get a maxima We have to line up our cars once you get the CAI and plugs in. By then, I will have my y-pipe also... later....

 

I didn't know you were local Steve! We should all go out to lunch. (Nauman and others) We can have a mini-meet this week.

TL is definitely smaller inside. I test drove a few at Rosenthal Acura. The TL-S is a very nice car though. The interior room on the 5th gen is quite noticeable.

What's going on with the next gen Accord?

 

One more step closer to the dark side.

 

Yeah, sounds good. Whenever any of you are free, let me know.

 

That'd be cool (more Max's to check out ) Wednesday and Friday are good for this week.

I did some research today and discovered that the 5th Gen Maxima has the most front passenger leg room in its class. I think I might have known that before but didn't think twice about it since I already fit okay in the Accord, but now 6 months later just "okay" is resulting in some lower back pain, so maybe I need that extra room after all

So far nobody knows...it's just speculation. The 7th Gen Accord will be out in the Fall of 2002 as a 2003 article, and that's all that's really been confirmed so far.

Honda has hinted at a horsepower race with the Alty HERE but this is all speculation, and Honda has been known to keeps its intentions very secret until the last minute, so nobody really knows anything yet. There is a tweaked version of the J30A1 (Accord V6 engine) with the compression bumped up to 10.0:1 from 9.4:1 that makes 215 bhp while still running on 87 octane fuel. I think this engine, or something like that might be a likely candidate for the next Accord V6 given that the next Camry will have 220HP. All just speculation, though

 

well I've got some good news on things that have been in development recently...sorry it's a bit long :-D

I got my AEM CAI installed this past Monday which makes my car sound A LOT meaner and it gives it a nice boost in top-end performance as well. The best part about it is my gf/stb-fiance loves it too!!!! <suprised> I was afraid that it'd be too noisey and that she wouldn't like it, but given that she sometimes has dreams about being a "Bond girl" I might have guessed

Anyways, she *really* likes my Accord, which is good for me. She's graduating from med-school in another year and as a graduation present her parents were going to do something really huge for her - like buying her a car or something. But her parents apparently know how much she likes my car so now according to her, her parents have said that maybe they'll just pay off my Accord (cheaper than buying a whole new car) and then just sorta give it to her and I'll get a new one for myself or something

Another thing that happened was that I was playing with the CAI intake sounds on the way back from some DVD shopping at Best Buy, so I was manually shifting the tranny between D3 and D4 (equivalent to OD on/off button in Max) and I held it in 2nd to nail it going around a turn, too. She told me that I should have just gotten a stick shift, laughingly. I replied by saying, but hunny the Accord V6 didn't come with stick shift and I wanted you to be able to drive the car too.

And then she replied to that by hinting that she might be willing to take my Accord so that I could get something a bit sportier with a stick shift (aka Maxima). Then I said, but hunny if I got a stick what would happen if you needed to drive it one day for whatever reason. She said that she could drive it - just not very well (eek) I taught her how to drive stick in my old hand-me-down-from-dad 1990 Camry. She can drive a stick without grinding gears or anything - but she's just not very coordinated, but with a bit of practice she could drive it well enough if she needed to.

So anyways, this is all good news. I've also sown the seeds of doubt into her psyche about SUV's and how they really suck and aren't all they're cracked up to be with the help of you guys above, so now I think I've got her leaning towards a sedan, and in particular MY SEDAN..hehe.

==============

So if I were to buy a car in MY2002, I would look at these cars: TL-S, new Camry V6, Altima V6, Maxima. I wouldn't want to get another Accord because that's just too boring - ya gotta have some diversity! ;-D

The TL-S is choice #1, but it's really more than I'd want to spend on a car at this point in my life because we'll need to be saving for down payments on a house, and other stuff like that. Plus, it wouldn't make me look very good at work if I drive a brand new luxury car - then the bosses will think that maybe they're paying me too much and that I don't need a raise!!! eek!! I've heard of this happening before, so the TL-S might be out for now.

The all-new 2k2 Camry V6 will get a look-see from me. My parents have owned 4 Camry's (4-cyl) over the past 20 years and they've all been great cars, but they're usually VERY boring and almost impossible to find in stick shift versions.

I'll also take a look at the 2k2 Altima, but I don't think I'll highly consider it because I don't like buying 1st year cars - same thing with the Camry.

So that leaves the 2k2 Maxima. It'll have a BIG boost in power, available wtih 5-spd, and it'll have luxish features such as cool headlights and optional Nav, all at a NON-luxury price!



I dunno guys, but I'd say my chances of getting a 2k2 Max SE 6-spd are looking a little better each day. Like I've said before, I've always loved the Max but the Accord just worked out better this time around. But if I do end up buying a new car for myself in 2002 I think the Maxima is gonna be it!!!! :-D

 

That AEM intakes does sound mean. How is it at cruising speed? I didn't drive your car long enough to say. Your GF sounds awesome. Don't let her get away! LOL.

If you get a lot of options on the Camry V6, it can be very costly, pushing 27K+. The Camry V6 5 speed is a great sleeper.. able to run with the Maxima, due to its lighter weight. I really think they look boring, inside and out though. My wife's family is really into Camry's.

I really want to get a 2002 Maxima, but it's not going to happen. I was scheming to get her trade in her 96 Taurus for my 2002 Maxima. She would then drive my 2000. My wife finally convinced me to pay down our debt first. Glad we have someone intelligent in the house! LOL.

 

At cruising speed and at lower RPM's you hardly even know it's there. The only time it's noticeable is at low-rpm/high-throttle, and at high-rpm (>3500rpm) and medium-heavy throttle. It get's especially noiser when your foot is in it and VTEC engages at 3500rpm. But just cruising around town and normal driving you hardly even notice it.

Below 3500rpm it gives the engine a much deeper and throatier sound such that it almost sounds like a 5.0 Mustang with FlowMasters on it, only a good bit quieter.

I'm taking care of Girlfriend v5.0 with an upgrade to Fiance v1.0 sometime next spring

My family owns (4) four Camry's. An 85 LE, 90 DX, 98 LE, and 98 XLE - all 4-cyl auto except for the 90 which was a 5-spd. They're really great cars, and I'm going to take a look at the 2k2 Camry V6 5-spd too - it'll be a close contender.

hahaha

I hear ya. Being a poor starving college student for the past 4 years, I had a little debt built up too which I have just now finally paid down so that I'm debt free

Your scheme sounded like a good plan, but not having a car payment can definitely help in the debt-pay-down department too ;-D

 

Woohoo!!! SteveVQ coming soon.

 

Or maybe SteVQ.

 

that is, looking at my next vehicle. I have a 99 Max SE and very happy. Previously I have owned:
- 80 Mercury Capri (first car)
- 85 Fiero 4 cyc auto (girls like it, but slow)
- 89 Celica GTS. Looks good, reliable, ok performance
- 87 Supra T, 2 to be exact. Fast, not so reliable, nice
exhaust tone with 3", downpipe, boost control etc
- 85 Corolla GTS winter beater. Cheap, reliable, MR2 engine.

Anyways, Toyota is reliable, but of late not so exciting.

I am looking at the 2002 Max, Altima V6. Also looked at something a little more $$$, such as the Lexus IS300, BMW 325i, Acura TL-S, and Audi A4. Those are quite a bit more $$, and not sure if the refinement justify the extra spending.

Wait and see what the Max and Alti would be like soon I guess!

 

Sounds good to me! I, too, am over 6' (I am about 6'4" and 190 lb.), and recently traded in my 1998 Accord V-6 EX for a 2001 Max SE - for me it is like night and day!

Admittedly my Accord had a variety of niggling quality-control problems (not the least of which was a slowly self-destructing driver's seat), but in general I vastly prefer the Max, especially in regard to the driving position. I had to sit pretty upright in the Accord as well, and I always felt like I was driving my (non-existant) kids to soccer practice or something. That, combined with the copious body roll and nose dive, and very slow steering of the car (the newer ones may be better, but mine was dreadful in this regard) made me feel like I was piloting a Buick. Also, with the seat far enough back for my legs, the wheel felt too far away.

The Max is the first car I have EVER driven in which I do not prefer to have the seat all the way back - it has TONS of room and seat travel. I sit with the base cushion all the way up in front (for thigh support), and all the way down in back, with the seat back fairly reclined - it is a comfortable reach to the pedals, wheel and shifter (not a big issue with the - shudder - automatic in the Accord but meaningful with the 5-speed on my Max) and feels like a sporting driving posture - all is well with the world! The car seems to handle much flatter and more securely as well, and I just generally feel younger driving it!

 

When Honda folks drool over Nissans!! Anyway good luck with your quest.

Kevin

 

Damn man!!! Start eating already!

 

I think witout a SUV she will feel venerable and in fact she will be judged..As a veteran you need one of each.

 

I got hit by some b!tch in an SUV this weekend!!!! B*tch ran me right off of the road, but I swerved so the impact was minimal. Big ol tire scuff mark on my right front bumper (NASCAR style), and some cosmetic crap that came off of the SUV that I think will come off. No sheetmetal damage, and no other damage, just cosmetics.

The bad part is that the gf/stb-fiance was in the car with me and now she's afraid and wants to get an SUV just so people won't be able to f*ck with her on the road like that.

Anyways, I called the on this b!tch on my cellular, ID'ed the driver, and got the specific make/model/color/year of the car (2002 White Mercury Mountaineer) along with the plate number. I went WOT after she ran me off of the damned road to catchup with her, got the plate number. I tried to flag her down by honking/flashing, and I even pulled along side of her on the shoulder (which is how I ID'ed her) but she kept on going!!!!!

The MD State Police told me to pull over where I was so I let her go (had everything but her name anyways.) As I pulled over she looked at me and the gf and the damage on my car but just kept on going anyways. And I saw the scrapes on her left-rear to confirm the contact. State Trooper came, took the report and since she wasn't there to contest it, and becasue I got all of the info that I did she's pretty much f*cked.

Hit and Run is a misdemeanor in Maryland and carries a possible prison sentence of up to 18 months in Maryland so she's in deep sh*t now and will mostly likely lose her license in the LEAST case according to a lawyer buddy of mine.

==============

Anyways, the summary of the story is that now the gf/stb-fiance is scared and wants an SUV so that will mean that I'll probably keep the Accord and no 2k2 Max SE 6spd for me

I'll keep y'all posted though. Victory in the courtroom and seeing this b!tch lose her license and possibly go to jail my change the gf's mind in which case I could still get a 2k2 Max...

 

And get an M5!!!