From Motortrend Mag.


Holy Altima Batman!...that thing is fast.

 

DAMN!

The day I get beat by an Altima, is the day I'm gonna be VERRRRRY pi$$ed. I can't wait to sell this 4-door SLUG.

 

Is the 2002 Maxima gonna get better times than the Altima? I hope it does...Maxima slower than Altima just doesnt sound right...

 

If you have an auto 2002 max vs a stick 2002 altima, the max might lose...

 

they will be very close cuz there is only 15hp difference so we cant really know...i bet the 2002 maxima does 6 flat 0-60 maybe 5.9

 

i think if they are both manual transmission, it will come down to the driver. both cars will have similar performance, but do you want an altima or a maxima? no contest!

 

Currently, the max has a 200lb weight penalty.

If that trend continues, 15hp ain't gonna mean nothin'. And on the road, the Altima will have that IRS.

And if autoweek is right, and the 6-speed isn't really necessary, then you may see that the 6-speed might slow you down a tad, since you'll have that extra shift to contend with. (All depends on the gearing, of course.)

 

going to be VERY close. Same Ft Lbs Tq (off the line power), and only 15HP diff! Yes the 6spd max will be a little faster, but how much fun is it to drive straight, and afraid of little bumps. All the auto press I've read says it handles like crap compared to new Altima. The 6th gear is just like an extra OD, and is not going to do much for 0 to 60 and the 1/4 mile. These cars have more then enough tq for a 5spd to work well.

I would rather have the car that is much better in the twisties, just about as fast, same size, lighter, and cheaper. Guess which one it is

 

200lb isn't alot. When I had 3 fat boys in my car, I only feel a slight loss of power.

 

I though it was only around 50lbs...both Manuel V6s were in the 3200s

 

Given Nissan's recent financial troubles and command changes in the last several months, I suspect new model / hardware introductions were delayed from original plans likely due to
engineering challenges and money shortages.

If Nissan was flush with product development dollars, this is how it could/should have happened:

2001 SE AE would have gotten the HID's and 260 (255?) hp engine as the last hurrah for the 5th generation - the 2002 would be the new rear drive Max based off the Z platform with 280 hp + engine.

Unfortunately, schedules slipped, so the new '02 Altima V6 had to be "detuned" to 240 hp while Nissan has to limp along with the old 5th Maxima as the "flagship" for one or two more years. I'm suspecting possible 6th gen not out until '04, although maybe the cosmetic changes for '02 didn't cost all that much, so beancounters allowed it even if for only a year of production.

IMHO, Nissan would have spent their money more wisely putting the Maxima on hiatus until the 6th gen was ready, and putting out the Altima V6 with the power where it belongs with all the features the Max has (auto climate control, navigation, etc.).

If I were a current 5th gen owner contemplating trading to an '02 Max or Altima, I'd wait. I would not be surprised to see a 300hp $35K plus rear drive 6th gen Max. If that's out of the price range, the fwd 5th gen Max will be neatly replaced by a 260 hp Altima with all the goodies and better handling to boot.

All speculation on my part, of course. Maybe I'm a little influenced by the thought that my "limited edition" SE AE should have had more than 5 lousy extra hp, especially considering the '02. Paying the extra 1K plus dollars for the AE which included bodykit, LSD, 5 hp, drilled pedals, all of which mostly appear on the '02 along with the 30 horses of more power for $200 more than a comparably equipped '01 SE (non AE) (per what I read in Autoweek) really burns me up. That and I always was hesitant about accepting the "patented multilink beam" BS when I bought the car.

Yes, I know, cars always get better, you've got to draw the line somewhere...but anyone wanting to unload a 1 or 2 year old Maxima now is not thinking straight IMHO. You think the '02 Altima is fast, wait until the 5th gen Max goes away leaving the Altima to pave the way as Nissan's highest performing fwd performance sedan... It's like the 60's muscle car era all over again - but shhhhh, don't tell the Feds. Gas/electric hybrid or zero emission mandates, anyone?

 

First these CRAPURA TYPE S cars, then the 2k2 max and ALTIMA

i am gonna finance that supercharger!!!

Roger

 

(snip)

Good conjecture. Too bad we'll never know.

Take a look at this, if you have the stomach for it:

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caran...ature_carb.xml

 

I agree with a lot of what you say here.

This is what I feel Nissan should have done:

Nissan should have kept the 4th Gen for one more year. (I know, that many of you are gasping.) The 2000 Maxima (still 4 th gen) should have had the 3.5L. Then in 2001 an ALL NEW MAXIMA should have come out and it should have been what we know today as the 2002 Altima....and drop the tacky "Altima" name alltogether. Basically I feel that the 2002 Altima should have been the 2001 Maxima. Then in 2002 they would come out with a stretched version of this platform (ala Toyota Avalon) and called it maybe the "Excessima" (couldn't think of anything else.)

One major reason I came up with this theory in the first place is because of the obvious superior performace of the 2002 Altima 3.5SE over the '00-'01 Maxima....there is something very wrong with that.

Of course with this theory of what I feel "should" have been you get into all of the questions of what would Nissan done to offer a 4 cylinder version to compete with Accord or Camry...offer a 4 cylinder Maxima...not sure. And then there is the Infiniti I30...would it have ever even existed? Would Nissan have done better to just introduce the 5 th Gen here as an Infiniti ONLY? Hmmm?

 

shoulda, coulda woulda, its what they DID that is important, and it stinks. I don't think they will give the maxima more power then the Z, which will be arround 275 or more HP.

 

I agree that what they DID does "stink". I didn't think that it was right that Nissan is introducing a 2002 Altima 3.5SE that has more horsepower/torque (stock) than your Infiniti I30. That is why I posted what I did about what I thought Nissan "should" have done...because they have slapped many of us '00-'01 Maxima and I30 owners in the face with the performance of the Altima 3.5SE. Heck, the 2002 Altima SE will probably out handle the 2002 Infiniti I35 !

 

I agree, but that happens with a lot of cars. Look at the Corvette Z06...this year it has 385 hp (i think) the 02s have 405.

 

People, People! Jeez! Who cares? Its all in the past and there ain't **** you can do about it. Yes, it sucks, i agree, h@ll I just got my 2k1 last month and soon i'm going t be outclassed by an altima. But Nissan isn't just doing a few model make-overs. They're restructuring their entire division. Moving everything one class up. Now, cars get dated and outclassed by new models, it always happens. So, keep your car THAT YOU LOVE and treat it right, then go back in 6-7 years and think how awesome the maxima's will be then. 300hp? lsd and 6 spd auto standard? Think on the bright side, and remember, 5th gens look better anyway. And, it is a proven fact that 5th generation owners are more intelligent, courageous, handsome, and faster than everyone else....

 

Thank you.

 

I personally am not railing against Nissan for putting out a better car. I'm pi$$ed at Nissan for destroying the resale value of my car.

Your Z06 example isn't equivilant. Let's try this:

Have Chevy give the malibu a better engine, suspension and overall value over the 'vette. (Like Nissan did with the Altima.)

Have Chevy sell the 2002 Z06 for *less* than last year's Z06. (Which is essentially what Nissan did with the Max... Same price, but more content. BTW, the price for the 2002 Z06 is $2K higher than the 2001, somewhat protecting resale values.) Then have Chevy put out the C6 for 2003.

*That* would make it equivilant.

Nissan.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!

That is the REASON I will never buy another NISSAN product again and why I turn every person who asks if I like my Maxima, away from buying a Nissan. Even if it is for a TL. I've already turned a QX4 to a RX300(and got paid $100 by my autobroker!), and two Maxima' lurkers to a USED GS400 and an Acura TL all within the last 1-1/2 months. Screw Nissan and their BS! Stop b(i)tchin and just don't buy Nissans for the ULTIMATE payback. I'm still not done moaning/crying, but a vent here or there does help.

 

Whoa bro, isnt that a lil extreme?

 

YES, especially since he bought a TL and not a TL-S. I didn't care if he bought a KIA(do they still sell those?) or a HonDIE, as long as there wasn't ANOTHER freak'n Maxima sitting at my work.

 

the v-6 altima isnt comming out in a 5-speed...... the dealership that i went to said only auto in the v-6! so i dunno about that altima!

 

Your dealer is amoung the many that don't know what they are talking about. There WILL be a 5spd v6 SE 3.5 Altima for the 2002 model.