My friend Graymax(Bob) was over today and we were chatting about mods available for our cars versus mods available for the new 09 Maxima. It seems that all other gens, and more recently, the 7th gen Maxima, have gotten preferential treatment by the aftermarket parts industry. Any thought or opinions on this one way or the other?

 

I've just recently started to notice how much is available and coming soon for the '09's. Not nearly as much for my '04

 

better gas mileage and smooth shifting makes the CVT suck? Thats more of a personal opinion...

I love my CVT... no problems as of yet....

 

Like who???

Stillen and Raceline Performance are the only 2 companies right now. Or did I miss something?

 

When the 04 came out it completely changed the Max from a sporty 4 dr with some luxury to a luxury 4dr with some sportiness. The V6 Altima was cheaper and bought by more ppl so that is the car that most aftermarket companies focused on. IMO

 

That makes a lot of sense.

 

Add Advanced Flow Engineering and K&N to that list

 

You know, it does seem like it, but thats the spark that people need to start designing aftermarket parts using their own ideas. I know there aren't many companies that make aftermarket parts for our cars which is why we need a strong .org like this one to keep the ideas flowing.

 

I like the fact that there isnt alot of parts out there. Sure it sucks that the stuff we do have is usually expensive but at the same time atleast when we do fix our cars up we dont have to ride down the road and see another one just like it. besides duess you seemed to have figured out how to fix our cars up anyway lol

 

Ya but some of the things that i like I cant do. There ought to be more variety of body kits, lights, brakes, engine parts, etc. I was amazed at how fast the 7th gen got parts for it already.

 

From what i understand its mostly because maxima owners are known for a reputation of being very cheap.

What kind of engine parts can you not get? The VQ has plenty of aftermarket.

Body kits? Most of the companies that used to make them dont anymore because knockoffs ate the belly from under them so they are changing their marketing. Look at veilside now they primarily make kits for high end cars.

 

I think it's really because the G and the Z debuted in 2003 just before the 6th gen and all the attention went to those cars instead of the Max. Now the market for those cars has matured a bit and companies are looking to widen the offering...

 

Agreed!

There has to be interest when developing accessories for the 6th gen. For example. The LED tail lights...... If a company sees there is interest and demand for a product, they will have motivation in developing parts.

 

Do keep in mind the LED tails were thought up and designed on this board! We created most of the mods you see put today based on ideas spinning on this forum!
Here's the OG photoshop I did of the tails over 3 years ago!!
(on Deus's car no less!)

They turned out pretty close to the design, Max2damax took it from here and refined it and got the produced!

 

Exactly. Can't agree more. You never see two of the same modded 6th gens whereas hondas and acuras have many clones.

 

hey anyone with 04-06 should complain as much as us 07-08 guys should! we have even less than you!

 

Although its true that we designed and made the LED lights, which are really really fabulous, it took over 2 years to produce. Over time, it seems the aftermarket has produced parts for our cars, but it sure has taken a while. The variety is still significantly limited.

 

its because 6th gens are ugly. sorry, but is the troof.

 

Not to some people. I get compliments all the time on how nice the max is... especially when I'm giving someone a ride

 

My two cents....

Of all generations of Maximas, 7th gen included, the 6th gen was the furthest from being performance-oriented. They came out and they were bigger (read: fatter) and seemed more geared toward luxury than they ever had in the past. The people buying them were from a different crowd. There was not a major demand for aftermarket products, not unrelated to the fact that there wasn't much of a middle ground between people using the car as a grocery-getter or a luxury car.

Compound this with the availability of the Z / SE-R lineup and the growing enthusiast crowd for the headline-grabbing G35 which was introduced a year prior and it would seem almost as though the 6th gen was sort of skipped over in terms of aftermarket products.

Maybe just a case of bad timing?

 

All the other previous gens can hate all they want but the 6th has the most power and most luxury and IMO looks the best...prior to the 7th

 

Was the ebay exhaust developed on this forum aswell??

 

I have a 5th gen and when I first got it from my parents for a high school car, the 6th gen just came out and I thought they were the funniest looking thing. I actually liked the 4th the best. My best friend had a 2k5 Maxima and I rode in that thing once making fun of it and I couldn't believe how nice it was. It is wider but I think it's defintely more of a luxury ride.

 

It was totally bad timing with the release of their "sports" cars and the luxury based maxima aimed toward the business crowd. I do like some things that were changed from previous generations ie. Dual exhaust, but overall they weren't really made for too many aftermarket parts.

 

How luxurious the car is is irrelevant, and if anything, it's damaging to your argument since luxury and performance are often at odd ends of the spectrum. Like I said, my personal opinion is that Nissan put too much emphasis on everything but performance with the 6th gen, which is part of the reason why aftermarket parts aren't easy to come by.

No disrespect to any 6th gen owners, though....they're fine cars.

 

From a guy who has owned a 4th gen and currently owns a 20th AE and my 6th gen I personally think the 6th gen looks the most sporty out of all except the 7th gen of course. But i also understand that when they came out it was supposed to be a more luxury oriented car and the altima was the sporty one

 

Z & G, done.

 

Lexus IS-F, BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V to name a few...all luxury cars with a sh*t load of performance...not comparing a maxima to any of them but i disagree that luxury is irrelevant....nowadays people want it all in one...thats what nissan probably wanted to do...not saying it worked too well lol

 

I personally think it did have alot to do with the timing, but I do also feel that they went with a more of a luxury theme (look)... I mean it did look like the GS. But getting back to what you said Deus, I agree with you, see those of us who have had our 6th Gen. Maxima's since new or for several years now, know that we had nothing for years as far as mods go. Like you 6.5 guys complain, trust me, you guys have it way better than what we did. And as far as looks go... has nothing to do with offering mods for the vehicle. I think my car is beautiful and I get compliments on it always. A bit off the subject but my wife hardly ever drives my car, since I purchased it she may have driven it 4 times, she usually jumps in her '07 Armada and does what she has to do. Well this past week the Armada was at the bodyshop getting a new windshield put in and some bodywork and paint for little rock chips that have left little dents. Well, it was a nice day and she took my car to get her hair and nails done. When she got back she said, " Oh now I know why you love your car so much, it's all the attention you get and the compliments" She said people kept telling her how nice her car is. Then she says, you know I'll be driving you car more in the summer! Uhhhmmmmm..... No! I'll go buy you a new Benz, and you can enjoy that! =0) Leave my Maxi alone.

 

Don't forget the Altima had recently got the 3.5 V6 option. This is when car mags where all over the Altima saying how it runs 0-60 in 5.9 seconds with the 5speed stick. 6thgen comes along with the same V6 and a manual option but can't do 5.9 in 60 seconds. This is where the Max lost some respect.

5th gen the Altima never was rated higher HP. 6th gen was the first model that the Altima was given more HP 270hp while the 07-08 models are rated even lower 255hp. Aftermarket is thinking why waist money turning a boat into a sports car?

Nissan wants its Cake and Eat it too. For now they will serve customers the 4 door sports car Maxima and collect the dough. Then Nissan will serve the "True 4 door sports car" with 6speed called the new Altima. Then everyone will be talking **** about the 09 Maxima.

 

G35 sedan takes big chunk of maxima enthusiasts since it had pretty much exactly what they were asking for.

 

Thank you , again for solidifying my point!

 

I'm going have to say the 4th is the best looking with the 5th being the worst looking Max.

The 6th isn't a bad looking car at all...for the right price I would jump all over one.

 

end of story close thread....

 

Errrr, I dunno about that. I'd like to hear more people chiming in.

 

I think it's clearly obvious, there is the fact that the 6th went more luxury and more sporty which didn't help but the biggest factor is obvious. Neither Nissan or Infiniti had a "mod" friendly car that enthusiast/companies would support, there was only the Maxima (and the 240 which ended years earlier)


What are you thoughts Deus?

 

They are Afraid.

 

As an original 4th Gen owner and a person who has driven the 5th, 5.5, and 6.5 gen Maximas I have to say that I like the 4th better. My reasoning follows:

4th_ SE w/ Security Convenince pkg had the blend of luxury and Sport, w/ a gas charged susp., elect. controled motor mounts, indp front susp, NO TRAC CNTRL, and 205lb/ft tq to start...need I go on....

5th_Decent looking SE but was AMAZINGLY underpowered, just disgraceful, I could get the same Hp w/a K&N air filter and High Flow Cat...

5.5_Great car, with the new engine dropped in it, but it seemed a little small (cabin wise)....Dimensions were basically the same as the 5th and 4th gens.....idk noone cared

6.5_CVT mulls an already drab ride, interior was just what I expected great, ride was nice and firm, power was there, but that damned CVT shattered my already low expectations for the fat slab sided grocery hauler.....

Best alt:_Authentic 4th Gen SE (95-96) w/ VQ35 swap, 18 wheels w/ 245 summer tires, and 6spd manual trans.......thats just lovely.....

 

Nobody wants an old **** car anymore...drive a 6th gen w/out CVT since that was ur main complaint

 

Well I always saw tremendous potential for the 6th Gen. I saw a vehicle that was a dr jekyll and mr hyde, and I tihnk I have proved that with my performance modifications on the track at the Lone Pine Time Trials (which are coming up at end of May). I was 3rd top time of day, the last time I raced it and I am gonig to shoot for TTOD now that I have more mods. All I need to do is click the suspension to soft and I have a smooth nice ride home from the track. . I modified my interior so that all parts that are touched by either driver or passenger are improved - Recaro seats, factory Nissan MOMO steering wheel, Alti SE-R pedals, MOMO shift **** and handbrake handle. The 6 speed tranny doesnt hurt.

I guess many owners are afraid to explore more aggressive mods as we explored in my thread I posted a while ago.