So I have seen that for the most part 4th gens have a lower e/t all things being equal (stock)

However I was wondering what this is attributed to?

I used several online calculators and the 5th gen sould run .5 sec faster with the power to weight ratio: 3450:222(227) vs 3100:190

Just wondering if any who have owner both could comment on their respective opinions?

Thanks,
DC

 

because online calculators suck. they dont have nearly enough info about the car to make a guess thats accurate enough to use for comparison between cars.

its attributed to a big weight/wheel size difference along with peak numbers not telling the whole story

 

Yep throw that in with those calculators being 100% made for RWD vehicles that are expected to act differently than FWD cars and you've got a recipe for yet another bench racing failure.

Those same calculators tell me that my trap means I have 320whp and my ET means I have 280whp... pretty fail.

 

correctly said.....

 

4th gens do not weigh 3100lbs (nor do 5th gens weigh 3450lbs). Both of those weights are 200-300lbs too heavy.

also the fact that there are way more 4th gens going to the track, so higher likelyhood of really good drivers driving the 4th gen.

lastly, online calculators pretty much suck, so don't trust them.

 

Agreed on the weights. My 1997 4th Gen SE weighed 2985 with 1/4 tank of gas.

It is a 5sp and loaded with power, heated, leather seats, Bose, sunroof, autoclimate control, heated mirrors, autodim, etc. And thats with the added 10 lbs or so of the 00vi swap.

 

Thanksfor the input guys,
Just didnt add up to me when I looked at the hp difference.

 

i weighed my 96 couple weeks ago at the track and it weighed in at 2910 with a little more than 1/4 tank of gas

 

unless every scale ive ever gotten on was wrong, my car always reads 3250 without me in it. from the scale here in North carolina, to the scale in Florida. Fully loaded 97 SE. Same goes for other local 4th gens.

 

I've weighed three of my 4th gens on probably 7 different scales, they are all between 2850 and 2950 without me in them, depending on gas, and which car it was I was weighing.

 

why is mine so fat?

 

It eats too much ice cream

 

I always thought the Maxima (5th gen) was lighter then the Altima? Mine weighs in at 3,190 with 3/4 a tank. Kind of scary..

 

You have a giant speaker box, full leather interior, sunroof, etc.

Mine weighed in at 3080 with 1/4 tank and no jack/spare but full interior. Seems to be lower than a lot of 5th gens... which is strange since I have a sunroof and meridian package leather interior.

 

i dont weigh myself with the box in place. same goes for nijels. we both always weigh in around 3200+. all 3 of us have leather, sunroof, etc, and 5th gens are suppose to weigh more right? i dont get it. this past weekend i removed my washer fluid tank, and some plastic liner so maybe ill weigh in lower next time

 

Yeah I really don't understand that lol. I still have my washer fluid tank. You should put yours back in and get DIY meth setup for detonation protection. Add meth with a 1/4 tank of 103 and you'll be able to run some serious timing at the track, even during the summer.

 

Hmm it could be a difference in the scales. I don't get how the Maxima is so light though? With all the luxury features this car has, I am amazed at how light it is. A similarly sized sedan from the era is the Taurus SHO, and those weighed around 3400?


Whenever I'm on the track, same scale and everything and Camaros and Firebirds weigh over 3500. What's the catch? How do they make the Maxima so light? It's not that small of a car, has plenty of luxury features. The chassis feels stiff enough. Do they just crumple like tin cans when you get into a wreck? There has to be some sort of a reason/catch as to why the Maxima is so light.

 

Modern cars are designed to crumple to protect the driver.

All Al block, not just heads too

 

That would be true if Steven and I didn't weigh on the same exact scales.

Most Nissan cars are made pretty light... at least pre-2004. The 350Z's weigh more than the 5th gen Maxima as well, probably because of a combination of RWD layout weighing more and the stiffer chassis.

 

OK, so why the time differences? regardless of crappy online calc. or not simple logic would say that the 37 HP difference would compensate for the weight difference and at worst break even with a 4th gen

 

I through we just went thrtough this?

Weight and there are more 4th gens going, more likelihood of them getting better times. Again, you're concentrating on peak HP #'s

 

...wonder what my 5.5 gen weighs..its a 6 speed, with a spoiler and roof, that's it. With a 1/8th tank of gas, full interior, cloth, base stereo, no heated mirrors/wheel.

 

its Japanese

 

 

dang i wish my car was this light

 

You can make it that light.
Got mine down to right around 3000lbs with me in it.

 

I went to the track several times when I had my 4th gen (98). I had three friends who had 5th gens who I ran against on a regular basis. We all had the same mods (I,Y,P) and all have manual trannies. I would be able to stay right with them until the top of third gear, then they would walk me. My best 1/4 results came from keeping the tranny in 3rd instead of going to fourth.
My best times were 14.7 @ 94 and they were a tad quicker at 14.6 @ 96.
Take a look at the dyno's and you'll see how the stock 4th gen falls on it's face after 5500 RPM and the 5th gen hold the power to the red line.

When I got the 3.5 Altima thiings changed ;-)

 

Why does my door say it weighs 4433lbs? 01 maxima?

 

GVWR ≠ Curb weight