ok guys and gals. I posted this like a year ago, but I know we've gotten more members since then, so i'm posting again.

When My 98auto was stock for several months, I ran it against my friends 95 GLE stock auto.

The 95 is definitely faster than mine. With perfect launches, the 95 has a half car on me by 60, and about a car by 95.

And are 15" steelies really faster than most 16" or 17" aftermarket rims? yes. I could definitely feel the difference between 15" hubcabs and 16" aftermarket wheels on my brother's 5spd 2k max.

 

ok...so ONE 95/96 is faster than ONE 97-99.....and how does this represent ALL maximas???

 

I Believe you answered your own question.

 

I dont believe that 95-96s are any faster than later years. The small weight differences help a little, but its nothing to write home about. Fact remains that the quickest stock 5 speed is still a 97...

 

I heard that the 95's are quicker because they (besides the weight difference) are not OBDII compliant. Wouldn't the OBDII emissions system have an effect on the performance of the newer cars?

 

Everyones heard that... still doesn't change the fact that the quickest stock time was posted by a 97 SE. I think differences between all years are negligable and it comes down to who is driving the car and under what atmospheric and track conditions. We're splitting hairs here. There's no significant difference in performance between years, overall.

 

For someone who claims that the argument is worthless and is just splitting hairs, that's quite a declarative statement
You can see the amount of variables in the equation that would make the word "fact" in that sentence dissolve away...

Can't we all just ride in 4th-generation harmony?

 

ok this has been beat to death, and y do people keep sayin that 95/96 r fasters? there must be some truth. plus there is a difference between the 95 and the 96 engine something comin from the upper part of the stock intake leads to a "boost sensor" on the 96 and leads to an empty box on the 95? any ideas?

 

its funny i bet the 5th Gen guys dont argue about the 00/01 being faster then the 02/03

 

Besides emissions and slightly less weight, the '95-6 SE's have 15" wheels vs. heavier 16's for the '97-9. All told, the '95-6's have to be faster IN GENERAL, although the differences are indeed negligible and a faster '97 could be faster than a slower '96, as cars will vary slightly within a given range. However, the '95-6's can certainly be MADE faster than the later ones, as that's the only way to get the ECU mod. Man, I wish someone would make one that effective for my '99!

Alex

 

People also keep saying that you need exhaust backpressure to make torque, but that is false...

I could go on.

 

Nice sig!!!!

 

Yeah the wheels are smaller and lighter on the 95-96. They (95-96) may also be slightly lighter because the 97-99 bumpers were made sturdier making them heavier. But hey I'm happy that I have my 97 because I really don't like the wheels of the 95-96, plus I have a safer bumper.

 

I've seen more fast 97's than any other year.

 

96 owns u 97 ppL!!!!!!!

 

96 jk

 

Lighter bumpers/trunks, emissions (don't make fun of me Ben ), smaller wheels...all these things add up to the .1-.2 second or so of difference in speed between years. But by the same token, take a '97 GXE and race it against a '95 SE, and the difference probubly will be non-existent.

Like I said earlier the difference is there but it's soo minimal that what really counts is the driver. Get a very well trained driver (Theblue) and the difference becomes non-existant. I think the main difference is 95-96's have a lighter feel to them off the line then 97-99's, which causes some people to think they are actually faster.

 

Or a freak of nature run that will never be duplicated. For some people, you take away their single freakish run and the rest of their runs aren't that impressive.

 

95 5-sp got the best 0-60 and quarter mile times then any other year 4th gen maxima in those Car mags IIRC.

 

I agree that the 97 wheels (or the 98 that I have) look better with the earlier models, however, I find it hard to believe that that differences would make a 1/2 car difference noted in a earlier post. We have 2 4th gens at our office, a 96, and the 98 I drive. They are EXACTLY the same driven under the same conditions, from a start, roll on, etc. Who really cares, either mod it or drive a 2k2. Every once in a while I get a day pass in my wife's 2k2. What a nice car!.

 

The 1995-96 GXE 5spd maxima with no options should be the fastest of them all. Weighing in at 3010lbs it has the best HP-weight ratio. The 2000 maxima had alot of new parts which made the weight climb to 3200lbs. In 1995 Motor Trend Magazine tested the "Import Car of the Year" (1995 Nissan Maxima SE) and reported a 0-60 of 6.6 and a 15.1 @ 95mph 1/4mile. When testing a 1997 Maxima the same editors reached A 6.9 and Car and Driver reports 7.1 for a 5spd SE 1997. THIS COULD BE DUE TO MANY VARIOUS REASONS but....the trend remains that the earlier models did accelerate faster then the 1997 versions.

 

If I'm not mistaken, they did get a 6.6, but quarter mile was 15.2 at 92.4. That's off the top of my head, so forgive me if I'm wrong, but I've got a pretty well screwed-on head. But you are correct in the "trend".

 

i never see 97-99 owners converting there cars to 95-96 hmmmmmmm.

 

Yup, i agree, you own us with your ugly front end and ugly rear

 

MAG racer, as opposed to DRAG racer

 

All i can add to this is.. when i had my 95 GXE maxima.. i pulled my cousin's 97 SE from 4 cars and passed him.. now i don't know if it was because the GXE was lighter.. or if it was because it had OBD1.. however his 97 SE is even with my 97 GXE so i dunno

FYI: all cars were stock

 

my 97 GXE weighed 2830 at Etown with the spare tire and jack out..

 

My 96 GXE was 2781 with no spare, jack, passenger seat, rear bench, and of course my lightweight wheels and CF hood. 1/4 tank of gas.

 

...which implies there is a negligible weight difference between the 95/96s and 97-99s...since you only lost an additional 50 lbs over Turbo97GXE after removing the rear seat bench and passenger seat plus had the CF hood and LW wheels.

The whole weight discussion is pointless. A person just needs to look up the official Nissan specs (and no, Nissan doesn't lie on these...CARB requires accurate weight listings). A 95 GXE 5 speed lists at 3007 lbs. A 97 GXE 5spd lists at 3012 lbs. The difference is 5 lbs. Makes sense. The only real change to 97+ is that the rear bumper was beefed up. It sticks out more and obviously requires a little more steel/material to make up for the size increase.