Maxima Pros
05-15-2005, 06:43 PM
#2
As much as I love my maxima, I would NOT consider it a good first car, personally...for a few reasons. I know alot of the younger guys on here will get "offended" at this, or flame me, or whatever - but frankly, I have no problem putting aside bravado and telling you what I actually think (not necessarily what you want to hear). So here is my reasoning that the maxima is NOT a good first car:
1. Insurance rates will be much higher than something like a civic or other mid-size, 4-cylinder car. They will be especially higher if you get a 2002-3 Maxima, thanks to HID theft and a larger engine.
2. IMO, a high-power front-wheel drive car is not ideal for learning about how a car handles and how to "use" the power of a car safely. Yeah, I know - everyone wants more, more, more power....but 80% of the guys on this board don't even know how to handle the power correctly - though they all will SAY that they do.
3. The maxima's suspension and size make it a fairly cumbersome car, without extensive suspension modifications. Beam-axle rear suspension, lousy stock brakes, alot of body lean, and 3300 lbs make it much harder to "aviod" unexpected situations (read: accidents) than with a smaller car. Although again, nobody here will probably admit it, the maxima takes more "attention" to drive because it is large and the handling is less than predictable (stock) in emergency maneuvers.
4. The more power you have, the faster you'll want to accellerate, drive, etc. I'll sound like an old man saying this, but MANY new drivers don't have the self-control to NOT haul *** around and push the car to its limits. And they may not actually KNOW its limits.
5. Turning radius sucks for tight parking at your high school or college parking lots (you get really good at K-turns
)
6. Gas mileage sucks. If you're working at the mall making $7 an hour or paying for college or whatever, putting $2.50 super unleaded into your 18-gallon tank can put a good dent in your funds. Trust me, I make pretty good money and I still cringe when I go to the gas station.
7. It's a big car. When I was in school, I would have never wanted a car this size. I like it now as I move stuff around alot, spend alot of commuting time in the car (like the room), and will probably still have this car when I have kids...so big is good. But for a younger person, why would you want such a big freakin' car?
8. Being in the NYC area, good chance you will get your headlights stolen if you get a 2002-3 maxima.
9. Resale value on the maxima SUCKS. If you plan to "move up" to something else in a couple years, you will probably LOSE money on selling your maxima...
Some pros:
1. With the right mods, the handling can be made fairly good....but that brings up the downside, which would be $$ spend on suspension mods. For a good-handling maxima, expect to spend around $2k (springs,struts,tires,RSB, FSTB, LTB, etc).....
2. It is a SAFE car....several airbags, and being "big" it provides more protection if you get hit or hit someone.
3. I love most everything else about this car as a married 29-year old "professional", who commutes 25-50 miles a day, and probably having kids within a couple of years. Then again, as a 17-year old I would have no interest in driving this car everyday...it's really not that much "fun" compared to something smaller.
My suggestion: Leave yourself some room to move up. Start with something basic, where you can learn how to handle the car, learn about cars in general, and have a car you don't have to worry about every time it gets dinged, or someone looks at your headlights funny.
My first car that I actually bought: 1987 Acura Integra (this was in 1995).....new enough that everything still worked....it handled nice.....but it was still a "beater" that I didn't ahve to worry about.
Get somethign reliable, that gets decent mileage and handles nice. If you like Nissans, go with a B14 Sentra or even the newer sentras. There is nothing wrong or ricey about Honda Civics or even a 4-cylinder Accord, no matter what anyone here says. Another fun car is the Mazda Protege from the late 90's, especially the Mazdaspeed Protege. A mid-90's BMW 3-series is also a fun car and more reliable than people give it credit for.
that's my story and I'm sticking to it....all you young guys feel free to flame away (as if I really care )
1. Insurance rates will be much higher than something like a civic or other mid-size, 4-cylinder car. They will be especially higher if you get a 2002-3 Maxima, thanks to HID theft and a larger engine.
2. IMO, a high-power front-wheel drive car is not ideal for learning about how a car handles and how to "use" the power of a car safely. Yeah, I know - everyone wants more, more, more power....but 80% of the guys on this board don't even know how to handle the power correctly - though they all will SAY that they do.
3. The maxima's suspension and size make it a fairly cumbersome car, without extensive suspension modifications. Beam-axle rear suspension, lousy stock brakes, alot of body lean, and 3300 lbs make it much harder to "aviod" unexpected situations (read: accidents) than with a smaller car. Although again, nobody here will probably admit it, the maxima takes more "attention" to drive because it is large and the handling is less than predictable (stock) in emergency maneuvers.
4. The more power you have, the faster you'll want to accellerate, drive, etc. I'll sound like an old man saying this, but MANY new drivers don't have the self-control to NOT haul *** around and push the car to its limits. And they may not actually KNOW its limits.
5. Turning radius sucks for tight parking at your high school or college parking lots (you get really good at K-turns
)6. Gas mileage sucks. If you're working at the mall making $7 an hour or paying for college or whatever, putting $2.50 super unleaded into your 18-gallon tank can put a good dent in your funds. Trust me, I make pretty good money and I still cringe when I go to the gas station.
7. It's a big car. When I was in school, I would have never wanted a car this size. I like it now as I move stuff around alot, spend alot of commuting time in the car (like the room), and will probably still have this car when I have kids...so big is good. But for a younger person, why would you want such a big freakin' car?
8. Being in the NYC area, good chance you will get your headlights stolen if you get a 2002-3 maxima.
9. Resale value on the maxima SUCKS. If you plan to "move up" to something else in a couple years, you will probably LOSE money on selling your maxima...
Some pros:
1. With the right mods, the handling can be made fairly good....but that brings up the downside, which would be $$ spend on suspension mods. For a good-handling maxima, expect to spend around $2k (springs,struts,tires,RSB, FSTB, LTB, etc).....
2. It is a SAFE car....several airbags, and being "big" it provides more protection if you get hit or hit someone.
3. I love most everything else about this car as a married 29-year old "professional", who commutes 25-50 miles a day, and probably having kids within a couple of years. Then again, as a 17-year old I would have no interest in driving this car everyday...it's really not that much "fun" compared to something smaller.
My suggestion: Leave yourself some room to move up. Start with something basic, where you can learn how to handle the car, learn about cars in general, and have a car you don't have to worry about every time it gets dinged, or someone looks at your headlights funny.
My first car that I actually bought: 1987 Acura Integra (this was in 1995).....new enough that everything still worked....it handled nice.....but it was still a "beater" that I didn't ahve to worry about.
Get somethign reliable, that gets decent mileage and handles nice. If you like Nissans, go with a B14 Sentra or even the newer sentras. There is nothing wrong or ricey about Honda Civics or even a 4-cylinder Accord, no matter what anyone here says. Another fun car is the Mazda Protege from the late 90's, especially the Mazdaspeed Protege. A mid-90's BMW 3-series is also a fun car and more reliable than people give it credit for.
that's my story and I'm sticking to it....all you young guys feel free to flame away (as if I really care
)
05-15-2005, 07:06 PM
#5
Mass_Media™
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,812
Maxima was my first car
Being that my first car was my max....let me tell you what I went through...
1. if you are planning on modding I wouldn't suggest a max...I had trouble paying for insurance gas and pretty much basic maintenance on the car....insurance for me (my mom is the primary not me) is $645 every six months....I didn't start modding until last year when I accually got a good job but thats another story...
2.You will get speeding tickets in this car if it is your first car! I have 5 tickets (3 speeding 1 failure to yeild 1 not stopping for a red light) these cars are powerful you will get tickets garenteed, if you get this car.
Good things about this car:
1. I get tons of looks because of the way my car looks and sounds. People don't expect a 4 door car to beat the s*** out of them in a race.
2. Girls no more explation
3. These cars are fast as f***.
Bottom line....if I were looking for my first car, I don't think I would get a maxima (not a 5th gen at least) I love my car to death, but it is a black hole that just keeps taking my money. I agree with irish, get a civic or accord those cars you can make look pretty sick with a relative low amount of money. This is what I think since a 5.5 gen was my first car...
1. if you are planning on modding I wouldn't suggest a max...I had trouble paying for insurance gas and pretty much basic maintenance on the car....insurance for me (my mom is the primary not me) is $645 every six months....I didn't start modding until last year when I accually got a good job but thats another story...
2.You will get speeding tickets in this car if it is your first car! I have 5 tickets (3 speeding 1 failure to yeild 1 not stopping for a red light) these cars are powerful you will get tickets garenteed, if you get this car.
Good things about this car:
1. I get tons of looks because of the way my car looks and sounds. People don't expect a 4 door car to beat the s*** out of them in a race.
2. Girls no more explation
3. These cars are fast as f***.
Bottom line....if I were looking for my first car, I don't think I would get a maxima (not a 5th gen at least) I love my car to death, but it is a black hole that just keeps taking my money. I agree with irish, get a civic or accord those cars you can make look pretty sick with a relative low amount of money. This is what I think since a 5.5 gen was my first car...
05-15-2005, 07:09 PM
#6
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 195
I agree with Irish...My first car was an 01 VR6 jetta that I bought myself, although my parents pay for insurance. I loved the jetta and love the max but all the points Irish made are correct. There is no rightor wrong first car, for me its all about whatever makes u happy. If you get into your car and enjoy driving it and dont act like an immature 15 year old behind the wheel then its a good first car. If you race all the time then even a 4 bang civic is to powerfull.
05-15-2005, 07:21 PM
#7
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 5,432
I'm another one who had a max as a first car (although i did drive a civic for 6 months), and i'd have to say the same thing as the others, if i weren't such a 'goodie-goodie'....i'm the kind of kid that always follows the rules, and never gets in trouble, blah blah blah...i've had my car since sept. and i HAVE gotten a speeding ticket, but that was while i was driving to school at 7:45 am, and i had had no sleep the night before because i was up all night doing a project...needless to say, i was out of it, and i was actually happy the cop pulled me over before i caused some kind of accident...
anyways, back to the original topic: the reason i wouldn't really suggest it to most high schoolers is because of all the reasons stated in Irish's explanation....the insurance is MURDER to pay, as well as the gas (although the lowest mpg i've gotten so far was 26 and i usually get about 30: better than my friends mazda protoge, and my other friends accord 4)...my insurance runs me (and ME, not my parents) $300 EVERY month...that is really hard to come by with my $6.25/hour job....i work my @$$ off in school, and when i have time off, i'm working to pay the insurance and gas...i rarely have any money left over to do stuff with friends...
another reason that i wouldn't suggest it is because of the power...now i rarely, and i mean rarely, drive like a maniac like most kids at my school...the only time i ever spin my tires is on accident in the rain, cuz i have the stock craptenzas, and i almost never get it to redline (except for the other day when i installed my GAB
)
that being said, if you think you are a responsible person that can take care of an expensive and powerful boat of a car, then by all means, go for it: it is a great car...but if you're like most of the 16-17 year olds i know..no way....just my .02
anyways, back to the original topic: the reason i wouldn't really suggest it to most high schoolers is because of all the reasons stated in Irish's explanation....the insurance is MURDER to pay, as well as the gas (although the lowest mpg i've gotten so far was 26 and i usually get about 30: better than my friends mazda protoge, and my other friends accord 4)...my insurance runs me (and ME, not my parents) $300 EVERY month...that is really hard to come by with my $6.25/hour job....i work my @$$ off in school, and when i have time off, i'm working to pay the insurance and gas...i rarely have any money left over to do stuff with friends...
another reason that i wouldn't suggest it is because of the power...now i rarely, and i mean rarely, drive like a maniac like most kids at my school...the only time i ever spin my tires is on accident in the rain, cuz i have the stock craptenzas, and i almost never get it to redline (except for the other day when i installed my GAB
) that being said, if you think you are a responsible person that can take care of an expensive and powerful boat of a car, then by all means, go for it: it is a great car...but if you're like most of the 16-17 year olds i know..no way....just my .02
05-15-2005, 07:24 PM
#8
dont forget the repair bills, mine have struck me hard over the course of owning my max, ive only had it for a lil over 2 years and ive put a lot into keeping it running. even more than my ford, if that expresses my point enough, but other than that.
this is the third car ive owned and normally just my cruzin car. i dont use it to race, its not the fastest car i own, yet, hopefully
i like the fact that not too many poepl mod them, here on the org it seems like everyone does, but were sucha small % of the max population, when i hang with my car people im always the only max, its also funny to see peoples reaction when they find out its stick, ive met alot of people who didnt even know u could get them like that.
And as much as im not a fan of them a honda/acura would make a better "starter" car.
this is the third car ive owned and normally just my cruzin car. i dont use it to race, its not the fastest car i own, yet, hopefully
i like the fact that not too many poepl mod them, here on the org it seems like everyone does, but were sucha small % of the max population, when i hang with my car people im always the only max, its also funny to see peoples reaction when they find out its stick, ive met alot of people who didnt even know u could get them like that.
And as much as im not a fan of them a honda/acura would make a better "starter" car.
05-15-2005, 07:31 PM
#9
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 5,432
Originally Posted by ColdSHO
dont forget the repair bills, mine have struck me hard over the course of owning my max, ive only had it for a lil over 2 years and ive put a lot into keeping it running. even more than my ford, if that expresses my point enough, but other than that.
this is the third car ive owned and normally just my cruzin car. i dont use it to race, its not the fastest car i own, yet, hopefully
i like the fact that not too many poepl mod them, here on the org it seems like everyone does, but were sucha small % of the max population, when i hang with my car people im always the only max, its also funny to see peoples reaction when they find out its stick, ive met alot of people who didnt even know u could get them like that.
And as much as im not a fan of them a honda/acura would make a better "starter" car.
this is the third car ive owned and normally just my cruzin car. i dont use it to race, its not the fastest car i own, yet, hopefully
i like the fact that not too many poepl mod them, here on the org it seems like everyone does, but were sucha small % of the max population, when i hang with my car people im always the only max, its also funny to see peoples reaction when they find out its stick, ive met alot of people who didnt even know u could get them like that.
And as much as im not a fan of them a honda/acura would make a better "starter" car.
as to what you said about the honda/acura making a better first car, I'd have to agree, but it really depends on what honda/acura...i mean i would definitely go japanese, but i think the sentra and the toyota corolla are just as good (if not better) as the civic/integra....i sometimes wish i would have gone with something like that, just because of the money aspect of it, but every time i look at my car, i tell myself i would have regretted NOT getting it, and i know i would have...i love that thing to death...
05-15-2005, 07:41 PM
#10
this is my first car as well and i love it everything about it..speed,looks,power..just everything..but then again i love "sport sedans".. much roomier than a coupe..but hey thats just me..the gas mileage is pretty bad though..i tend to rev up much higher than i should, so i usually get around 17 mpg..but i dont understand how maxilvr gets 26 mpg..thats just insane..even if i shift at low rpm's, i still would never get 25 mpg..
05-15-2005, 07:43 PM
#11
WOW, Well I guess I am the Different one in regards to the Max, I have an 03 SE 6 Speed, Never got a ticket, It handles like a dream with very few mods to the suspension, Perfect for any weather like winter, I never had a problem driving in the snow these past two winters with all the snow, Perfect for long drives, have only had the recalls done nothing else has gone wrong, gas for me is around $2.00 for premium. So with any car you get, its not the car but the driver who drives it. When you see accidents, its every car , 4 cyl, 6 cyl and 8 cyl, the driver is always at fault for whatever happens to them.
05-15-2005, 07:50 PM
#12
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 169
I think that this question depends on how your situation is for you
-- and all of this is mostly opinnion
See I own a 2000 gxe 5-speed, and I love it--But I also work for nissan so i dont have to pay for somebody else to install it.
I bought the Tokico illumina series struts and progress lowernig springs--cost me 400
I love the way my car handles now
The car itself is pricey though and if you want to trick it out there are only a handful of parts out there--unlike the ser sentras, hodas, toyotas.
-like the supercharger that stillen makes is only legal for maximas up 99. I have no idea what the legality is for those other ones--vortech and what ever else is out there
to me they get pretty good gas mileage I can get around 375-400 miles on a tank--thats like 22 mpg--compared to the old cars I use to drive(i use to own a 93 Chevy caprice with 20" wheels and got like 12mpg for a 25 gallon tank)
Insurance aint bad for me(23 y/o male) only 145 a month full coverage i asked my insurance agent how much it would be for a Camero or mustang and she told me like 400 a month--almost all import cars were around the same except for the sports cars
So it just dends on your situation and how you treat your car--there arent that many problems on a maxima(everybody knows the bulletins that are out for these cars--coils, mafs,etc) but thats nothing compared to some of the other cars.
Maximas are built really good--to tell you the trueth I would not buy a nissan built after 2003 they arent built as nice--interior mostly is cheap and th 04 maxi are ugly to me--suspension is to sensitive for me--if your wheel is out of balance by 2 grams you can feel it as opposed to the 5th gen.
thats my opinion
-- and all of this is mostly opinnion
See I own a 2000 gxe 5-speed, and I love it--But I also work for nissan so i dont have to pay for somebody else to install it.
I bought the Tokico illumina series struts and progress lowernig springs--cost me 400
I love the way my car handles now
The car itself is pricey though and if you want to trick it out there are only a handful of parts out there--unlike the ser sentras, hodas, toyotas.
-like the supercharger that stillen makes is only legal for maximas up 99. I have no idea what the legality is for those other ones--vortech and what ever else is out there
to me they get pretty good gas mileage I can get around 375-400 miles on a tank--thats like 22 mpg--compared to the old cars I use to drive(i use to own a 93 Chevy caprice with 20" wheels and got like 12mpg for a 25 gallon tank)
Insurance aint bad for me(23 y/o male) only 145 a month full coverage i asked my insurance agent how much it would be for a Camero or mustang and she told me like 400 a month--almost all import cars were around the same except for the sports cars
So it just dends on your situation and how you treat your car--there arent that many problems on a maxima(everybody knows the bulletins that are out for these cars--coils, mafs,etc) but thats nothing compared to some of the other cars.
Maximas are built really good--to tell you the trueth I would not buy a nissan built after 2003 they arent built as nice--interior mostly is cheap and th 04 maxi are ugly to me--suspension is to sensitive for me--if your wheel is out of balance by 2 grams you can feel it as opposed to the 5th gen.
thats my opinion
05-15-2005, 07:58 PM
#13
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Estill Springs, TN
Posts: 603
Here is my max story. My very first car was a 1994 max and it was a fun car. your very first car no matter what it is you are gonna give it serious heck. my first max went over curbs, a little mudding, etc. it was a good and reliable car. then i got my 2000 max that i saved up for and love it alot. i have driven lots of nice expensive cars and i prefer my max compared to a lexus ls400 but that is probably becuase i like the sportyness of it more. i have also driven a 2003 vette and the max is extra pansey compared to that. but if i was you get a car that you can just plain give heck and then save up for a max in about 2 or 3 years. when you save up for it yourself you will appreciate it and have your crazy days about out(except for when one of those "go fast" songs come on). let us know what you decide on.
05-15-2005, 08:17 PM
#14
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 90
I've only owned my Max for a couple of months, but I'm pretty pleased thus far. My only gripe is the turning radius and learning how to drive stick all over again in heavy traffic. I was so used to my auto Legacy these last 5 years.
05-15-2005, 08:38 PM
#15
After all that Irish and all you other guys have posted, I'm not sure how much more I can add to this discussion...
Anyways, I'll just add my thoughts regardless... my first car was an 89 Toyota Corolla, with was indestructible and got like 67 mpg or something... small, light, agile... good for a newbie, first time driver... the next car I got was a 97 VW Golf which was a lot of fun to drive and had some zip to it as well, too bad maintence was expensive and frequent... then I got the Max... vast improvement in terms of power and comfort, but like already said, faster and harder to maneuver (with stock suspension)... one of the few reasons why the Max would be safer is cuz its a big car and ya probably wouldn't see it crumple up like a 'Yota... but now that I've thought about this a little bit, the driver matters too, like HCT said... I've only been in 2 accidents, both of which the other driver backed into me (don't ask). I've always been able to stay aware and avoid trouble with all 3 cars, not to say that there won't be an accident where ya had no control over the situation.
So my take is, different cars have their pros and cons, and the best thing would be to take a step back and take a good, realistic look at your driving ability, your budget, and what your plans are for the car. I wanted a car that already had good things to offer stock and was somewhat practical so the Maxima was the best option within my budget, if I wanted all out modding potential, I'd have gotten a WRX or something like that. All the best.
Btw, post 5,000 for me.
Anyways, I'll just add my thoughts regardless... my first car was an 89 Toyota Corolla, with was indestructible and got like 67 mpg or something... small, light, agile... good for a newbie, first time driver... the next car I got was a 97 VW Golf which was a lot of fun to drive and had some zip to it as well, too bad maintence was expensive and frequent... then I got the Max... vast improvement in terms of power and comfort, but like already said, faster and harder to maneuver (with stock suspension)... one of the few reasons why the Max would be safer is cuz its a big car and ya probably wouldn't see it crumple up like a 'Yota... but now that I've thought about this a little bit, the driver matters too, like HCT said... I've only been in 2 accidents, both of which the other driver backed into me (don't ask). I've always been able to stay aware and avoid trouble with all 3 cars, not to say that there won't be an accident where ya had no control over the situation.
So my take is, different cars have their pros and cons, and the best thing would be to take a step back and take a good, realistic look at your driving ability, your budget, and what your plans are for the car. I wanted a car that already had good things to offer stock and was somewhat practical so the Maxima was the best option within my budget, if I wanted all out modding potential, I'd have gotten a WRX or something like that. All the best.
Btw, post 5,000 for me.
05-15-2005, 09:37 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 564
well i dont know how young you are, but I am only 18 and i love the car. Yes i am immature and like to race illegally. but only at night when the streets are generally empty. I think the 3.0 engine is a great starting engine. you can gas it to get out of trouble , but not enough to get into to much trouble!. The 2001 max or I30 is a great first car! and if you understand the physics of driving you should be alright in it!
05-15-2005, 09:58 PM
#17
Mass_Media™
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,812
Originally Posted by maxilvr06
although the lowest mpg i've gotten so far was 26 and i usually get about 30: better than my friends mazda protoge, and my other
friends accord
friends accord
05-15-2005, 11:48 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,554
Originally Posted by I30swimmer
well i dont know how young you are, but I am only 18 and i love the car. Yes i am immature and like to race illegally. but only at night when the streets are generally empty. I think the 3.0 engine is a great starting engine. you can gas it to get out of trouble , but not enough to get into to much trouble!. The 2001 max or I30 is a great first car! and if you understand the physics of driving you should be alright in it!
I think he means cough*runfromcops*cough
t
05-16-2005, 12:39 AM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 596
Well to Start things off This is my 4th car buying, I thought I would step it up a little something that would last, I could grow with, Kids, moving etc.
I own a 2001 SE, bought it used in 04.
I love the car its peppy, But I agree the tough thing is the gas and issurance,
I pay 1000 every six month for insurance and 2.66 for 92 oct. Gas.
For anyone looking at getting a max as not a first car I would say yes. But on the otherhand I had tought a few people to drive with my car. I find that when you first start its easier to learn on a bigger car than a smaller car. Because if you learn on a small and go to drive a big one its really hard for some people.
I own a 2001 SE, bought it used in 04.
I love the car its peppy, But I agree the tough thing is the gas and issurance,
I pay 1000 every six month for insurance and 2.66 for 92 oct. Gas.
For anyone looking at getting a max as not a first car I would say yes. But on the otherhand I had tought a few people to drive with my car. I find that when you first start its easier to learn on a bigger car than a smaller car. Because if you learn on a small and go to drive a big one its really hard for some people.
05-16-2005, 02:34 AM
#20
Supporting Maxima.org Member
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: the OC & Silicon Valley
Posts: 2,586
this was MY first real car, and i love it, wouldn't trade it for anything else. i know there's "sportier" but this car is just too practical to say not like it, the good looks and speed are just plus's
05-16-2005, 07:51 AM
#21
i agree with just about everything everyone sad except for getting a silly honda. yes it is slower and gets better gas mileage but i had an accord for my first car and litterally 3 weeks after getting it i just stopped caring about it cause i hated it. so there i was stuck with a ****ty car i hated. needless to say it got worse over a few years and the thing was junk. when i got my max i wash it all the time and am extemely watchfull on the road. because it is an overall nicer car and it is a car that i personally like more, i take better care of it. so if u are settling on a car that u dont necessarily want, u may just brush it off like the little things are no problem, but they turn into bigger things and then real problems start. i notice every little thing about this car and i wont stop looking.
05-16-2005, 08:42 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 194
Originally Posted by irish44j
2. IMO, a high-power front-wheel drive car is not ideal for learning about how a car handles and how to "use" the power of a car safely. Yeah, I know - everyone wants more, more, more power....but 80% of the guys on this board don't even know how to handle the power correctly - though they all will SAY that they do.
Interesting. I would not consider any Maxima a high powered car. I suppose its all relative to what you had been driving. 200-300 hp is about normal nowadays for a car the size of the Maxima. It may be a better idea to give a new driver a 4cyl--but a maxima is a full size car which needs a strong engine to move it.
Not sure where you get the 80% dont know how to handle it correctly. Just an assumption?
Should we assume that you fall in the other 20%?
05-16-2005, 09:49 AM
#24
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: MD
Posts: 115
get something you can wreck. most teens will crush their first car. a max isnt what you want to wreck. my first car was a 91 lincoln continental, 2nd 01 civic, 3rd 98 accord, now my 03 max. didnt wreck the lincoln but totaled the civic. the honda kept me safe considering the condition it was in good first car to have.
05-16-2005, 12:25 PM
#25
Member
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 58
Get what you want and can afford.
If you can afford a $10,000 Max and get paid $7/hr, I think you could pay insurance too. LOL. My first car was $2000, so if you're talking this much, just look into it. Call your insurance company. If you make payments you have to have full coverage which will be unbearable. Besides the price and insurance, this car is a great first car. Don't make the mistake of buying a car you don't want or aren't going to e happy with. If you bust your a$$ at school and work, buy the car you want. It's not the car that makes how you drive it's YOU! I speed in my first car, Acura Integra 1988 and now I speed in this. The point is knowing your car and the situations, traffic, weather, visibility, exits, ramps, cop hiding spots, etc. Just be smart. Buying a civic sucks, buying any 4 cyclinder sucks. Gas is only a couple of bucks more. And for those who said get a car you wouldn't want to wreck in, hell, I would want to wreck in this, not in a civic. 3300lbs better for me. You'll be dead when a 80lb 5'4 mother is driving the girls soccer team in her excursion putting on lipstick and talking to the hubbie and slam into your civic and flip that shyt. I never been in an accident, I'm 23 and have about 7 tickets in my life. My second car was a mazda 626, i went 4 cylinder over 6, and always regret it. The point is be responsible, speed if your undistracted and in safe driving conditions and have fun..... GET IT!
05-16-2005, 12:34 PM
#26
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 46
My first car was an '86 5 speed max. I loved it but did get into a few accidents due to the quick acceleration and my lead foot. I now drive a 2k1 AE and love it. At $35 a tank of gas, it was tough for my last year of college but otherwise haven't had any repairs or maintenance costs.
05-16-2005, 02:46 PM
#27
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iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 5,432
Originally Posted by Mass_Media
How do you get 26 mpg...the BEST i have gotten is 24 mpg....sorry for the off topic post but I am really curious....I would think that 2 4 bangers would get better milage than a v-6.....
Originally Posted by merovi
i agree with just about everything everyone sad except for getting a silly honda. yes it is slower and gets better gas mileage but i had an accord for my first car and litterally 3 weeks after getting it i just stopped caring about it cause i hated it. so there i was stuck with a ****ty car i hated. needless to say it got worse over a few years and the thing was junk. when i got my max i wash it all the time and am extemely watchfull on the road. because it is an overall nicer car and it is a car that i personally like more, i take better care of it. so if u are settling on a car that u dont necessarily want, u may just brush it off like the little things are no problem, but they turn into bigger things and then real problems start. i notice every little thing about this car and i wont stop looking.
So the second car i drove was a 2002 honda civic LX sedan, and the same goes for that car even though it was fairly new..... it was an excellent car, especially as a first one..
now the FINAL honda i have had good experiances with was a '91 honda accord LX sedan 5-speed...that thing was (and still is) AWESOME! it was the car i learned to drive stick on, and my friend and i tore the **** out of it trying to teach ourselves to drive stick, yet it still runs even with 250K on the clock...
anyways, my point is, hondas are amazing cars and they make for EXCELLENT first cars (good resale value, good quality, totally reliable)....even though civics may be slow 4-cyl. cars, they still make for great first cars (and for some people, having a slow car at first is a good thing...)
sorry for going off on a tangent, but i just wanted to clear all that up for all you honda haters...just because we have nissans and the majority of us hate ricers (which just HAPPEN to usually be civics) that doesnt mean that we should hate anything else....from a person that has had experiances with both nissans and hondas, i'd have to say that overall, these cars are all excelent, and there's really no right or wrong choice...
05-16-2005, 03:42 PM
#28
Originally Posted by Bones45
Interesting. I would not consider any Maxima a high powered car. I suppose its all relative to what you had been driving. 200-300 hp is about normal nowadays for a car the size of the Maxima. It may be a better idea to give a new driver a 4cyl--but a maxima is a full size car which needs a strong engine to move it.
"needs a strong engine to move it?" the 2.5 Altima is as heavy as a 5th gen maxima almost, and does just fine with its 4-cyl....as do 4-cylinder Accords. Hell, my volvo 10 years ago weighed more than a maxima, and had like 140 hp - and never had any trouble getting me where I want to go. How about all those 4-cylinder minivans out there?
Originally Posted by Bones45
Not sure where you get the 80% dont know how to handle it correctly. Just an assumption?
That, and most of the local maxima guys think up really lame excuses to opt out when an auto-x event is coming up.....I think some are afraid that they really can't handle their cars at the limit (just kidding DCMAX guys )
Originally Posted by Bones45
Should we assume that you fall in the other 20%?
but I digress.....
05-16-2005, 09:15 PM
#29
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 199
here's why a maxima is a bad first car: $2,200 to insure me annually age 18, 19 in a month, w/ 2 pts on my license for a speeding ticket... i have a 2k2 , which people love to rip the headlights off of, and apparently insurance company loves raping me because of the horsepower, and the cost :-D
in addition, however, if you can afford it, this is a nice luxury car... but, I started off at age 17 with a Nissan Sentra GXE 2000...I wanted a crappier car for my first til I got to know the road a little better, and til I calmed down from my modding stage...after I realized the sentra was a money pit I sold that thing for my Maxima... but, if you get in an accident with a newer maxima and youre a new driver, conciter yourself ****ed
in addition, however, if you can afford it, this is a nice luxury car... but, I started off at age 17 with a Nissan Sentra GXE 2000...I wanted a crappier car for my first til I got to know the road a little better, and til I calmed down from my modding stage...after I realized the sentra was a money pit I sold that thing for my Maxima... but, if you get in an accident with a newer maxima and youre a new driver, conciter yourself ****ed
05-17-2005, 07:58 AM
#30
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by irish44j
I was referring to front wheel drive.....There are actually very few FWD cars with more power than the maxima, especially the 2002-3, because mid-upper 200's is really the practical limit for FWD cars. I was not including RWD or AWD cars, since the Maxima is neither.
"needs a strong engine to move it?" the 2.5 Altima is as heavy as a 5th gen maxima almost, and does just fine with its 4-cyl....as do 4-cylinder Accords. Hell, my volvo 10 years ago weighed more than a maxima, and had like 140 hp - and never had any trouble getting me where I want to go. How about all those 4-cylinder minivans out there?
just a number out of the blue....if you want to get SOOOO specific, the actual number is 87.45% That, and most of the local maxima guys think up really lame excuses to opt out when an auto-x event is coming up.....I think some are afraid that they really can't handle their cars at the limit (just kidding DCMAX guys )
Yes.....and if you want to know why, well, I'm not going to get too o/t here, but feel free to pm me if you really want to know.
but I digress.....
"needs a strong engine to move it?" the 2.5 Altima is as heavy as a 5th gen maxima almost, and does just fine with its 4-cyl....as do 4-cylinder Accords. Hell, my volvo 10 years ago weighed more than a maxima, and had like 140 hp - and never had any trouble getting me where I want to go. How about all those 4-cylinder minivans out there?
just a number out of the blue....if you want to get SOOOO specific, the actual number is 87.45%
That, and most of the local maxima guys think up really lame excuses to opt out when an auto-x event is coming up.....I think some are afraid that they really can't handle their cars at the limit (just kidding DCMAX guys )Yes.....and if you want to know why, well, I'm not going to get too o/t here, but feel free to pm me if you really want to know.
but I digress.....
05-17-2005, 09:37 AM
#31
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: the OC & Silicon Valley
Posts: 2,586
Originally Posted by JaMdMax97
I hate when people call are cars boats 
....it takes a few upgrades to make them handle exceptionally well.... 
....it takes a few upgrades to make them handle exceptionally well....
Originally Posted by Bones45
Interesting. I would not consider any Maxima a high powered car. I suppose its all relative to what you had been driving. 200-300 hp is about normal nowadays for a car the size of the Maxima. It may be a better idea to give a new driver a 4cyl--but a maxima is a full size car which needs a strong engine to move it.
Not sure where you get the 80% dont know how to handle it correctly. Just an assumption?
Should we assume that you fall in the other 20%?
Not sure where you get the 80% dont know how to handle it correctly. Just an assumption?
Should we assume that you fall in the other 20%?
05-17-2005, 09:39 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 564
Originally Posted by mjg
Heh, gas it to get out of trouble?
I think he means cough*runfromcops*cough
t
I think he means cough*runfromcops*cough
t
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