Is the 2002 Nissan Maxima SE the best Sleeper Sedan for the money?

"GhostZ" (GhostZ) 12/30/2014 at 14:52 • Filed to: None

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We hold the SRT-4 as probably the fastest 4-door FWD car on the used market today. But there's another car that is just as underrated as the SRT-4 is overrated. A clean SRT-4 can cost as much as $10,000 on the used market. What if you could get a faster, more luxurious, better-built car for nearly half that?

Name one front-wheel drive vehicle that came out with as much HP as a Mustang GT, but 600lbs lighter. What if it also came with a Limited Slip Differential, 17-inch wheels, 6-speed manual, and a top speed near 150mph? What if it also had HID Headlights, heated leather seats, computer-adjustable suspension and in some trims, GPS navigation? What if it shared engine block and components with a sleek 2-door sports car?

Still thinking about the SRT-4? Well, the squeaky, dangerous, loud, and unrefined SRT-4 will run you between $8000 and $10000 for a clean example. The 2002 Maxima? It can be bought for under $5000 easily. They have tanked in value these last few years, for no real reason.

Anyone got a better suggestion for a used FWD sports sedan you can daily drive on the cheap one day, and outrun modern sedans the next?

(And oh yeah, this is a clickbait headline, I know. Suck it, Tavarish, Orlove, and the lot of you!)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 14:58

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Chevy Impala SS, Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, Buick Regal GS or Park Avenue Ultra?

Nibbles > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 14:59

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The last Maxima that was truly worth a shit

GhostZ > Nibbles 12/30/2014 at 15:01

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So much agreed. It was truly the peak of the marque in my mind.

GhostZ > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/30/2014 at 15:03

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The S/C Impalas and other W-bodies, as far as I know, only came with a 4-speed auto, and weighed about 200-300lbs more than the Maxima with 15 less HP. And don't get me started on suspension!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:04

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But in a straight line they were pretty damn fast. But yes, everything else is fucking awful.

TFen > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:04

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I had an '03 SE Titanium for a while - it was was an auto, but the deal was too good to pass up at the time.

It was an incredible car with way more power than it had any right to have.

Aaron James > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:06

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These Maximas are totally under rated. The first time I drove one I knew it was a winner. Most people completely over look these in the 5k price range and instead opt for a civic or accord.

GhostZ > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/30/2014 at 15:07

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2004 Grand Prix GTP: 1/4 mile: 14.9 Seconds

2002 Maxima 1/4 mile: 14.7 seconds

GhostZ > Aaron James 12/30/2014 at 15:08

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I can personally attest to the > 140mph top speed. I still think that they underrated the engines from 260 or 265hp.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:09

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Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:09

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Pretty damn close.

Captain_Spadaro > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:10

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I have an A33 I30.

They aren't bad cars. They do have issues. I've also heard that torque steer on VQ35 cars was pretty bad.

computer-adjustable suspension

Wait, wat? When did the Maxima have that? I don't recall the A33 ever having that.

GhostZ > TFen 12/30/2014 at 15:11

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I learned to drive n a 2001 SE Anniversary and had a 2002 GLE in my family for a while, and you are totally correct. Nissan could have released them with 40 less HP and probably still sold just as many, they made them stupidly fast for what they are.

Just a few years ago that gen maxima was hovering around $8000 but they seemed to have tanked in value since the economy recovered.

GhostZ > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 12/30/2014 at 15:11

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Oh man! You're right!

Everyone DON'T BUY A MAXIMA, THEY ARE JUNK!

Aaron James > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:11

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The whole thing, as a car is under rated and under appreciated. I should have one of these but alas, I bought the aforementioned Accord. :(

Milky > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:13

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You didn't list HP so I had to go on a Google bender and came back with this:

Maxima - 255hp/246lb-ft 3245lbs

Mustang GT - 260hp/302lb-ft 3,273 lbs.

Not sure where you got that weight difference from. But to answer your question, this is IMO.

*googled used police charger and got a janky site.

GhostZ > Milky 12/30/2014 at 15:15

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Where did you see the Mustang listed at 3200lbs?! That has to be the V6 weight, because the GT weighed quite a bit more, closer to 3600, if I remember right.

That being said... police chargers are getting pretty cheap now!

TFen > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:15

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Yeah man, the market on these things is crazy.

I picked up the '03 for $3200 in 2012. It had 110,000km. I Drove it for a year, put on 20,000km and ended up selling it for $4500.

DoYouEvenShift > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:16

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True, but the L67 is a hibernating beast.

Milky > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:21

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Boom - http://autos.aol.com/cars-Ford-Must…

Granted chargers weigh a lot more, but 340hp and RWD.

44444444444 > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:24

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Volvo S60R/V70R. 155MPH top speed, 300hp, 298ft-lb torque, AWD, 6 speed manual, leather everything, active suspension, sleeper looks. $6-10k for a good example.

jariten1781 > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:29

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I'd take a first gen Mazda 6 over it in the same price range. About the same speed in V6 guise but with wagon and liftback options. Older Maximas have been performance bargains since the 90s though. They retain no value for whatever reason.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:31

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I did get to drive a 2001 or 2002 SE briefly last year and I remember being very impressed with the ride, it was glass smooth and had almost zero body roll. I didn't like the steering feel though, as it had none.

SwedishMachine > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:39

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The Volvo 850R sedan. 240hp/223tq turbocharged I5 featuring that sweet warbling exhaust note. Not as fast as the Maxima but damn close. Way cheaper and cooler than any SRT4 imo, since at the end of the day you're still driving a Neon with the SRT4.

Redbulldidlo > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 15:45

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S60, bought for $500 and outdoes most things with the 2.5T Swap out the turbo and injectors for the ones from the R with the money you saved, and then you're in an awesome sedan with an annoy the rear passengers button.

44444444444 > SwedishMachine 12/30/2014 at 15:46

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I agree. However, lets take it a step further and throw its cousin the S60R into the mix as well. It's a lot easier to find a manual SR than a manual 850R sedan or wagon.

SwedishMachine > 44444444444 12/30/2014 at 16:33

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Valid point. I still just prefer the "box it came in" shape of the 850 series to the more modern S/VR, although I am warming up to them as of late.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 16:43

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Let me tell you how pissed I was that the the new Maxima only came with a CVT:

Very.

44444444444 > SwedishMachine 12/30/2014 at 16:43

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The 2004-2007 V70R is perhaps the best car Volvo ever made.

SwedishMachine > 44444444444 12/30/2014 at 16:51

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I'm fully aware that you believe this, and I love these cars too, but many people I know who own V70R/S60R have had experiences much contrary to yours. I'm very leery of owning one because of all the bad things i hear about the electrics, computers and awd system. I love how they sound, drive, look and feel but I'm still very scared to give up my 1996 850 turbo wagon for a P2 V70R.

44444444444 > SwedishMachine 12/30/2014 at 17:03

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Yeah, they have a few glaring issues... I DD a 99 V70XC with 246k. I'd never have the R as my only car... Had it been an automatic with that many miles I would have had to really think about it. I guess I just decided that based upon the forums x goes at z miles and I figured I'm good for awhile. Also, given the price of a set of pegasus wheels I knew I could part it out and make it back if it all went to hell.

Sanettika > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 19:50

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Hm. I didn't know these cars were that cool. I may have to add them to the list of possible replacements for the poor old spaceship. They're also not terrible looking, Nissan really had things together in the looks department back then.

GhostZ > Sanettika 12/30/2014 at 19:53

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Just be careful with the year. One year older, and the lost 30HP. One year newer, they gained 300lbs and softened up considerably, with a shitty CVT offered.

Sanettika > GhostZ 12/30/2014 at 21:19

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Wow, there was really that much different between the model years? I'll keep an eye out, because the one you described sounds like a fantastic DD.

GhostZ > Sanettika 12/30/2014 at 22:24

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They are! Ask me how I know, I learned to drive on one.

2001 is still good, and the anniversary editions are pretty fast, but 2002 was sort of the "last hurrah" for the sporty Maxima. From then on it lost its sports sedan pretensions.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Captain_Spadaro 02/02/2015 at 18:57

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I just bought a 2000 I30. 249,686 miles on it, but it seems to be a really good car. You like yours?

Captain_Spadaro > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 02/02/2015 at 19:03

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Eh, for the most part. Dropped it off at the body shop earlier for core support surgery.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Captain_Spadaro 02/02/2015 at 19:58

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Hope that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Captain_Spadaro > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 02/02/2015 at 22:08

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What does ~$700 in labor nominally equal to in terms of body part?

According to the forums, it's a common issue on both the I30 and the Maxima. I bought the part in August but didn't have money to pay for the labor until now.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Captain_Spadaro 02/03/2015 at 08:50

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I'm not really sure. My stepdad and I always do repairs on my vehicles. But, $700 in labor, if I were to make a completely uneducated guess, I'd say $200 in parts. But, labor is usually overly expensive around here.

Captain_Spadaro > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 02/03/2015 at 09:03

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The lower core support itself was like $156 including shipping from Tasca Parts. I would have put it in myself, but I have no bodywork experience and don't know how to weld (and don't have a welder), so I figured it was better left to professionals. If I had to do it over again, I would have bought the whole support, but I figured that the upper parts of mine were salvageable. I'll know for sure in a few days.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Captain_Spadaro 02/03/2015 at 09:14

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Ah, Ok. I wasn't too far off on price. I'd suggest taking an auto body class or something like that. Find a way to learn, and save some serious money in the long run.

Captain_Spadaro > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 02/03/2015 at 09:31

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The school I'm going to used to offer an auto body class but doesn't anymore ;_;

I'll consider it.

Conan > Milky 04/29/2016 at 07:29

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Yeah. The Mach 1 and Terminator are much cooler but really pack a price premium.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > GhostZ 04/29/2016 at 07:32

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A friend of mine had one of these before their current Kia Forte....it was a rocket ship. The brakes....they were OH SO TOUCHY, but worked great! His big issue was it had been treated a bit roughly by the previous owner, so everything on it started to fail at around the same time...suspension, rust, etc, etc. The engine was rock-solid reliable though, and worked just as well as the day it rolled off the assembly line.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > GhostZ 04/29/2016 at 07:52

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Also they’re fairly good looking.

Ash78, voting early and often > GhostZ 04/29/2016 at 08:05

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The Maxima was always beckoning me in the early 2000s, but I never pulled the trigger. I ended up with a competitor, the B5 Passat V6, which had comparable power and performance to the previous generation Maxima (190hp, 7.5sec, 5MT, etc). My decision was mainly "because family-owned discount," but had it been an open-market decision, I would have gone Maxima all the way. At the time, though, this thing was far more "obnoxious" than "sleeper." It only looks low-key by today's standards. The SE model with big 17" wheels (the competition was mostly 15") and insanely overpowered FWD layout definitely made headlines. I remember a lot of discussion about the Maxima being the limit of what anyone could reasonably put into a FWD layout. I mean, over 250hp? Are you crazy?! Anyway, nice post — especially for the under-30 crowd who might have otherwise forgotten about what many people consider Nissan's last "4DSC."

Nisman > GhostZ 04/29/2016 at 11:33

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This popped up for some reason in my recommended. Makes me miss mine. Got rid of it last year. So much bang for the buck. I want another.

Froggmann > Captain_Spadaro 04/29/2016 at 14:35

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It isn’t if you know how to roll into it. The VQ35 has a ton of torque for a FWD car and will easily smoke the tires, which can be mistaken for torque steer if you have a peg-leg.

Froggmann > GhostZ 04/29/2016 at 14:40

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As someone who has driven one of these since 2007, yes. It’s comfortable, durable, and surprises many.

Froggmann > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 04/29/2016 at 14:56

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I know...

Captain_Spadaro > Froggmann 04/29/2016 at 20:04

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Car & Driver disagreed.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/nissan…

dogisbadob > GhostZ 04/30/2016 at 08:36

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The 03 is just like the 02 mode. It is 2004 when they switched to the new generation.

Also, the 2004 I35 had an extra year in this generation, and is like the 02-03. But the Infiniti is automatic-only.

dogisbadob > GhostZ 04/30/2016 at 08:38

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Sorry, not a fan, maintenance nightmare. Transverse V6's SUCK! I have a 96 Maxima/I30 right now, and doing the valve cover gasket job is hard as fuck! At least the earlier cars had cutouts in the intake so that changing the spark plugs is possible, the 5th gen (both 3.0L and 3.5L) had a new intake which removed this possibility.

RazoE > Conan 04/30/2016 at 12:10

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No Bullit love?

RazoE > Captain_Spadaro 04/30/2016 at 12:13

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You want torque steer? Get a mazdaspeed3. When I first got mine and gave it the beans and I nearly ended up in oncoming traffic. It’s BAD, but oh so much fun.

Conan > RazoE 04/30/2016 at 13:27

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You’re right. Actually having sold a customer a Bullit (and arranging to have him chased by 68 Charger, though not an R/T, on the test drive) was one of the few great moments I pulled off in my whole brief car sales experience. Given how little I’m thrilled by most Mustang stickers from the SN95 era they tend to end up looking pretty nice too.

Captain_Spadaro > RazoE 04/30/2016 at 15:25

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I’m aware of the MS3's rep.

Captain_Spadaro > GhostZ 04/30/2016 at 15:27

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New Edge SN95 GTs weren’t that heavy. IIRC the Terminator was the heaviest, at around 3,500 lbs.

Dima-vq35 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 02/23/2019 at 12:26

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Those GM cars were fast but goverer limited and you had to maintain the super charger.  If not maintained it will jot have the power  they also havier and handle not as good. Compared 02 nissan maxime se 6spd regal gs 3.8 and granprix gxp.  Gxp was way more expensive and had more power but handling and braking was terrible compare to new GM cars like Malibu 2.0T