"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/19/2015 at 18:31 • Filed to: None
1
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"dogisbadob" (dogisbadob)
11/19/2015 at 18:31 • Filed to: None | 1
| 0 |
With the exception of the interior leather quality, which Nissan has held up better, the 95-99 Maxima/I30 is a step backwards from the 92-96 Camry/ES300 in many ways. The I30 also has a VLSD unavailable on any ES300. And at least the Maxima/I30 has an in-dash CD player (the Es300 has a 6-CD changer in the trunk). I’ll also give Nissan the edge for offering a manual transmisison for the entire 4th-gen run 95-99, whereas Toyota stopped offering the V6 manual after 93 (the 97-01 revival manual V6 was only available on the Camry, not the ES300). Mine is automatic, but does have the VLSD.
But in light of the above, the A32 I30 is still inferior to the older VCV10/MCV10 ES300 for the following reasons:
First, no ambient temperature button for the Maxima/I30 until 98 (the Maxima didn’t get it until 99), The ES300 had it from 94, so it’s not a stretch for Nissan to have offered it by 96 when the I30 came out (there was no 95 I30). The 98-99 I30 climate control plugs in, as in the harness is of the same shape, but they are not compatible because the wires are pinned differently. Interestingly, you can clearly see AMB on the 95-97 display itself, if you shine a light at it when the car is off.
The I30/Maxima wood trim is fake; the ES300 uses real wood, like every Lexus.
Analog odometer until 98, The ES300 always had a digital odometer, and it came out in 1992. The ES300’s optitron gauges (again, offered at the start in 92) make the newer I30 look dated as fuck. This isn’t really a huge deal breaker, though, but still. And the white face gauges weren’t available on the I30, either!
The Maxima’s cupholders are also inferior to the ES300’s. This is surprising because Toyota put them behind the shifter, which is usually not a good idea with an automatic transmission because there’s not enough room when the car is in park. But Toyota was smart enough to leave sufficient space so you can get the cups in and out easy. Also, the Lexus’ cupholders are of that ring design which looks flimsy, but isn’t because 90s Toyota quality.
The I30/Maxima cupholders are a “solid” design and placed in front of the shifter, so how could this possibly be worse? Because the divider between the two cupholders sucks! It’s so flimsy, and after 20 years, its adhesive backing just doesn’t work anymore, allowing the cup to flop back and possibly spill your drink!
One more omission on the A32: a cabin air filter! The Camry/ES300 had one available since 1992. Even if not equipped when new, there was still the space to install one if desired, which I did as soon as I learned about the provision.
The I30/Maxima still used fluted headlights with plastic lenses and 9004 bulbs. The ES300 had six projectors (separate high and low beams, and the fogs were projectors as well—and even had yellow lenses!) At least I can buy European-market headlights with glass lenses.
And Nissan couldn’t even be bothered to put shift position indicators on the dash! P R N D 2 L, you have to look down at the console for that! The ES300 has this, and even a cheap-ass J-body has that shit.