Yap, that's what I drive, a 97 Nissan Maxima GXE. I picked up the car
on December 24th, 1996, so it was like a really BIG Christmas gift.
:) I love the car. It is a 5-speed, SuperBlack (as Nissan calls it), with
no options other than the floor mats. Even though it does not have any
options, it does have a lot of standard equipments, such as power windows,
power lock, cruise control, A/C, etc.. so I feel I am being spoiled by my
parents already. (Which I am! :)
Nissan's VQ30DE engine is awesome. The 24-valves DOHC 3.0 liter makes
190hps and propels the sedan to 60mph in 6.6 second, which makes it the
fastest Japanese sedan being sold here in the United States. (6.6 second
according to MotorTrend, 6.7
second according to Car and
Driver, but since it is my car, so I had to quote the faster time,
right?! :) Yap, it is faster than a V-8 Lexus or Infiniti. Surprised? Yeah, you
should. The car just doesn't look like it is capable of this kind of
performance. So next time when you see a Maxima on the road, don't think
it is just another slow family sedan! :)
Ideally, I would love to have a BMW M3! But
who has that kind of money?? Not that I am complaining about my car, but
for people like me, it is never enough. :) More power, better
brake, tighter handling, etc.. are always welcomed! So what to do? Well,
you can MODIFY the car! As a college student who has no
income, this is a hard task. So far, I only have a set of Razo race car
pedals (made of magnesium aluminum) and a Stillen front
strut tower brace put on. They both look awesome. (However, they are
not visible most of the time. The pedals are inside of the cockpit, and
the strut tower brace is under the hood.) They work too. (Especially the
strut tower brace. The shock towers no longer flex under hard cornering.
Now, if I can just get a set of 17" wheels with 235/45/17 ZR-rated
tires... :)
The car now has about 4500 miles on it. I plan to use Mobil 1 after my 3rd
oil change at about 6000 miles. Future upgrades include: (This is just
my wishing list, I will be able to afford these only if I win the lottery!
:)
Engine:
- Stillen Stage 1: Performance Exhaust System
- Stillen Stage 2: Hi-Flow Air Filter System (K&N)
- Stillen Stage 3: Computer Upgrade
- Result: 235HP
Suspension:
- Eibach Pro Kit Lowering Springs
(1.25" drop)
- Tokico Shocks
- Stillen Front & Rear Stabilizer Bars
- Mackin Gewalt 17" aluminum wheels
- Yokohama Nexus 235/45/17 tires
- Result: 0.9g+
Brake:
- Brembo Rotors & Calipers (13.125" rotors!)
- Braided Stainless Brake Lines (D.O.T.-approved!)
- Motul DOT 3 & 5 Synthetic Brake Fluid
- Result: Formula 1 stopping power
Exterior:
- Stillen Maxima Type 2 Rear Wing (with LED)
- Stillen Maxima Aero Kit
Others:
- Stillen Short-Throw Gear Lever
- Momo Shift Knobs
cfjan@mit.edu
cfjan@sloan.mit.edu
cfjan@ugcs.caltech.edu
Maxima