Car and Driver makes a good point!

[craig937]

Car and Driver made a point on their website for the North American Auto Show,

"Maxima will be built at Nissan's Smyrna and Decherd, Tennessee, plant, and will go on sale in March for between $28,000 to $34,000. Which begs the question: why buy a Maxima when the same money will get you a rear-wheel-drive Infiniti G35?"

I like the new Maxima, but I have to agree with C&D. I hope that Nissan will have all wheel drive.

[OpenWheelRacing]

right on.

[GroovinGTR]

Unfortunately it was bound to happen. But the Maxima is larger, FWD, and has some options that the G35 does not. Even it Infiniti makes an AWD G35 to appeal to the snowbelt, it will be much costlier than the Maxima. And not everybody loves the G35 styling.

[Kookz]

And not everybody loves the G35 styling.

I think it's safe to say that most people prefer the G35 style to the Max.

[Deadpool]

It'll all make sense because Infiniti is fixing to give G35 a better interior and more luxury. And the price will go up as well. Price increase for Infiniti is the reason why Maxima has been moved upscale.

[Republic]

"Maxima will be built at Nissan's Smyrna and Decherd, Tennessee, plant, and will go on sale in March for between $28,000 to $34,000. Which begs the question: why buy a Maxima when the same money will get you a rear-wheel-drive Infiniti G35?"



Possibly because people may be looking not for a car that handles the twisties with aplomb, but for an athletic boulevard or highway cruiser, and that is what the Maxima is now. It isn't competing against the A4 or the 3-series anymore. It seems to be a funky alternative to the Pontiac Bonneville and the Toyota Avalon instead.

To carry this a bit further, people seem to feel that this isn't the right car to call the Maxima, but Nissan can do with the Maxima whatever it wants. The Maxima has grown up and out, and people will need time to swallow that jagged little pill.

[M_TYPE_X]

Alright! It's time for the Bonneville-Maxima comparo! http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Not_Vin_Diesel]

Throw the 300M's and LHS's into the picture, too!!! Really, I mean the whole argument is akin to saying, "why would you buy an Avalon when you could get an IS300?" The cars serve different purposes to different people. The married couple with a kid or two in the snow belt may feel more comfortable with a car like the Maxima. The single guy that once in a while has 4 people in his car may want the G. Price is usually not the first or main ingredient as to why people purchase a car.

[Max Ima]

Maxima is a loyalty car for Nissan as well. There's also some mystique. I'm biased, ('98 Maxima owner) but Maxima drivers like Maximas. It's kind of a cult thing. I can't explain it, but it's there.

[kalikidtx]

I think its a hrd comparison to compare a car that has been on the market for a year and the new max which most of you have never seen in person and even more of you havnt driven. I have seen production models in person and driven them and can say they do not drive luike the g35 but is a vcery impressive drive and is built very very very solid (Unlike the a;ltima) i think we shoudl all wiat until we see the final production models. sorry just an opinion here we are all always so quick to judge.....

[mayhem]

"The married couple with a kid or two in the snow belt may feel more comfortable with a car like the Maxima. The single guy that once in a while has 4 people in his car may want the G."

Uh, the G35 comes in a sedan too. RWD with TCS and a set of snows will work great in the snow...no reason to not get the G...except the interior.

[Not_Vin_Diesel]

Uh, the G35 comes in a sedan too. RWD with TCS and a set of snows will work great in the snow...no reason to not get the G...except the interior.



Uh, yeah, thanks for the help. I was talking about the G sedan. The ingress and egress of the rear seats/door openings aren't the most functional for putting kids into and getting kids out of the back, especially with child seats. I'm referring to how Nissan will most likely market the car or how a family that wants a sedan could percieve it.

There is still a greater perception of safety in places like where I live when it comes to FWD vehicles. Before the flames light up, I am not saying that RWD vehicles don't sell here, but it's to whom the vehicles sell to that is the point. And I love the G interior so I don't see that as the reason to go Max over G. It is possible to have two similarly sized and priced sedans and have them cater to different markets, because size and price are not the only two features of a vehicle.

[Republic]

I think its a hrd comparison to compare a car that has been on the market for a year and the new max which most of you have never seen in person and even more of you havnt driven. I have seen production models in person and driven them and can say they do not drive luike the g35 but is a vcery impressive drive and is built very very very solid (Unlike the a;ltima) i think we shoudl all wiat until we see the final production models. sorry just an opinion here we are all always so quick to judge.....



Point taken. I forgot to mention that my post is all conjecture.

[jielwh0]

yea also made a good point...the g35 starts at around 29,000 for a 6 spd manual with leather and sport suspension... the maxima will be about the same so if you want more room and the same vroom...maxima is it! plus there isnt much of a downgrade in interiors...they look a lot the same!