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04-05-2007 02:56 AM

It was a cold and wet day in November, as I remember, when I drove my first Maxima. I had looked at a 2002 a few weeks before, while visiting the local Nissan dealership to see the new Altima. There was something about it, calling my name. But, I digress. On this day, I was required to drive up to Detroit for a customer integration project. Seeing as how my Ford product was probably not up to the trip, I stopped by the local rental car agency where I had some Pontiac model scheduled for pick up. When I arrived, lo-and-behold, they had a new 2k2 Maxima, in Majestic Blue, sitting in the lot just begging me to upgrade. What's a guy to do? I could have ignored the call and picked up the plain-Jane domestic. I could have left and driven my beater. The 3 milliseconds it took to come to a conclusion seemed like forever. But the decision was made: Time to upgrade.

The car was an automatic. A huge contrast to the 5sp coupe I owned. The power difference was huge! When you are talking 164hp (my coupe) vs. 255hp, you get impressed easily. The 4-sp automatic transmission includes a gated shifter which I found to be quite interesting performing manual shifts. The dash layout is a "waterfall effect" with most buttons and adjustments in the center section. The Bose stereo system comes with front separates (6.5" mids in the doors and tweeters in the A-panels), rear door mids, and a sub on the back deck. The stereo system was pleasant and I loved the fact that the Bose head unit has an internal 6-CD changer. As the day progressed the only negative aspect I found was the location of the side-view mirror adjuster which was up on the dash behind the steering wheel. Other than that, I was enjoying it immensely.

The trip itself took 6+ hours of seat time to get to Detroit. I did it with only one bio-break. The power drivers seat was comfortable and the electronic adjustments were superb. The motor was quiet and the acceleration was great. I simply set the cruise control, eased into a relaxing position, and let the miles rack up. The stereo bounced between multiple stations and CD's to keep me entertained. The relaxing atmosphere of the drive was a contrast to the numerous trips I had made in my coupe over the previous few years.

The trip to Detroit was short-lived. Within an hour of arriving, which happened to be around 5pm, I was done and having dinner with a co-worker. The thought of staying in a hotel for the night only entered my mind briefly. I was looking forward to a night-drive home. As I left Detroit for another 6+ hour trip, I immediately appreciated the HID headlights and the way they illuminated the road. The back-lit gauges were easy to read and great on the eyes. The auto-dim rearview mirror was another great benefit. My thought, after arriving home that evening was "I gotta have one!".

On Valentines Day, 2002, I finally purchased my 2002 Maxima SE in Majestic Blue with Charcoal interior, sunroof, and automatic transmission. To date, I have put over 113k miles on the car. I am on the third set of tires at this point, and have not had any mechanical failures to date. From a maintenance standpoint I fill'er up with gas, and change the oil around 7k miles (90% highway travel).

Am I saying everything about the car is absolutely awesome? No. There are issues that should be noted. The main problem with the car, as it turned out, was the suspension. The car seemed to float and sway around too much. It was a pain driving at highway speeds, around a curve, and over bumpy roads at the same time. The handling, at times, made you somewhat nervous. There was also an issue with torque steer. With the amount of torque this car has, flooring it from a standstill will make the steering wheel pull left and right, which is very annoying. Fortunately, both of these can be solved relatively cheaply. A rear sway bar (RSB) along with a front strut tower brace (FSTB) will get rid of most of these "problems", make the car perform much better, all for around $150 total. A great deal and I highly suggest it.

Another notable problem are issues with rocks. All Maxima models, prior to 2004, were imported from Japan where there are more stringent rules concerning car paint. In my opinion, the paint is a bit thinner than vehicles painted in the US, which can lead to a large number of rock chips if you live in an area where there is a lot of highway road debris. If you pick one up that has a great finish on the hood and bumper, I would highly suggest you get a clear bra system for the hood/ bumper/front fenders. Adding more of this material to the rocker panels, directly in front of the back wheels, is advised as well. I did not do this and have so many rock chips I purchased a regular bra just to cover them up. Rocks also chew up the front fog lights. The lenses are glass and are prone to break. Nissan replacement costs are $150+ EACH! To save money, Nissan actually has a GXE conversion kit for roughly the same price that includes both fog lights. Eventually, both will break, so this is a good deal. You can also put some clear plastic film over them which I have heard protects them and extends their life. I should note that I deal with an extreme amount of highway driving on roads that are not in great shape, so I have had to deal with truckers flinging rocks all over the place which is the primary reason I have the number of chips.

Finally, the tires: This car came from the factory with Bridgestone Potenza RE92's. While they last a decent amount of time (I replaced my set at 42k), they are absolutely the worst tires I have ever experienced in the rain. The first time I drove in heavy rain, I did 55mph in a 65mph zone and drove with white knuckles. NOT a fun experience. If they are on there, get rid of them as soon as you can and be careful in the rain if you still have them.

So, there you go. In my opinion, after 113k miles, I am very happy with my 2k2 Maxima SE. Sure, there are a few issues with the car, as noted above, but what car does not have issues? Mechanically, it is sound. Has a comfortable interior that lasts, a engine that has been one of the top-10 for the last 11+ years in a row. There are options available, like heated mirrors, heated seats, heated steering wheel, Navigation, traction control, side airbags, etc, that really enhance the feel/usability of the car. Paint chips, glass fog lights, suspension, and tires are all relatively minor issues that can be resolved with a little bit of effort and small expense. If you are looking at picking up one of these, I recommend it. You won't be disappointed.


Aurthor: (audtatious) is a NICOclub Administrator and 2k2 Maxima owner

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04-05-2007 02:53 AM

While our Associate Test Drive Editor was in Smyrna, Tennessee at the new Nissan plant, he was given the EXCLUSIVE opportunity to drive the unreleased Altima Coupe (scheduled for introduction in 2008). Of course, we couldn't wait to get his review to you, as we're eagerly awaiting its release.

"When I was invited to drive the new Altima Coupe at Nissan's Test Track, I couldn't believe my good fortune. The car I drove was equipped with the CVT, and before the ride was over, I had it over 100 mph on their closed circuit race track.

Let's say this first: In person, the first impression is "Infiniti". It looks like a Nissan-badged G35 Coupe had a love child with an Altima. The rear end styling is simply breathtaking, and pictures don't do it justice. The styling works so well, and the lines really "pop" when you see it in three dimensions.

The one that I drove was a "prototype engineering test evaluation vehicle". This means that it is a test vehicle built on the production tooling, but this car didn't have 100% production-ready interior surfaces. However, I will say this for the interior: This car could be badged as an Infiniti easily. It's THAT nice.

On to the driving experience... As soon as you hit the "start" button, there is no doubt in your mind what engine sits under the hood. The venerable VQ35's sweet melody is familiar and satisfying, and there's a good reason this engine has been on the "Top Ten Best Engines" list for twelve years running.

Leaving the parking lot, I immediately noticed that the steering feels fluid and linear. Its feel resembles that of the 2006 350z, but a little easier due to the slightly larger-diameter steering wheel. The lateral stability of this car is surprising, and I did not expect the suspension tune to be so sporty. This made me anxious to hit the track.

The real test drive started at a dead stop with about a little over a quarter mile of straight track ahead. At the end of that straight road is a highly banked curve approximately a 20 to 25% gradient. I hit the gas, the traction control kicks in, the car takes position and we're off. There is a little torque steer initially, but after about 20 to 25 mph, it is dead center. The CVT is what I was not ready for. After the engine hit 6,200rpm, it stayed there. I was going faster and faster with the transmission sitting right in the thick of the VQ's powerband. Imagine first gear never ending, you never stop accelerating, and the engine never over-revs. Phenomenal.

Hitting 105 mph, it was an oh-so-beautiful thing. The curve coming up quickly, I transition firmly onto the brakes, and the car immediately slows by 30 mph so as to enter the banked turn at about 75. I hold the throttle down about halfway to keep the car steadily aimed toward the apex and there is no upsetting the stability of this vehicle. I hit the apex and the gas, before you know it... you are back to triple digits. I had to remind myself that I am driving a pre-production Altima with a factory suspension tune and think to myself... "did I really just do that?" Of course, I did it again, and again.

When this car hits the streets, there is NO doubt in my mind that it will be widely embraced by anyone that either likes the way it looks, as well as anyone who gets in and drives it.

Highs: A driving experience that makes you want to do it again, and again, and again.

Lows: It's not out yet.

Verdict: A front wheel drive G35 coupe. Seriously. This car is legit, and Nissan has hit a home run with the Altima Coupe.

Final "kicker" of the trip? The Nissan-plant rumor mill has it that an SE-R version of the Altima Coupe is already in the works before the production model has even hit showrooms.

Read more about the Nissan Altima Coupe at www.altimacoupe.com


Author: Simmsled
Simmsled is a NICOclub Moderator in the Audio and Electronics Forums.

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04-05-2007 02:50 AM

Article with pictures may be found here: http://www.g35club.org/08-coupe.shtml

Without much fanfare at this point, pictures of the new 2008 Infiniti G Coupe have finally been "accidently" released. There has been a lot of speculation about this refresh ever since the release of the Infiniti Concept last year. In January, a conceptual drawing was released of the upgraded G as a teaser prior to its reveal at the April New York Auto Show.

The images above show the pre-production G Coupe being put through its paces at the Arizona Nissan test facility. From the photo's, we clearly see asthetic changes with the headlights and tail lights. The new grille matches that of the '07 Sedan and the lower facia looks to include a plastic center grille with dual air intakes on each side. The headlights are a more aggressive approach from the previous generation.

From a suspension standpoint, a 20" rim/tire combo will be used as will 4-wheel ABS. There will be an optional 4WAS (Four Wheel Active Steering) system similar to that offered with the current 2007 Sedan. Similar to the current sedan, the new G has a stiffer chassis, 36% stiffer than the previous generation G35! This new G is 0.2 inches wider (71.7 inches), 0.9 inches longer (183.1 inches), and .1" lower than the Gen-1 G35 Sport Coupes.

What about the engine? There has been a lot of speculation concerning the motor for the 2008 Coupe. While the 2007 Sedan received a tuned 3.5L VQ35HR powerplant, the 2008 Coupe will step it up a notch with a all-new VQ37VHR. While this may surprise some, the upgrade to a 3.7L motor had already been in the rumor mill for over a year. A difference between the VQ37VHR and the VQ35HR, besides .2L of displacement, is the addition of Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL), now has an 86-mm stroke (up from 81.4 mm) and a compression ratio of 11.0:1 which is four-tenths of a point higher. VVEL is utilized to control valve events and lifts in order to reduce intake and exhaust resistance that leads to energy loss within the engine. Instead of a conventional throttle body butterfly, engine output is controlled by seemlessly varying the valve lift and timing. VVEL will improve fuel efficiency, high torque and allow for cleaner emissions as the existing throttle-body butterflies will only be utilized from an emissions-control aspect. The VQ37VHR will have a 7500rpm redline, symmetrical dual exhaust system and isometric tubular steel exhaust manifolds. Finally, to mate up to the dual intakes on the front facia, the powerplant utilizes a dual throttle body intake system. Horsepower estimates are in the 330-340hp range with 270ft/lb torque. VVEL comes into play here as well. 270ft/lb is only +2 from the VQ35HR varient, yet there is an additional 6% of low-range torque and 4% high-range torque in comparison to the VQ35.

Transmission options will consist of a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-sp automatic offering steering-column mounted magnesium paddle shifters. Limited-Slip differentials are standard. It is unknown at this point if a non-sport automatic will be offered as it is in the base-level 2007 sedan.

The interior will receive fresh touches in comparison to the previous generation coupe. An automatic temperature control system will be used in conjunction with a microfiltration system. A new electroluminescent instrumentation cluster has replaced the previous-generations orange back-lit cluster gauges. The center-dash includes an Infiniti controller system (with 7" monitor) with optional touch-screen navigation that utilized a 9.3GB Music-box hard drive for music and Infiniti-updated navigation software (That's right, no navigation DVD's). The upgraded 11-speaker Bose "Studio on Wheels" system has 3-way door-mount speakers with 10" woofers, Center-channel and L-R dash-mounted speakers to increase stereo imaging within the vehicle.

The new 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe will be on display in April and will reach dealerships in August 2008. With this new iteration of the G-Coupe, Infiniti is assured to have a best in class sports luxury winner.


Author: Matthew Moody (audtatious)

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04-05-2007 02:44 AM

Shopping for a new car, whether it's a pre-owned vehicle or a "dealer fresh" new model, can be challenging on many levels. Not only do you have to wade through a large number of personal choices concerning vehicle make and model or color and options, you have to deal with the decision of which dealership to work with, finances, and even online sellers if that is your choice. To me it's like Vinny Barberino answering a question posed by Mr. Kotter: "What, When, Where?".

From a new purchase perspective, you never really know what type of experience you are going to have before, during, nor after the purchase. Once you step upon the playing field of the "new and shiny" beasts of desire, you run into the purveyor of vehicles, the Emperor of engines, the Maharajah of machinery and the often times dreaded: Car Salesman.

Now, from most people’s perspective, the terms “Snake Oil Salesman” and “Car Salesman” seem to go hand in hand. True or not, it’s hard to not want to wipe your hands on your pants after the first handshake. For you, this is the person who can make or break you in a deal. You’ve heard all the bad stories from family and friends and their bitterness has rubbed off on you. You have stepped onto their playing field with the thought in your mind that you have the upper hand and won’t allow THEM to talk you into a deal you don’t want or can’t afford. Well, there are two issues with that train of thought. First, any bad experiences your family and friends have had can be attributed to one person and one person alone: Themselves. You are the one who makes the final decision, signs the paperwork and agrees to the vehicle and terms of the contracts. Secondly, you are stepping onto their lot which means you are interested in one of their products. Thus, your interest does give them some leverage but it is overall not their fault someone agreed to a bad deal.

What is a bad deal? In the land where people overspend and believe in “credit, credit, credit”, it is up to you to determine beforehand how much you can afford with a car payment. From a Nissan/ Infiniti perspective, everyone wants that 350Z for the price of a Sentra or a M45 Sport for the price of a used G35. In reality, you can’t and should not try to squeeze the more expensive automobile into your budget. Can it be done? Maybe. Should it be done? Absolutely not. You are the one who controls the purse strings and have the power of making an appropriate decision for yourself. Neither a dealership nor salesman can force you to buy anything. Do they want you to purchase the absolute maximum car that their financiers will allow? Of course! They are in the business to make money. Is it their fault you decided to buy the upgraded vehicle because a finance company allowed you to? No. It’s your fault for making improper decisions. Regardless of what you think you deserve, if you can’t afford it you should not purchase it.

When entering the battlefield, be aware that financial trend is against you. People purchase vehicles they can’t really afford all the time. Dealerships know this and it’s not their fault. In fact, some play to that by offering incentives or extended sales contracts. Years ago, the standard car loan was 5 years or 60 months. Today, you can get loans for 7 years in order to allow consumers to purchase above their “means”. Why buy that reasonable car at $350 a month for a 60 month contract when you can upgrade to a higher class vehicle at $400 a month with _only_ an 84 month contract? Make sense? Not really. Think depreciation, replacement cost, taxes, maintenance and insurance. All are higher and something that is often not considered when sitting across from a Finance Manager. You are also locked into a 7-year deal where it will take at least 5 years for the cars resale value to hopefully equal your loan payoff amount. Want to “trade up” before the value is equal or higher than the loan payoff? Then be prepared to write a check or finance MORE money over the value of the next car you intend to purchase. It simply does not make financial sense. Realize that dealerships and car salesmen are not your friends. They are out to make a buck and that is to be expected. It’s a business. I’m not saying they are all “above board” either as there are some who will intentionally step on the customer to make their commissions or sales quotas. If any see the chance of selling a $40k car to someone on a $30k budget, they will do it in a heartbeat. BUT, they can’t make you do something you don’t want to do. The overall decision is yours and yours alone.

The list of things to do before going to a dealership can be lengthy. The worse thing you can do is have a knee-jerk car buying experience where you simply drive up to a lot to look at the latest model and drive off with a new vehicle. Do your due-diligence first:

Check online for any manufacturer’s incentives (rebates, low-APR) that are available without simply relying on the dealership to point them out.

Go to the manufacturer’s website and build your vehicle to see the list cost of the vehicle and options.

In a small market? Check prices in the nearest city to see if it would be worth the time and expense to purchase there instead.

Check places like Kelly BlueBook to help determine depreciation values

Query online forums and perform searches for any issues and recalls that the vehicle may have and chat with owners of the model to get their perspective.

Contact your insurance company to determine what insurance will run

Based on vehicle cost, determine your yearly taxes

Try to find out yearly maintenance estimates for the vehicle and the cost of owner-replaceable parts like tires

Pull a credit report to see where you stand

Most important, create a home budget to determine what you can afford

Dealerships and salesmen are never the same. There is only one common aspect and that is the purchaser. It is up to you to wade through the process and the end result, be it good or bad, is all on your shoulders. Choose wisely and be prepared to go home with the same auto you drove to the dealership in.


Article by: audtatious (NICOclub Administrator)

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01-09-2007 01:42 PM

The days of the Polaroid Instamatic are over. Today's savvy camera owner does not rely on rolls of film nor tons of photo binders sitting on the shelf. It's a Digital World!

They are everywhere, in every shape and size. From carry-on sized to key ring sized, digital cameras are the choice of today's photographer. If you are a professional photographer, understanding the utilization comes relatively easy as the limitations with film cameras are relatively the same with digital. Unfortunately for the masses, functional capabilities and utilization don't necessarily go hand in hand. For the most part, the average digital camera owner simply wants to point and shoot and shoot and shoot, hoping at least one of the pictures looks good enough to keep and possibly print.

Why is this so? Because those who write camera instructions always seem to target those with an understanding of cameras, light and utilization, thus resulting in information that is hard to understand and difficult to utilize. Nobody wants to have a family pose held for 30 minutes while adjustments are constantly being fiddled with or someone reads a manual to try and take that elusive perfect picture.

The next issue with "weekend" digital camera users is what to do with their pictures after they are done. It's easy to throw the card in at a Kodak Kiosk and have them all printed, but what about uploading images to a computer, throwing images on a web page, adjusting prints or home printing options? Seems there may be a lot the camera purchaser may not have thought about when they bought their new toy.

Now, things are not really that bad. We have this "World Wide Web" full of information to help the weekend warrior out. But, wait.... While most sites do have some entry-level tips, they all seem to be run by the same people who wrote the initial camera documentation. Everything is there, but it is not easily understood.

Is there hope? Absolutely. New sites are popping up all the time with helpful information that can be understood. The latest is www.HomePhotog.com . While in its infancy it seems, this site is dedicating itself to explaining how to really use all this "stuff". From aperture to ISO, from printing paper to ink, the information is being laid out from a tip and tutorial viewpoint to really try and assist those who do not understand the basics. What's really nice is they seem to be open to suggestions and direction by those who view the site and the layout of the site is easy to comprehend as well.

For those who are frustrated with their results or simply have questions, there seems to be some out there who may actually want to help others get the "Big Picture".

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11-23-2006 09:50 PM

NICOclub has recently added exclusive articles in support of our Nissan Versa foum members.

"Spotlight on Stillen"
- Article by NICOclubs Versa Forum Moderator

"Turn3 Versa at ButtonWillow raceway"
- Exclusive NICOclub/Nissanversa.org article

NICOclub is the largest Nissan/Infiniti forum on the 'net and NissanVersa.org is the largest Versa enthusiast site and forums on the 'net.

Please stop by and visit these two great sites:
- http://www.nicoclub.com
- http://www.nissanversa.org

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10-29-2006 06:12 PM

When the Nissan Tiida was rumored to be introduced to the US market as the Nissan Versa, NICOclub.com CEO (AZhitman), had the foresight to envision a Versa community for NICO. Hence, NissanVersa.org was born.

Since the product release, the NICOclub Versa forum has taken off the be the largest Nissan Versa Owners forum on the internet. With growth comes the need to change and NissanVersa.org has received a facelift.

Besides a change in the design of the site, additional content has been added. On top of the previous content offered:

- Product Overview
- At-a-Glance
- Specifications
- Downloads
- Online Forums

NissanVersa.org has now received new content:

- Owners manuals in the Downloads section
- Purchasing FAQ for those looking to purchase a Versa
- Owners FAQ to detail information that Versa owners may run into

More product updates will be forthcoming including a How-to section and performance-oriented modifications section.

The Versa has exploded onto the market and NICOclub is keeping its members, owners and potential owners abreast of developments.

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10-22-2006 06:35 AM

What do you do when 445 individually sorted Nissan and Infiniti commercials are not enough? Why, you add more!

NICOclub.com has updated the internets only Nissan product commercials archive by another 110 videos. That's right, 555 videos are available for download or viewing!

From a 1964 Prince Motor Company ad on the Gloria Super6 to the recent Shift_2.0 Maxima ad, www.NissanCommercials.com is loaded with informative and entertaining commercials for your favorite Nissan or Infiniti product.

Give it a visit and stop by www.NICOclub.com and say "hi".

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09-23-2006 01:06 PM

Sept 16-17th was the Nopi Nationals in Atlanta. This was my first NOPI event and NICO ruled the roost.

NICO has the following resources available to describe the event:

NICO Article on NOPI
http://www.nicoclub.com/nopi06-article.shtml

Picture Gallery
http://www.nicoclub.com/NOPI-06/nopi06-gallery1.shtml

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08-18-2006 01:16 PM

(Posted from "Internet Land")

1. The Northeastern Greenback Liberal – This pasty-skinned, wealthy breed of liberal can be found in the reclusive white enclaves of Massachusetts, New York, and other parts of the Northeastern United States. The Greenback is quick to espouse liberal views yet strangely unwilling to sacrifice or share his lavish lifestyle and wealth. He wouldn’t dare mingle with “oppressed minorities”, yet his liberal white guilt forces him to sympathize with their plight. (see John Kerry)

2. The Intellectual – This liberal possesses an elevated sense of importance and moral superiority. He prides himself on being a torch bearer of tolerance and open-mindedness yet is quick to lash out and belittle those who disagree with him. This supposed pacifist's tendencies are overshadowed by his often violent temper tantrums when confronted with an opposing viewpoint. The Intellectual is extremely bitter and resentful that society has not accepted his ideology, so he utilizes positions of influence as a soapbox for his agenda. Beware of the Intellectual, as his name-calling and ad hominem attacks are often scathing and ruthless.

3. The Hollywood Lib – This rare species has overpopulated the West Coast. Although small in numbers this strain is indeed the most belligerent and obnoxious of all the species of lib. Their sheer arrogance leads them to believe that the American public actually cares what their position on certain issues is.

4. The Welfare Lib – The Welfare Lib is unflinching in his support for the candidate who promises the most material wealth for the least amount of work. (e.g., Clinton). Envious of those who are more productive and successful than him, this lib feels entitled to other people’s wealth without any associated effort.

5. The Hippie Lib – More entertaining than anything, the Hippie Lib can be found roaming the streets outside of the RNC, chanting slogans in a drug induced haze. The Hippie Lib clings passionately onto the 60’s lifestyle of self-destruction and poor hygiene, so very few of us take this breed very seriously.

6. The America-Hater – This homegrown lib despises the country in which he was born, yet is unwilling to relocate to such socialist paradises as Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, China or France. The America Hater seems content with his niche here in racist, sexist, oppressive America.

7. The Gen X Lib – Forgive them for they know not what they say. These naïve young lib hatchlings are extremely impressionable, believing anything MTV tells them. Gen X Libs often hate their parents and the good life that they’ve sacrificed and slaved to provide for them.

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