Agreed. My point was not to say that the Altima 3.5 5MT is quicker than the G35 5AT or 6MT (or vice versa), but to clarify that their zero-to-60 and quarter-mile times (and trap speeds) are so close as to be interchangeable. That is, the best driver will take the cake in a stoplight derby.

And as far as weight goes, I mis(spoke? typed?), but not to the degree that a few of you are attempting to point out. My '02 Altima 3.5 5MT weighed somewhere between 3200 and 3250 pounds according to several sources, not the least of which is the Nissan ESM. The '05 G35 adds another 250 to 350 pounds, weighing between 3475 pounds (5AT) to 3550 (6MT). There's definitely a lot more than 133 pounds separating these cars.

Regardless, carry on. Other than the engines and straightline acceleration times, the cars really aren't at all comparable. The G35 is that much better. (I can't speak for the SE-R, though. Might be fantastic. I wouldn't think anyone a doofus for buying one instead of a G. For one, the back seat feels acres larger in an Altima.)

 

Not much of an issue for me… I always sit in the driver seat... passengers are lucky they aren't in the trunk! (j/k)

 

I definitely see your point as well

 

Yeah! Hear is a thought, no where in my post did I say that I raced a 3.5 altima auto. It was stick the whole way. I still beat it and the last time I checked they also run low 14's. So what am I trying to say is 3.5 altima 5 speed or 3.5 altima ser 6speed will give the auto g35 sedan a run.

 

My G auto runs 14.4-14.5 at almost 98mph and I can tell you that if I came up against a 5MT/6MT Altima, I would be ready to accept the loss. Last year I personally watched a bonestock 02 Altima 5MT click off 14.2-14.3@98mph at my track. That's right in line with what a majority of stock and lightly modded 350Zs (14.1-14.4) are pulling at my track. Yeah call me the enemy, I gave the guy tips on how to get his launch into the higher 2.1s, line up in "the groove", stay out of the water, slip the clutch and give it more gas, etc., but the reality was I was very impressed. My 96 Maxima took about $1500 in NA mods to achieve the same feat.

I've rented 05 Altima S' for work and honestly, I can't find much fault in the interior other than some cheap plastics here and there. Overall, the Altimas I rent seem to be put together better than my G. They don't handle great and the interior is a little loud, but they aren't junk.

I know all to well that an Altima 5MT/6MT with Hotshot headers (20whp) will easily run 13.7s@102mph+ on DRs and there are bonestock Altimas that have graced high 13s. That's the hard truth you guys have to live with.

I could have bought a 5MT or 6MT SE-R Altima and gotten the marginally quicker car, but I would have given up the handling, braking, and overall superior dynamics of the FM chassis. I was also sick of driving a higher powered FWD car. It gets old not being able to go WOT through tight turns and from a stop.

 

You go WOT through turns with those turanza's? Is that with or w/o VDC? Just curious, because even with the stocker goodyear nct5's on my car, which are in another league than the EL42's(we know; they were on the wife's car), there's no way I could go WOT through turns, unless it was a really loooooong turn of course

 

Raced An Se-r In A Friends 5at Sedan On The Ny-thruway. Beat It Over And Over. Each Time We Were Side-by-side Goin About 70. Even With The Se-r Having A Head Start On The Downshift Once I Dropped It Into 3rd With The Manumatic I Passed Right By Him Pretty Quickly

 

How much of a factor do you think tires are? Consider (as the thread started) a stock Auto G35 (assume Turanzas) and what ever the standard rubber is on a Altima SE-R (assume high performance all seasons). Could be significant....

I had a ‘03 Altima V-6 5 Sp before the G, and I agree with JKWright, straight line, they are, on any given day, just as fast as the G. Hell, I even was even satisfied with the steady-state cornering of the Altima. Now breaking and transient handling, well, there’s no contest.

 

Point well taken. Here's the bottom line: at the end of the day, win or lose, your still driving a G and he's driving an Altima. Be happy you have your G.

 

Good thread. The Altimas are strong runners and flipping fast in a straight line, no question about it. I'll happily tie an Altima 0-60, or even lose to an STI or Evo because the G35 is simply sooo much more than a drag racer

 

Yep, I have the EL42s (I can't kill them quick enough) and I do throw the car through the turns without the VDC on. The tail end can and does usually drift outwards, but this car is terribly easy to control during oversteer and power oversteer. It reminds me much like my old 94 Z28 in the way it behaves.

I just love leaving it in 2nd on some nice sweepers (not 90 turns) and laying into the gas. The car hunches down and does pretty much what you ask it. Sure, the tires may spin and the butt may step out a little, but it's easily contollable and hella fun My Maxima had H&R springs, Koni Yellow adjustable struts, subframe connectors, and 17s with W-rated rubber. The Maxima probably had a little more lateral grip because of the better tires, but it still understeered quick a bit and torque steer was always a battle in 1st and 2nd. It had completely different handling dynamics. The G feels heavy and planted. The Max felt twitchy and light.

I'm transferring to Atlanta in a couple months and I'm so happy I'll be able to run summer-rated tires all year round!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, the G does feel quite heavy. However, coming from my Avalanche, it drives like a friggin lotus.

Transferring to Atlanta? Permanently? We'll have to hookup and go racing sometime... Atlanta's roughly 3 hours from my home.

 

I actually kindda raced one two weeks ago. Going over Whitestone BRidge he actually waited at the easy pass and we took off(rolling stop) I kept him by about 2 car lenghts until I exited off 1/4 mile down the Hutch. His car looked stock no rims, factory exhaust. I know my car is heavery because of my rims and stero.

 

I meant heavy in a good way. Not heavy like driving a truck or Grandpa's Buick. I guess I'm trying to say that it doesn't get all out of wack. My Maxima was about 350lbs lighter, which is good, but it never felt totally planted.

Yep, I'll be in Atlanta permantently. We need to go and race at Steele Dragway.

 

heres the C&D write-up http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=9836