# Spev V vs. Altima



## Guest (Apr 20, 2003)

I currently drive a 2002 Sentra GXE and for the last couple of months have been researching the 3.5 Altima and the Spec V since this summer I plan on buying one or the other. But now I have to make my decision a little quicker since the 04' Sentra in my opinion looks terrible. 

I am still new to modding cars and wanted to know which would be easier to mod the Spec V or the Altima. I know both will have a turbo out eventually. Another question is will a turbo work better on a 4 or 6 banger. And would it ever be possible to make a Spec V without NOS faster than a Stock Alty.

I have the following numbers from Motorweek

Stock Times for the Spec V:
0 - 60: 7.1 Secs
1/4: 15.5 @ 90

Stock Alty 3.5 SE:
0 - 60: 6.28
1/4: 14.4 @ 100


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## rbloedow (Nov 2, 2002)

I don't understand why you want to rag out a car that you're gonna spend that much money on  

Anyway, get the altima, it's a much classier vehicle.


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

The altima has a stronger, more powerful engine that has been proven to mod well. The spec-v, while being a nice car, has it's downfalls, and one of them is the strength of the motor. Yes you can make a spec-v faster than a stock altima without going to FI or n2o, but it will cost quite a bit of $$$ and wouldn't be worth it IMO. If you can afford the Altima then get it.


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2003)

Yea, right now I only have about 5,000 saved up and from my current car I can probably get somewhere around 10gs. This will make me fall short and by the time ill have enough the good looking specs won't be around.  
Personally I think the 03' Spec V looks nicer than the Alty, but I think an Alty will be nice to have with its spacious interior itll probably be more comfortable. All i have left is to test drive one, its hard to find stick 3.5 altys at the dealer.

One question for Sr20demon, you said it would take a lot of $$$ to make it faster than an Alty will this amount exceed what i would pay for an altyy?


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

Take the 6 to 8 grand you'll save and get the Spec V. Much more fun car to drive. I traded my 02 Altima SE (with mods, see link below) in on my Spec V to save some $$$, and I'm happy with the trade.

They both have 4 doors, fast enough to get you in trouble, reliable, and good on gas mileage.


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

well, to make a spec run low-mid 14's on normal tires it would take:
intake - 200
header - 400
exhaust - 500
pulley - 200
better tires - 500
bs removal - free
knock sensor - free
motor mounts or springs - 150

total - 1950

most of these prices are just estimations, and the cost of the spec-v plus these things is still far less than the cost of a 3.5 alti, but then again you're comparing a stock alti to a modded spec. I mean hell, you could get a used 01 SE and turbo it. You would have a 2 year old car with less than 20k miles for about $18k that runs 11's.


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## 98sr20ve (Oct 6, 2002)

sr20dem0n said:


> *well, to make a spec run low-mid 14's on normal tires it would take:
> intake - 200
> header - 400
> exhaust - 500
> ...


Is that really going to net you Low 14's on street tires. Seems unlikely. It seems mid/high 14's is the norm for those mods on street tires. Now if you have slicks then that is different. I think a good driver in a stock 3.5 SE could get very low 14s with slicks. Possible 13's. On street tires it is already a mid 14 second car.
http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51825&perpage=15&pagenumber=2


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

there are several people who have got 14.7 or so with just i/h/e and motor mounts or springs. Just go to the 1/4 mile list on b15sentra. So yes I think that with a good driver, good conditions, those mods plus pulley, bs removal and ks mod you could pull mid-low 14's. So far no one with all those mods has run at the track, so I'm not positive, but 90% sure. Here is the 1/4 mile list

http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49940&perpage=&pagenumber=1

I'm mainly talking about these ones just for reference.
BlackSE-RSpecV - 2.203 60', [email protected] ('02 Spec-V, Black) AEHS
DrMoussaka - 2.04 60', [email protected] ('02 Spec-V, Red) AHE
z24andgt - 2.159 60' [email protected]('02 spec-v black) A&


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## 7SPEED (Mar 24, 2003)

Get the Altima much more power


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## BlackoutSpecV (May 8, 2002)

if you want to got fast in a strait line, you can buy my 11 sec mustang.

Buy a car for the real uses, fun and sporty-ness. If you want to zip around corners, and possible hit up an autocross there is NO comparison between the two, buy the spec. 

p.s. my integra runs a 14.8 if you want it ($3k) with work it will go back into the low 14's high 13's


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## SpecVspeeD (Mar 29, 2003)

I say go with the spec just for the fun factor, If you have a family go for the alty. The spec is great to drive, I got spanked running light to light with a 3.5, but I still don't see that many spec's running around Houston. So far I've seen 6 total.


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

Forget both of them and get the 6 speed 2003 maxima SE. You already have HID lights, you still have 6 gears (manual in a v6 max. kicks ass, I've driven them). and it is one SMOOTH ASS ride. 
I think you'd like it better and you can still find them new, but you better hurry. the NEW maxima has arrived and it is UGLY, so act fast.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2003)

Yea a 6 speed max would be nice and I really like how the 03' and 99' models look, the 04 is also pretty small. Plus right now I'm not really thinking of starting a familiy since im 17 right now. But i'm still considering the Alty it should be a nice ride to fit all my freinds in and hopefully i can get some more money this summer. maybe by next yr my tastes will change and i might get the new WRX.


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## 7SPEED (Mar 24, 2003)

17...well then go w/ the Spec, u will luv it. It is much less expensive then the Alt and u will beat most of your friends.


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## mpcc82 (Mar 12, 2003)

yeh, if ur 17, the spec, would be much more realistic for u, the alty is a great vehicle but at 17, the spec will give u look and performance u want.


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## FletchSpecV (Nov 26, 2002)

I actually had this same dilemma when I bought my new car. I thought about the 3.5 SE Altima and then I drove the Spec. The spec feels much sportier and for the 7 or 8 grand that you save, I think it's a better car. If you were gonna spend around 25 or 26 K I'd buy a WRX Impreza,  . That's if you want sport though. I personally love my Spec.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2003)

Yea!! the WRX is definatly a consideration, but there are two things I don't like about it, the way the exterior looks and the interior room. After driving my Sentra I realized that on long drives the seats get really uncomfortable. That's sort of why I want a bigger car such as an Altima. 

And anyway the Spec V is also out of consideration since I won't be able to make 12Gs in a couple months. I'v also decided on just keeping my Sentra when I buy an Alty so I can have a econobox handy bringing the money needed to 20Gs. Hopefully I can make the 25 grand I need, this summer. 

FYI: Did you know the Altima has a smaller turning radius than the Sentra. - Just some info I found while researching both cars, thought it was intresting.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2003)

i drove both wheni was lookin, and i chose the spec v for a few reasons, first, the spec's run 0-60 a lot faster that 7.1, they downplayed it for insurance reasons, (from what i have herd, im still optamistic on putting my car through a few 0-60s since it has all of 1500 miles on it, second, no one has a spec, they are pretty rare as far as nissans go, and third, i liked the feal of them better, it all really depends on your taste. and 7speed, i dunno if u have an answer to why you run 15.2'[email protected] and 15.3'[email protected], but its all in your rection time, how much wheel spin you have off the line and all that jazz. hope that helped some


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## jmbernard73 (Apr 27, 2003)

i went from the altima to a spec and i haven't looked back. but my better half liked the altima for the fact that she thought it looked better. she thought it was a way sexy car (silver with silver tint all the way around konig tantrums with 35s and cai,exaust ect.


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## mycarisaser (May 17, 2003)

what ever you pick dont get the 4 banger alt. the ride sucks handleing sucks and its slow


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## Lurker Above (Apr 21, 2003)

i considered the alty 3.5 as well, but the deciding factors were: had to be manual tranny (5 or 6 didn't matter), and abs was a must. on the nissan website, i tried putting together an alty 3.5 with abs, and it defaults me to leather interior and jacks the price up by three grand. selecting the abs with traction control of course defaults you to an auto tranny. i didn't feel like laying out $27k just to keep a five speed stick, so the spec v with its manual plus abs (and siamesed sunroof and audio package) won out. incidentally, selecting the se-r with abs also defaults you to an auto

Lurker Above


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## buttons (May 24, 2003)

I vote for the altima 3.5 with a 5 speed. none of that sissy automatic crap. The spec v is very sporty, but if you invest all that money to make ALMOST as fast as a stock 3.5 altima, it will be loud and obnixious. Probably buzzy, lots of vibrations. The v-6 in the altima should be silky smooth ,and with an intake it will probably roar like the Z. 

Now im not saying that loud and obnixious is bad.. its eye of the beholder. My parents would want a smooth quiet maxima, while i want a light, loud, and fast V spec.

I just totally dig what stillen did with that altima. you should look it up.


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## ny-capo (May 16, 2003)

Depends on if you want a powerful luxury family sedan, or a sports car.


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## Silvspec86 (Apr 4, 2003)

yeah, i agree with ny-capo, you really can't compare the two cars, and one would be getting one or the other for totally different reasons. the Spec-V is a compact sports car, while the Altima 3.5 is a luxury sedan. so, its al based on taste and purpose, you people know better to just compare numbers when it comes to buying a car, it just dosnt work.


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