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Show large real-world differences in size, luxury level, front vs. rear drive, philosophy, price, etc. Both compete somewhat' .... but aren't the deadly enemies they once were. Be aware of this when you comparison shop! Overall, the Maxima is a truly fine automobile. Though not cheap, it's " worth the :' money." Purchasing ; a Maxima would be an excellent move. "tV---'". PRICE: About $19,200 base with destination charge (plus tax). Dis- ' counts are available! . ' - 1989 by King Feature Syn. THE NISSAN MAXIMA Though most people daydream about hot sports cars, what's parked In the driveway usually reflects reality. This week's test car, the new for 89 Nissan Maxima, shows reality can be fun too. It epitomizes the old marketing standard that a family sedan doesn't need to be boring. The ' Maxima's reasonably quick, handles . well, and even provides decent ride. Its forte is sophistication, a quality that separates one-dimensional cars from the truly excellent . Inside, the Maxima is stylish and comfortable, with a vaguely European Euro-pean flair. Its cloth-covered seats are firm and supportive ... not sports-car firm, and not pillow-soft in the Chrsyler New Yorker tradition. tradi-tion. There's more than enough room up front for even the largest driver, in the rear, there's real room for two adults (three if they're friendly). The trunk is voluminous; youll never need a roof rack. n Q. I want to try something creative in my' Infant's room and decided on a cloud celling. What method do yon recommend? C J). Brookville, N.Y. A. Subtale is the hallmark of a i cloud ceiling. Anything overwhelm- ... ing will spoil the efTect First, make sure that the celling is prepared well, and is clear of any cracks and other imperfections. Base coat the ceiling using any tone of blue or other sky-like shade you wish. When ' painting a ceiling, roll the first coat lengthwise, and the ' second coat . widthwise. This will insure opacity. Natural sponges make great clouds. Use just the outermost tips to apply the shade of paint you choose for the clouds. If you use latex paint, add a little flotral to the paint to give you more working time , as latex dries pretty fast - Start your cloud in an innocuous ' , place ..and remember to keep, it - ' simple.,. As you ' go along, youll Improve, and you want to have your . best clouds in a more conspicuous part of the celling. You can then overglaze the clouds with a shade . slightly darker to give It a more realisic look, using the same sponging spong-ing approach. Step back and admire - your work . often. Notice I said admire, not examine. If the clouds . appear too muddy, sponge some of -the base coat back into the clouds, to give it an all-over natural look. Have fun -. and If you really feel " artistic, you might want to paint a little bird in. sports car. It's a modern single overhead cam, fuel-injected pow-erplant pow-erplant that delivers a smooth, silent 160 HP. It yields 9.8 second 0-60 times yet returns an observed 26 highway miles per gallon. City driving is relatively economical too: 19 is easily obtainable. These real-world real-world figures are excellent especially espe-cially in light of the vehicle's accelerative ability. A word here about more subjective factors. Everything, and I mean everything, in this vehicle works well. Its sophistication and poise are the hallmarks of tremendous effort From the standard power steering to the cruise control, four-wheel power disc brakes that work so superbly to bring you to a short, controlled stop, and everything else, this car just plain works. It's a pleasure to drive but now back to straight fact, not opinion. . The Maxima SE tested was . - equipped with Nissan's standard sport suspension. The ride was very firm but never harsh, though on ' , rough roads stiffness was definitely apparent The Maxima is also available avail-able in the GXE model; It features a softer ride with a modicum of built-in adjustability. Both work well! . Handling, the other side of the coin, was excellent on the SE with ust one criticism: the tires. They're good quality all-season radials but definitely not good enough for a car with this much potential Making them lose their grip was easy, they gave up long before the suspension. A decent set of performance rubber , would almost work a miracle! Another handling point, the turning circle seemed much larger than the advertised 36.7 feet That's a decent figure, but I can't say subjectively (I didn't measure it) it felt that tight ; Maybe I'm just picky! V,E i? . The test Maxima was equipped with a Bose AM-FM stereo tape player. It was truly a , fantastic system; you can't do better from the aftermarket supplier. It had excellent excel-lent sound and sensitivity ... and In the SE doesn't cost a penny extra! Thank you, Nissan! ; ' - The car's air conditioning and heater worked welLtoo, important as imports are often criticized in this area ' ' , ' ' ' Quality control throughout the car was flawless. It was in the Mercedes class and so far above the American' competition it's a shame. Detroit, wake up! Where could the car be improved? Being a hot-rodder, Td like more horsepower. Not that -you're ever lacking "oomph? It's there from off-idle to 100 mph. It's just that by today's standards the Nissan's merely at the low end of the accelerative competitiveness rather than exciting ... and with its obvioua built-in potential could one day challenge BMW. An aside here: the Maxima tent a direct competitor"!" "the Toyola Cressida anymore. Though both cars are positioned similarly, there are The dash is well designed with lots of novel white-on-black instruments. instru-ments. They have hand-and-dial faces with illuminated pointers a nice touch. All controls are within easy reach, including the lever for the 4-speed r automatic overdrive transmission. It's a smooth unit, and features today's seemingly de rigeur "Comfort" or "Power" settings. In "Power" it holds the transmission in gear longer and allows slightly more positive shifts. I find it a frill with little practical use that just adds complication. The Maxima uses the engine from the previous generation 300ZX Q. My house la just two years - old and I have noticed nail heads popping through the sheetrock. - What causes this, and how do I fix It? M.O. Dix Hills, N.Y. - - A. There are two reasons that nails pop through the sheetrock. One . is that the house is probably still settling, and the other is that often the wood used in framing is wet with sap, and as it dries out it actually squeezes the nails out : Nevertheless, it's not so serious a problem. Hammer the nails, back into the wall, and as you do, dimple the area around it with the hammer. . A deft hand is necessary here as you want to create a well without breaking the sheetrock. The well, or dimple, will then be filled with compound. One quick and simple application is all you'll need. When the compound has dried, sand lightly with fine sandpaper, spot prime, and paint Event If the compound appears smooth, you still need top sand as the texture of unsanded ; compound shows through. . j v |