oh also another thing. if you find a gsr for that price.. make sure you carfax it

 

You probably wont find a GSR for 5k unless its an insurance write off or something. They just arn't that cheap yet.

Otherwise, the only time I dont like the GSR is when I have a girl in the car. Its kinda noisy when I'm driving with her, and the AC is broken too so teh girls really dont like it. I get all sweaty...blah thats about it.

The maxima would be a better car if your concerned about road noise and comfort (for 4 people). Since I don't care that much about those things, I got a GSR.

 

From what I've read here the past year, I am the only one who regrets getting a GSR. That being said, before I got it, my criteria was pretty much same as yours. I wanted a small sporty car for a young person that is reliable and fun to drive. I got that and more on the GSR. It's just the noise from the engine and wind when going fast and the bumpy ride I didn't expect. Integras are incredibly loud, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It just depends on your tolerance and I've found that I want maximum comfort over sportiness.

Anyway, considering this I'd still go with the Integra over a Maxima anyday. It's quite simple. A 4 cyl car is less expensive to maintain and fix, and gets better mileage. Stick with a 94+ Integra though, small as the cup holder is, it's still better than none in older Integras. Depending on where you live 5g's is gonna be a hard finding a good 94+ Integra but it will be well worth it. Forget about getting a GSR, even if you could find a good one at that price, you'll be killed on the insurance.

Oh, I'd probably get a Civic EX if I had a chance to do it over again. Although slower, it's gets better mileage and the engine is way quieter.

 

I own a 92 maxima and a 94 gsr at the moment (the gsr will be replacing the max). I just got the gsr a couple weeks ago, but Ive had the max for some time now, so i will splurge about it.

maxima:

90-91 se (and 92-94 gxe) has the vg engine... it is 160hp iron block. very reliable engine but a tad slow (ive got 163k+ on mine and there's a guy on maxima.org with over 400k miles on the original engine)
92-94 se comes with 190 hp aluminum block, its got umpf but the VTCs (kinda like vtec) tend to fail... so make sure it doesnt make a ticking sound on a cold start. It's a good indication they are going to eventually fail. You can either disable the vtcs by grounding them (free fix) or have them replaced, $1000+

Other common failures to look out for both engines are:
exhaust studs breaking - can be costly to fix (labor)
window regulators
antenna mast

If you are going to get a maxima, be sure to get a manual (and they are hard to come by so keep looking). Their automatics are not the greatest transmissions.

There are no "bolt-on" turbos or superchargers for the 3rd gen maxima.

that said, they do respond to mods quite well. An intake and exhaust (y-pipe) and people have dynoed 15-20hp increase... mainly because the y-pipe is poorly designed. It's not unheard of to get a 3rd gen max (ve) in the mid 14s quater mile w/o any forced induction. They are sleeper sedans, esp the 4th gen max =)

3rd gen maximas have rear independent suspension. 4th gen and up don't. So if you slap on some aftermarket shocks/springs and front and rear strut bars, it can be a decent handler, mind you it is a 3100+ lbs sedan. Like all fwd's it tends to understeer.

In comparison I like both cars but they both have their tradeoffs. I like the Maxima for the comfort, roominess, plenty of torque. Integra just looks cooler (I've gotten compliments already), huge aftermarket, good handling, good turn radius.

 

Good point about the insurance on the GSR...if your scraping together just enough money to buy a 5k car you might have trouble with GSR insurance.

 

Do you prefer sporty or luxury? Fast or spacious? Personally, I'm all about the speed. Plus, Acuras will last forever. Nissans are great too, don't get me wrong. I see why you're torn, but Honda's the best car they make. Pure and simple.