ES = (Don't Know)
SE = Sport Edition
GLE = Grand Luxury Edition (This is a guess)
GXE = ?? Edition (Don't know)

What I do know is that;

The GXE is the low end machine.
The SE offers Sport related stuff, like performance tires, manual
transmission, highend stereo, and stiff suspension as well as other things.
The GLE is high end model with leather, soft suspension (this is relative
somehwhat, as even the GXE has what some call a harsh ride), high end
stereo, moonroof and other stuff thta could be considered luxury standard.
The ES, I see them around once in a while, and just figured that the guy
applying the badges got the SE backwards. I truly don't know what
distinguishes it from everything else.

I own a 95, bought used in 98. I have had some expensive maintenance bills,
in comparison to the 92 Plymouth Voyageur that I also own, bought used also
in 99. My van has a ride that is just so smooth on long trips, it's hard to
believe that it's a van. As a used vehicle it's condition was the pits. The
Maxima really shone when first purchased and when I get the rust on one door
fixed, it will again look brand new. I have had the car up to 200 Km/hour,
the cruise ocntrol only works to 160. I would not driver the van that fast,
but at 140 it sure is a nice ride. The car when running at 140 and then
floored still shifts down and takes off, accelerating real good.

I like the car and usually get it detailed every two years and pay the kids
to clean it every other year. Most passengers after riding in it, front or
back (back seat for adults is great for room) remark that it is such a nice
car and are quite amazed to find out that it is a 95. My 88 Ford Tempo at
this milage and lifespan was showing it's age and seemed quite tired when
driven.

I just had an invitation from Chrysler to attend the Cross Canada Tour. It
was alot of fun. I dorve the various models of the PT cruiser around a test
track, their vans and of course the new one, the CrossFire. After that I had
a spin in a VIPER and an SRT-2 and an SRT-10. The 2 is a Neon with a 243 HP
engine and a real performance package. The SRT-10 is a hlaf ton with a
500CubicInch, 500Ft/Lbs, 500HP engine. It is modeled on the VIPER platform.
All these cars were driven by factory race drivers. It was fun drifting
around corners. I then drove a 300 and a MAGNUM. Both of these cars are
available with Hemi's and they are a testament to high end technology. They
have YAw sensing interconnected wiht the traction control, they call it ESP
and it is an amazing technology. Accelerating off a skid pad was done by
flooring the car and it rev limited the engine to coast the car off the
start at less than a 1KM/hour. Once on dry pavement, the acceleration was
great and then into a steering lockup corner that would have sent my Maxima
into the wall and my van into a rollover. Hitting this ocrner at around
60KM/hour and then tunring the whele al the way to lock, the car braked
slowed right down and safely drifted around the corner and then accelerated
out into a shikane. WOW technology here folks.

I fell in love with the Magnum. Large leather luxurious interior, great
stereo and handling. Thye come out in June and if I get the rust fixed on my
Maxima, well, I can dream can't I.

Honestly, I use the van as a functional family transport. The maxima is my
daily commute and long distance driving fun car, wehn the kids odn't have to
travel. Until the Magnum, I had not looked at anything else except with a
passing glance.

The shuttle is based on older technology, but it's reliability issues are
not caused by this, thye are caused by the fact that there is just too much
of too many things to go wrong. BMW's are also full of technology and even
though I love them and their ride and handling, they suck for things going
wrong or needing a high degree of maintenance to keep right.

The Maxima that I have has been expensive to maintain, that is the cost of
the parts and the labour. The things that have actually failed and gone
wrong is quite small. The van is chaeper to maintina, the cost of parts, and
it has less technology to go wrong as well.

Hope this helps you.

Dunno if you're in the US or not...

...In the US we have three trim levels for that age range. (It does change
for the 2000 and newer cars.)

GXE = Base Model. I have a '98 model.
SE = GXE + bigger tires, sport suspension, Sunroof (sometimes), white
guages, stickshift, and a few other sporty things.
GLE = GXE + leather, moonroof, climate control (whatever that is), sunroof,
nicer stereo.

They all have a great engine and should last well over 300,000 miles.  They
are also all a high-end sports car. The base model comes with air, CD,
cruse, power everything, four-speed auto, decent tires, nice rims, and can
go fast (for a FWD car).

They are all a little small, and I have to put the seat all the way back to
fit, but they are fun to drive.  They are a compact car, though, not a
midsize like your LeSabre.

Maintenance wise, they are pretty much like any other non-GM or non-Ford
car - they cost only what it takes to replace maintenace items. Most things
don't break on a Maxima. I have 65,000 miles on mine and you can  read my
posts here about maintenance. I expect to have it for several hundred
thousand miles more - unless I find something worth spending $30K+ on.

HTH.