Is it just me or does the turning radius suck? I have to swing wide and cut the wheel all the way to maneuver into a spot. I had to go up a row the wrong way one day and it took 3 corrections to get it in.

 

It's horrible. My 5th gen is just as bad if not worse

 

Mine is pretty bad.

 

it's a nissan thing. my 240 is the same way.
if you want better turning radius, buy a honda.

 

Nah, its fine. I never have problems maneuvering in tight areas. Just get to know your car better so you know where it starts and ends, then park and drive with tighter margins.

My passengers are always nervous like I'm about to hit something but they just dont have a feel for the precise size of the car, and then marvel at the parallel spots I can fit into with no effort.

 

I agree, I've never had a problem with this car. My sister always complained that the "nose was too long" on 3rd gens and she had to make really wide turns into parking spots. But I've always thought of it as a relatively small car.

 

3'rd gens' front overhang is decent for a FWD mid-size sedan. BMWs generally have a very short front overhang compared to other manufacturers, but that still doesnt stop their owners from bumping and scratching because it always comes down to awareness.

 

Yes, I remember when I bought this car that the reviews mentioned a large turning radius. Now that I've got a 2005 SE, the turning radius on the '92 seems nice and tight. The 2005's got the turning radius of the Graf Spee.

 

If someone has trouble putting a 3rd gen into a parking spot,they need to stop driving...

 

i agree the 3rd gens have a good turn radius you juz need to know your car and how much space there is an how to turn.

 

I get by, though i'd like to have a slightly tighter turn radius. I have to do alot more 3point turns than I did on my mom's car when i was driving it.

 

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well it's not entirely illegitimate or untrue. My brother noticed the wider turning circle the first time he drove my car. It's just because our fatter V6 engine sits wide in the bay and takes up turning room, isn't it? Such that a 4cyl of the same size would be able to have a more compact drivetrain thus allowing for more angulation of the wheels? Likewise, a FR layout should have a similar advantage, especially on an inline engine.

 

not really the major issue, but it might play a factor.
honda accord 4 cyl and V6 are both the same radius and frame, but they are both better than the Maxima.

a lot of it simply has to do with suspension geometry and tire size.
If you go to a narrower tire or a smaller overall diameter, you can get more steering angle out of it.

Just be glad you're not running tires as wide as I am. (255/45/17)
my front tires rub the frame rails at 1/2 turn before the wheel hits the stops!

 

Maxima turning circle is pretty large. I never noticed it until I bought a Trailblazer. I can easily park in spaces with just one turn that would require cutting out and backing up once in the Maxima.

 

The TR plain sucks. Parking lot crap I can deal with. Having to 3 point a U-turn is fubar!

 

I read that a Lincoln Town Car has a turning radius of 21 ft and the Maxima sits close to 40. Normal parking is ok. Like an earlier post said if you have to make a U-turn it's going to be a 3-pointer. When other people drive it they notice the wide turing radius also.

 

Then don't read it.

 

an inline 4 is wider (driver to passenger side) than a V-6 is.

 

oops

 

My 3rd gen is much worse than my S14. But yeah, the 5th gen is worse.

 

Compared to my bro's '06 camry, my '94 maxima turns like a truck.

 

When I first got my max I was like holy SHHHHHHHHHHHHh the turning radius suck A$$ compared to my old 88/89 honda accord. but I got used to it and can manage to park in most spots that are lightly longer than the car itself so I'm not complaning.

Now on the g.fs max *89 SE* her radius isnt only crappier but stiffer steering. Is this normal for the 89-91 SEs VS the 92+ GXEs such as mine?

 

just pretend that u are pulling a trailer and swing it wide lol

 

i honestly think that a 3rd gen's radius is nothing to complain about...go drive a 5th gen...and youll stay quiet.

i allways swing it wide...!!

 

I have been hearing that the 5th gens are horrible.

 

Pfff I guess thats why they came equipped with a hand-brake