I recently purchased a 1994 Nissan Maxima GXE auto and I have been researching possible handling upgrades. I want to improve the handling of the car but I am on a budget. I know the front strut brace is a must and my struts need to be replaced. I'm not sure if I want performance struts or stock struts. I am also not sure if I want the Eibach Pro Kit. I don't want to sacrifice too much comfort. Could someone please compare the handling of a Maxima with:
1. Stock struts, stock springs
2. Performance struts, stock springs
3. Performance struts, Eibach springs
Please make any recommendations about brands. Thanks a lot.

 

I simply did a 1" drop on Eibock springs with stock struts. But, I was told at the time that the Performance Tech (if I recall) had a 1.75" drop for the same price, but my cousin said they ride really rough. So, I did the 1" and bought new struts from A-Zone, I didn't think I needed to spend a lot of money on struts and performance struts would just make the ride tougher. Someone said (I don't know if it's true) that the main difference in performance struts are that they are a little shorter to compensate for the decrease in suspension travel of bumps. It still rides really smooth, especially with 17" wheels. To compensate though for a smooth ride, I did the front strut bar (Stillen) and rear sway bar (Suspension Techniques) and will probably do a front sway bar. The way I see it, you don't need a stiff, uncomfortable suspension on the highway, just in cornering.

 

how many different sets does eibach offer? ive heard 1" , 1.5', 1.75", and 1.5" in front and 1.75" in rear. just curious

 

The problem with this question, is I don't know where you're starting from. With my 90 GXE The front end was very floaty on any kind of highway dips, and didn't feel safe above 75 MPH. I put in a FTSB and it made the steering more precise, but it still floated. I then replaced the front sturts with the KYB GR-2's. This fixed the float. The car feels solid at speeds well past 90. Although they aren't "performance" struts, they dampen better than the original ones did when new. (I think they are designed as a good direct replacement for the SE's, which have stiffer dampening than the GXE's.) I didn't change the rear struts, because they are still OK and the front and back seem well matched. I didn't own my car when it was new, but drove it many times, and it handles better now than it did 10 years ago.
If all your trying to do is fix crummy handling, as opposed to making a killer backroad car, just change the struts. The FTSB will add some crispness to the steering. Best of all you'll keep a good ride that goes "thump" instead of "boing".

 

He's right, this is a tricky question. Even with all I've done to the suspesion, the one best mod. was 17" Konig Impacts. I sold them and put oem back on, the car felt like I was driving a boat! The suspension seemed tighter with the Konigs and definately handled better! If the struts are several years old, I would seriously think about going ahead and replacing them with new, I used Auto Zone and they are fine, you don't need performance struts (opinion). Just do the springs (re: a radicle drop will result in uncomfortable, stiff ride), front strut bar, struts, and go from there. My front end does move more than the rear, even with the rear sway bar, but it's not bad and will later go with a front sway bar. The one thing I do wish I had done was went with a lower spring in the front for weight. It would really help racing and look nice I think! The way Max's wheel wells are set up, the front are higher than the rear so even a level drop looks lower in the rear. I my go another .75 on the front later.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. To clarify what I want out of my maxima, I would say that I want tighter steering, achieved by the front strut bar, and I don't want my max to lean so much when taking corners at high speeds. What would be the best setup if I keep my stock rims to achieve this goal?

 

a good set up would be sway bars, springs, shocks
better tires.