I bought my Max used about 2 weeks ago and one of the first things I said when I was test driving it was "well I'm going to have to buy new shocks" as the ride was quite a bit stiffer than I was used to in my Honda Accord. Then I learned that Max suspensions are stiff by nature and I thought that I would just get used to it.

But I am once again wondering if maybe my shocks need replacement. In general the ride is fine and it corners great, but when I hit a moderate sized bump in the road at slow speeds I really feel it in my butt. Most of this seems to come from the rear suspension.

Are there any sure signs of worn shocks/struts I can check for to be sure? I don't want to spend money on new shocks only to realize it's just the way these cars ride.

 

 

Try bouncing the rear end of the car up and down with your hands on the trunk. As soon as you stop, the car should return to its original position rather quickly. A car with blown rear shocks will continue to bounce a few, or more, times. A firm ride, like you're speaking of, is usally caused by high spring rate springs (like the SE or aftermarket springs) or aftermarket/performance shocks/struts.

 

It's a GLE and it's all original factory equipped- no visible mods whatsoever. I suppose I need to visually check the struts to see if they are Nissan OEM. The car has 73000 miles so they could still be the original shocks.

 

Throw a set of Tokico Blues in the car and that smooth ride your looking for will come back.

 

probably too much air pressure in the rear tires, try taking some out