i was wonderig what your opinion of coilovers i should use on my 98 maxima. i want really good ones.

 

Go with the JIC magic coilovers made in Japan. This company makes all kind of coilovers for Japanese cars. The price tag is $1300+ though. A cheaper alternative is getting the Ground Control and KYB AGX set up. It should costs you less than $1,000 for it. Good luck and happy modding.

 

If and whenever a company decides to make coilovers in >3inch inner diameter springs that would allow reasonable spring rates, then maybe you should think about coilovers.

Otherwise, every coilover kit out there will make your car ride very very stiffly and uncomfortable -- Even if you don't lower it that much... Don't be fooled by anybody that tells you their ride quality is reasonable or comfortable with coilovers...



2.5" inner diameter springs must have spring rates about 40-50% stiffer than stock just to prevent binding of the spring because the turn spacing is so tight. So your car will ride that much stiffer and then you will need firmer struts to handle the springs so your car will ride that much stiffer still -- and then you will want to lower the car and reduce the suspension travel so your car will ride that much stiffer... and then you'll need firm Z-rated tires just to handle the suspension so your car will ride that much stiffer.
So it all adds up to a bad ride quality...

 

There's a difference between ride quality and stiffness. My coilovers are VERY stiff, but the ride quality is good. I don't go bouncing up and down the road, my struts do a very good job of damping. Make no mistake, my GCs are VERY stiff, almost unbearable at times, but the ride is solid and NOT bouncy on my KYBs.

 

Hello Neoloc187:

Well, from your descriptions like "unbearably stiff", that is what I would call "bad ride quality"

 

I think i get what neoloc is saying. His car is hunkered down, like tightening your abs. They're both very stiff, but impact absorption is very brief and very controlled. The other situation would be like my dad's truck. It's stiff because it's designed to be carrying a load, but you hit a bump/pothole, and you are going up and down for quite a while after. The car and truck are both stiff, but one absorbs impact and returns to original position while the other keeps bouncing up and down, very unsettling. Basically, you're moving away from the characteristic up and down for a long while truck mode to more of a corvette. Personally, i'd go for looks and performance first and worry about the ride second. Is it true that JIC's can only be adjusted 0-2 inches and for the 1300 ones, they don't have variable shocks? I think to have variable shocks, you need to special order them and they're about 1700. There was a group deal a while ago for JIC's from Avalon Racing i think www.avalonracing.net. Then there are the cattman's at www.cattman.com I think those are the only three companies which make coilovers (weapon r's suck, don't get em, they don't count

 

We carry the JIC. Since they are a pure race coilover, we can have them configured with different spring rates.

For the 95-99 Maxima we can get the SF-1's and the SA-1.

Regards

 

I was going to go with Ground Control Coilovers and KYB AGXs before my accident.