BMW's (with sports package) have a stiff suspension. But the Ride is NOT harsh.
What setup on a 4th gen Max would feel as close to this type of ride as possible?

I'm guessing it would be H&R and Tokico Blues.

well i would say get a bmw...












but actually the eibach and adjustable kyb's wold be the closest..

Believe me, If I had the money I definately would. It would
have to be an M3 with SMG tranny though.

The maxima can be made to have good ultimate grip. But in terms
of actual road feel (nice steering,etc.) and compliant ride even
with a sport suspension -- IMPOSSIBLE. We have a ultra cheap suspension with a solid rear axle, flexy body structure, overboosted steering, and of course FWD.

Sorry, I know I sound negative, but I started my handling mods after driving my friends 330 with sport package hoping to get the same feel. Handling has gotten a lot better, but at the cost of ride quality, and that BMW feel remains elusive. I am going to try the Warpseed SFCs to see what stiffening the structure will do...

The max is a great car, with good reliability and an excellent engine -- but I have resigned myself to the fact that it will never truly satisfy me as a driver. I will probably buy an Audi S4 or a 330 early next year...I will still keep my max though...

I so disagree with you here. We own both a 2001 330i sport and 99 Maxima SE-Limited. First off my 99 does not have the over boosted steering that all other years have. It's nice and tight. Feels quite the same as our 330. The 330 is stock, no mods. Wife likes it that way.

The Maxima is setup as follows:
17x8 Z rated Dunlop SP8000
AGX's on STOCK SPRINGS Currently set on 2/3 front/rear
Energy sway bar bushings
FSTB
Addco RSB

My Maxima clearly rides better and is just as tight or even tighter then the BMW. Even my other 1/2 agrees on that note. I can handle the twisties just as good if not even better with this setup. Toss in some uneven roadway and the BMW will take course(independent suspension), but my car is definately as tight and rides just as smooth as our BMW.

You guys keep lowering your cars and complain about harshness. Did you ever just give the stock springs a chance on some very good performance struts (AGX's or even Konis)?? The ride is amazing and handling is awsome. OK so there's some wheel gap, but all in all the car will out handle most other performance sedans on the road with that setup and give you a very smooth and quiet ride. Isn't that what the Maxima is all about anyway? A Performance Luxury Sedan. Thats why I baught mine. H&R's ride the best of all of the lowering performance springs and I'll admit having had them in my car, handling is increased even more but at the sacrafice of ride comfort. Lowering your car is cool, looks great, gives just another edge in handling but your really taking the Luxury out of your once was Luxury Performance Sedan.

If you want a smooth, quiet, tight, road hugging ride, similar to a BMW, keep your stock springs, deal with the fender gap, stiffen up the front strut towers, add that rear anti-sway bar, upgrade your front sway bar bushings and get yourself some top of the line struts and shocks - KYB AGX's. Then take your car for a comparison ride against a BMW. I guarantee your love your Maxima!

H&R with Konis in the front and Tokicko blues in the rear... or KYB AGXs...

Couldn't agree with you more on this one. Maxima with good suspension = impossible. Everybody knows the achilles heel is that rear beam axle. Not only the beam axle, FWD, 65/35 weight distribution, super flexible chassis = car not meant for driving enthusiast.

I have FSTB, Addco RSB, Sprint springs and AGX struts, and Quaife differential for handling mods. The car is simply an understeering boat. The front end breaks loose, and in some times the front end of my car actually leaves the ground when taking a hard turn. I'm going to try Enegry suspension poly sway bar and control arm bushings next and I hope it does something.

i remember someone saying they were gonna snap their rear beam and make it independent? I know with money anything is possible, so why havent i heard of this being done?

What wheels/tires do you have? The BMW sport package comes w/ 17's and 225-235-45 high performance rubber.

And since Nissan engineered in alot of understeer, of course it's gonna understeer. You don't even have a RSB yet. I would save judgement on handling until you install one. The bushings will help the feel and turn response but bushings can't change the over/understeer that's dialed in.

Redmax - about how much would eibach and adjustable kyb's run? thanks.

-Ian

I am running 225 50 16 BFGoodrich Comp TA V tires on the stock 16" rims. I'm right now running 34/31 tire pressure. I admit the 225 may be a little too wide for the 6.5" rim, but if the fronts gonna break before the rear, not a whole lot the tires are gonna do.

Yes I have a RSB. See how I wrote "addco RSB" in my list? Infact that was my very first mod, even before intake and the FSTB. I have it set on maximum effectiveness as well.

Looks like since the E/S bushings wont help the handling then I'm out of options, unless the subframe connectors do anything.

As for the BMW comment- my friend's E36 has the 16"s on his 328i with sport package. His wheels are 16", with the same tire size as mine- 225 50 16.

I don't think it's good to mix your shocks like that.
I had H&R/Koni setup and the ride was much stiffer than that of a BMW with sport suspension.

My car is not an understeering boat. I can make the rear end come around quite easily. It's all in technique; my guess is you're right foot is too heavy and you're way to anxious to try to put the power down. Lift suddenly or tap the brakes lightly while in a turn and that thing will come around on you in a hurry.

Rather than throwing parts at the car trying to make it handle the way you think it should, why not invest in a driving or an autocross school? Money well spent.

If you hate your car so much why don't you get rid of it? I don't recall one post from you about how you like the car.

For the record, the mods I have on my car are H&R's, KYB AGX's, a FSTB and an Addco RSB.

They added sissy steering in the 2000.5s and up so i assume u mean more of the e36 steering, drain some steering fuild just kidden. Just lower it like these guys said and get s rsb. but seriously if u want a bmw type things, just save and get one. Maxima is a maxima, u cant change that.

Can't respond to the BMW 3-Series comparo, but as for the 4th Gen Maxima itself...

When I first test drove my 99 SE-L, the sales exec had me out on this winding, swoopy road. We were approaching a curve and he noticed that I slowed up to - for me - a sane speed to take the turn. He was adament to get off the brake and enjoy the ride at speed.
Clearly the box-stock Max had more nads than I did - which is good; I want a car that has higher limits that I have. I'd bet we all do.

Not long after I bought my new toy, I added H&R springs to the stock blue Toks, did the ES bushings upgrade from Courtesy, and added the ADDCO RSB. Few months ago I swapped the stock rubber for Bridgestone RE950s. Now I need to revisit that curve again! (And save up for an FSTB.)

Anyway, back to your comparo; I'd rather liken my Max to a 740iL for ride and handling; as the others have said - we have luxo sport sedans.
JMHO

They changed the steering in 2002 again. It seems tighter now.

Yeah, i heard that, too many enthusist were bi*ching. The new ones have too many problems anyway. Are u getting a 5spd? Did they finnaly fix that fan situation? I miss my bimmer

well brand spankin new.. Eibachs are around $230 and people have been selling the KYB's for around $370..

you have to factor in a fstb and a rsb...

so add $200 for those 2.. at least..


so..... 230+370+200=700 in suspension work..(this does not include installation)..unless you do the install your self..