I know you can improve the handling with springs, shocks, sway bars, etc.. but after all of this, will it handle like a champ?

 

Like a champ? No, very good? Yes.

I currently have the FSTB, RSB and H&R springs (no shocks yet cause the KYB AGX shocks aren't available for the 5th gens yet unless you go with the modded Cattman KYB AGX which is a b|tch.).
With only those 3 mods (and considering H&R springs are the closest to stock) I can handle better than a stock 328is and as well as a slightly modded (in suspension) 328is.
I know this cause I race my car on a track in Solo-1 and my main competition was a 328is. At the beginning of the season, he had a stock suspension setup and I was slightly faster than him on the tracks where there's no main straight and mostly only turns.
By mid-season, he added some suspension mods to his BMW and ended up handling the same as my Max. (Note, he didn't go all out with his suspension mods, he could have gone further).
I guess my point is that you can make it handle quite well and outperform most other stock BMWs (considered the best handling sport sedans) aside from the M3 of course (and any E30 BMW with some standard braces because they're insanely light).
Is that a good enough comparison?
Just remember, the Max will always have a tendency to understeer and there's nothing you can really do about that.
If you want to go all out in suspension on the Max, get the FSTB, the RSB, some coilovers and you can even go as far as Sub-Frame Connectors (it'll add some weight to your car but will improve handling). I've been told not to bother with the RSTB but if you have money to throw at your Max and you really really want to go all out, get one of those as well for the fun of it and to be able to say you've done everything you could suspension wise.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents, hope this helps...

 

If u have a RSB, a FSTB and a JIC magic suspension thats tuned in. Im sure it wall handle like a champ.

 

To answer your question, NO! It won't ever be a champion handling car, especially with a solid rear axle. You definately can make it an extremely good handling car that will outperform many sport sedans with stock suspension.

 

It's all relative. I consider a sports sedan to "handling like a champ" would have to handle as well as an M3. Even if you go all out with the Max, I doubt you can get to the same level as the M3.
On the same racing circuits I was on, the M3 was at par with the Corvette Z06. The corvette has more power and a lower centre of gravity with a wider stance, etc. So for the M3 to be able to keep up with them is no small feat. Give me as much power as the M3 in the Max and put every possible mod on the Max suspension wise and I still wouldn't be able to keep up with the M3 (and yes, the RWD vs. FWD has a lot to do with it).

That's why I'll never say the Max can "handle like a champ". However, I will say it can be made to handle "very well" compared to most other stock cars out there (including stock BMWs aside from the ones I mentioned in my first post (M3 and any basically any E30).
It's all relative. For someone that's never raced or seen an M3 raced, a fully modded Max suspension wise can feel "like a champ"...

 

I have FTSB, RSB, Tokico Blues, Progress Springs on 18"s and a Big Brake Kit.

I can take my hands off the wheel at 110 and it rides like I'm going 55. I love it. Next car is going to have to be 300hp and AWD/RWD in order to improve on handling.

 

I'm not doubting what you saw at the track, but the M3's skidpad is almost identical to the 350Z track edition. The Corvette Z06's skidpad is much higher. It's almost 1g. The M3 is .89 and the 350Z track edition is .88. Road and Track just did a pretty large track test and the Corvette killed the M3, 350Z and Porshe 911. The 350Z came in 2nd place beating the M3 by a mere 2 seconds.

 

Damn! That's impressive for the 350Z.
I'm sure the driving had something to do with it.
Since the Z06 drivers never took the M3 around the track and vice versa (the M3 driver never took the Z06 around the track) it's possible the M3 driver could have gotten much better times than the Z06 drivers actually managed to get. Who knows...

Another point though (not to diss R&T) is that although the drivers are excellent professional drivers, how much time to they actually spend getting to know the cars? I know that I would be about 10 seconds slower in my Max if I raced it the first month I got it compared to three years later (knowing my Max inside and out).

In any case, skidpad testing doesn't lie whether you've never driven the car or you've owned it for 10 years. I didn't realize the M3 had such a low skidpad number.
However, I still think the M3 would outhandle a Max will the full suspension mods. (I said think, it's yet to be proven. Maybe UCF_94lude would like to do all the mods and do a skipdpad test )

 

The M3 would kill the Max. The article was excellent. Even though the Z06 won and had better times, the article also pointed out that the M3 and the 350Z were the easiest cars to drive while the Z06 was the hardest to get used to.

 

Well if any1 wants to point out an excellent handling car, hands down the crown goes to the 97 M3. That thing handels like its on rail and thats still an understatment. It beat the ferrari F355 on handeling, and as u all know that cars no slouch on the turns.
But yeah I also have that issue on R/T but the new m3 has too much understeer compared to the last gen, which had neutral. U can use understeer or oversteer whenever u want.

 

Well..for what its worth, I'll take the price difference between the Max and the M3. Imagine the Max I would have!

 

No doubt the max can handle well with suspension mods, but like a champ? Maybe. I have a RSB, FSTB, progress springs, stock shocks (which very much do suck I might add, for now anyways), XD rotors on 18' chrome Corsicas, and I noticed a big difference. I have a 2k1 manual and can punch it almost to redline in 2nd gear going into a turn. The only worry I have is oversteering and of course, eating $h_t on the turn. So far no worries, I still have faith. I have even seen mods that require you weld steel rods to the undercarrage of the car. Now that will work wonders I imagine. Just my .02.

 

My Max handles very well. I have stillen FSTB, RSTB, RSB, Eibach springs, KYB GR2, and Nitto 555 225,40,18. Like stated above it will handle very well but it will not handle like a 2dr sports car. I surprise alot of people with the handling capabilities with my max. Have fun Moding

 

well u'll need at least 30K to get the WRX STI if not good luck with ur goal
as for the max as a handling champ? I say no. It will still be a great handler but the last step is smaller with less weight, and RWD

 

In my opinion the skid pad does not represent how the car will handle in corners.

 

skidpad just gives you the gforce before tire grip is lost. Of course the driver has alot to do with it, but from a stats point of view the Vette has the ability to push more g's into corners. Like the article said, even though the vette handled better than the other cars, it was harder to handle and get used to. They said you need lots of practice in learning how to control it. R&D made a strong point to make a point on how easily the average joe can get in both the 350z and M3 and learn to take corners. The BMW won hands down as the best overall car when taking everything into account, but it just wasn't the best price/performance vehicle of the 4. It was Vette, 350Z, M3 and Porcshe.

 

Good question. I've put on Tokico struts, Maxspeed springs, FSTB, RSB, and 18" wheels with 235/40/18 z-rated tires to get the Maxima to "handle like a champ", but still don't think it handles like a "sports" sedan. Yes, it handles great now, but with the over-boosted power steering I still feel disconnected with the road/car. I'm still wondering if there's a way to adjust this so I could get a little "heavier" wheel. The search continues...

 

Thanks for the replies. The reason I ask, is that I came from a lowered prelude on 17's and was quite used to the handling. When the two cars are parked next to each other in the garage, its almost comical in the difference in ride height. I would love to mod the suspension, but I'm scared of voiding the warranty.. you the ol'..'well, you shouldn't have added that sway bar. The lack of body roll when cornering clearly caused you cd player to go out, as well as large highway paint chips and warped brakes..'

 

Take what you read in magazines with a grain of salt, remember they test the cars at factory spec, which the setup is not done for maximum performance even in a Z06 and M3, remember most of the buys are still regular joes.

If the Magazines would put the same tires on these cars, the test would be more accurate and give a better pciture of their capabilities. R compund tires alone can take off 2-3 seconds a lap. If they went further and and played with the alignment, they could knock off another 2-3 seconds a lap.

As someone mentioned Skid Pad numbers do not mean a great handling car. Dial in tons of negative camber and you'll increase the numbers. But try braking into a 30mph hairpin turn from 120mph and see how well you brake with a camber setting of -4. Put your camber to 0 and you'll brake much better but your skid pad numbers will drop.

Our rear suspension is not that much of a probelm on a racetrack since they tend to be fairly smooth, but on bumpy city streets it's a difference story.

Do all the suspension work you want to your car, it will "handle" better then stock if done right. but what does "champ" mean? better then a Vette or a M3?

 

Well when I say champ, keep in mind that I was coming from a prelude that was inches off of the ground. It was an awesome handling car. The biggest problem that I notice is, of course the excessive body roll when cornering, sharp turns, and even on the highway it just seems to be 'floaty.' I'm not thinking exactly in terms of an M3 or vette, just much better then it is now. The prelude had excellent balancing and weight distribution when it was stock so its definetely a diferent feel then the max. Going from bascially a 'go-cart' to the max was quite dramatic. However, I have no desire to drive the prelude even since I got the maxima. therefore, even with the less handling ability, I still get much more enjoyment driving the maxima. Absolute bone jarring pot holes, and ride comfort may play a big decision whether I want to heavily mod my daily driver again.

 

Remember you went from a sports car to a family car wann be sports sedan.

If you want to change the floaty feel you must be willing to compromise. Eibach or H&R and some Tokicos willhelp with the floaty feel. A new set of tires will go a long way, put them on your OEM wheels if you want. Then try the RSB. If you are still not happy the max is not the car for you.

 

An RSB is only $110 from Cattman. Get either the Addco or the Cattman. Both are equal. Getting an RSB will eliminate a great deal of the floating and will not void your warranty. It's the best mod for the money out there. It will never handle as good as your lude did. The ludes are a freak of nature with handling especially with mods. If you want to retain your more luxurious ride and add better handling, then the H&R and Tokico's are probably your best bet. Maxspeeds are a H&R copy cat, so they will also retain a very good ride. Eibachs provide better handling at a cost of a slightly stiffer ride. Some like it, some don't.