I've driven maybe six different '02 and '03 SEs. Withing the first 50 yards I can easily tell whether it is a "jittery" max or a smooth max. While all SEs handle big bumps and dips about the same, there seems to be quite a variation in how a particular sample handles low amplitude, high frequency bumps like tar strips and highway scalloping.

Same for power. To me all maxima show very good low end torque but some samples seem to rev higher and faster than others. Keep in mind, I have only driven 100% stock maximas. I wonder if the injection maps or timing curves are different depending on the date or location of manufacture? Anyone else ever notice this?

I have driven two SE that pull so hard from 60-100MPH that you can stil feel the torque steer. I've driven others that exhibit just a little torque steer from 0-50MPH under full throttle. None had traction control.

 

I didn't notice the jittery/smooth stuff but. I made this observation yesterday, http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....4&pagenumber=2

For what it's worth... The sphincter dyno also observed differences between some of the 04s I drove. I only drove one automatic, it was an SL, but I felt like some of the 04 manuals (I drove 5 at two dealerships,) were faster than others. I don't have a logical explanation for this. But I made the same observation when I was shopping for the 01.

 

I haven't noticed the suspension thing (wasn't looking for it), but definitely noticed a power difference. Could be ECU memory though, if one has been babied vs. another that's been hammered, the latter will be faster. Caveat though, I think the ECU takes multiple starts and something like 100 miles to actually change behavior.