Heres the scoop. Last year after wreaking my 02 SE I purchased an 03 SE 6 speed. The car had 40k miles and I noticed after awhile the suspension felt soft especially the rear so I replaced all 4 with HP. For some odd reason the rear still feels soft. The rear on my 02 SE was very stiff and you could barely push the rear down by hand but I can easliy push the rear end down by hand on my 03. I am wondering if maybe my rear springs are bad or maybe the previous owner changed them to GLE springs. Also I noticed that Nissan has different part numbers for the OEM shocks/struts for the SE and GLE/GXE. I am wondering if anyone knows if HP rears shocks are stiffer then OEM SE rears shocks. I just don't know where to begin to solve this problem and no I dont wanna go with aftermarket springs. I just want to resolve this issue. Any help would be awesome!!!!!!!!!!

 

Since no replys I figure I will try replacing the rear springs with another set of 02-03 SE springs to see if thats the problem. Can anyone tell me if the GLE/GXE springs are alot softer then the SE springs. I am thinking maybe the previous owner did a switch out cause they didn't like the stiffer ride of the SE.

 

The GLE springs are softer.

 

Don't bother with OEM springs if you are looking for a stiffer ride, go with aftermarket. You can still get comfortable driving with good performance, and likely cheaper than buying from nissan, and you dont really want to get used oem springs either.

 

Go buy a set of maxspeeds and be done with it. you already have good struts, now get some good springs to match it. Maxspeeds will drop your car an inch which isn't noticable to most, but makes a big difference. Send redline an e-mail and they can quote you a price. redmax@redlinemax.com

 

If you want a stock ride, go with H&Rs....they ride like the car SHOULD have come from the factory..they are very tight, but also very compliant and provide a ride that's almost better than stock IMO...H-techs are very good too, but you don't want to go very low, so I'd go with the H&Rs as it's not a very big drop...

EDIT: This is bcknblk's car with H&R's from housecor's website:

 

Most likely you got softer springs. Spring rate does not change when the springs go bad, they simply sag, but they remain just as stiff.

I also don't think that it has anything to do with your shocks. Shocks make a significant difference in the ride stiffness when the car is moving, but when you slowly push on the car resistance the shocks make can be considered negligible IMO.

BTW, HP are stiffer than SE shocks, just as I told you a long time ago.

 

I think your right. The shocks are only a year old with less then 10,000 miles. I def think it's the springs and the previous owner changed out the SE springs with GLE springs maybe cause of the stiff ride of the SE which I like. And maybe you were right about HP being stiffer then stock due to the fact my I was use to the ride stiffness of my 02 and the 03 probably has the wrong springs. THANKS