Hey,

Ive been lurking these forums for quite a while, and have used the search function quite often.. and as much as that helps, I also do a lot of online shopping and have found more often than not products just arent readily available for a 5.5Gen 2003 Maxima. I notice a lot of 5th gen Maximas, but havent really seen too many owners of a 5.5Gen 03 Maxima with mods.

I will continue searching after this, but would appreciate any input/pointers even some hate that leads me in the right direction.

A bit of background.. my car came from Quebec, which tends to have rough winters with plenty of salt. With that said, its fairly rusty underneath - certainly not a factor I enjoy. It has 130K Km's on it, I believe thats.. roughly 80k miles?

New struts/springs. Springs are easy enough to find, and the suspension thread shows a lot of support for eibach and H&R springs. For struts it seems to be Tokico, KYB, and Koni. So the springs Ive got down, but the struts are another thing - no one seems to list them under their site for 03 Maxima - from 00-02, but not 03. I emailed Koni about this and they said that Nissan made new strut mounts for the 03 - where does that put an owner of an 03? Can new aftermarket performance struts be added?

Thats about my biggest concern currently. Id like to lower my car, but Im not going to do it with OEM struts and wait until they all blow. Can you recommend a product, or how you did it?

Thanks,
Josh

 

00-03 are all the same suspension wise, there are three trim levels (SE,GLE,GXE). The strut design are all the same...somebody's listing was old and non revised!

 

Thank you very much, thats what I needed to know!

 

 

I don't understand whats going on here

 

he wants step by step directions on picking parts to mod his car

 

Im not looking for step by step, or someone to hold my hand as I do this but some help is appreciated. Did you start into automotive performance by simply picking up a wrench and knowing all there is to know?
Ive read the faqs, where to go's, install threads, searched.. and sorry, I misworded the "not many 5.5 03 maxima's with aftermarket" but rather not finding much information on the mods themselves as they seem to relate more to the earlier models.
As for someone to pick out the products for me, did I not mention the products I was looking at? Did he tell me which to get? I researched it, and was wary of them not saying anything about an 03, and it doesnt help when the maker comes back with an email stating that the strut mounts changed for 03 alone.

 

I never built an engine as complicated as the one I am doing now (I started working on cars when I was 16) and I am just going to take a shot at it and hopefully it all comes together. I just learned what I could as went along, helping friends with their cars, trial and error, that kind of stuff. It all is a learning project, that is a money pit. If you want to mod a car, you have to be willing to accept the fact that its gonna cost lots of money.

The information is out there, just gotta know where to look. What are you looking to start doing

and the struts for all 00-03 are exactly the same

 

What kind of engine are you working on now?
Im starting to work on cars now, primarily my Maxima. The only thing Ive done so far is my short ram air intake and a battery relocate soon enough - K&N's product showing 03-07 (Should have been my first clue not to buy it being different gens) but it goes right into where the battery is. But that helped me understand the air intake, stock and aftermarket.
My next move is a cattman y-pipe and headers, theres a really detailed thread on that which helps out quite a bit.
Theres plenty out there that I dont know about the VQ series yet, or any other for that matter, so all in all Im not sure what Id like to upgrade.
I want to keep my engine N/A, but gain a bit of power here and there. Exhaust/CAI were the first most basic things to my understanding, after that Im in a fog as for power. Then there was the point of this thread being a bit of handling and also looks.
And I really dont mean for this post or thread in general to be a "Please do it all for me", I was just looking for information on that strut mount as I couldnt find it on here originally.
I have no problem with putting money into my car, but I want to make sure that its not going to be heavy modifications for what should be a simple install, and I also want to be the one to install it since theres a lot more appeal to building a car rather than buying it.

Thanks though for the responses,
Josh

 

there is plenty avaliable for you car in the areas you want

this is what i have...and im FAR from the most modded 5.5th gen

Exterior:
Custom Front Lip
Blacked-out Side Markers
Blacked-out Grill
Blacked-out Window Trim
00-01 SE Tail Lights
Cleared Headlights
Custom Badges

Suspension:
H&R Springs
Tokico Struts
Otto FSTB
Cattman RSB
Blemco LTB

Wheels, Tires, Brakes:
Daily -
Stock Wheels
Toyo Proxies 4 (225/40/17)
AutoX -
350Z Wheels -17" x 7.5"(f),8"(r)
Hankook Ventus R-S2 (225/45/17)
Hawk HPS Pads

Drivetrain:
Cattman STS
ES 6-speed Bushings

Performance:
Nissan Works Intake Manifold Spacers
Berk Intake with Apexi Filter
Frankencar B-pipe

Interior:
Custom Shift and E-brake Boots
20th Anniversary Edition Pedals
20th Anniversary Edition Door Sills (Custom Brushed)
350Z Dead Pedal
LED Bulbs

Aftermarket Audio:
Harman Kardon Drive + Play
Dynamat Extreme (sound deadening)

Misc:
30% Tint
Chrome Blinker Bulbs
Magnaflow Exhaust Tips
Custom Painted Engine Cover
Black Painted Calipers With Nissan Stickers

 

I'm not going to even list all my mods, as mine is longer then sooners.....but I will list what my car engine mods will be in december

3.0 block
3.5 crank
3.5 oil pump
3.5 timing chain
VH45 connecting rods
vh45 piston rings
forged 3.0 pistons 10:1 compression
3.5 cams
double shimmed/35hr valve springs
3.5 valves
3.0 ported heads
phenolic spacers
cattman headers/y
3" custom exhaust back from y-pipe joint
pathfinder 3.5 IM
VH45 throttle body
90mm intake/maf setup
fidanza flywheel
UDP
Greddy EU

I will be running a 9.0-9.5:1 compression

hopefully I can get it all together and get the ***** to fire up

I'm still working out all the details and all parts are on order

IBwhydontyoujustdoa3.5
and to that I say...you get more HP when stroke to bore is cemetric

 

I don't have the largest Mod List, but I will start from the newest....

Cusco Twin Disc Carbon Clutch / Flywheel (Z33)
06 6-Speed HLSD Transmission
Custom 3" Cat
Cattman 3" Prototype Catback
Cattman Gen 2 Headers
Emanage Ultimate
LM-1 Wideband
Energy Suspension Shift Bushings
Energy Suspension Motor Mounts
Pioneer AVIC-D3
Alpine Type-S Front Speakers
Alpine Type-R Rear Speakers
Alpine Type-R 12" Sub
Alpine Amp (V-Power I believe)
15% Tint (all around)

Soon-to-be

Z33 Intake Manifold
JWT Pop Charger
Mid-Mount Turbo

Probably some other things that I forgot...

 

FTFY.

 

This link should help:
http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...postcount=1581

 

Let me get in on this "mod list" thing. I have:

Stillen front strut bar
rear window louver
Hawk HPS brake pads
350Z A.E. rims
Weathertech window visors
K&N air filter
Flow master exhaust
Garmin 650 navigation system
Bel radar detector &
a Stillen window sticker

I installed everything but the exhaust, but I was there personally to hand over my debit card for prompt payment. Ohhhh the satisfaction of paying for it yourself.

 

Wow, you guys ruined my idea that it was tough to mod my 03 Max. Thank you!

If I were to list the mods on my car like that, its mostly exterior/visual

Exterior;
7% tint on the rear, 17% on the front
Blacked out tail lights
Blacked out side markers
18" MMR rims, black with a polished lip

Performance;
K&N Air intake

Audio
5.25" kick components with tweet
6.5" components, with tweet in a pillar
5.25" components in rear door
12" sub in an infinite baffle setup (Really good car for that setup.. if you want something light and doesnt take up much room)
5 channel amp in the rear putting out about 1700RMS at the ohm loads Im giving it
Dynamatted trunk/rear deck/rear side of the Maxima.
Alpine deck in a bondo'd kit with attempted paint match towards the dash

Things that I'll be looking into this summer/next summer

Performance;
Cattman headers/y pipe
Custom 2.5" to the rear quarter, still undecided on the tip

Wheels/brakes
HAWK HPS Brake pads
Power slot rotors
Lighter wheels than my MMR for auto x

Suspension
Undecided between Tokico Illumina and Koni Yellow
H&R Sport springs

Thats where Im starting, but all of your posts as well as that link all help out a lot. I'll definitely be saving this thread for myself, as a lot of good idea's are shown - a lot that I dont understand, but that'll come.

Thank you very much again,
Josh

 

ehh I havnt posted in a bit....

There is definitly a lot of stuff you can do to the 02-03 max's.

Stillen Front and Rear Lip
18x8 Einki RPM2s
Teins S. Tech on front
eibach pro kit in back
tokico blues
BERK intake with Apex-i dry Filter
Breather Filter
cattman Y
custom 2.5 b-pipe
Greddy Evo Muffler
clears side markers - Blacked out
ES PolyUrethane Motors Mounts
Cattman Short Throw Shifter
ES bushings for shifter
AE sills
pioneer flipout 6500 indash DVD/mp3/wma
polk-momo 6 3/4s componate sets in front and back
2 Kicker amps
2 Kicker 12" Subs
UnOrthodox UnderDrivePulley
Umnitza DDE lighting Angels Eyes
Cleared Headlights
Custom Black Housings
PolyUrethane Black Eyelids
Custom Front grille
Tons on PIAA hyper whites all over car
Chrome looking Yellow Blinkers for the clear Headlights
Full Clear rear taillights with Chrome Red bulbs
35% tint Llumner Plus
OBX Titanium Pedals With Deadpetal
Trunk Sound deadner
NWP Thermal Intake Spacers
Glow Gauges
Custom Painted engine cover
Stillen Strut Bar - From a 99 max
HID Fog Lights - 8000k

 

Ever had any pre-cat issues / codes?

 

No Problems so far....

 

I'd recommend the breather hose go back on.

 

I would have considerd it but I went gung ho one day and choped off the long tube to connect the hose to it.

what kind of Pre cat problems do people experiance from doing this?

 

Car runs quite a bit leaner due to unmetered air entering from the VC port, thus leading to a lean condition which typically damages pre cats.

 

wow.... That's definitly not worth it at all for no gain in HP. I left a little bit of a nub on berk intake. Guess I'll look for a hose to fit..

Thanks for the FYI

 

I say start with intake exhaust etc.. then suspension.. then exterior. Just my opinion.

 

my mod list:

non-oil-leakin-an-burnin VQ30

wtf is this thread, the "who has the most mods" thread??

 

I have the least mods for my whp

 

simply proving to the OP, that there are mods available for the 3.5

if the mods let the thread stay open...people will keep posting

 

They will be posting their mods, including their xx% tint like that helps with respect to performance.

 

no.....

 

 

 

remember

 

 

all the 3.5 owners on here...they are ALL bone stock!!!

 

Yup 3.5s are only good for spare parts in my new motor

 

Hello ladies & Jason

 

OMFG Look who surfaced after 2 months, welcome back my friend, where have you been?

 

who are you again

 

One of our "fearless leaders" made it so that when I try to navagate the org it redirects me to otraw (9 out of 10 times anyways).
J****2 is a very funny admin... NOT