nzelinsky

iTrader: (1)

there is a short ram injen?? got link?

Hey I want one of these, where can you order?

Where can you buy those rims? I cant find em anywhere

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

Very true, and I appreciate all of the opinions and comments.

I haven't decided where I want to go. I've had the car since new, but didn't have the money or was afraid to do any mods as it was my only "reliable" car.

I did the "clunker" deal and bought a new car (Sonata ). It was cheap and now I no longer have to live in fear of not having a way to get to work. The car is still in great shape, so I figure I can put a little $ into it.

I've said from the beginning that I would tint the windows and add a rear spoiler, but have done neither.

I had aftermarket rims for a couple of years, but decided stock was fine. Just put new tires on last year, so those are good too......for now.

I'm 36 with 2 young kids, so "super go fast" mods aren't the most important, but better performance is always a good thing

I think my first priorities are going to be braking and suspension. I think the rotors are warped.....again, and something in the suspension just doesn't feel right. I can't pinpoint it, but it feels off.

Stereo upgrades are also on the list - again, not looking for competition stuff, just better than stock. USB, aux, mp3 need to be there. Have a portable Sirius unit (since I have 3 different vehicles to rotate) so built-in satellite isn't important (not willing to pay for 3 separate subscriptions). I've been looking for a long time, but I'm still waiting to find that headunit that really grabs me. Single-dins don't do much for me, and most of the double-din seem to be be touch screen with built-in NAV (have portable units, and am fine continuing to use those). Flip out screens don't do much for me either. So, I'm picking on that end and until I find something I'll be happy with I'll just continue to suffer with stock.

So, basically maybe a few things to improve the looks, handling and performance. Improvement in fuel economy would be a bonus, but not the most critical.

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

If there's a headunit that you do end up liking, shoot me a PM, I could get it to you at a discounted price. Same with speakers or any other audio equipment.

/plug.

Keep us updated on your car's progress

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

Injen doesn't make a short-ram intake for our cars, if you want one, you can get a JWT Popcharger, Berk intake or Stillen Hi-Flo.

For a BBMAF I think HTP Performance makes some, check the Group Deals and 5th gen classifieds. You'll need a wideband and some kind of piggyback to correct the Air/Fuel ratio though.

G35driver.com and my350z.com, the classifieds here, eBay, etc.

nzelinsky

iTrader: (1)

Thats what I thought about injen... but somebody said to get injen short ram, I was pretty sure it doesnt exist, just checking.

thanks for sources, Im gonna check these out.

To the OP- DO NOT BUY INJEN CAI, Get a short ram on any kind, I think the $20 ebay one would give better gain than injen (if your doing an intake)

2damax

Short ram injen is just the first half of the CAI. Its not great since its so close to the engine but I guess it could be a short ram??

Suspension:
Judging by your posts it sounds like adjustable illumina's with H&R springs (comfy yet sporty ride with only a small drop) is your suspension.
<$1000
Brakes:
Hawk pads seem to be the best reviews I have read on the forums but I have never had them. The .org is usually right though. Stay away from OEM and just the cheapest rotors I suggest. If you really want to go for looks get the slotted rotors and paint your caliper a nice color too.
<$500
Performance:
Just an intake seems right for you since you don't want a huge performance gain (this will give you a nice growl). If you want more, which I bet you will once you put that on, then do what everyone else says with headers/catback...
intake-$30-$200
headers- OBX-Cattman lol

EDIT: OH and you could upgrade the headlights/foglights to your preference as well.

ButtaMax

iTrader: (7)

Try the for sale section here, try Craigslist, Ebay, or G35 forum.

Im picking up a set of 18's for $500 (craigslist) w/almost new rubber. Would love to have the new 19's that come on the 09 Max, those are sick for stockers!!

Be patient because soon as you buy something its bound to pop up in the for sale section for 20-30% cheaper!

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

good priorities. As to your rotors, they are probably not warped, but they probably have uneven pad material buildup from our stock pads, which overheat easily and deposit the material on the rotor face unevenly. This is what the "warped" feeling is about 75% of the time or more.

Get them resurfaced and switch to a good quality pad (I highly suggest Hawk HPS). Not saying it will never happen again, but this will reduce the liklihood. Bottom line is that the stock 5th gen brakes are too small for the car's weight.

A nice inexpensive upgrade is to get some 6th gen (2004-2007) maxima front brakes (bigger rotors and calipers). They are direct bolt-on fit and not particularly expensive. Braking is greatly improved.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Isn't that only if you're using the 5.5 gen 17" rims?

And what if you use 16" steelies and snows every winter? Wouldn't that limit your options on calipers and rotor upgrades?

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

correct. You'd need like a 5mm spacer to clear the 5.0 gen 17s.

I think that setup WILL fit under certain 16s, but can't say for sure. I know a few guys have crammed the blehm z32 bbk under 16s.....I ran 17" G35 coupe wheels with my winter tires, so it wasn't an issue for me, there was plenty of clearance.

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

all other opinion stinks

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

OP: where in NoVa are you?

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the research confirmation, Irish.

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

Sorry, I missed that in one of the earlier posts. Not a whole lot of time to check in at work right now. I'm in Manassas.

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

Going to bigger rotors/pads sounds interesting.

Yeah, I'm still running the stock 16's. Still have the other aftermarket (Vault - bleh!) rims, but they were also 16.

Seems that you can pick up a set of 17 or 18's for $400-500 (some with tires).

Of course, I just spent $500-600 on new tires last year, and with only about 7k miles on them, they have a long way to go!

Keeping those for winter and having a set for the summer is an option, but with them being 16 I know my brake upgrade options are limited.

nzelinsky

iTrader: (1)

Correct me if Im wrong but Im pretty sure that you're rims should be stock 17's...

Staticxout2

TS ecu reflash is now $550, i hope it wasn't $350 before cause that would suck for me

MillionBlades

bit off topic:

I have a 03 max SE with 87,500 miles on odo got it 3 yrs ago this late october with 59,500 (suspension seemed fine was much smoother over bumpy road) and when I drive on an uneven bumpy road my suspension seems rough Knowing that maximas se has a stiffer suspension but it doesn't absorb the bumps too well. My car seems to wobble unevenly. I also hear clunking noise from the front driver side WTF could that be?

What I wanna know is if I need to replace the springs thinking about H&R's... since they offer smoothest ride, would that make my car's absorption smoother while going over bumpy road (or is that the job of the struts).

If I replace either, is it better to get struts + spings at same time... and do I need the sway bar + bushings.. or other crap???? I have about $1000 and as for labor I'll ask one of my friends friend to help me do the job hoping he's willing to help my broke a$$.

thanks

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

Okay, you're wrong. :P

The lowly 2002 GXE came with 16" stock wheels and 215/55-16tires. Everything else came with 17. Not sure if the 2003 model moved to 17's, but I think it was 2004 before 17's were the smallest you could get (and they dropped the GXE trim model).

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Select...02&autoModClar=


http://www.edmunds.com/used/2002/nis.../standard.html

I would have moved up to the SE, but I liked the interior of the GXE better - they are different somehow (I think the SE had "dots" on the clothes, or something like that).

Plus the move to SE would have tempted me to add the Bose and sunroof options, and money was tight. GLE wasn't an option because of the leather (and extra $$). At the time I was looking at replacing my 95 Altima with the new Altima, but after driving and pricing them out (with same features) the Maxima was clearly the better choice (and I think it was slightly cheaper)!

When I bought my aftermarket wheels I thought about moving up to 17 or 18's, but the available choice of tires (and cost), quickly changed my mind. I was struggling just to make the car payment!

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

IIRC TS offered two types of repflash

$350 reflash includes andvance timing, increased rev, and speed cut...
$550 resflash includes all of the above and custom tuning for individual mods and maybe some other crap

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

Clunking could be alot of things, but the most likely culprit with that mileage on the car is a bad strut. One of my OEM struts blew at about 60k miles IIRC. A blown strut will clunk like you say.

Yes, it is better to get springs and struts at the same time if you plan to do both eventually. Saves alot of effort. H&R are a good ride when paired with Tokico Illuminas. The H-Techs are comfy too, but a little mushy in handling. Eibachs are a bit stiffer, like the stock SE springs more or less.

RSB is a good upgrade for these cars and easy to install.

nzelinsky

iTrader: (1)

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

hahhahahaha

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

I welcome the off-topicness, saves me from asking the same questions


I might be getting the same kind of clunking. Not really sure - I kind of stopped paying attention to that stuff when I was trying to rotate 3 cars into my weekly commute.

I do get a "clunk" sound when I first sit in the car - kind of like the car pushes to one side and something hits something else. Not sure what it is, but I don't notice it after I've been driving (ie: I don't notice it when I drop the kid off and then get back into the car).

If I'm looking at brake and suspension mods first, I don't know if I'm just looking at springs and struts, or if I also have to worry about tie rods, cv joints, axles, and whatever else is under there.

Like I said, it just feels like something is off. I guess after 7 1/2 years things creep up and you don't really notice them and eventually they just feel normal. But, after driving the new car and then back to the Maxima, you can tell that something isn't quite right.

The car still has decent power, but I don't really push the car, partly because I don't trust it.

If I'm going to put some money into it, it's going to be to make it a safe, smooth and comfortable handling ride. Once I get that taken care of I can worry about going faster!

I've taken it to the dealer, my buddy's shop, and even the tire shop (Merchants), and just given them the general "can you check the brakes and suspension" figuring somebody would find something, or at least try to sell me something I don't really need. Everybody comes back with "everything looks fine."

nzelinsky

iTrader: (1)

ya... I think with anything besides a brand new max you just have to get used to clunking noises in the suspension unless you want to pay out the *** to replace every little part involved...

JAMAICANLOVRBOY

iTrader: (3)

are you listing what you have or what he should get?. those are some pricey things. Man gotta start out slow, see his budget, and look around for cheaper than cattman, ebay megan R catback is a good brand, for more than half the price of cattman.

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

im guilty also

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

well, after 7 1/2 years most cars will have worn suspension components (especially bushings), bad shocks, seizing endlinks, etc....even BMWs, Benzes, Infinitis, etc.

After 7 years new shocks/struts are a MUST for any car.

I ran almost 100k miles on Eibachs, Illuminas, RSB, LTB, FSTB, RSTB, all ES bushings, SFCs, and other stuff and never had any clunking problems

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

strut top hats worn....need new swaybar endlinks....bad strut....could be any of these things after 7 years.

tie rod ends = if they're original, it's time to replace. I replace mine ever 2 years or 50k miles on all of my cars.

CV joints = no need to replace unless they are clicking or the boots are torn.

axles = we have CV axles....they replace as a full assembly. Or if you meant wheel bearings/spindles, no need to replace unless they're diagnosed as bad.

Assuming your components are all original, I would go:
- tie rod ends (outer)
- front swaybar endlinks
- struts
- front upper strut mounts

Then hit other wear items like bushings, motor mounts, etc.

THEN worry about performance upgrades.

It's called "old-carness" lol. And the Maxima suspension is pretty basic/sad in the first place compared to alot of newer cars. Not that it can't be made to handle great, but the stock setup is neither particularly comfortable, nor does it handle particularly well. Even old HOnda civics have a better supension design

good brakes and some reasonable suspension upgrades/refurbishment should help alot.

ding ding ding, we have a winner!

Since you're about 15 minutes from me, if you feel like bringing your car by one weekend i can take a look/drive and tell you what you need or what is bad, and what I suggest. I swear I've taken 5th gen brakes/suspensions apart and put them back togethr probably 50 times all told, lol...I don't have any spare time to actually help with any work/installs, but can tell you what to do/where to go in this area/etc...

PM me if interested. Sundays are usually open for me.

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

goodluck with blowing 3 grand my friend, i so wish i could right now

zero2sixtyZ

iTrader: (30)

I agree with all of this, but since you probably want to do the oil change, replace air filter, etc.. as soon as you get it, I'd probably suggest a Berk Intake w/ Apexi Filter at that time. Better filtration, decent power out of it, a great sound, and you'd be upgrading immediately instead of wasting money on an OEM filter.

I did all of this but in order of what needed to be replaced. OEM brakes went bad really quick, so those got upgraded, then suspension, etc...

Check the Group Buy section for some deals with vendors on these parts.

viperboy

iTrader: (7)

Sorry, I couldn't find anyone by that username. I'd like to see what his setup is to be at 270whp N/A. Can you point me in the right direction?

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

dang... almost everybody on the forums is aware of the guy, but if it doesnt come up with that one just try Jaypee_99 or something, he is currently running 12.80's N/A even or former moderator irishj44 can tell you, search for his name in the search, it should pop up the second you type in Jayp, his sig has a majestic blue 5.5 and a gold 4th

qstick777

iTrader: (6)

Well, I'm definately going to replace the brakes first. Just got in on the discontinued Hawk HPS pads at Pep Boys. I guess I'll get some new rotors while I'm at it.

I looked at it today and still think it's a brake/rotor issue, but may also need new tie rods.

With both front wheels off and the driver side pads off, I could spin the hubs (if that's the right term). They would spin freely most of the time, but would hang up at 1 particular point. Moving past that they would spin freely again. It was like the pads or rotors on the passenger side were out just enough to be causing my problem.

I didn't check it the other way - had already made the decision to replace the pads and rotors.

I did get some movement when moving the wheel from 3 to 9. Nothing from 12 and 6.

CV boots look good, no rips or anything, and they don't click.

I also noticed that the rubber boots on the shocks/struts are torn and starting to deteriorate. Will probably go ahead and replace those too.

My real question is should I do any of these things in a certain order? Is it cheaper to go ahead and have certain things done at the same time to save on labor?

Right now it looks like I'll be doing:

- rotors and pads
and from irish44j's recommendation:
- tie rod ends (outer)
- front swaybar endlinks
- struts
- front upper strut mounts


Oh, I also did the GAB mod - went ahead and drilled the 4 holes (not worried about warranty issues anymore!). I didn't notice any difference in the sound. I did notice a slight difference in power. Not the 9hp that has been reported. Probably more like 4 3/4hp - but I don't have any scientific data to back that up. It's probably 1/100th of a second faster in the 1/4 now! Of course, it could just be that I was driving more aggressive than normal!

Now I just have to find that blinker fluid warmer!

hot_wax_tree

dont forget steelies up front and some 19's in back

but really get the
OBX headers -400
ebay exhaust -140
NWP spacers-235
block off plate-40(or make your own for super cheap)
4th gen CAI(ebay)-30
better sparks- 10-60
04' valve cover fix- 60
Then shocks and springs 600-1000
Find some 18" wheels on craigslist with some tires already on them 400

Golden
Maybe a dyno day and tune as well.

total=2635 not bad thats with the middle number of the ranges, and a 500 cost at the dyno. you would have one fast max then son.

Jake

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

That's what he should buy.

And thats less than $3k and will make his car an N/A monster.

InfiniwhiptinitiII

iTrader: (1)

full exhaust, 3". i like cattman. cold air intake, pulleys and do the ecu. rims tires interior and electronics fun time!

StenholmEngineering

iTrader: (3)

hmmm...id give me 1500 of it and we both make our cars hott!!!! lol

6SPD02SE

iTrader: (2)

Got pics?? I dont think i have ever seen an 02-03 GXE Max.