Crazy electrical and feature mods; possible?
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 5
Crazy electrical and feature mods; possible?
so i'm looking for my first car, and a 2002/2003 maxima seems like a pretty surefire bet due to
-reliable as hell
-cheap (under 4 grand isn't unreasonable)
-manual option
-powerful
-very nice interior
-lots of features
however i'm going to be modding my maxima. rather heavily. and i dont mean mechanical mods (Although i'll probably do those too) i mean electrical mods, crazy and ambitious electrical mods. Here's the list i got so far and i'll probably expand this as time goes on
if you've heard of anyone doing anything like these, let me know, feel free to giggle if some of these are just too crazy
-reliable as hell
-cheap (under 4 grand isn't unreasonable)
-manual option
-powerful
-very nice interior
-lots of features
however i'm going to be modding my maxima. rather heavily. and i dont mean mechanical mods (Although i'll probably do those too) i mean electrical mods, crazy and ambitious electrical mods. Here's the list i got so far and i'll probably expand this as time goes on
if you've heard of anyone doing anything like these, let me know, feel free to giggle if some of these are just too crazy
-remote start and keyless access, of course. and by keyless access i mean the door unlocks automatically when you pull the handle with the keyfob in your pocket. no need to press the unlock button. You can get it done professionally for about $350, not bad at all
-modify the heated steering wheel mechanism to automatically cut on when the car starts and it's cold enough (colder than 50 degrees) outside. then turn off once the wheel meets a certain temperature. This is so that the heated wheel turns on with the car during a remote start. Nice hot steering wheel when you get outside!
-replace dash lights with cool white, looks amazing, easy to do (there's instructions for this already on these forums)
-install aftermarket stereo to get aux input (OR modify stock one, kinda hackey implementation though)
-black out the grill and get black wheels, looks good with almost every color the maxima came in. Maybe billet grill?
-LED lights (turn signals, brake lights, reversing lights) with appropriate resistors
-angel eye headlights (actually looks good on the maxima due to its "furrowed brow" unlike most other cars)
-Retrofit infiniti i35 navigation screen?, use mechanism to hold a NEXUS 7 tablet, which is wired into the AUX port of the stereo, the pop up mechanism deploys when the car starts. The mechanism stores flat so it takes up very little room in the center dash stack area, meaning easier to fabricate in. A picture of it is here
-motor placed in steering column to tilt the wheel, attached to the existing wheel tilt mechanism. raises up whenever the door opens, lowers down when the key is inserted. Takes note of original position before moving! ONLY works if tilt lock/release is disengaged[http://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-c...l-repair.html]. This is to replicate the mechanism found in the 2004 generation maxima, it gives the car an interesting visual personality when it "greets you" as you open the door.
-custom built app running on the android tablet, paired with the Utter! app running Tasker in the background. Basically an AI car assistant with all the power of google now. Uses bluetooth-enabled arduino modules scattered throughout the car to control various functions, and an OBD2 bluetooth scan tool always plugged in to monitor the car (useful for activities like hypermiling). Of course the app will be entirely voice controlled, and will talk back to me in a british butler voice, which is available as a voice pack on the android market. I'll call it "jarvis"
-another app running on my phone which communicates with the app on the tablet in the car. Alloys for commands to be sent over a cellphone data connection, for things like remote start over a distance.
-DIY gps tracking module, there are tutorials out there to build them yourself for like $60, and they'll text you coordinates. I cna tie this in with the tablet and give "jarvis" the ability to contact me if he senses a theft (gps coordinates moving while the car is off, or without my keyfob being in the car).
-modify the heated steering wheel mechanism to automatically cut on when the car starts and it's cold enough (colder than 50 degrees) outside. then turn off once the wheel meets a certain temperature. This is so that the heated wheel turns on with the car during a remote start. Nice hot steering wheel when you get outside!
-replace dash lights with cool white, looks amazing, easy to do (there's instructions for this already on these forums)
-install aftermarket stereo to get aux input (OR modify stock one, kinda hackey implementation though)
-black out the grill and get black wheels, looks good with almost every color the maxima came in. Maybe billet grill?
-LED lights (turn signals, brake lights, reversing lights) with appropriate resistors
-angel eye headlights (actually looks good on the maxima due to its "furrowed brow" unlike most other cars)
-Retrofit infiniti i35 navigation screen?, use mechanism to hold a NEXUS 7 tablet, which is wired into the AUX port of the stereo, the pop up mechanism deploys when the car starts. The mechanism stores flat so it takes up very little room in the center dash stack area, meaning easier to fabricate in. A picture of it is here
-motor placed in steering column to tilt the wheel, attached to the existing wheel tilt mechanism. raises up whenever the door opens, lowers down when the key is inserted. Takes note of original position before moving! ONLY works if tilt lock/release is disengaged[http://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-c...l-repair.html]. This is to replicate the mechanism found in the 2004 generation maxima, it gives the car an interesting visual personality when it "greets you" as you open the door.
-custom built app running on the android tablet, paired with the Utter! app running Tasker in the background. Basically an AI car assistant with all the power of google now. Uses bluetooth-enabled arduino modules scattered throughout the car to control various functions, and an OBD2 bluetooth scan tool always plugged in to monitor the car (useful for activities like hypermiling). Of course the app will be entirely voice controlled, and will talk back to me in a british butler voice, which is available as a voice pack on the android market. I'll call it "jarvis"
-another app running on my phone which communicates with the app on the tablet in the car. Alloys for commands to be sent over a cellphone data connection, for things like remote start over a distance.
-DIY gps tracking module, there are tutorials out there to build them yourself for like $60, and they'll text you coordinates. I cna tie this in with the tablet and give "jarvis" the ability to contact me if he senses a theft (gps coordinates moving while the car is off, or without my keyfob being in the car).
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
everything seems like some basic mods, the only thing that is out of the ordinary is your your steering wheel mod and custom nav. That also doesnt look to crazy if you're willing to pull your dash out of the car to get all your brackets in, finding space to mount your motorized servos and pretty much refinishing the dash that you're going to be chopping up.
you doing this yourself or having a shop fab the work for you? either way i'm curious to see the final product.
you doing this yourself or having a shop fab the work for you? either way i'm curious to see the final product.
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 5
everything seems like some basic mods, the only thing that is out of the ordinary is your your steering wheel mod and custom nav. That also doesnt look to crazy if you're willing to pull your dash out of the car to get all your brackets in, finding space to mount your motorized servos and pretty much refinishing the dash that you're going to be chopping up.
you doing this yourself or having a shop fab the work for you? either way i'm curious to see the final product.
you doing this yourself or having a shop fab the work for you? either way i'm curious to see the final product.
chopping the dash will be a little difficult, i might try to find only some component of an i35 dash that already has the bits for the nav screen, instead of chopping a hole in the current dash
edit; to be honest i was hoping i'd get a lot of "bah, that's never work, too crazy". i guess i'm too used to luxury car forums, people who don't want to so much as (gasp) change the oil without the presence of the almighty all knowing dealership
Last edited by joekitch; Nov 8, 2013 at 02:05 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 5
actually i just realized, the Q45 has EXACTLY the same steering wheel as the maxima, if you look at interior shots it's entirely the same steering wheel....
but what's important is that the steering column looks the same. and the q45 had a power tilt/telescopic wheel.
i wonder, could it be a straight swap?
but what's important is that the steering column looks the same. and the q45 had a power tilt/telescopic wheel.
i wonder, could it be a straight swap?
I was just going to say it's easiest to integrate another cars steering column that is electric. Most Nissan wheels will interchange also. Awesome ambition you have, this is the right forum to help you along
Thread Starter
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heck, is there any evidence of anyone ever doing something like this?
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 5
truedelta says they are, and truedelta is usually skewed towards making things seem less reliable (since any little ding or loose piece of carpet counts the same as a transmission failure)
but according to them, the 02 and 03 maximas are all the way in the green, better than some hondas
but according to them, the 02 and 03 maximas are all the way in the green, better than some hondas
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 836
From: Connecticut
I own a 2002 (141k) and a 2003 (151k)....in total I have replaced one alternator, one coil, brakes and tires.
What George means is HIS is not reliable.
OP, if you get the steering wheel mod done you should do a write up. I imagine a lot of people would be interested in copying you. Good luck!
What George means is HIS is not reliable.
OP, if you get the steering wheel mod done you should do a write up. I imagine a lot of people would be interested in copying you. Good luck!
I own a 2002 (141k) and a 2003 (151k)....in total I have replaced one alternator, one coil, brakes and tires.
What George means is HIS is not reliable.
OP, if you get the steering wheel mod done you should do a write up. I imagine a lot of people would be interested in copying you. Good luck!
What George means is HIS is not reliable.
OP, if you get the steering wheel mod done you should do a write up. I imagine a lot of people would be interested in copying you. Good luck!
Obviously this is not an easy job either way. But integrating an OEM column out of another Nissan/Infiniti is going to look better, work better, and be easier than making your own system.
Especially if you want any automatic features
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
Amerikaner83 hit the nail on the head, if done correctly, he should be just fine. If it was a hack job then yea he'll prob have some odd electrical issues and maybe a bung alternator/battery.
Any more input on why the 02-03's are not as reliable as the others years?
Any more input on why the 02-03's are not as reliable as the others years?
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 33
I wouldn't do the heated steering wheel one if I were you. If I start my Max on a cold morning, turn on the wheel and then do a few things while it warms up, by the time I get in the heat has already cycled and it really isn't all that warm anymore. It warms up fast as hell anyways. Still want to do something interesting and rather pointless? You seem rather ambitious so how about a pressure sensor in the seat that turns it on when once you sit down on a cold day? I think that would be spiffy, I do find the button slightly awkward to reach compared to the rest if the controls on the car.
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