i went to the new york auto show today, and i got a chance to sit in the '04 max and i was satisfied. The inside is very roomy(even for me and im 6'2) the interior is nice but the view straight-back seems very poor. also, the car doesn't feel like its worth 35 Grand. the exterior is nice, and the front grille doesn't bother me too much. But the whole car seems to lack the sportiness ive grown accustomed to with the max. the engine scream sporty, but the car has a cheap feel to it, visually. But the question i have pertains to the driveability of the car. is there anyway to lessen the torque steer of the car? because this seems to be the biggest problem in reports ive heard on the max. is it really as excessive as reported? because im not sure if this car does it for me. i may wait an extra year to see if nissan makes some changes to the layout of the car. my final opinion is that the new max is okay, but it doesn't bring to the table what i expect from nissan.

 

Get the 6 speed with HLSD.

DW

 

Well, I've only taken one 04 Max on an extended test drive and I don't know whether that particular car had a HLSD becuase I didn't think to ask. I can report that the torque-steer on that car was unacceptably bad - enough to diminish the driving enjoyment by a significant degree. What's the point of all that power if you have to wrestle with the car just to keep it in a straight line? I'm trying to find the time to take a second test drive (making sure that the next one has the HLSD) and hope that I notice a real improvement. My second major gripe was the stiff-legged ride. On our winter-raveged roads the car bucked and crashed over every frost-heave, expansion joint and pot hole in a most tiresome fashion. You make a good point - some of these issues may be improved upon once the 04 Max has one model year under its belt.

Cheers,

Jaeger

 

Why not try an SL before giving up and waiting for next year?

 

'Cause I gotta have a stick. But I didn't say I was giving up - I'm hoping the HLSD makes as much difference as some here suggest.

Cheers,

Jaeger

 

For what its worth I test drove back to back two 02 Max's, both 6 speeds, one with HLSD and the other without. Night and day. The HLSD car can be driven in a straight line at WOT with one hand on the wheel, the non HLSD car cannot be driven in a straight line at all under WOT, no matter how many hands you have on the wheel.

 

I'm glad I'm not going insane because that's what I've been saying. I have HLSD and it is the difference between great drive and a pain to drive.

-Ed

 

I was out driving my '03 Max the other day and made a turn onto a road going up a fairly steep grade. I stepped on the gas pretty hard and the car almost lept off the right side of the road. I had to grab the wheel with both hands to correct lest I take out some construction signs. Now I generally plan my throttle input based on conditions, how good my grip on the wheel is and where I am. The torque steer is pretty bad on these cars.

Don't know about the limited slip deal though as I haven't driven a car with it. Is it possible to retro-fit to a non HLSD Max?

 

I doubt very much nissan will "change the layout of the car"... you don't redesign a redesigned car, unless sales are so horrid that you have no other choice (they did it with the Aztek).

 

Maybe they'll add HLSD to the 5 speed auto?? People who drive automatics like to drive fast too sometimes.