I recently purchased a used 04 SL. I must have been on a smooth road when I test drove this car. Now, 2 months later, I am seriously considering a trade.
This has got to be the noisiest car I have ever owned! You can hear every crack in the road. The tires are Continental brand and are inflated to the recommended 33psi, so over inflation is not the problem. I've read several reviews before purchasing this car and everyone said they loved the smooth, luxurious ride on the SL. I don't have that. Are all Maximas like this, or is there something wrong with this car? For the price, I expected alot more..
This thing rides like a cheap car. Any suggestions??????

 

You may need to describe your situation in a little more a little more detail and give us more info to go on.

This is the first time i've heard this type of complaint form an SL owner.

What do you mean by ? Where is the noise coming from ? Rattles ?

Bob

 

i feel the same...05 SE. i feel & hear EVERY bump. this car is not smooth at all. the front end feels like its on the verge of falling off the car.

 

Bob, It seems like the suspension is way to stiff, like it should give a softer ride. Too much cabin noise

 

If you dont want to feel the road, and value a smooth ride, try a Buick Centry or a Lincoln Town Car

 

My 04 SE is really tight, which I don't mind. However, I've noticed recently (in the last few weeks when it has got to 15 and below) that the rear end of the car makes a ton of popping sounds and creaking noises (this did not happen last winter), and they really don't go away until the cabin is really warm.

Just an observation.

 

actually, I like the feel of the road. I also have a Lincoln Mark VIII and no cabin noise. When driving the Maxima, the road noise is nerve racking.

 

if its too cold the struts get tighter and give a harder ride...... but could he have the strut problem everyone has?

 

You tell 'em....................

 

I traded a 1998 Lexus ES300 and even this car had road noise until I put some good tires on it. You will be amazed at what tires can do to lower road noise!

One of the reasons I traded the ES was I did not feel connected to the road it was to soft. I wanted a sportier feel... I have been happy with the ride so far, however I want to put a quiet tire on the Max.

As a side note: My buddy just picked up a 2001 BMW 528 and and it has Z rated tires on it. His can is noisey on the freeway also.

Conclusion, if you want a quieter ride charge from a preformance tire to a touring tire or the like. My.02

 

Two things. First, it depends on what you're used to previously. Obviously, if you have grown up in luxury cars, then the Maxima is a poor choice because it is a low-end luxury car. As for me, my previous car was an Altima. And so upgrading to my Maxima was like moving from shack hotel to the Hilton for me. Of course, I've driven my mom's Lexus, and the Maxima doesn't compare to her Lexus. And I don't expect it to either.

Second, the OE tires were ContiTouringContact CV95. They are horrible tires. Check out their reviews on Epinions and TireRack.com. I recently bought ContiPremierContacts, and WOW BABY, what a difference. Smoother, softer, quieter. So definitely, the tires make a difference. Check to see what tires you have and go online to see if you got good ones or if there are better ones out there.

 

My '04 SL has the quietest and plushest ride of any Maxima I have ever owned, and I have owned nothing but Maximas for twenty years.

My sister's Buick does ride more smoothly and quietly than my Maxima, but it sort of wallows and plows, even when being driven gently.

Of course a car like a Lexus will also ride more smoothly and quietly than a Maxima. The Lexus is designed purely as a luxury car, not a performance car. The Maxima is a performance car with several luxury appointments. BIG difference.

Additionally, as WetDry pointed out, tires can make a lot of difference with both ride quality and noise level.

 

I'm coming from an suv, so I don't know what to say if you're just talking about some small difference compared to high-end luxury cars. However, the ride in my 04 SL is extremely smooth. And one of the first things I noticed was how well insulated it was from road noise. I presume yours is truly noisy since you say it's nervewracking. That's definitely not normal.

My car still has the OE tires on it by the way, which have almost 29k miles on them...and it's still extremely smooth.

 

It might depend on the type of roadway surface that you do most of you're driving on. I've driven on some grooved concrete surface roads that would have annoyed anyone in any kind of car and tire combo.

I remember driving on a section on an Interstate in Kansas one time (i was on vacation on a major road trip) that had a grooved concrete surface that drove me nuts as it made my tires noiser than a KORN concert.

Bob

(BTW...Light - i was wondering when you'd show up in here ! )

 

I'd recommend you drop your tire pressure to 30psi (cold). You'll be surprised how much difference 3psi will make in the ride quality, and it won't adversely affect your tire wear, handling or safety.

As for the noise, it's partly the tire compound and partly the (lack of) sound deadening in the car. It's a pretty common complaint these days, even in cars costing much more than the Maxima. You can retrofit sound deadening material into your car if you're willing to invest a few hours in it, or of course you could pay somone to do it. There is a material called Dynamat that a lot of people use for this. You have to pull out your rear seats to install it, as well as your trunk liner and any other areas you want to treat. But people say it makes a big difference.

Mike

 

Thanks for the information. I am eager to determine if the ContiPremierContacts make the significant difference over the ContiTouringContacts that you mention. Of course, I will have to wait several more thousands of miles to answer this question, because I am not going to toss the OEM TouringContact that came on my 05 SL.