Can someone post a link to an aftermarket FSTB for my '08 Max. I have to do something about the handling of this vehicle. Perhaps a FSTB and new RSB will allow the car to perform like a normal FWD car.

 

Check Taz's website....Racinglineperformance.com...alot of the Maxima guys on here buy stuff from him. Awesome products and even better guy to deal with. And you can check with Cattman for the Progress RSB. Dont know if the one for the 6th gen. is the same for the 08's.

 

Reb, good you started this thread. I have been looking for the same. I think Racingline (www.racinglineperformance.com) and Stillen (www.stillen.com) make FSTB, at least for the 04-06 Maxima. The Racingline is preferred over the Stillen because it does not touch the hood. Also, Stillen supposedly has higher prices. Here is the thread about the Racingline FSTB install along with pics -- http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=541709

Not very sure about the RSB for 07-08 Maxima. I think Progress (www.progressauto.com) and Cattman (www.cattman.com) make them for the 04-06 Maxima. Here are some related threads --
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=536871
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=284013
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=229587
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=385895
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=304054

For Progress RSB, check out www.Autosportstyle.com and www.trademotion.com

For Cattman RSB, send Brian an e-mail at this address: Brian C Catts <bcatts@earthlink.net>

A nice article on RSB -- http://autospeed.com/cms/A_2359/article.html

 

I'd like to know definitively that installing an aftermarket FSTB + RSB leaves the OEM warranty intact.

Also, why on earth does a 30k+ 2008 FWD vehicle not have a FSTB engineered into the suspension. I swear, as early as 1992, GM was producing FWD cars that handled far better than this MAX. My 1997 Pontiac Bonneville (FSTB/Heavy Duty F/R Sways), rigid "frame", strong sheet metal- makes this 6.5 GEN look like a flimsy POS.

 

The FSTB should not affect the warranty at all. The FSTB and RSB are independent systems. Meaning if an SES is thrown, the stealership cannot link them to the fault of the SES light.

 

Yeah , but if you have a suspension related issue, there could be a problem. A strut could go bad, steering rack, rattles, broken linkage/mounts etc. Not to mention an accident and the hood/body doesn't buckle as designed and someone gets injured. Could be opening yourself up to a liability suit.

 

Depends still. Meaning... if your right shock goes bad... The stealership cant say that the FSTB caused it. And if your stealership states that... IMO dont ever bring your car there.

An accident has nothing to do with normal pit stops to the stealership.

If so worried... then honestly dont buy the FSTB.

Just keepin it real homie

 

Funny, I've driven a Taurus for the last 10 years or so. I'm in sales for the family biz, I thought my 08 handled like a dream compared to an 02 Taurus with the DOHC engine. Now I'm going to have to see (and spend a little) just what I've been missing. Thanks..I guess.

 

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

Below is the 'legal stuff' about the Warranty act, basically the part that concerns a buyer of aftermarket automotive products is that a dealer or manufacturer cannot void or charge for a warranty service based on use of aftermarket products unless a failure is a DIRECT result of use of the aftermarket product and they will have to prove how.

They also cannot tell you that you must use the factory filters etc. to keep your warranty, unless they are willing to give you those items FREE of charge.

Unfortunately many consumers and often many dealer personnel do not know this, so I design my products whenever possible to be easily removable and very easy to reinstall. If you ever have ANY problem with a dealer refusing to cover a warranty item due to ANY aftermarket product, even if it is a competitors product, feel free to write me and I will try to help.


702.1 Definitions.

(a) The Act means the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, 15 U.S.C. 2301, et seq.

(b) Consumer product means any tangible personal property which is distributed in commerce and which is normally used for personal, family, or household purposes (including any such property intended to be attached to or installed in any real property without regard to whether it is so attached or installed). Products which are purchased solely for commercial or industrial use are excluded solely for purposes of this part.

(c) Written warranty means --

(1) Any written affirmation of fact or written promise made in connection with the sale of a consumer product by a supplier to a buyer which relates to the nature of the material or workmanship and affirms or promises that such material or workmanship is defect free or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period of time, or

(2) Any undertaking in writing in connection with the sale by a supplier of a consumer product to refund, repair, replace or take other remedial action with respect to such product in the event that such product fails to meet the specifications set forth in the undertaking,

which written affirmation, promise, or undertaking becomes part of the basis of the bargain between a supplier and a buyer for purposes other than resale of such product.

(d) Warrantor means any supplier or other person who gives or offers to give a written warranty.

(e) Seller means any person who sells or offers for sale for purposes other than resale or use in the ordinary course of the buyer's business any consumer product.

(f) Supplier means any person engaged in the business of making a consumer product directly or indirectly available to consumers.

[40 FR 60189, Dec. 31, 1975, as amended at 52 FR 7574, Mar. 12, 1987]

702.2 Scope.

The regulations in this part establish requirements for sellers and warrantors for making the terms of any written warranty on a consumer product available to the consumer prior to sale.

702.3 Pre-sale availability of written warranty terms.

The following requirements apply to consumer products actually costing the consumer more than $15.00:

(a) Duties of seller. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) through (d) of this section, the seller of a consumer product with a written warranty shall make a text of the warranty readily available for examination by the prospective buyer by:

(1) Displaying it in close proximity to the warranted product, or

(2) Furnishing it upon request prior to sale and placing signs reasonably calculated to elicit the prospective buyer's attention in prominent locations in the store or department advising such prospective buyers of the availability of warranties upon request.

(b) Duties of the warrantor. (1) A warrantor who gives a written warranty warranting to a consumer a consumer product actually costing the consumer more than $15.00 shall:

(i) Provide sellers with warranty materials necessary for such sellers to comply with the requirements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section, by the use of one or more by the following means:

(A) Providing a copy of the written warranty with every warranted consumer product; and/or

(B) Providing a tag, sign, sticker, label, decal or other attachment to the product, which contains the full text of the written warranty; and/or

(C) Printing on or otherwise attaching the text of the written warranty to the package, carton, or other container if that package, carton or other container is normally used for display purposes. If the warrantor elects this option a copy of the written warranty must also accompany the warranted product; and/or

(D) Providing a notice, sign, or poster disclosing the text of a consumer product warranty. If the warrantor elects this option, a copy of the written warranty must also accompany each warranted product.

(ii) Provide catalog, mail order, and door-to-door sellers with copies of written warranties necessary for such sellers to comply with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.

(2) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall not be applicable with respect to statements of general policy on emblems, seals or insignias issued by third parties promising replacement or refund if a consumer product is defective, which statements contain no representation or assurance of the quality or performance characteristics of the product; provided that

(i) The disclosures required by 701.3(a) (1) through (9) of this part are published by such third parties in each issue of a publication with a general circulation, and

(ii) Such disclosures are provided free of charge to any consumer upon written request.

(c) Catalog and mail order sales. (1) For purposes of this paragraph:

(i) ``Catalog or mail order sales'', means any offer for sale, or any solicitation for an order for a consumer product with a written warranty, which includes instructions for ordering the product which do not require a personal visit to the seller's establishment.

(ii) ``Close conjunction'' means on the page containing the description of the warranted product, or on the page facing that page.

(2) Any seller who offers for sale to consumers consumer products with written warranties by means of a catalog or mail order solicitation shall:

(i) Clearly and conspicuously disclose in such catalog or solicitation in close conjunction to the description of warranted product, or in an information section of the catalog or solicitation clearly referenced, including a page number, in close conjunction to the description of the warranted product, either:

(A) The full text of the written warranty; or

(B) That the written warranty can be obtained free upon specific written request, and the address where such warranty can be obtained. If this option is elected, such seller shall promptly provide a copy of any written warranty requested by the consumer.

(d) Door-to-door sales. (1) For purposes of this paragraph:

(i) ``Door-to-door sale'' means a sale of consumer products in which the seller or his representative personally solicits the sale, including those in response to or following an invitation by a buyer, and the buyer's agreement to offer to purchase is made at a place other than the place of business of the seller.

(ii) ``Prospective buyer'' means an individual solicited by a door-to-door seller to buy a consumer product who indicates sufficient interest in that consumer product or maintains sufficient contact with the seller for the seller reasonably to conclude that the person solicited is considering purchasing the product.

(2) Any seller who offers for sale to consumers consumer products with written warranties by means of door-to-door sales shall, prior to the consummation of the sale, disclose the fact that the sales representative has copies of the warranties for the warranted products being offered for sale, which may be inspected by the prospective buyer at any time during the sales presentation. Such disclosure shall be made orally and shall be included in any written materials shown to prospective buyers.

 

get the racingline strut bar. i just put mine to day and holy crap. i felt the diff right away

 

My main issue is driving on the hwy and experiencing instability at speeds above 60mph. I'm not so concerned about high speed cornering. Anyone who owns a 6/6.5 Gen max knows exactly what i'm talking about. I'm not convinced that adding a FSTB and upgrading the RSB is the solution. Securing the shrouds flanking the engine helps prevent rapid side to side sway, but the car still is unstable.

 

Drove my Maxima for 15K before I put anything on it, most of it was an hour commute each way no slower then 65mph, never experienced any instability, my FSTB did not effect highway driving

 

Maybe some better tires. Neither of my cars feel instable.

 

I have a 07 SL and it doesn't feel unstable either. I agree, it is a bit floaty which I feel when there is a gust of wind or when a semi passes by in the highway. During such events, I feel a sway which I do not like and would like to get rid of. But the sway is dependent more on the shape of the car than the suspension itself.

I do not have any torque steer either. I have accelerated from 55 mph to 95 mph by floooring the gas in the hwy. There is enough power, no shimmy or torque steer and the car never feels out of control. However, I had to get back within 70 mph soon due to the only fear that a cop might be noticing me from somewhere.

Reb, I am not sure what you mean by "unstable"? Please explain a little bit about your experience in hwy. BTW, the thing that you said is left flapping below the oil cap which you taped, I couldn't find that in my car.

 

Reb is referring to (I think) the same phenomenon I have noted here as well... if you get caught in the wake of a large truck the car rocks violently side to side. There is no loss of directional stability, but the car rocks around its longitudinal axis (in my experience). I have NEVER felt anything even remotely like it any other car. It is NOT a tire issue or suspension issue, per se. As BB noted, it is purely an aerodynamic issue (very strange sounds around the A pillars when it occurs), but the effect is probably amplified somewhat by the soft suspension and low roll stiffness allowing the car to be buffeted so easily.

In any case I have no "stability" issues... my car tracks perfectly even when the body rocking starts. I have no tramlining issues as long as I keep my front tire pressures at 35psi min.

Torque steer is extremely mild in mine... really only evident if the there is traction differential between the two front tires... this is probably unavoidable in any FWD car. The axle geometry related issues in earlier Max gens seems completely gone. My 5.5G could be a handful... the 6.5 is calm as could be even under hard acceleration.

My suspension issues fall mostly in the lack of dampening - particularly rebound dampening in the rear - and being a little shy in roll stiffness. The spring rates are not too bad... its the extra cycle of body motion, even on low speed dips, that drives me crazy. The suspension will compress as the wheel climbs out of the dip and when you crest the exit of the dip the body will overshoot and you will literally feel the rear end jacking up on you. Its just annoying in a straight line, but its very unnerving when it happens mid-corner, because the lack of rebound damping coupled with the lack of roll stiffness makes the car change its roll angle pretty severely when the rear suspension rebounds during a curve.

This behavior is EXACTLY what I would expect in an SL or some other mainstream bread and butter sedan. It is the reason I NEVER consider the base suspension level of ANY car as an option for me. Its not what I have come to expect in a Maxima SE, all of which have previously had quite a "buttoned down" feeling in the same situation. The solid axle sidestep of the 4th and 5th gens was much less annoying than this is. Yes, I know that aftermarket struts/shocks and a (stiffer) rear anti-roll bar would likely cure the issue, but mine is a lease and I prefer not to have to resort to that... I never did before to be happy with my SE's right out of the box.

Hopefully, the '09's suspension tuning at the 'ring is for real and not just some ad copy generated after they lapped the circuit once or twice.

 

"I have a 07 SL and it doesn't feel unstable either. I agree, it is a bit floaty which I feel when there is a gust of wind or when a semi passes by in the highway. During such events, I feel a sway which I do not like and would like to get rid of. But the sway is dependent more on the shape of the car than the suspension itself."



The combination of the above mentioned wind/aerodynamic issue+ tramlining+over-boosted power steering at hwy speed+torque steer= what I describe as unstable.




What FWD cars have you most recently spent time with prior to the '07 SL? I've mentioned to you that I had an '05 Accord prior to this car. At even 100mph the car drove perfectly straight without hands on wheel for atleast 20 sec. This '08 Max can't stay straight on the hwy for 100ft. Even my 11yr old Bonneville (that has never had an alignment-EVER) drives straight 5x longer than this Max. No car I ever owned (including a mini van) gets blown by the wind out of lanes, drifts out of the lane, requires constant steering wheel adjustment, floats, leans etc....Its not just my car, read the archives at Edmunds/Yahoo etc. I made friends with a Nissan mechanic and had several discussions about this. His view "most people are just un-aware of the problem". Nissan certainly is, but they only care about moving new cars. So anyone here that thinks this car drives well on the hwy , has IMO either never driven another well engineered FWD car or just doesn't know any better.






"BTW, the thing that you said is left flapping below the oil cap which you taped, I couldn't find that in my car."



There are two unsecured black plastic shrouds flanking the engine. Crawl under the front of the car and look up into the engine bay opposite each front tire. They are there on my '08SL.

Sorry to come off brash/abusive but I really hate this car with a passion......

 

...

 

The only floaty feeling I've ever experienced was at over 110mph, I've driven around more then several big rigs and never felt unstable,

Of all the FWD cars I've driven the Maxima ranks about the best, the tracking straight might be the tires, my OEM RSA had such irregular wear patterns and most newer cars with less sidewall don't track straight for long due to the road vibrating through the small amount of tire, my friends 530 you could not take your hand off the wheel

 

I've often observed this behaivor driving behind '02-'06 Altimas on the Hwy. No coincidence being that they are basically the same car. It takes about 5 seconds watching the car until you physically feel sea sick. I just trailed one before I got home. The lady couldn't keep the car straight at all, 3ft to the left/ 2ft to the right. If anyone wants to see what I'm complaining about for themselves, follow an Alti. For comparision, follow an '07-'08 Altima from behind. Car is absolutely rock solid with non of this wallowing bull****.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, '07-'08 SE/SL have a re-tuned suspension different than '04-'06. Yes, I know that '07-'08 SE/SL are identical except for the rim size, in the past SE firmer. Well, whatever Nissan-Renault did to this suspension, they ruined the car IMO.

So I have a new car that needs better tires, and a complete suspension overhaul to drive what I consider normal. Like i said before, there is a reason dealers are discounting these cars 6-7K off sticker.

Caveat Empteur-------Buyer Beware.

 

I'll have to take note of an Altima on the highway, that would be a 3rd Gen Atima 2002-2006

 

"[quote=jcalabria;6341442]

My suspension issues fall mostly in the lack of dampening - particularly rebound dampening in the rear - and being a little shy in roll stiffness. The spring rates are not too bad... its the extra cycle of body motion, even on low speed dips, that drives me crazy. The suspension will compress as the wheel climbs out of the dip and when you crest the exit of the dip the body will overshoot and you will literally feel the rear end jacking up on you. Its just annoying in a straight line, but its very unnerving when it happens mid-corner, because the lack of rebound damping coupled with the lack of roll stiffness makes the car change its roll angle pretty severely when the rear suspension rebounds during a curve.

This behavior is EXACTLY what I would expect in an SL ............."




I've carefully read over what you posted and believe this to be a large part of the "issue". What I disagree with is that this type of behavior is to be expected in an SL Maxima. We are talking about a Flagship Nissan Maxima "Sport Luxury" sedan here not a base level 3rd gen Altima.

 

I have come to expect that behavior in ANY non-European car that is not equipped with a premium suspension package. I consider it normal and expected in any car aimed more at the general masses. There are precious few cars I have driven or ridden in that have not behaved this way. Every Toyota I have ever driven (other than my '82 Supra w/ sport package rode that way). Non-SE Camry's and non-touring Avalon's are miserable. Hyundai Sonata and Azera I drove were probably the worst I've ever experienced in this respect. Its what most car manufacturers think most American driver's want... and they may be right because many people have noted that most of my cars "ride too hard" when when they feel just right to me.

Every GXE/GLE of previous Max generations all ride that way to an extent, which is why I mentioned that I expected an SL to be that way. Its also why the GXE/GLE/SL would never ever be on my shopping list, even though I find them less floaty than most sedans cars on the road - certainly way better than those I mentioned above. But I NEVER expected an SE to behave that way. Never... Ever. Shame on me for trusting Nissan to have an SE grade suspension in a car with an SE badge on it. But I stand by my statement that it is exactly what I would expect of SL - the Max specifically oriented towards those that prefer a more "relaxed" ride.

 

Get the strut bar from Taz at Racingline Performance and then add the Progress springs and you will be very pleased.

I added the strut bar about 5 months ago and it made a great difference. Then last month I added the Progress front springs (ran out of time to install the rear before it snowed again) and ran it like that for 2 weeks. Last week I added the rear springs and now it rides like a Maxima should; tight response, no wallowing in the bends at highway speeds and not to mention the great aggressive stance of the lowered ride. My right front strut with about 3,000 miles on it was starting to make noise again but I lowered it anyway without changing the struts. It rides great except when the right front tire hits a pot hole then it makes its noise but I will upgrade the struts to Monroe or Tokico later this summer.

 

Sounds like a FTSB wont help you as you have issues with your car. Doesnt seem like you would be satisfied unless you got something else, however if suspension is your hang up, do as someone said and change your springs, struts, and swaybar rear at least and you should feel quite a difference. You may still feel the wind from a supertanker though...you may have to get over that, no matter what you are driving. Most people here are going to tell you to do something about it and quit beaching.

 

I bought this car for my wife, its her main ride. But i have to drive it too. I'm past the point in my life where I feel inclined to replace springs/struts/tires/parts. I just wanna drive and have no issues. But I just can't let this one slide by because this car can't even drive straight. If any parts are being changed, it won't be on my dime. The Accord I had offers only 1 suspension, and it certainly wasn't an "American Ride" . That car had ZERO issues in 3yr/36,000 miles, never went back to dealer even 1x.

As far as *****ing is concerned, this is a brand new car. Not a 2004-2006 with miles. In 30yrs of driving, no car I owned was ever tossed about by crosswinds like this Max. Or suffered from tramlining and such rediculous over sensitive steering on the hwy.

 

Again, Ive driven many honda accords in my life and I have no issues either. I am not certain why you left the honda with nothing but praise (at least on the suspension) for the maxima. I for one am happy with my switch. If you are not to change anything and you didnt properly test drive it in the first place before you bought it, seems like you are sheet out of luck. if your car isnt driving straight, get it aligned. i dont think you will find too many people on a MAXIMA forum complaining about their rides. no hate here and I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

The not tracking straight is definitely a problem that I don't have and wouldn't assume is a universal problem. From all you have written there has got to be something amiss in one (or more) of the areas of tires, alignment or steering rack. Whatever it is, it shouldn't be that way and I can understand your displeasure. On the other hand, I have about 500k miles accumulated on 7 different Maximas, and my only non-scheduled mechanical repair on any of them was a new starter on the '95. It can't all be just luck of the draw across seven samples.

I purposely didn't include Hondas in my list... their suspensions ARE more euro-ish than typical. They represent what I think is about right for a base suspension... they are undoubtedly better damped than the current Max, but not nearly as well as a "traditional" SE was.

 

reb
you make a valid point and 1 car will certainly not be perfect for everyone. but you did mention the Maxima is your wife's ride, has she made any complaints, does she feel the way you do, and what do you drive daily that you are obviously comparing to the Maxima.

can you get out of it

 

Originally Posted by max_n00b
I as well just purchased an 05 SE with about 35k on it. I had the dealership replace the front right strut already b/c it was making a clunking noise. Since the replacement I have noticed that I hear a noise coming from the front left as well. Also I think the rear struts or some part of the suspension is bad as well.

Overall the car handles and takes bumps like sh*t. What do you guys recommend. I want to leave the setup as close to stock as possible but willing to change shocks & struts and anything else needed.

Any recommendations on a cheap reliable brand of all that is needed.

Thanks!
Get used to it. I'm on my 4rd set of OEM struts and my 2nd set of springs and after 10,000 miles, they're trashed again. The only thing worse than those struts is having to deal with service centers that have a sign that says "we never fix cars" hanging in the front window. The make unbelievable engines and so-so tranny's but their SUSPENSIONS SUCK


JC wrote:

"maybe not, but its not universal, either"


Someone is in denial.

 

From Edmunds Consumer car reviews 2007 Maxima SE/SL

1)

RATING:
DETAILED RATINGS:Performance:8 Fun-to-Drive: 9 Build Quality: 8 Comfort:7 Interior Design: 8 Reliability:8 Fuel Economy:8 Exterior Design: 9 Vehicle 2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review I have had this car now for over 3 months. The car before was a 04SL which lets me compare the two. These two cars ARE different in most ways. For a $30K + car it still needs much improvement in ride and needs more sound proofing. It is however much better than the 04SL. The handling is much improved. BEWARE of the SHIMMY, this has been a problem in the 04/05/06's and now the 07's. {When you test drive your car pay attention to the speed of 50-65. IT CANT BE FIXED ! When I took my car in to have it corrected, which wasnt, I test drove another 07SL and it too had the shimmy. You have been warned}. The only other problem that I have is the drivers seat moves when turning. To be fixed ? Favorite Features It is a very good looking car and hard to not like it. I did buy another one !! The seats are better but not $30K class. The CVT IS VERY NICE ! The backup radar . The design over previous MAX's. Probably the best engine on the market ! Suggested Improvements Once and for all get rid of the SHIMMY ! This not a dealer issue, it is a Nissan issue. You know about it, fix it ! Put $30K class seats in the car. Find out who makes seats for Lexus and use them .. 17 out 18 people found this review helpful
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2)

2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)

Review the new transmission is the worse. brakes will not stop safely. wind and road noise is horrible. {very unstable on highway, sways as though the rear will meet the front} never got more than 18 mpg if i owned 30 cars, which is low, i would rank this 28 as the best Favorite Features the bose radio is good. keyless entry is good Suggested Improvements the above complaint. had a 2002 altima with 196,000 miles which is 100 times the new car is 7 out 41 people found this review helpful
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3)

Vehicle 2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review {This vehicle does not handle well to say the least. I need to fight to keep it straight on the road. My wrists are in extreme pain after driving 20-30 miles. Others who have driven have had the same complaint. I initially thought I received a defective vehicle, but apparently Nissan's technicians and Nissan Consumer Affairs feel the vehicle performs to factory specifications|}. Do yourself a favor and stick to a similarly classified Toyota or Honda product. I have previously leased both and have been much happier. Favorite Features Body Design Suggested Improvements Go back to the drawing board a rework your platform so that a $35,000 vehicle can drive in a straight line. 8 out 49 people found this review helpful
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4)

Performance:8 Fun-to-Drive: 7 Build Quality: 6 Comfort:7 Interior Design: 6 Reliability:7 Fuel Economy:5 Exterior Design: 8
Vehicle 2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review I traded my 03 Maxima SE in on the new 07 Maxima SE thinking that it was going to be a major improvement over my 03. Nissan did a wonder job in the styling of the car. About 2 months after I had the car I noticed a{ shake in the steering wheel. I have taken it back to the dealership 4 times and they still have not fixed the problem.} Also the quality is not as good there is a lot of road noise, interior finish poor. I don't understand what Nissan is doing with the Maxima. I was a loyal Nissan person but they really have to step it up on the 2010 model to keep me with Nissan. My 03 would blow this new one away. Favorite Features CVT, exterior styling with wing and grille. Suggested Improvements Better handling, quieter ride, Bose radio. 3 out 3 people

5)

Reliability:10 Fuel Economy:7 Exterior Design: 10
Vehicle 2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review This is by far the poorest quality Nissan I have ever owned and I have had most of the models, 240Z, Maxima, 350Z, and Murano, yes, I was a loyal customer. The overall body panel fit is poor to say the least, the engine is loud especially when it is cold, {the hood shake is almost scary, makes you think it is un-latched,} and the interior road noise is terrible for a so-called luxury car. Favorite Features Good looks of the car, CVT drive and some of the special features like Bluetooth, XM radio, back-up alarm and the Smart key system. Suggested Improvements Bring back the quality that Nissan was known for, and have Consumer Affairs respond to customers like they are supposed to. 17 out 20 people found this review helpful
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6)
Maxima 3.5 SE 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT)
Review Took 3 tries to get SES (check engine light) to stay off (bad evaporative purge solenoid?). The driver's seat pops/clicks when turning left, the driver's door has an intermittent rattle, {the steering wheel shimmys when stopping hard and fast (front rotors?), a fastener is missing from the plastic motor undertray}, and the rear engine mount creaks when starting out (had it up on a lift when trailer hitch was installed - found the creak location with a stethoscope). Mileage markedly worse than '03 I traded in. CVT has not won me over yet. Back to the dealer again today. Lastly, incredibly cheesy and cheap feeling door handles. Yikes! Favorite Features Bose, Bluetooth, dash, huge trunk. Suggested Improvements Fix abysmal quality! Ditch the CVT for a good 5 or 6 speed automatic 2 out 5 people found this review helpful
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7)


8 Fuel Economy:4 Exterior Design: 7
Vehicle 2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review {Poor handling at high speed. Car shakes at high speed.} Car seems to float at 80 mph. Very top heavy in curves. Car tight into curves, loose in the center and loose out of curves. Car performance seems to go away during after being driven through out day. Low gear is too high, poor performance at start. A/C fan blower very low. Door locks should lock when car is in gear. Favorite Features Suggested Improvements 6 out 8 people found this review helpful
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8)


2007 Nissan Maxima 3.5 SL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl CVT) Review I have had several Maximas in the past and have always been pleased but this one has me scratching my head. Love the car with a few exceptions. {The front end squeaks like a 90-year old wooden wagon. Have taken it into the dealership 14 times for repair, can't pinpoint the problem even with the stethoscope.} Have gone back now and tried to drive several other year models with the same body style and {ALL have the same squeaking noise coming from the front end}. Doesn't do it all the time only when the weight of the car is on that side. Very embarrassing going thru parking lots or areas where the ground is not level. Love the CVT - man this car will fly!!! Just can't get past the noise. Favorite Features Seamless gear changing, Bose sound system, large trunk, heated seats/steering wheel; keyless entry is awesome; steering wheel controls; iPod jack, back-up sensors, memory seats; the woodgrain actually looks great on this, didn't expect to like the tacky stuff but I do. LOVE car, not the noise Suggested Improvements The doors sound cheap, doors need to auto lock, need the skylight to actually open, heat/air doesn't work very well in the rear; improve gas mileage; blue tooth could be of better quality - can't be heare very well on other end; make appearance different from your other Nissan cars (grille). 2 out 2 people found this review helpful
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I can't deny what I have not experienced. If I'm not experiencing it, then it can't be universal. I am also extremely sensitive to handling and steering issues, so its not something I would miss if my car did exhibit these issues.

I'm more than willing to ***** about whatever I have found to be deficient in my car (see below). All I can say is that mine tracks like it's on rails at all speeds up to 95mph (as high as I've gone). Highway cruising is as relaxed as could be... not a trace of vibration or lane wander. The car is as solid as a rock... not the slightest rattle, creak or groan (and mine was one of the very first 6.5gs... the very first one sold in NC)

The only time I have found this NOT to be the case is if the front tire pressures drop even slightly. If the front tires are not kept at least at 35 psi, the tires will follow pavement grooves and, particulary, the ruts that heavy trucks will create in heavily traveled blacktop. This is completely eliminated with at least 35psi in the front tires. (BTW, 35 psi is THE recommended "high speed" pressure for the 17" SL tires and still 3 psi below the recommended high speed pressure for the 18" SE tires. At 32 psi - at least in my SE - the tires WILL tend to follow every little feature of the the road).

My list of *****es:

• Suspension is underdamped for an SE. 90% of the general public would likely think its the best handling sedan they've ever driven. I have higher standards than them, and so did previous generations of Maxima SE's. This is my biggest complaint, by far. I'm pissed at Nissan for cheaping out and putting SL underpinnings in my once superior SE, and I'm pissed at myself for not realizing that before I leased. That said, I do not think in any way that it is dangerous or unstable. It is perfectly suited for the luxury oriented SL ("my father's Maxima")... just not up to the traditional standards of the King-of-the-Hill Maxima, the SE.
• Buffeting behind trucks - annoying but does not effect directional stability whatsoever. Plus you have to be directly behind and unsafely close to the truck to induce it, so it is rare for the situation to arise. I would say in nearly two years of driving this car I have experienceed it no more than three times.
• The TPMS system is a joke, but I blame the do-gooder feds, not Nissan.
• The exterior door handles sound/feel like they came off a Yugo.
• The carpeting looks like something I used to spray on plywood to simulate grass on my slot car setups when I was a kid.
• The Bose system would make a decent base audio system but is lacking for the premium that they charge for it. Somebody at Nissan needs to use their European connections to start dealing with Harman or Dynaudio for their premium sound systems. Volkswagon and Volvo premium systems, in similarly priced cars, are vastly superior to the Bose systems that Nissan peddles.
• The car surges slightly at stop lights when the A/C compressor cycles.
• The high beams are a joke - they light up the trees but no penetration down the road whatsoever. You just can't adequately satisfy both high and low beam requirements from a single filament/lens/reflector. The seperate HID lows + halogen highs in my 5.5g were vastly superior.
• Whoever decided to put an unswitched power outlet in the console should be taken out behind the barn and shot. I cringe leaving phone chargers made in some third world grass hut cooking in that hot confined space all summer.
• Ditto for the idiot who put the non-nav AUX IN smack in the middle of the center stack. I just love having wires hanging out of my dash... real classy.
• Chrome interior door handles and shifter trim plate... ugh!
• While I'm at the nit-pick level - how about the manual gate being AWAY from the driver. At least they've fixed that in the 7g.

 

Any car in Edmunds has very good and very bad reviews. Here are some numbers of the best selling sedans from Edmunds:

07 Maxima
Average customer rating: 8.7/10
# customer ratings: 94
# customer ratings below 7/10: 10 i.e. 10.6%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 55 i.e. 58.5%

08 Maxima
Average customer rating: 9.3/10
# customer ratings: 16 (not enough to make sense)
# customer ratings below 7/10: 1 i.e. 6.25%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 12 i.e. 75.0%

07 Altima
Average customer rating: 9.2/10
# customer ratings: 209
# customer ratings below 7/10: 8 i.e. 3.8%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 160 i.e. 76.6%

08 Altima
Average customer rating: 9.3/10
# customer ratings: 126
# customer ratings below 7/10: 2 i.e. 1.6%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 98 i.e. 77.8%

07 Accord
Average customer rating: 9.0/10
# customer ratings: 215
# customer ratings below 7/10: 13 i.e. 6.0%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 154 i.e. 71.6%

08 Accord
Average customer rating: 8.9/10
# customer ratings: 233
# customer ratings below 7/10: 18 i.e. 7.7%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 152 i.e. 65.2%

07 Camry
Average customer rating: 8.3/10
# customer ratings: 500
# customer ratings below 7/10: 103 i.e. 20.6%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 262 i.e. 52.4%

08 Camry
Average customer rating: 8.2/10
# customer ratings: 54
# customer ratings below 7/10: 7 i.e. 13.0%
# customer ratings above 9/10: 24 i.e. 44.4%

So as you can see, out of the best selling sedans in US, the 07-08 Maxima is in the middle. The group is led by the Altima both in 07 and 08. The Camry is the worst as far as customer reviews in Edmunds show.

Reb, I believe you have some problem in your Maxima that is not common. I do not know what you should do, but if I were you, I would spend in modding it so that it becomes rock solid.

I see you have been trying to say for some time that Nissan is offering high incentives on the 07-08 Maxima because it is a POS. That is not true. Nissan is offering such high incentives because the 07-08 Maxima is extremely close to the 07-08 Altima V6. Since the Altima V6 is a direct competitor of the Accord V6 and Camry V6, no one will buy the Altima V6 if it is base priced at $30k. So the Altima V6 is priced competitively with the Accord/Camry V6. Being so close, no one will buy the Maxima if its price difference with the Altima V6 is very high. So Nissan is reducing the price difference between the Altima V6 and Maxima by offering incentives. At least that is what I understand. Going by the sales of the 07-08 Maxima, none can conclude it is a POS. But there are always a few lemons from any manufacturer.


Did any of you guys with a 07-08 Maxima find this plastic shroud that Reb is talking about?

 

Forum won't let me post attachments. I took 4 pics of shrouds and can e-mail them to you. Then you can post them for everyone to see.

One of the guys in the Edmunds review noticed the shroud issue to:
"a fastener is missing from the plastic motor undertray"


I really hate being so effin negative. Its not my style. I'm waiting to hear back from Nissan. IMO, they should offer me a solution and at the very least upgrade my tires and sway bars.

 

Reb all I can say is that you have a completely different car than I do. atmo I've got an 08SE and it is with out a doubt the best handling front driver I have had. Yes I push it and I have passed semi's at 90+ with no problem at all. I have no problem with road surfaces or trammeling. Side winds are no worse than any other car I've owned. Maybe I got lucky, but the problems you have described I haven't experienced in any way. Can the handling be improved on it, yes I think it can, is it needed for my daily driving habits? No. Lots of good advice in this thread of course ymmv. Enjoy the day.

 

If you read over the 8 reviews posted from Edmunds above. I chose to highlight owners with similiar handling issues that I'm having. Interesting is that 6 out of the 8 are SL owners. So there is some evidence that supports the 17" OEM Continental tires as being part of the issue.

 

Being that mine is so sensitive to slight tire pressure changes, it lends some credence to the possibilty that tire characteristics could be playing a part in your problem. I never paid much attention to SL specs... are Conti's the only SL tire ever offered? Even if they are, it still shouldn't behave the way you describe. Have you ever played with tire pressures? You can certainly go to 35psi under Nissan's recommendations, and might be worth trying a bit higher if the tire's maximum pressure spec allows it. I have never run any front-heavy FWD car with less than 35psi in the front tires and have never had any wear issues... if anything, they still wear on the outside shoulders slightly faster ... never ever wore out any of them in the center of the tread.

Another benefit of higher pressures is that any vibration induced by a tire's radial sidewall stiffness variations (which is what road-force balancing is designed to minimize) will also be reduced, as the higher pressure helps take the sidewall stiffness variations out of the picture.

Everybody *****es about the SE's RSAs, but I have not had any real issues with them. I would never buy them as replacements (way too expensive compared to others that are equal or better), but I've never had any compelling urge to get rid of the OEMs on mine.

 

After reading this thread I've realized the thing I don't like about my car is the bounce up after hitting bumps on the highway, especially on/off ramps, several German cars that I drove with and without sport tuned suspensions felt very flat and seemed to hung the road and glide over the bumps like it was just paved.

I've read up on Edmund's and I tend to avoid those forums, I've researched many cars and if your looking for a reason not to buy any make of any model just read Edmund's, I feel like those people are the MIT poster of the internet forums and they just take it to another level

 

That's Max's less than optimal shock damping at work. That bounce up is the weak rebound dampening allowing the springs to unload too quickly (and overshoot the "neutral" position) after they've been compressed.

We need some of that special euro-syrup that the Euro mfg's put in their shocks over there... never a bit of extra body motion but still never harsh. Someday we'll find that its made from the bodily secretions of Bavarian elves or something.

Many Euro cars don't even have very high roll stiffness... they lean a bit but the body takes a set and then just stays rock stable, totally unfazed by bumps and dips.

Maybe Nissan learned something tuning the 7G at Nürburgring.

 

jcalabria

I'm starting to understand why the Germans are so secretive, my brother bought a 300C AWD and that car handles like a giant 3 series (relatively speaking) I was literally blown away by how that car just hugs the road for it's size especially around turns, my car feels like it could flip on certain turns, the 300, amazing not having that eerie feeling in my stomach

 

Higher-end FWD GM cars have nailed the rock solid feel long ago.