dgraham2038

Any SR owners wished they had purchased the platinum? I have a 2017 SR and I now wish I would have taken a harder look at the Platinum. The ride quality of the SR is really too punishing for my taste. Oh well, maybe I can make a move in a few years.

2young2retire

One of the main reasons I went from an '09 SV to the '17 Platinum was the ride quality. It rode way too stiff for me.

xydehead

Replace your tire from stock to Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus for comfort ride. The side walls on this tire is cushy compared to Goodyear stiff.

Now, then you will miss that precise corning and responsive steering. I know this as I have done it

lightonthehill

I thought about the SR, but, being very old and not able to turn my head/neck as I could seventy years ago, I had to have the birds eye view of the Platinum in order to safely drive the car. The 'A' pillars and outside mirrors are bulky, giving a poor view to the left front and right front, and, even with the backup camera, the rearward view is not great. But the birds eye cameras cover everything.

I also use the power blinds on the rear window of the Platinum, which I keep up the warm half of the year to keep the hot sun off the rear seat upholstery, and the necks of rear seat passengers. . I also like the panoramic roof of the Platinum, with my three granddaughters sitting in the rear seat enjoying the upward view of Atlanta skyscrapers and the jet liners taking off and landing at Atlanta Airport.

Fishlet

I think starting with the 2018 model, around view is also available in the SR.

I didn't even consider the SR because I knew I would dislike the firm suspension and lack of sunroof. I'm in the minority here but I think the low profile tiles look kind of strange, at least close up. The paddle shifters would have been nice but I never had them before so I can live without.

denoose

On this, my eighth Maxima, I did wrestle with my decision as to the SR versus the Platinum, and the camel interior was the deciding factor- i really like the look of it, and I also enjoyed using the paddle shifters in my last Max. The ride is stiffer for sure but it's not punishing, in my opinion. The sunroof woes that others have experienced here were also an issue in the '14 I previously owned, and while I did like the glass roof, I was leery of getting one on the new car. I'm happy with my decision and am enjoying the new car.

guvadc

I got the 2017 SR Midnight edition and the Platinum never entered the equation .

The exterior/interior looks of the Midnight, tighter suspension on the SR, and SR specific features made it a B line right for it.

Apoc13

same here....only option i miss is the memory for the power seats

dochidalgo

A Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires set will solve the stiff quality issue...better if you upgrade from OEM 245/40R19 to 255/40R19.....no problems with the brake and safety assistants or odometer and speedometer...

robtroxel

Agree with all the above. Once you have the 360 birds eye view, it is somthing I can't do without! Nissan should have included the paddle shifters in the Platinum this time. In my 2010 Premium Max had radio and heater controls in the rear passenger center arm rest as well as Auto up and down rear window controls. Nissan still plays with the "decontenting" game on certain features on the 2016 2017 models by not having an up and down power pax seat adjustment. Fortunately that seems to be fixed on the 2018 models.

Flatline99

You aren't missing anything with the paddle shifters on the 7th gen I noticed it would shift itself regardless. But I do believe you can just buy them and slap them in. I have been debating about doing this myself as well.

Ambivalent

Thanks for this. I'm hating the SR ride but like the SR look better than the platinum

Fishlet

Are there any visible differences betweern the SR and Platinum, besides the wheels and sunroof? You could buy SR wheels for the platinum, but that would negate the smoother ride somewhat

17BBMax

BlueSR

yes, the interior. Blue stitching, alcantara and liquid metal trim instead of wood looks. Personal reference though.

Apoc13

spolier too

Apoc13

and for interior, memory seats, surround view or whatever its called

MadMax07SL

I didn't read what everyone is saying, about the only thing on the SR that isn't available on the Platinum is the paddle shifters (at least that was true for 2016). Paddles should be standard on the Platinum. But it's still not enough to justify downgrading.

Apoc13

lol

sschumer

17BBMax, that's especially interesting since the Platinum wheels -- both the standard/stock and alternates (ones included in Medallion package in '17, now offered as a standalone option in '18) -- are 18", whereas the wheels offered on the SR are 19"

17BBMax

lindros2

After tens of thousands in tires (and rims too), I couldn't get the SR.
And wanted a sunroof.
That was all.
Only thing I miss is the paddle shifters - Nissan product planners should be jailed over not including them on the more expensive Platinum.

robtroxel

At least made to stand in the corner! I miss the paddle shifters!

guvadc

What??? And then not have anything us SR owners can hold over the Platinum owners?? ;-)


Kidding aside, I absolutely wanted the SR for the tighter suspension and better handling. Believe it or not, I actually did not want a Sunroof as I didn't want one more thing that could be the cause of some potentially annoying rattles. I'd been down that road before in Nissan's

robtroxel

Well you have a point. At 30 K miles, my Platinum has a light rattle somwhere near the sunroof on the Pax side. I may just do nothing as the car is on lease thru October. At that point it looks like another Maxima Platinum will replace it though. Overall I have been very pleased with the car.

Jax

I just picked up a new SR midnight edition I was gonna get the platinum but changed my mind in last minute, for some reason it felt too soft for my liking also I had a opportunity to test drive it in back roads with lots of curves, the car felt so inferior compared to my previous car (Infiniti g37).2 days later I had a chance to test drive an SR trim and what a difference it made I really wanted the platinum for the panoramic roof but figured that the sport ride is more important to me. I wish I could have had both oh well.Also wanna respond to few posts how harsh the ride is in SR trims,no offense but these guys probably owned camrys or accords cause I found a SR ride quality very similar to my previous car (Infiniti g37)

17BBMax

Jax

True, low profile tires do help but let's not forget other components like dampers, springs, struts so not sure if it's enough, the SR rides firm but not jarring, it's glued to the road more like it was supposed to, is it a caddy like ride? No its not but it's definitely not harsh.I used to own lowered Subaru WRX Sti now that car was harsh.I'm glad Nissan offers both worlds.

17BBMax

"harsh" is subjective. SR is a sweet car but in my opinion, it is harsh. Like I mentioned earlier...SR is rougher than our 2014 Camaro SS. SR is for the sport extreme. I will say that the SR also handles more crisp than the Camaro Platinum is very cushy, but too cushy and complacent for my liking. I did allot of research on this forum before making my decision to get the Platinum with SR wheels. Platinum with tighter profile SR wheels/tires offers a super blend of both worlds.

I liked the SR so much that we considered getting two Maximas. We were going to get the SR in Storm Blue for me and the Platinum Medallion Package in Bordeaux Black for my wife...But the Camaro SS was hard for me to part with so we opted for the Platinum with SR wheels and kept the Camaro.

I did L-O-V-E the extremely flat cornering of the SR on the newer smooth blacktop roads where we test drove, however it lost it's appeal on the worn in roads, which are the majority of roads in most cities I've experienced.

Kind Regards,
Lou

Jax

Harshness is in the eye of the beholder. Some people are just extremely tolerant of ride harshness where as others complain about every little bump.
Most suspension mods for a sports car are to improve handling. Pretty much anything that improves handling is going to sacrifice "ride quality". Of course, if what you want is to be able to feel the road, and be able to tell what the car is doing, a smoother, numb ride is poor "ride quality".
My wife drives a Toyota Highlander. No steering feedback, smooth as butter ride, but it's like piloting a barge.

17BBMax

Agree 100%. That's why I stated "harsh is subjective". The SR was designed (in your words) to "improve handling and sacrifice ride quality". The SR definitely sacrifices ride quality for performance. The SR is harsh and punishing on typical roads. It is only smooth on newer blacktop roads that have not been worn down. A Camaro or a Mustang is generally considered rough riding sport cars. They are both smoother than an SR. I currently own a 2016 Sierra Denali, 2017 Maxima, 2014 Camaro SS, 2016 GL 1800 and I recently bought a 2014 Mustang for my son in college. The SR rode harsher than any of those.

Platinum with SR wheels is the perfect blend of luxury and performance. Ours handles tight and crisp in the turns and renders rough roads compliant. Highly recommend the configuration to anyone who wants to have both worlds!!!

Kind Regards,
Lou

Jax

I've been driving sports cars my whole life.I have owned many cars but most notable are1988 Nissan 300ZX, 1993 mustang cobra,1996 Toyota Supra(sold 3 years ago) 1993 Vw Corrado, 2004 BMW M3, 2006 Subaru wrx Sti,2011 Infiniti G37, and now 2017 Nissan maxima SR. The only car that was too harsh for my taste was Subaru Sti but it wasn't stock. Still miss my Supra tho.

dmc79

I was comparing the SR to the SL model when I was looking, I just didn't want to go another $2-3K for the Platinum and with the deals at the time the SL and SR were within $1,000. Ultimately I chose the SR for the feature set compared to the SL. I was willing to sacrifice the moonroof to get the LED headlights, cooled seats, and the upgraded interior. The ride is definitely firm, but not punishing and it sounds like I can soften it a bit when the original Goodyear tires wear out.

Jax

Imo Led headlights should be standard on all trims.

17BBMax

Ahhh Toyota Supra... those were sweet

dochidalgo

Believe me, replacing the OEM tires for Michelin's Pilot Sport 4 the ride will be a lot better. It is the best upgrade for my Maxima.....

WHealy

@ 6'2" I have tight headroom issues. Very tight with a sun roof. Hence my SR as I waned leather too. Between my Focus RS, GT-R and F150, the Maxima has the smoothest ride! It's all about comparing!

17BBMax

Wow! All of your vehicles ride rougher than your SR?? Sucks JK

All of my comments were to help in answering and providing guidance for the OP's question. Our extensive test drives of the SR and Platinum before purchasing the Platinum with SR wheels, has allowed me the 1st hand comparison to share and inform the OP. I agree with th OP's comments and I'm certain there are many who didn't realize they could obtain sportier handling while retaining substantial comfort by combining the SR wheels with the Platinum. This gives people information and more choices to consider moving forward. Especially those who have regretted getting the SR because they didnt realize they had more options to consider from the dealer. Some dealerships try to discourage swapping wheels and will sometimes tell the customer it's not allowed. That's BS. Some dealerships are just too lazy to work the numbers.

Our 2016 Sierra has the Magneride suspension...that is a sweet setup. Too bad the Maxima doesn't have that. Then you could switch between Platinum or a SR suspension at the touch of a button

dgraham2038

Appreciate the feedback, as I don’t have much choice but to ride it out. My wife is next in line for a new ride soooo I’ll have the Max for awhile. However, I will try different wheels when the stock rubber plays out. And don’t get me wrong I don’t hate it, I just wish it rode a little smoother. The interior and the acceleration more than makes up for the firm ride.

Jax

You should try swapping shocks/struts for platinum ones not sure if they fit tho.Also you could get some quality adjustable coilovers like Koni or Bilstein those have different damper settings.