Hey Guys,

I just took my bad-boy and a 600 mile trip, and with a clean K&N I am disappointed. First leg the car did 27 mpg, which is good, but not as good as the last time. Then, on the way back 25.5 mpg.

Anyway, the vibration at the steering wheel is very annoying. As you probably know, I just got all new tires, wheel alignment, and inspection. The people who did the work said my front end is tight as a drum. I told them about the shaking, and they said it will be gone after the align/new rubber.

What troubles me about the 4th gen is how bad the handling is........we all know that. But me and my buddy drove a 2k4 Stratus this weekend and it might as well been a BMW--dang, the steering was so tight and responsive. Nissan is so clueless.

I couldn't pull the trigger. I went to the BMW dealer and they had 2 cars in stock that I liked, the M3 and 325Ci. I liked both of those cars because the 325 had the sport package and the M3 had a 6-speed, not the SMG BS. Drove both, and just drooled over the handling. With 20k down, the 325 was still $430/mo. I am due for a ok bonus this quarter, but I can't see 184 hp for that much money. The sport seats are to die for though. Oh, about the M3? With 20k down, it was $1218/mo.

 

If I were you man keep the '98 SE and mod the suspension, and performance. You can get really good handling if you purchase the right spring/strut combo, with a good FSTB, RSB, Bushings (maybe). My car on stock suspension was HORRIBLE at handling, but after the drop and the above mentioned parts the handling has drastically increased believe it is really worth it. M3 is another story you can't compare that, however in my honest opinion you're not gaining much of anything by purchasing the 325 they are really slow cars and you can get your Max to look better, probably handle the same, and definantly outperform most 325's. I'm also not to sure on reliability of BMWs maybe some other member can comment on that. So look around you man you can make your Max something else.

 

Frank, do you have any suspension mods? I have Konis, H&Rs, urethane endlink and swaybar bushings, subframe connectors, and lightweight 17s and the only complaint I have with my Maxima is the overboosted steering. The Maxima's steering is direct and decently precise, but there needs to be more weight in the wheel. I've owned a modified CRX Si (no power steering) and a modified 94 Z28 and I can honestly say the my Maxima outhandles both of them. I don't have hard numbers, but I can push this car far harder than anything else I've ever owned or have driven. It's not in the M-class, but I'd imagine my car would outhandle about 95% of the cars on the road.

 

3 series beamers are a dime a dozen, the old m3s will become quite low end after the new m5 comes out, so..

Work on that shimmy issue and hold it for a bit. You can always get a new car, but cannot jump out of the contract.

Your mileage is nothing out of the ordinary...