ericdwong

OK I might get flamed but here goes anyway. This is whats going on in my mind.

I also went to the insurance company today to research some numbers. When I turn 21, my insurance for the maxima drops almost $1000 a year. If I get B average this semester, it drops even lower saving almost another $400 a year. For fun, I got the quote for a 98 Z28 SS coupe Camaro (first car that popped into my mind that *should* be a very expensive car for a young single male). Without good grade discount, that car will be about $600 LESS to insure after I turn 21 then what I am paying now for the maxima. So the SS camaro is about $400 more per year to insure then the maxima. That $400 is enough to pay for my motorcycle insurance for a year, that ontop of the cost I lost of the Max already tells me to give the maxima another chance. The money I would spend buying a new car could be more cheaply made putting towards mods. IF my parents give me $ that will be money towards paying off the motorcycle, so then I can live debt free for a little.

The biggest frustration I have with my car is its hard as F to launch, wheelie hop, pulls to the right, handles like a boat, lift on accel, dive when braking, looks jacked up as F and weighed down in the rear and isnt the greatest for trailer towing. All of these problems point to suspension. At 72,000 miles the car isnt exactly rolling off the showroom floor either.

I just ordered KYB AGX from Foreign Car Parts Online for $350 shipped and Sprint Springs for $150 from Impact Parts. Both are in the New England area and I'm at the mid atlantic so it should be here by next week. Hopefully this and a good alignment will get the car feeling great as my car is pulling hard right.

I remember when I changed the suspension on my old 90 Camry with KYB GR2 and Intrax springs. The difference was almost night and day. I miss driving the lowered "go kart" feel ride alot.

I'm trying to find the KYB bumpstops as my factory ones are shot to high heaven. I'm also going to order the Polyurethane Control Arm and sway bar bushings (I'll probably do suspension.com, but anybody know of dealers on the east?). I really only have 4 major projects left. 1) suspension 2) variable intake 3) supercharger 4) 5th gen axle on my car. Oh yea I guess I might peek into my transmission to see why it likes to hang in reverse sometimes, but for now I'm crossing fingers.

Anybody know where to get the KYB dust stops on the east coast?

97ABMAX

Hey, glad to hear you are givin the Max another chance. Iw as getting tired of hearing you complaining about it.lol Hope everything goes well for you. Take Care

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

Ditto!

pocketrocket

iTrader: (1)

yay!

Just don't crash it.

Chinkzilla

Finally! You're going to stop expecting the stock suspension to do what an _aftermarket_ suspension is supposed to do! Ok, I'll get off your case now, glad you're giving it another chance. Here's to a few more happy years with your car. Cheers!

-D

Yellowbrother

i think u just made a wrong choice AGAIN!!!

Yellowbrother

i would bet...when u drop the car...u gonna b!tch about how rough it rides...so on and so forth...also the comment about towing??? maxima was not made to tow stuff dude...a pickup/suv/van is...

Pappa Grande

Anybody know where to get the KYB dust stops on the east coast? [/B][/QUOTE]

- I think I have what you want - I bought the dust boots from Cattman when I bought my KYB AGXs. Bough GC so I don't need the boots- PM me if interested. (in NJ)

DanNY

iTrader: (14)

yup!
another chance means more reason to complain about the car.
just sell it and call it the day. tell mommy and daddy to give u some more money.

ericdwong

Lets see- I used to drive a lowered family sedan and I MISS the ride.

As for towing, its only occasional towing of the motorcycle. The max should be able to take that. After all it is the mighty "well rounded" vehicle , yes?

tifosiv122

iTrader: (2)

Same here.


Erik

Yellowbrother

but just considering how u don't like the way the max ride now...with it lowered i knoe the ride quality will be worse...yes u can corner and stuff like that better...but knowing u...i feel that about a month later we'll see u post about how sux it ride...no flame but i just see a cycle...once u're unsatisfied with a car...especially with ur expressed feelings about ur max...no matter what u do...no matter how much u try to convince urself...u will never like it...


as for the towing...yes the maxima is a well rounded car...but it's a family sedan...still is not made/design to tow anything...sure it can tow stuff if u want it too...but not made/design to tow...only thing family sedan is to tow is their family or peep IN the car...

190hpKiLLA

iTrader: (11)

Good point.

Cumalot

iTrader: (8)

Preach on Yellow!

Eric, I have to agree with Yellow. You are better off selling the Maxima. I know how you feel somewhat. I'm not completely satisfied with my car either. However, I couldn't do anything about it right now because the lack of funds. If you could sell the car and get something else, by all means, do it.

ericdwong

Worse is a highly subjective term. Worse at what? Cornering? Body rolling? Brake dive?

To me, a stiff, taut suspension is BETTER then a cushy boaty floaty suspension. I like the way my sport bike feels, as well as my friends with true sport cars and how they feel (BMW, Corvette, 02 SS Camaro, Miata few others).

Yes I am taking a chance of lowering this car. I absolutely loved the way my old camry handled with Intrax/KYB GR2, but that car had a IRS. I think its worth the $500 gamble as last time I replaced the suspension on a car with blown struts it felt like a 100% brand new car. I also realize more stuff will starts squeeling, but hopefully I'll be able to find them and deal with them.

For towing where do you reason that it is not designed to (in your words) "tow anything"? Even in the OWNERS MANUAL it states it can tow 1000 pounds and 100 tongue weight. Ontop of that, my car is even more tow prepared with the heavy duty clutch, HP/torque freer-uppers, cryogenically treated transmission gears, Quaife differential, heavy duty motor mounts, rear sway bar and soon to be new suspension. I would find it more out of the ordinary to take the car to the drag strip then to tow a trailer.

maximus75

iTrader: (5)

Eric, whats the deal with the 5th gen axle on a forth gen? (I'm guessing you have a forth gen) Any benifits?

Frank Fontaine

I agree because I remember the other post. My suggestion is to get a car with only liability, because if insurance can go down by a grand that implies it's pretty expensive currently.

Nothing wrong with being emootional about our cars, but sometimes it's better to be logical. I was PO'd when someone scraped my car Thu nite/fri morn and didn't leave a note (yeah right). Peple at work weren't upset at all, it's life in the big city. They said fix it and don't claim it.

So based on the orig. post keeping this max is a huge mistake.

ericdwong

OK well like I said Im giving this car another chance. If after I put on the suspension and get an alignment and I still do not like it, then yes by all means thats gonna be it. I think its worth the gamble.

This is an unfair comparison, but I was in my friends 96 328i with sports package completely stock and I liked it. The ride was almost perfect for a sedan. Its stiff, controlled, no body lean, none of that boat and darty feeling. I know the max is never gonna ride like a bmw, no matter how modified but I'll try to come close.

Dany

iTrader: (1)

That what I always hated about Maxima. It's stupidly designed suspension. Stupid rear beam, I hate it.
I have 2002 SE now and it drives the same, that boat and darty feeling. I am getting H&Rs installed soon, hopefully it will make the car more stable. But the way I see it, no matter what you do to Maxima suspension wise, you can't change the design of suspension. You can make a little better by adding suspension mods.